UNITED MAKES GOOD START AGAINST VARSITY

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 253, 16 January 1928, Page 7

UNITED MAKES GOOD START AGAINST VARSITY

SMEETON’S DASHING DISPLAY After a useful opening partnership by Smeeton and Gee, and the successful way in which Smeeton and Schnauer carried on, Varsity was given a good send-off in its match with United Suburbs on Saturday. Williams and Kerr got together with the ball, however, and the remainder of the University side was unable to make any headway against their deadly attack. The side was all out for 183, and the United men replied with 121 for five wickets. The suburban bowling held no terrors for the early Varsity batsmen. Smeeton went straight oft the mark, and continued to score at such a rate that in just over 30 minutes’ actual batting time he had 50 against his name. After adding eight more to his total he was run out in a rather simple manner, when Wetherill, behind the stumps, deflected a return from short leg on to the wicket. Smeeton hit eight fours and one six. He relished Leikis more than any of the other bowlers, and hit 13 (including a six and a four) oft' one of the tall suburban man’s overs. ASPECT OF GAME CHANGES Two wickets were down for 8S at this stage, and things looked very rosy for Varsity. The aspect of the game was completely changed however, when Kule Garrard and Wells were dismissed for the addition of only 20 more ru,ns. Williams, who had come back at the pavilion end, bowled much more dangerously than previously, and succeeded in catching and bowling the Varsity skipper for 13, after he had run up three fours off successive balls. The rate of scoring up to now had been exceptionally high, the f first hundred being hoisted after an hour’s play. ' Varsity now, however, had to fight for every run. Kelly was at the wicket half an hour in scoring two. Schnauer and Wells stopped the rot for a time, but they could not stand for long against the accurate bowling of Williams and Kerr. In his first spell at the bowling crease the United Suburban skipper took none for 22, suffering like the other bowlers against Smeeton and Schnauer, but when he returned again after a brief spell he was practically unplayable, and captured his next tour wickets for 16 runs. Charlie Kerr was hit about a bit from the pavilion end, but on being transferred to the other end settled down to a consistent length. With one out of the bag he clean bowled Wells. With the exception of Smeeton, Schnauer was the only Varsity batsman to make a stand. He went in first wicket with Smeeton, and batted patiently for his 33, being clean bowled when he attempted to open out to Williams. SUBURBS’ GOOD FIELDING A feature of the game was the fielding of the United Suburban men. Hendy. at long off, and Martin, at cover, being responsible for some smart work. Accurate throwing was responsible for three of the University batsmen being run out. The proficiency of the United Suburban men in this branch of the game shows up when compared with the all-too-often mediocre displays of other teams in the competition. Ever since they entered the A.C.A. ranks they have fought doggedly in the field, often against bad luck. Every man is as keen as mustard. There is no waiting for the ball to come to him. Facing the task Qf scoring 184 runs to pass Varsity’s first innings total, Bushill and Martin opened for United Suburbs. Runs came regularly from the beginning, and the pair soon carried the score over the half century. Bushill was given out lbw to Smeeton when double figures, off a ball which he played. Garrard's sporting action in inducing the umpire to reverse his decision was much appreciated by the spectators. The opening partnership realised 70 runs. After the dismissal of Bushill and