VARSITY BOWLERS PUT GRAFTON IN DIFFICULTIES

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 213, 28 November 1927, Page 10

VARSITY BOWLERS PUT GRAFTON IN DIFFICULTIES

ROWNTREE’S MERRY EFFORT Despite the fact that No. 3 wicket at Eden Park was in better condition than earlier this season, the Grafton batsmen were able to put on only 135 in their first innings against Varsity on Saturday.. A sharp south-wester was blowing across the wicket and this helped the bowlers considerably to make the ball come off the pitch much quicker than ordinarily. C. A. Snedden and Horspool opened the batting for Grafton and great things were expected of the former after his fine display at Shore in the hist match. Snedden appeared to be right on form, too, and hit Matheson’s second ball past cover for a nice brace. Two balls later, however, he played one off the same bowler on to his pads, and it removed his bails before he had time to recover. HORSPOOL AS OF OLD The procession, begun so early, continued at regular intervals, Pope, Sloman, Hopkins, Dykes and Wylie following each other in and out, while Ernie Horspool held the other end of the fort on his own. He played a solid, chanceless innings for 41 before being caught and bowled by Matheson. Making good use of a powerful pull to leg among other shots, Horspool brought back memories of the old days, and particularly his brilliant innings when he and Anthony put on over 100 for the first wicket for Auckland against Wellington some years ago. He played many uppish strokes, but they were all well placed and fell out of the reach of the fieldsmen. Had Snedden stayed with him the aspect of the game might have been changed considerably. Grafton’s prospects, with eight down for 94, were anything but bright when Rowntree went out. FIERY HITTING Making good use of his pads, as he is accustomed to do behind the sticks, the veteran keeper set about in his own hit or miss manner to knock Garrard and Matheson all over the field.

The bowlers had tied most of the preceding batsmen up and kept Horspooi Qtliet ;11 times, but no" so Rowntree. His first hit—off Garrard—narrowly missed being a sixer, going to the on boundary for four. In the next over came another four. Grafton supporters sat up and rubbed their eyes, but there were more surpluses to come. Matheson was treated with less respect than Garrard and was dispatched three times to the boundary before the veteran Rowntree allowed the ball to beat him and snip off his leg bail. Rowntree’s was a striking effort and served to prove again how care-free hitting often succeeds when orthodox batsmanship fails. Without the rep. wicketkeeper’s 30, Grafton would have been hard put to hoist the century. Matheson, who bowled throughout the innings, had taken four for 34 when Rowntre came, but he finished up with five for 60. He appears to have struck form and kept a much better length than earlier this season. He took full advantage of the wind and made the ball swing considerably at times. Matheson also fielded brilliantly, holding four hard catches, three of them in slips off Garrard and Barnes. Rule Garrard put himself on in place of Barnes after a dozen overs and -the

change was a most effective one, the Varsity captain taking four wickets in quick succession for 31. VARSITY’S GOOD OPENING Smeeton and Bannister opened Varsity's first strike against the bowling of Snedden and Hamilton, putting on over 50 for the first wicket. They banged the bowling about in fine style, Smeeton being, if anything, the more aggressive of the pair. He looked set for a big score, when he put his foot in front to Craig and was out for 38. Matheson ran up a good 18, playing brilliantly until he was clean bowled by Snedden. Hamilton, a diminutive man, with some claim to ~'->eed, opened the bowling for Grafton. Taking a long run. he races to the wicket and hurls himself through the air in true Spofforth style. He failed to secure a wicket and was relished bv Bannister, Smeeton and Garrard in turn. GARRARD’S FINE KNOCK

D. W. Garrard, the Varsity captain, Plaved a fine innings to score 77 be-

lore he was run out. He completely mastered the bowling: and treated it all on Its merits. Ide scored chiefly with hard off drives and a crisp stroke past Schnauer, the exGrammar captain, was the only other batsman to make a stand, scoring a

solid 33 before he

n r> n . pave a chance to o 1 %- arrar \ d Wylie off Horspool. Scored 75 and Goodwin., who took four for 31. took three wickets for 56, was badly knocked about by Garrard, otherwise he would have had a better average. Horspool captured two wickets and Snedden, Wylie and Craig on© each. Seven bowlors were tried by Snedden before Varsitv were J or 221 > 86 runs ahead of Grafton s first strike. Details:

GRAFTON First Innings SNEDDEN. b Matheson .... o pnpp P °°lf C , and b ' Matheson I*. 41 XT Matheson, b Barnes .... 9 SLOMAN, b Matheson q HOPKINS, o Dow, b Garrard 7. 7. 7 4 htYKES. c Wilson, b Matheson ... 4 W\ r.lh, O Matheson, b Garrard <; GOODWIN, st Kelly, b Garrard 11 ROWNTREE, b MathesoV 7 .7 U ( RAIG, c Matheson, b Garrard q HAMILTON, not out * a Extras ** 1n

Total 94 F l 3 3 ’ 3Z ’ 47 ' 60, 64 ' 7S - 94 ' Bowling: Matheson, 5-60: Garrard 4-31-Barnes, 1-25. ’ ’

UNIVERSITY First Innings BANNISTER, b Goodwin on SMEETON, lbw, b Craig * •>© RALFE, b Goodwin * * 'a MATHESON, b Snedden *’ -ic GEE, lbw, b Goodwin ’ ’ ‘ y GARRARD, run out 75 c Wylie, b Horspool .! 33 c Crai P. b Wylie j DOW, not out 1 BARNES, absent ******* n Extras * **

Total ~ .. tt _ 221 Goodwin, 3-56; Horspool,* 2-30; ’ I'U Crai S. 1-30; Snedden, 1-34; Dykes, 0-18; Hamilton, 0-42.