MERRY DAY ON THE DEVONPORT GROUND

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

MERRY DAY ON THE DEVONPORT GROUND

DACRE CUTS LOOSE Prater won the toss for the third time in succession against S. G. Smith at Devonport and had no hesitation in taking first knock on a fast wicket with a blustering southerly blowing down the pitch. Player went early to a shooter from Roy, but Monteith and I'rater piled on the runs with free cricket. Monteith was severe on Langwho was bowling against the stilt breeze, and hit him twice clean over the line, and twice to the boundary, but was . unfortunate with a kicker from Roy running off the bat to Langridge at short slip. Frater soon followed through pulling an off ball from Roy on to his wicket. Three wikeets had fallen for 04 when Dacre joined Bush, and for nearly an hour the pair made things more than lively for Poneonby, while adding another 92. Dacre had not touched a bat since his illness in Sydney, and was more restrained than usual, but gave a beautiful display of free cricket. His late cutting was delightful to watch, and he went to the pitch of anything tossed up to him, the sixer into the back of the houses fronting [ the sea being a magnificent straight drive against the wind, which gave him his century in just under 1 £ hours. He gave one chance to McLeod on the line when 47, but the ball came knee high with the wood and the wind behind it, and Dacre was given a great ovation when he was well caught just afterwards by Warneford off Taylor. BUSH IN FORM Ponsonby were without Nesbit Sneddon. and after Bush and Webb had both batted well, Saunders and Johnson made a good stand for the ninth wicket, carrying the score past the 300 mark with lively hitting, and the Shore innings closed for 319 as the result of 200 minutes’ batting. Bush again showed good form and his free finished style marks him as a coming front-ranker. Saunders opened out and pasted the tired bowling merrily with two sixer’s and four shots to the line. Roy was the best of the Ponsonby trundlers, and found a patch where the ball did tricks in the way of kicking or shooting at times, but Dacre disconcerted him somewhat with a six. four, and three in succession. Langridge was unlucky in the way of dropped catches. His bowling was impressive, and he was not afraid to pitch them up for the enterprising batsmen to have a go. LANGRIDGE GOES In 75 minutes’ batting Ponsonby lost three good wickets for 78 runs when stumps were drawn. Langridge was just getting into bis stride, and playing some nice shots, when he opened his shoulders to a half-volley from Dacre, and with the crack of the bat came the snap of the catch as Dacre held the return low down and wide. Smith played with excusable patience for his 20 not out. and the game is in an interesting position for resumption next Saturday. Details are;—»

SHORE First Innings FRATER, b Roy 20 PLAYER, b Roy 5 MONTEITH, c Langridge, b Roy . . 31 BUSH, run out 43 C. DACRE, c Warneford, b Taylor 103 COLEBOURNE, lbw, b Roy 3 WEBB, c Taylor, b Roy 20 SAUNDERS, not out 47 SCOTT, c McLeod, b Smith 13 JOHNSON, b Smith 17 COATES, not out 4 Extras 13 Total 319 Fall of wickets: 7, 55, 64, 156. 160. 238, 244. 267. 312. 319, Bowling: Roy, 5-104: S. G. Smith, 2-62; Taylor, 1-57; Langridge, 0-83. PONSONBY First Innings S. G. SMITH, not out 20 TAYLOR, lbw, b Saunders 11 LANGRIDGE!, c and b Dacre 10 COMMONS, b Saunders IS LENDRUM, not out 0 Extras 13 Total for three wickets .... 78