Eden or Ponsonby?

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 317, 30 March 1928, Page 11

Eden or Ponsonby?

Cricket Championship Final Second Day’s Prospects TO MORROW, when Ponsonby and Eden complete their match at Eden Park, the 1927-28 club championship of the Auckland Cricket Association’s senior grade competition will be finally decided. Thanks to the splendid batting recovery by its “tail-enders” on the first day’s play, Eden’s chances are bright.

TJTTHELAN and Bennett, neither of ▼ * whom had done anything big earlier in the season, rose to the occasion in fine style, when the other members of the team failed before Ponsonby’s attack. Fortunes fluctuated throughout the first day of the match, and they probably will continue to fluctuate till the game finally ends, for Ponsonby has the men to rise to the occasion and even yet stave off defeat, and with that clinch the championship honours One or two sorry mistakes in their fielding, which had stood -severer tests at the beginning of the season, let them down on Saturday -week last, and fielding may have something more to do with the final resting place of the coveted honours in Auckland’s cricket world. EDEN WITHOUT MILLS Postles and Mills, of whom much was expected, failed to present champions when the game began on Saturday week, but Cooper and A. Weir came to the rescue. Then again fortune turned and Cooper and the two ' Weirs went one after another in quick succession. Things indeed looked black for Eden, when Gillespie an 1 Butler followed close on their heels to the pavilion. Then came the partnership which changed the aspect of the game and enabled Eden to finish up with the fine score of 253 for eight wickets. Eden will be without Mills to-mo -»w, who is playing in the second test. Ponsonby’s task is to get ahead or that total, and whether or not they are capable of doing so will be decided to-morrow. In view of the shortened hours of play this month, it looks as if Eden’s best plan will be to declare right away. Given fin© weather and barring all accidents, Ponsonby should have a sporting chance. But accidents are always on. It is the glorious uncertainty of the game. Snedden, Smith and Taylor have been the batting mainstay of the team for the past season, and unless they take the total to within easy reach o; that 250. Ponsonby’s tail-enders wi’ 1 have to rise as did Eden’s. But it is a risky business leaving the batting to them. The game is half over, but it is still too big a task to name the eventual winner. Eden has batted well, consequently its chances appear to be the brighter. That is all that can be said. THE OTHER GAMES Of the other games, none is likely to excite a great deal of interest Thanks to “services rendered” by one who is ineligible to play, Graf top commands a good position in its game against Suburbs. But Grafton will hear more about the playing of Webster when a transfer from Eden was not allowed. The 4.C.A. does not intend that Its regulations should be regarded lightly. Varsity is well on the way to victory in its game against Y.M.C.A., and Shore looks like defeating Parnell on the Devonport ground. With that, the season in Auckland is as good as over.

Sports Fixtures SATURDAY’S LIST CRICKET Second Test Match Australia ▼. New Zealand, at Dunedin. A.C.A. CRICKET Championship Final Eden v. Ponsonby, No. 1, Eden Park. Grafton v. Suburbs, Eden Park. Varsity v. Y.M.C.A., Eden Park. North Shore v. Parnell, Devonport. SUBURBAN CRICKET Harbour Board A v. Ponsonby, Victoria Park. Harbour Board B v. Lane, Victoria Park. Ellerslie v. Glen Eden, Victoria Park. ATHLETIC SPORTS Athletic and Cycling: Carnival, Domain. Military Sports, Carlaw Park. King’s College Sports, at Middlemore. ROWING A.R.A. Championships; six events. YACHTING R.N.Z.Y.S. Cruising Race to Te Kume. DevonJjort Yacht Club, cruising and harbour race. Tamaki Yacht Club, harbour races. Takapuna Boating Club, race for Z Manukau Cruising Club, harbour races. N.Z. Power-Boat Association, speedboat races on the Whau. TENNIS Inter-club C Grade Finals, at Stanley Street. BOWLING CLUB AND INTER-CLUB FIXTURES Pairs Cnampionship Final, at Moupt Eden Green. Bendigo Gold Bowls match. ST. LUKE’S HOCKEY CLUB ANNUAL MEETING HELD The St. Luke’s Hockey Club held its annual meeting on Tuesday last, there being a record attendance of members and supporters. The balancesheet showed that the club’s financial position was satisfactory. Several new tberubers were elected. Tne following officers were elected: Patron, tht* Rev. J. A. Thomson: president, Mr. H. B. Burnett; vice-presi-dents, last year's re-elected with the addition of Mr. H. Duncan; secretary and treasurer. Mr. J. A. Robertson: assistant secretary and treasurer Mr. T. H. Giles; club captain, Mr. A. Steele; bon. auditor, Mr. H. B. Burnett; delegates to the Auckland Hockey Association, Messrs. J. H. Giles and F. Craig. Messrs. H. B. Burnett and G. Harvey Wer « elected life-members. H% > -

TRIP TO ROTORUA PARNELL CLUB TEAM The following team will represent the Parnell Club in matches at Rotorua during the Easter holidays:—F. Goodsir, J. M. Brown, A. W. McCoy, W. Johnston, E. C. Gee, G. F. Murray, N. von Rotter, C. K. Sharp, J. E. Mills, A. J. Luke, W. H. Johnston, manager. The team leaves Auckland by the express on Thursday evening and will play ttvo matches against the local representatives.