EDEN HOLDS ADVANTAGE OVER PARNELL ELEVEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 289, 27 February 1928, Page 6

EDEN HOLDS ADVANTAGE OVER PARNELL ELEVEN

CHAMPIONS’ FINE FIELDING Luck favoured Eden against Parnell when Gillespie won the toss. Mills, Eden’s star batsman was at homo in bed with the • flu,” and the wicket was so much of a doubtful proposition that the Eden skipper took the obvious course, and informed Duncan that the. Eden bowlers would await: his pleasure at the wickets. It was 3.30 when the game started, and it was equally obvious that the game from Parnell’s point: of view was to get runs quickly and get out in time to give Eden a taste of its own medicine. This laudable objective was only partially realised. The two “openers,” Anthony and McCoy, set a merry pace, but some of the others pottered about in the misguided belief that they were saving the side, whereas they were only wasting valuable time. The last two men, Stehr and Goodsir, fortunately had no such illusions to worrs*- about. They laid the wood on enthusiastically, and where their comrades had been caught off mishits, this pair hit so hard that even when they skied the ball, it went into safe gaps in the field. AN OPPORTUNE PARTNERSHIP The last wicket put on 41 out of 121 for the innings, a most valuable contribution. Apart from this pair, McCoy played a splendid opening knock. His driving was especially good. •'l’m blest if I know how he gets wickets with that rubbish,” was a remark made in the stand when A. F. Weir was tying the batsmen in knots. Wei 1, the a nswer seems to be that Weir certainly does bowl a high percentage of “tripe,” but he is using his head all the time, and the batsman who has just hooked a soft one to the fence is in the proper mood of exhilirated carelessness to be tempted to repeat the dose with a ball that isn’t quite the' same—in other words, the Mailey theory of getting wickets. SMART FIELDING With one or two exceptions, Eden’s fielding was very good, nine out of ten men being caught. McCarthy, who is given to far too much unnecessary appealing, gave a really good exhibition of wicket-keeping. He and Bennett each took a beautiful catch. Eden had every reason to feci, satisr fied with a good day’s work when the afternoon’s play closed with 67 runs to its credit, and only two wickets down. Cooper's 37 riot out was a splendid effort. Scores: — PARNELL First Innings ANTHONY, c Wheeler, b Cooper .. 15 McCOY, e and b A. P. Weir 20 SINGLETON, c McCarthy, b Butler 1 HAY, c and b A. F. Weir ... .. 17 DUNCAN, c McCarthy, b Butler .... 3 MACALLAN, c Cooper, b A. F. Weir 0 KISSLTNG, c Bennett, b A. F. Weir 14 Tf’RBOTT, c Bennett, b Postles .... 2 STEHR, not out 23 AITKEN, b A. F. Weir 0 GOODSIR, c Wheeler, b Cooper .... 16 Extras 7 Total .. 121 Fall of wickets.—33, 42. 48, 51, 55, 78, 81, 81. 81, 121. Bowling Analysis. Postles, 1-24; Cooper, 2-24; Butler 2-34; A. F. Weir, 5-32. EDEN First Innings POSTLES, c Aitken, b Atnh'Uiy .... 8 MCCARTHY, lbw, b Aitken 18 COOPER, not out 37 Extras •• •• •• 3 Total for two wickets ...... 67