GOOD FOR UNITED

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 271, 6 February 1928, Page 6

GOOD FOR UNITED

Eden Roughly Handled COMPETITION AT INTERESTING STAGE BEYOND a merry innings by United Suburbs, Saturday’s A.C.A. cricket lacked sparkle. With a series of obvious first innings’ decisions in view, the later stages of the matches were lacking in any real interest. Saturday’s results brought the competition up to a most interesting stage. Ponsonby and Shore are now running neck and neck, with Eden and Parnell only one point behind.

xVs anticipated, the concluding games in the first round caused quite a shuffling of the clubs on the championship ladder. Eden, with a depleted team, suffered its first tastes of defeat at the hands of Parnell, and United Suburbs, while Shore and Ponsonby scored two wins, and are now level on the top rung, while Eden and Parnell are equal a point lower down. The result should be an interesting battle for the chsftnpionship honours between the four clubs which have only a solitary point separating them. With the end of the season in sight, it would be a good plan if the games in the second round were “seeded” so that the four leading clubs could meet each other, while the other four could play each other. That would absorb another six Saturdays, and, with two pencilled for Australian games, would make an interesting season between now and Easter when King Willow will depart for his winter sleep. The club delegates may consider the suggestion at the management meeting to-morrow night, as the close positions of the teams in the running would warrant a rearrangement of the original diraw and stimulate public interest in the championship, which is more open than it has been for many seasons past. THE STUDY OF LOGIC—AND OTHER THINGS WHY SPECTATORS GO HOME The story of Parnell’s three-pointer against Varsity is soon told. In fact the fewer serious words wasted on a game of this sort the better. Varsity spent the whole afternoon in giving a display at the wickets which they apparently found vastly entertaining. Parnell, too, entered into the spirit of the thing. As for the unfortunate spectators, oozing perspiration in the stand, they seemingly didn’t count. About half-past six a horrible sensation was. created by the sight of 12 players Jhd two umpires trooping off the ground en masse. Burbidge stayed out at the wickets, the genial “Prof” possibly being engaged in working out the problem presented by the Parnell skipper’s weird mixture of “dolly drops” and straight leg breaks—-with-out the leg break action. ANOTHER PROBLEM A rapidly thinning stand awoke to the fact that something desperate had happened. The consensus of opinion was that Varsity, in a weak moment, had declared, the innings closed, leaving Parnell to get fifty or -sixty runs. Whereupon, the scorers started to tot up the scores and work out the averages. One solitary spectator of Hebraic extraction, who had grimly stuck out the day’s play, sat up in joyful anticipation of getting something for his money. He was unfortunately doomed to disappointment. The laws of cricket were not destined to be fractured in such a cavalier fashion. Apparently, the unexpected sally from the field of play was nothing more nor less than a belated raid on the water taps in the absence of a more exhilarating thirst-quencher; for, in a. few minutes 1 time, the players were back on the field, playfully intent on making the most of the entertainment they were providing—for themselves. Treating the matter seriosuly, a total of 372 runs for nearly five hours batting may be claimed to be by no means slow batting. But it has to be remembered that nearly half of them were scored under farcical conditions after Parnell had exhausted every means of getting stodgy batsmen to take the slightest interest in the question of providing some excuse for iflaying a second innings at all. The only useful feature of the day’s play was the uncommonly good bowling of Aitken in Varsity’s first innings. If this player is not exceedingly careful, he will have the selectors after him. He has persisted in this sort of thing for some time past, and an aggravated offence of this nature can end in only one way. There is not much else that warrants favourable criticism, except this. Bannister and Gee can get runs so well when they want to that one would prefer to see them disciples of the entertaining Mr. Coue rather than that they should be restrained by any academic prejudices against the vulgar tastes of the* .common herd. ►Scores: PARNELL. First Innings .. .. .. 267 VARSITY. First Innings SMEETON, c Hay, b Aitken •• M 2S BANNISTER, b Aitken * 3 SC HNAUER, c Hay b Aitken ... .. .. 21 KELLY, b Good sir ............ 38 GARRARD, b Aitken •••••.. IS MATHESON, lbw, b Aitken 2 DOUG ALL. b Macallan 4 GEE, run out 12 BURBIDGE, lbw. b Macallan .. M .. 6 WILSON, b Goodsjr .. .. 11 HUDSON, not out . • •• .. •• •• .. .. 0 Total 162 Fall of wickets: 5, 48, 67, 101, 110, 121, 131. 138, 162, 162. Bowling: Aitken, 6-31; Goodsir, 2-53; Macallan, 2-53; Kissling, 0-6. Second Innings. B.MEETON, c sub, b Irving .. .. .. 39 BANNISTER, c Hay, b Kissling .... 40 SCHNAUER, c Hay, b Duncan .... 21 KELLY, b McCoy 33 CHE, not out 49 BURBIDGE, not out .. .. .. .. .. 31 Extras .. ... 17 Total for four wickets .. .. .. 210 Fall of wickets.—B6, 93, 113, 140. Bowling.—Goodsir, 0-29; Macallan, 0-19; Aitken, 0-25; Kissling, 1-24; Irving, 1-31; McCoy, 1-35; Duncan, 1-30.

