FIGHTING FINISH

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 849, 18 December 1929, Page 17

FIGHTING FINISH

WELLINGTON SAVED FROM CRICKET DEFEAT DEMPSTER’S BRILLIANT DISPLAY Special to THE SUIT "WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Thrrn was an unexpected ending to tho crick* t mat* h between Wellington and the M.C.C. today. Wellington needed 159 runs to win with three wickets in hand, when the final day’s play started at 2 o'clock. By the time the tea adjournment had been reached, the deficit was reduced to 60, with one wicket still to fall. Heavy rain came on at the interval and caused the match to be abandoned at an interesting stage. The last wicket had then put on 54 runs, and looked to be capable of a good many more. Wellington's heroic fight to save the match will be long remembered. Dempster and McLeod, both of whom were badly injured yesterday, were the heroes of the day, and had it not been for rain, they had a chance of knocking off the runs, as botli were going well. At the afternoon tea adjournment Wellington needed another 60 runs to win. BEST INNINGS OF CAREER Dempster played what was probably the best innings of his career. e fought for every run. and declined to

take tho slightest risk. The manner in which he manoeuvred to get the bowling, in order to save McLeod, who was limping badly, won the admiration of the crowd, and Dempster was warmly applauded at frequent intervals. McLeod showed that he possesses the courage of a lion. Although badly injured and scarcely able to walk, he stood up to the bowling manfully. Naturally, his rate of scoring was slow but he kept his w icket intact, and that was the main thing. As a result of his batting efforts and his brilliant bowling during the match, McLeod should go near to playing himself into the New Zealand team. McGirr also played a fine, fighting Innings. It was unlike McGirr to restrain himself, but he was playing for his side, and his careful tactics were fully justified. He went out in a peculiar way. He did not attempt to play a ball from Barratt, and tie was a very surprised man when the leather swung in and took his wicket. Massey also batted soundly, until he

was well beaten by one from Nichols. ISichols bowled brilliantly, and took full advantage of the wicket. Details: ENGLAND First Innings Second Innings 293 WELLINGTON First Innings 241 Second Innings DEMPSTER, not out 50 VORKER, b Nichols ....... ** 6 b Allom .. .. .. * ** 4 AtREY, b Nichols .. .. ~ *. ** ** 3 VPiuSa* c Dul , e epsinhji. “b ’Barratt 11 McLEOD Cornford. b Nichols .... U MCGIRR, b Barratt .. .. ** *.*. ** *’ 90 b Nichols ’’ “0 b Nichols 1 MASSEY, b Nichols 13 Extras 15 Nine wickets for 159 - FaH of Wickets.—l/13. 2/15, 3/18,4/33, jo,ol, 6/51. 7/54, S/80, 9/105. Bowling.—Nichols, 6-55; Allom, 1-28; Barratt, 2-37; Worthington, 0-22; Woolley, HAWKE CUP CRICKET RANGITIKEI’S EASY WIN Press Assotmation W ANGApUI, Tuesday. In the Hawke |'up elimination 222 Wanganui s > second innings closed for 247. llfngitikei won the match by 240 runs. A THAMES CRICKET THAMES, Today. An unusual happening on Saturday was that Karaka and Tararu Clubs gamed three-point wins in their games for the Crease Cricket Cup. Karaka defeated City by 11 runs in a twomnings game. The fielding of both teams was above the average and Gil?,e^L Buchan ' s catch when he dismissed Griffin was brilliant. Buchan raced 30 yards and brought off a one-handed catch. Griffin was in the limelight, for in the second innings he was knocked out by a fast ball glancing from his bat to his forehead. He retired but resumed later. Karaka batted first for 84, the Buchan brothers, Ray and Johnnie, being tho only double-figure scorers, getting 17 and 31 respectively, h. Gibson got five wickets for 41, and E. W. Wells three for 16. Karaka’s second innings produced 50, A. Brockenshire 19 not out and G. Buchan 11. Wells bowled four for 24, Gibson three for 16, and T. Vangioni two for 7. City's first strike was for 48, 11. Shaw 17, A. Dobson 11, Crawford-Watson 11. Five wickets fell to J. Buchan for 28, and Ray Buchan got five for 19. Batting a second time, City got 75, A. Dobson 13, J. Hill 17, E. W. Wells 9. Bowling: A. Brockenshire two for 16, R. Buchan five for 22, J. Buchan three for 26.

Tararu beat High School bv seven wickets. School scored 71 in its first essay and 101 in tho second. The chief scorers were W. Baker 26 and 13. T. Hoyle 10 and 16, N. Pratt 24, G. Macduff 9; the latter two scores'were in the second innings. R. Cleave bowled three for 15 and two for 22. M. Dare two for 13 and four for 20, R. Morgan three for 19, and J. Fox two for 19. Tararu compiled 154; the run notchers were R. Cleave 64, K. Baker 22, K. Dare 21, K. Otto 12. Jack Montague bowled well and got seven for 22. and W. Renshaw two for 22. Requiring 19 runs to win, Tararu put on 25 for three wickets.

PAPATOETOE CRICKET A perfect day and a fast outfield gave cricket enthusiasts a good afternoon’s sport at Papatoetoe on Saturday last. At first the scoring rate was slow, but with the advent of the later batsmen, all University’s bowlers were treated with scant respect. Valentine was unusually restrained

in compiling his 39, but his partnership with A. Swaffield was productive of many smart runs, the running between the wickets being very crisp. Wotherspoon hit up IS very quickly before he was tempted by one of Bannister’s slow leg breaks. A. Swaffield is showing more of his true form this year, and compiled a useful 38. Henderson hit lustily for his 27 before being magnificently caught by Howell. But the best partnership was the last wfcket stand by Bright and H. Swaffield, who carried the score from 171 to 228 in 20 minutes. Both batsmen hit freely and well deserved their totals of 22 and 37 not out respectively. “Mr. Extras” was also a prolific scorer for Papatcetoe. reaching the quartercentury. However, a change of wicketkeeper at the afternoon tea adjournment modified the number of byes considerably. The most successful bowler for University was Bannister, who, with his slow leg breaks, took three wickets for 47. Waddingham three for 65, and Clarkson two for 35, also bowled well. University opened its innings with three-quarters of an hour to and at stumps had two wickets down for 28. It has a hard task ahead next Saturday. The Papatoetoe third graders had a four-point victory over Balmoral, the chief interest of the match being a forceful innings of 41 by Bay. TAUMARUNUI GAMES From Our Orvrt Correspondent TAUMARUNUI, Today. Heavy weather during the past few weeks has rendered cricket difficult in the district, but on Saturday the official games under the Taumarunui Association were continued in ideal weather. East put Rangaroa down by an innings win, and Manunui beat City by an innings and ten runs. The double-figure batsmen for East were Williams (50), Miles (14), Ingram (41), and McLay (45, not out), the best trundlers being Ingram (8-30), and McLay (4-14). For Rangaroa, Tansey (10) an<J Beale (13 not out) were the best batsmen for Rangaroa, the best bowler being Beale (4-36).

F. M. Carroll (49), Schmidt (29), Young (16) and McNamara (10), put up the best scores for Manunui in the match against City, the most prominent bowlers being Pickin (5-6), and Schmidt (3-5). City’s best hitters were Solomon (31), Johnston (19), and Kerr (17). The best bowler was J. Morgan, who downed seven Manunui wickets for 56.