G. L. WEIR AGAIN SAVES HIS SIDE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 597, 25 February 1929, Page 10

G. L. WEIR AGAIN SAVES HIS SIDE

EDEN S BRISK RECOVERY There were some at Eden Park on Saturday who discerned in the elevation of two practically untried colts to strong positions in the batting order of the Eden team against Ponsonby, a tactical error on Mills’s part. Certainly, round about the interval, Eden had got so far behind in its rate of scoring that it was clearly necessary to speed up the rate before the day was out. It turned out to be sound policy to keep Cooper in hand, in view of possible eventualities toward the end of the day.. Ponsonby had every reason to feel pleased with its work right up to within half an hour of the finish. At this late stage, G. L*. Weir decided that it was now or never. In one of his worst, but most valuable, displays with the bat, he socked into the tired bowling right and left. He even offdrove balls round to square leg, and was actually smiling at some of his own entertaining mis-hits; but from a match-winning point of view, and disr regarding batting style, it was a great knock. Half-way through his innings. he nearly got himself caught by his own skipper. Mills, who was fielding substitute, but it is sufficient to say that no direct chances went abegging all day, and Ponsonby could have no score for regrets. Weir’s innings made all the difference to the first day’s play from Eden’s viewpoint, and the match at present stands at a meat interesting position. Next to Weir, Mills and Postles deserve full praise for the great start they gave the side. More so, in view

of the fact that the wicket was too fast in the first hour or so to be a true batsman’s pitch, and all the bowlers were fresh. Mills was inclined to nibble riskily at fast ones just outside his off pin, and his innings was not free of blemish, but it was a great opening effort just the same. Postles stayed for over two hours before he lost his wicket. He is open to the criticism that his innings was too slow for a first day ef-* fort to materially benefit his side, but in view of what happened later on, this estimate had to be reviewed afterwards, and he deserves every credit for his splendid stand. His use of the straight bat and the manner in which he went out to meet Smiht’s slow ones was an object lesson to all, even if it appeared that he might have scored off them a bit more freely. Gillespie was very solid until he got his foot in front to Roy, and A. F. Weir was unlucky to go after a fine exhibition of alert run-getting when runs were wanted. He played the right game for his side, even if he lost his wicket in so doing. Eden ought to have every cause for satisfaction in finishing up tho day so well. They faced bowling which had any amount of devil and variety, even though Finlay son’s inability to play has been most unfortunate. The bowling -was well handled, and the fielding was first-class. Lendrum deserves special mention for his sound, consistent work, and so do Monteith and Fraser, while Wheeler was solid as a rock behind the sticks, despite a good deal of rough stuff which he had to take. Roy has scarcely lived up to his brilliant rise last season, but he had to b© watched all the time on Saturday, and he was perhaps a little unlucky once or twice. The appearance of a young fast medium trundler in Cleverlev excited keen interest, in view of the dearth of bowlers above slow to medium pace in Auckland at the present time. The ex-Wellington colt has a fine, free run up to wickets, and although he did not meet with much success on Saturday, he need not be discouraged. He has tho possibilities, and he is under a skipper who knows how to get the best out of his bowling. Cleverley himself, however, must concentrate on his length. He has all the other qualifications. S. G. Smith bowled with all his old guile and subtle changes of pace, flight and direction. His unwaveringly consistent length should be studied by all young players. Snedden, to. was his usual consistent self, and although lie has r.ot had much luck with the bat so far. his bowling is as good as ever. Details; EDEN First Innings MILLS, b Snedden 62 POSTLES. c Wheeler, b Roy .. .. 37 GILLESPIE, ibw. b Roy 36 VIVI AX. b Smith 4 WEIR. A. F.. b Smith L LANGTON, c Monteith, b Smith .. < WEIR. G. L., not out M BUTLER, b Cleverley .. | WHEELAN. st Wheeler, b Smith .. 1 o COOPER, not out * Extras Io Eight wickets for 281 SHORE SCORES FREELY SWIFT CENTURY BY FRATER The Shore batsmen scored merrily on aSturday at the expense of the Suburbs trundlcrs. The captain, Bert Prater. set a lively example to his side by reaching his century in as many minutes, and

