BOWLERS ON TOP

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 497, 29 October 1928, Page 6

BOWLERS ON TOP

First Cricket Series Completed GRAFTON DIVIDES WITH EDEN A STRONG breeze and drying -wickets made Saturday a day for the bowlers. Out at King's, where the college has probably the best wicket in Auckland at the present time, the batsmen held the balance of power, but elsewhere I they had to fight hard for runs. Varsity was the only team to secure a four-point win, lack of enterprise by Ponsouby and over-eaution by Suburbs resulting in these two teams losing a first-class opportunity . of gaining a clear four points.

PONSONBY WINS SLOW AND LOW SCORING On an easy wicket Shore just escaped a follow-in and Ponsonby failed to seize the opportunity of forcing a four-point win. In reply to Ponsonby's first innings of 151, Shore was dismissed for 6s, only Saunders and Coates reaching double figures against Finlayson and Roy. Ponsonby then lost four wickets for 71 in I2 hours and declared, giving Shore the same amount of time to get 155—0 r out. Jay and Frater hit hard in a gallant attempt to retrieve a lost position, but the game ended with Shore 93 for seven wickets, Ponsonby winning by 83 runs on the first innings. Bright sunshine and a fresh southerly on Saturday soon dried out the sodden pitch at Devonport, and the wicket was easy compared with the previous week, but the outfield was very dead and the line took a lot of finding. Bowling into a stiff breeze. Finlayson was sending up a dengerous left-hand in-swinger which puzzled the batsmen, but Roy got no assistance from the plumb wicket and had a further hit off him without securing another victim. Frater, Dacre, and Webb all fell quickly to the ex-Well-ington representative. TWO WASTED WICKETS Then Jay was foolishly run out and seven runs were required to save the indignity ot a follow-on when Coates arrived. He and Saunders laid on the wood for a merry ten minutes, and were the

only ones of the Shore side to reach double figures. The partnership was going strong when another suicidal attempt for an impossible three saw Coates run out, and Shore was well shorn for a meagre 68, ‘’Mr. Extras” being second highest scorer with a useful dozen. Finlayson claimed the fine overage of four for 22. and Roy four for 31. PONSONBY POTTERS ABOUT Ponsonby was apparently disinclined to go for the full points, and opened very quietly. After pottering about for an hour for a paltry 30 runs, during which time Taylor. Smith and Alonteith drifted back to th© pavilion, McLeod amazed the local natives by stepping on the accelerator to the tune of 41 not out before a welcome "That’ll do!” was sounded after 90 minutes’ batting. There was not much risk in giving th© weak Shore side the same time to make 155 fora win outright, but Ponsonby failed to dismiss Shore a second time and had to rest content with a three-pointer. Frater set his side a good example by a forlorn attempt to knock off the rnus, and Jay laid on the wood in fine style by hitting up 39 in as many minutes, including some clean clumps to the boundary line. There was hopo of Life Dacre striking form —ana the duck houses; but his luck and eye were both out, and he had to be satisfied with a pair of ducks instead. Jay and Frater were the only batsmen to reach double figures, Shore being 93 for seven wickets when the bell went. Details: PONSONBY First Innings .. .. 3J33 Second Innings Mi LEOD, not out 44 TAYLOR, F., c Player, b Coates .. 7 MONTEITH. b Webb 6 SMITH, S. G., c Gerrard, b Player .. 4 GI'INEY, not out (> Extras .. .. .. .. 4 Total for three wickets (dec.) .. 71 Bowling: Webb, 1-12; Coates, 1-15; Player, 1-17; Saunders, 0-23. SHORE. First Innings. PLAYER, Ibw. b Roy 7 GERRARD, b Roy 4 BUSH, c McLeod, b Roy 0 COLEBOURNE. c Monteith. b Finlayson 3 ARCHER, b Roy 1 SAUNDERS, not out 16 PRATER, b Finlayson 0 DACRE, L., b Finlayson 0 WEBB. H., b Finlayson .. 5 JAY, run out .. .. 0 COATES, run out 11 Extras 12 Total 6S Fall of wickets: 1/8, 2/8. 3/11. 4/5, 5/15, 6 .14, 7/34, 8/45. 9/45. Bowling: Finlayson. 4-22; Roy. 4-34. Second Innings Fit A TER. b Snedden 30 SAI'.VDEJRS, b Snedden K FLAYER, b Roy ? JAY, c sub., b Finlayson 3'.* DACRE, L., b Snedden . . . o GERRARD, b Finlayson 8 GOLEBOURXE. c McLeod, b Roy . . 3 BUSH, not out 2 WEBB. H. T.. not out 2 Extras .. ~ 1 Total for seven wickets 93 Fall of wickets: 1/32, 2/37, 3/44, 4/41, 5 41. 6/84, 7/89. Bowling: Finlavson, 2-16; Snedden, 3-34; Roy, 2-26: Smith, 0-16.