PONSONBY’S VICTORY HORSPOOL’S GREAT CENTURY At Eden Park on Saturday, when Grafton, with one wicket down for 27, continued its first innings with Horspool and Wylie, it had to compile 389 runs to beat Ponsonby*s opening effort. For a time the only excitement was the repated ringing of a fire bell nearby, and that seemed to be a signal for some hard hitting. The runs came quickly, but Langridge and Smith were deadly with the balls and the last wicket fell for 177. Horspool played a good bat for his 47. Sloman joined Dykes and then came some solid hitting. Sloman commenced by hitting four boundaries off Snedden, after which Langridge had a hand with the ball. Wylie hit a ball hard back to Langrdige who made a beautiful catch. Sloman, after hitting a six and a four sent one back to Langridge, who again made no mistake. After that the “tail” forgot itself and the team went under quickly. Requiring 212 to save a four-pointer, Grafton followed on, resuming at 4 p.m. with Sloman and Horspool. Langridge bowled Sloman when 9, and Wylie went the same way without alteration to the score. After the tea adjournment Langridge bowled Dykes for one. Pope came on, and here began the partnership of the day. Pope began to let the bowlers have it, and Horspool did likewise, although he was not so keen. The batsmen had the bowlers thinking and many changes Were made. With 54 to his account Pope put his leg in front of the wicket. He and Horspool, who was now 80, compiled 128 between them. Horspool made certain of his century by hitting a beautiful six when 94. Langridge then e\'ened up by catching Goodwin, whose 23 was obtained rapidly. Street went in and when 212, one over the required score to save a four-pointer, Grafton declared, leaving Ponsonby with a three-pointer to its credit. Horspool played a great game all day. and was certainly in good form. Throughout he held a steady, capable bat, although tired at times and only when he reached his century did he jump at them. Sloman, too, played a solid game and was shaping for his three figures when he left the wicket. The Ponsonby fielding was excellent, although the honours must go to Langridge. He caught six men in the two innings and never a ball, from whatever angle, got past him. Lindrum made a bad mistake in the first innings when he dropped a high catch from Goodwin, but he made amends two balls later by taking a magnificent catch nfter running 30yds to it. The better team won and Ponsonby has placed itself in a good position. Details: PONSONBY First innings 3SB GRAFTON First Innings. HOPKINS, c Langridge, b Smith .. 1 HORSPOOL, c Sub, b Smith 47 WYLIE, c Langridge, b Smith .... 20 POPE, b Langridge 0 SLOMAN, c and b Langridge .. .. 50 GOODWIN, c Lindrum, b Langridge 15 DYKES, c and b Langridge 26 OLSEN, lbw, b Langridge 0 STREET, run out 0 TURVEY, c Langridge, b Smith .... 4 HAMILTON, not out 4 Extras .. •• •• *• •• Total 1 77 Bowling: Smith, 4-55: Roy, 0-6; Rangridge, 5-63; McLeod, 0-6; -Snedden, 0-37. Fall of wickets; 7, 64, 9S, 100, 141, 160, 165, 165, 165, 1 77 . Second Innings. SI,OMAN, b Langridge .. WYLIE, b Langridge .. .. « DYKES, b Langridge .. 1 POPE, lbw, b Smith - - “ 4 GOODWIN, c Langridge, b Smith .. 23 HORSPOOL, not out .. 109 STREET, not out 2 Extras .. .. . - .« Total for five -wickets (dec.) 212 Bowling: Smith, 2-77; Langridge, 3-68; Snedden. 0-23; Taylor, 0-14; Wheeler, 0-16. Fall of wickets: 22, 22, 38, 166, 212. THE CHAMPION SIDE GOES UNDER AGAIN UNITED SUBURBS DEFEATS EDEN Twice in a week Eden has had to lower its colours, and on Saturday the champon side’s flag was pulled down by one of the most deserving teams in the competition—United Suburbs. With one wicket down for 48 in reply to Eden’s first inning’s total of 224 Bushill and Kerr continued batting for Suburbs. As the afternoon wore on with Bushill, Kerr, Stotter, Martin and Leikis all banging the bowling about much as they liked, it was evident tha,t Eden, with a sadly weakened team, was fighting a hopeless fight. As the score crept slowly but surely towards the second century, skipper Gillespie cast some anxious glances at the score-board, while in the stand sat Eden’s four members of the Auckland representative side, all alike powerless to help their team. A BREEZY OPENING Postles and Butler opened the bowling and immediately Kerr stepped off the mark with three boundary shots in succession at Postles’s expense, and Bushill soon had Butler skimming over the turf in a like manner. Kerr batted very attractively, while his partner was solid rather than brilliant. Fraser replaced Postles and commenced sending down long hops which, needless to say, were much appreciated by both batsmen. H. Gillespie went on in place of Butler, but although he quietened things down for a time, the batsmen could not be tempted to push up his off stuff with eight men fielding on the off side. One of the Eden skipper’s overs yielded 16. Just at this stage Bushill was out to a looser ball than usual from Fraser. He had dispatched many similar balls to the boundary, but this timo for some reason or other he sent it up In the air for Cummings at cover to take a good catch. Bushill’s 46 was a solid effort, the consistent Suburban nran treating loose stuff especially in a lusty manner. Hendy, the next man in, was still