delighting the Devonport “bankers” with the most dashing display since the local idol, Ces Dacre, migrated to England. Shore ran its score to 3T»5 and then had Suburbs batting for half an hour, but failed to drop a wicket Frater’s luck was in when he won the toss and went in to bat with Garrard. and it stood good when he was dropped in Williams’s first over. Then the Shore skipper played his good fortune gallantly and proceeded to cart the Suburban bowling over all the boundaries at the rate of a run a minutes for just over two hours, when he was well held in the long field by Bushill off Webster. Frater was loudly cheered for his splendid knock, which included a fine sixer and 14 fours. Inspite of the sultry day and hard-hit-ting epidemic, the clean gathering and returning of the well-placed Suburbs field was a feature of the game, and prevented the big score from being much greater. BOWLERS’ ORDEAL Conditions were very trying for the bowlers. There was no breeze to assist the swervers or temper the enervating heat, and the easy wicket with a parched and fast outfield were also in the batsmen’s favour. Wetherill rang the changes freely with Williams, Martin, Webster, Lonergan, Kerr and Leikis. Martin appeared the most difficult of the Suburbs trundlers, his unexpected wrong ’un frequently causing the batsmen to change their minds; but Keikis, who came on late, was easily top of the averages, bagging three of the “rabbits” for two runs. Gerrard followed Frater’s aggressive lead at the start, and Shore had 67 on in 30 minutes, before he edged an off ball to Lonergan. Archer dragged a delivery well outside the off stump into his wicket before troubling the scorers. SHORE BATSMEN HIT OUT

Player carried on the good work till run out in hesitating on the second run from an overthrow. Bush rattled up 20 quickly before being caught in going for a big hit, and then Scott helped to bring the 200 up in less than two hours’ batting, a splendid sixer soaring well over the long boundary, but Scott was caught on the line in trying to repeat the dose. Prater fell in a similar fashion fourteen runs later and received a rousing reception. Naismith again proved himself a promising colt, he and Bon Webb helping themselves to 50 from the tired bowling, Naismith knocking up 41 in good style before BeikLs came on to clean up the tail quickly, just before the si.wtelling hour of six, the lengthy Suburbanite bowling four overs for three maidens, three wickets and two runs. Ceikis and Webster dug in for about half an hour in defiance of Coates and Saunders, and were not anxious to score. .Details:—

SHORE First Innings FRATER, e Bushill, b Webster .. .. 123 GERRAR'D, c Lonergan, b Webster .. 22 ARCHER, b Lonergan U PLAYER, run out 19 BUSH, c Kerr, b Martin 20 SCOTT, c Kerr, b Martin 25 SAUNDERS, b Martin 0 NAISMITH, not out 41 WEBB, D., lbw, b Leikis 19 WEBB, 11. T., c sub, b Leikis .... 4 COATES, b Leikis 0 Extras . IS Total 305 Fall of wickets: 1/67, 2/72. 3/114, 4/152, 5/222, 6/236, 7/241, 8/291, 9/296, 10/305. Bowling: Leikis, 3-2; Martin, 3-92; Webster, 2-71; Lonergan, 1-50; Kerr, 0-30; Williams, 0-42. UNITED SUBURBS First Innings LEIKIS, not out 3 WEBSTER, not out .. .. 5 Extras 1 Total for no wickets .. 9 ELLIOTT’S DAY PARNELL BOWLERS FLOGGED Saturday in cricket circles was Len Elliutt’s day. On an afternoon which saw many good individual scores made he knocked up 156 for Y.M.C.A. against Parnell —the day’s best individual score. The afternoon was hot and sultry and the wicket admirably suited for batsmen. Throughout the Parnell bowling was ilogged ceaselessly, first I by Bowley and Elliott and then by Elliott on his own. The Young Men’s 378 for seven wickets was indeed a fine afternoon’s work. Bowley, still suffering from his recent attack of influenza, was not ijuite his old self at the batting crease.