limping from the rick lie gave his leg in the Auckland-Wellington match, and it was very obvious that he could not be expected to contribute substantially to the total. Thus with two wickets down for just over the hundred, Eden’s hopes began to rise still higher when Kerr succumbed to Buisson—jelean bowled. The brilliant left-hander had treated the bowling with scant respect and his 58 was a sparkling display taking less than an hour. ANOTHER FINE PARTNERSHIP Stotter and Martin played out time to the afternoon tea interval, btft did not stay long together on the recommencement of play, Stotter being skittled by Postles. Leikis then joined Martin and Suburban supporters realised that if this pair did not make some runs the tail would not stand much chance of getting the 80 odd runs still required. Slowly at first, but quickly later, the total mounted—l4o-150-160—and so on to 200 with the pair still undefeated. It was a rare exhibition of exhilirating batting. Sixteen runs—including a six and two fours—came off one of Butler’s overs, and Gillespie hurriedly brought Buisson on again. Leikis opened out to Postle’s scoring the winning hit by swiping him to the boundary. The scoring had been rapid before, but it became even more rapid now. With nothing to lose but their wickets, the batsmen stepped out to most as frequently as f ours, and almost as frequent as fours, and although Martin was out for 62 shortly after the required number of runs had been added, Leikis and the tail-enders carried on as breezily as ever. Buisson was the most successful of the Eden bowlers, although Fraser succeeded in taking as many wickets as he did. Butler commenced erratic-