At one stage he scored 14 singles in succession, a most remarkable record for a batsman who usually forces the pace right from the time he receives the first ball. lie brightened up in the late sixties, however, and overtook Elliott, who

had managed to ahead of him all along.

keep a Lew runs ahead or mm an aiong. Tho Sussex man was out eventually to a grood catch by one of his own team, Sutherland, fielding substitute at mid-on. The fall of the first wicket saw 166 on the register in one hour 45 minutes—pretty quick scoring. Elliott might have been run out when 62, had not stumper TuVbott. in his excitement, lost control of the ball. But for that, Elliott brought his century up without giving a chance after he had been at the crease two hours 15 minutes. NUMEROUS BOUNDARIES Fours came very freely to the exNorth Shore man once the three-figure mark had been passed. He hit 25 of

them during his innings, and some were not far off being sixers. After having one let off, when he was dropped in the outfield by Whitelaw, Elliott ran into the ISO’s. Eventually he was skittled by McCoy, after batting for three hours, thus scoring at a rate which is not met in club cricket every day. Elliott is far from being a polished batsman, but he is always seen at his best in the role of a hitter. How the Parnell bowlers must have sighed, as ball after ball was lifted by that Hashing blade and pulled to the line!

Elliott well deserved his big score, and should now be sure of a place in the team for Wellington at Easter. As for the remainder of Y.M.’s innings, there is little to be said. Eon Miller in 30 minutes ran up a breezy 33. McCoy, taking four wickets, was the most successful bowler. He trundled nearly all afternoon, getting very little assistance from a lacadaisical field. Details: Y.M.C.A. First Innings. ROWLEY, c sub, b Aitken '<S ELLIOTT, b McCoy LYON, b McCoy 0 RIDDOLLS. c Stehr, b McCoy .... 19 KEMP, b McCoy 0 STALLWORTHY, b Goodsir f 7 SUTHERLAND, run out 19 BAMBURY, not out 16 MILLER, not out Extras Seven wickets for 378 HORSPOOL TO RESCUE GRAFTON ALL OUT FOR 260 Losing Langridge (retired hurt) and Sale early in the day, Grafton was most decidedly up against it in its endeavours to fend off the attack of Matheson and Smeeton, University’s opening bowlers on Saturday. Matheson was rocking them in in liis best form, when a full toss landed on Langridge’s arm, just above the “funny” bone, giving him a nasty smack. Sale, who followed, was skittled by the same bowler when 7, and then Allcott and 1-lorspool faced up to the attack. At this stage of the game one run was scored in eight overs, Matheson getting three maidens, and Smeeton four in a row.

A change in the bowling then gave the batsmen a chance, and they took it. In half an hour a different aspect had been put on the game, and at the tea adjournment __—

Allcott (48) and Horspool (54) were still together. The fourth ball after tea, however, brought disaster for Allcott when it removed his middle pin. He had given a very sound exhibition with moments of delightfully free batting. Horspool a n d Hockin carried on

LlocKin carneu . for a time, the A.C.A. secretary being in his usual breezy mood. Walters contributed a valuable 41 to the total, while Bannister and Goodwin also did their share. SMEETON’S BOWLING FEAT Ernie Horspool, displaying all the form which this season has brought back memories of the heyday of his representative career, continued scoring freely, and had reached 93 when he fell to Smeeton, being clean-bowled. Without his contribution, Grafton’s total would have been a very modest one indeed. Smeeton ended up by collecting a fine bag of six wickets for t>7 runs. He bowled well throughout the innings, and in view of this and the previous week’s performance, will have to consider himself as a possibility for the proposed trip to Wellington. Especially in the early stages of the innings, Matheson bowled particularly well, being unlucky not to get more than one wicket, but the heat of the afternoon took its toll, and his deliveries soon lost their customary sting. Details: GRAFTON First Innings. HORSPOOL. b Smeeton S 3 LANGRIDGE, retired hurt 0 SALE, b Matheson .. 7 ALLCOTT, b Smeeton 52 HOCKIN. b Smeeton S SLOMAN, run out 0 GOODWIN, c Browne, b Smeeton .. IS WALTERS, c Browne, b Garrard .. 41 BANNISTER, c Garrard, b Smeeton 21 WYLIE, not out 4 ROWNTREE, b Smeeton 0 Extras 16 Total 260 Bowling: Smeeton, 6-76; Matheson, 1-64; Garrad, 1-57; Schnauer, 0-26; Bush, 0-14; Gee, 0-16. DOWN THE GRADES Senior B Grade ) University v. Y.M.C.A.—University: First innings, 265 (Wells 53, Anderson 49, Simpson 25, Wuddingham 27). Bowling: Kemp, 4-57: Riddolls, 3-64. Y.M.C.A.: First innings. 20 for no wickets. Windmill v. Parnell.—Windmill: First innings. 14S (Clark 54. Obren 15, Gallagher 19). Bowling: Bell 4-32; Cock, 1-1 S; Kenny, 1-27; Singleton, 1-31; Dow. 1-22. Parnell: First innings, 125 for seven wickets (Singleton 38, Righton 3S, Dow 15 not out, Kenny 10 not out). North Shore v. Papatoetoe.—North Shore, first innings, 260 (Goldworthy 87, Buisson 75. Archer 55, Reid 10). Bowl-