ally, but settled down after a time, and was unfortunate in having Kerr missed in the slips off him. Fraser’s length was atrocious, until he pulled himself together towards the end of his spell, and for a while sent down some real good stuff. Scores; —» EDEN First innings 224 Second Innings H. GILLESPIE, lbw, b Atkinson .. 1 POSTLES, not out 26 BENNETT, not out 17 Total for one wicket 44 Bowling analysis.—Martin, 0-26; Atkinson, 1-18. UNITED SUBURBS First Innings BUSHILL, c Cummings, b Fraser .. 46 DAVIS, b Fraser 9 KERR, b Buisson 58 STOTTER, b Postles 29 HENDY, e Philpotts, b Fraser .... 6 MARTIN, c A. Gillespie, b Fraser .. 62 LEIKIS, st. McCarthy, b Buisson .. 5S WILLIAMS, b Buisson .5 SOMERS, c Butler, b A. Gillespie .. 7 MILLS, lbw, b BUisson 16 ATKINSON, not out 0 Extras .. 26 Total 322 Bowling analysis.-—Fraser, 4-74; Butler, 0-48; Buisson, 4-45; Philpotts, 0-11; Postles, 1-39; H. Gillespie, 0-21; A. Gillespie, 1-43; Bennett, 0-10; Brooke-Smith, 0-5. SHORE’S TEN-WICKET WIN WHEN BOWLEY RETIRES HURT UNLUCKY MATCH FOR Y.M.C.A. The match with North Shore at Devonport was a very unlucky one for Y.M.C.A., who struck a streak of bad luck which ran right through the game, and ended in a decisive defeat by 10 wickets. On the previous Saturday, without the services of Bowley, they had dismissed a strong Shore batting side for a moderate 214, but in just over an hour’s play had been unaccountably dismissed themselves for a paltry 43 on a wicket which did not greatly assist the home trundlers, Saunders being the disturbing element with the sensational average of seven wickets for 17 runs. A TECHNICAL POINT Although the point was not raised the previous Saturday, the question was afterwards propounded whether, if the ninth wicket had fallen within two minutes of time, the vacancy kept for Bowley could not be filled and the innings continued the following Saturday. The matter was considered before the game resumed on Saturday, when both Messrs. Nalder and Beale, of the A.C.A. management committee, were on the ground. It was stated that with the fall* of the ninth wicket the closing bell had rung, as the players filed off the field, but there is no official timekeeper at Devonport, as at Eden Park, and it appeared in the Press stand that it needed about four minutes to time when the ninth wicket fell. It is understood that according to one umpire it lacked three minutes to stumps when play ceased. Finally, the captain of the Y.M.C.A. team on Saturday agreed that the innings, should be considered closed. It made but little difference, as Bowley had to retire after half-an-hour’s batting. Y.M.C.A. FOLLOW ON With a lead of ISI on the first innings, Frater had no hesitation in applying the follow on, and there was a large attendance of spectators when Bowley and Elliott started the Young Men’s second knock. Frater again took the stumper’s gloves and opened the Shore offensive with Scott and Saunders, Dacre occupying his reserved place in the home eleven. Both batsmen opened quietly, and Bowley had a close call for a run out, but the outfield was too fast and bumpy to assist clean gathering of the ball. Runs came at the steady flow of one a fninute, Saunders being severely dealt with at times, but Bowley was not backdriving with his usual force and freedom. BOWLEY’S BAD LUCK The reason for the Sussex coach’s restraint became clear when he left the field after scoring 34 out of 65, and it was found on examination that he had ricked a muscle in his side, the trouble being aggravated by each effort to bring off his famous forcing drive from the baj;k foot. It was unfortunate for the popular professoj and disappointing to the spectators, besides adding to the Young Men’s run of bad luck when they were battling hard to secure a losing point out of their shattered hopes. Acting on medical advice Bowley decided not to resume, and Lyoq joined Elliott, who