ing for Papatoetoe, E. H. Burnside 4-62, P. Swaffield 3-20. Papatoetoe: First innings, 14 for no wickets (H. Rankin 14 not out. Valentine 0 not out). Second Grade Parnell A v. Western United.—Parnell: First inning*?, 131 (Stehr 61, .Lamb 15, Kelly 21). Bowling: Donaldson five wickets, L. Goldfinch three. Western United: First innings, 50 (Smith 17). Bowling: Kelly, 5-27; Sharp, 3-21. Parnell: Second innings, 22 for lour wickets. Parnell B v. City.—City: First innings, 75 (Harding 29, Turner 15). Bowling: Russell, six wickets, Fulton two. Second innings, 33. Bowling: Fisher five wickets, Russell three. Parnell: First innings, 96 (Fulton 27, Walker 17, Mullenger, junr., 10). Second innings, 11 for no wickets. Parnell won by 10 wickets, a four-point win. Third Grade Papatoetoe v. Y.M.C.A. —Y.M.C.A.: First innings, 16 (Warren 8). Bowling for Papatoetoe, Lusby 5-5, Wotherspoon 2- second innings, 52 (Kendall IS, Hatfield 17). Bowling for Papatoetoe, Havill 5-23. Papatoetoe: First innings, 144 (Wotherspoon 49, Havill 23, Kerr IS, Lusby 17, Gubb 15). Bowling for Y.M.C.A., Harrison 6, Kendall 2. Birkdale v. Power Board.—Birkdale: First innings, 38 (Webster 15)). Power Board: First innings, 50 McDonagh 24. Bowling for Birkdale, Shepherd 2-13, France 3-15, Dick 3-9. Birkdale: Second innings, 100 for three wickets declared (H. Shepherd IS, Ireland 23 not out. Masters 39 not out). Power Board: Second innings, 17. Bowling for Birkdale, Shepherd 4-9, Masters 5-8. Birkdale won by 71 runs—a four-point win. W.Y.M.I. v. Technical Old Boys.— W.Y.M.1.: First innings, 255 (A. Lewis 72, S. Young G 4. D. Chapman 23, G. Riddell 23 not out, W. Corney 16, K. Scott 10, W. Murray 11, F. Chapman 11). Bowling for Technical Old Boys: Kennerley, four wickets. Technical: First innings, 89 (Harris 23 not out, Coyle 22, Porteous 14, Irving 11). Bowling for W.Y.M.1.: R. Kasper, 3-S: W. Corney. 4-22. W.Y.M.I. won by 166 runs on the first innings. , _ ~ „. North Shore v. King’s College.—King s College: First innings, 99. Davies took 10 wicket’s for 26. North Shore: 20 < (Barnhill and Wilson each 53 not out, Blackie 31). King’s: Second innings, oD. North Shore won by an innings and 49 Fourth Grade Nortlicote won by default from W.Y.M.I North Shore v. Ponsonby.—North Shore: First innings, 29; second innings, ! itT. Ponsonby: First innings, 73; second I innings, 39. North Shore won by 15 runs. Papatoetoe v. Parnell.—Parnell: I< irst innings, 40 (Hollands 19 not out). Bowling for Papatoetoe, McKenzie 5-15, White 3- Docherty 2-3. Papatoetoe: First innings. 78 (McKenzie 17 not out, Gubb 12 White 11). Bowling for Parnell, TTayzard 7-33. Parnell: Second innings, 68 (Hobbs 20, Halley 11, Shepherd 10). Bowling for Papatoetoe, Gubb 4-17, McKenzie 4-16.