SATURDAY’S FIELD SPORTS—THE GAMES REVIEWED

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 853, 23 December 1929, Page 6

SATURDAY’S FIELD SPORTS—THE GAMES REVIEWED

Parnell Still Leads

SIXTH CRICKET SERIES FINISHES

Shore’s Heroic Fight Against Odds

THE rain of Saturday morning had not taken ail of the sting out of the wickets at Eden Park in the afternoon, and the final club games for 1929 were, with one or two notable exceptions, productive of a string of small scores. Four-point wins were credited to Parnell and Eden, and “three-pointers” to Ponsonby and Varsity. Parnell had an exciting tussle with Shore for an outright win which, having been obtained, gives 11. Duncan's team a clear two-point lead in the competition.

Easily the most spectacular match of the day was that at Devonport, where the home team narrowly failed to pull the game out of the fire. Although Shore was beaten, its magnificent fight against the leading team should put fresh life into the Devonport side when club cricket resumes again on January 11. There were few outstanding batting performances on Saturday. Half of <;illcspie’s c entury belonged to the previous week, but the Eden veteran unmistakably showed that he only needed a good start to put him in his best run-getting form.

Finlavson’s five for 28 was a remarkable performance, especially as it was

registered without any assistance from the field. Four of the left-hander’s victims were bowled and the other fell to an lbw decision.

It is a. long time since the “hattrick” was performed in senior cricket at Eden Park, and A. M. Mathieson received an ovation for his brilliant effort. The faster wicket suited him, and he made 4he ball fly in a manner that proved most disconcerting to the majority of the batsmen.

THRILLING DASH FOR VICTORY BY NORTH SHORE

PARNELL JUST GETS THERE After a season of the dullest and least inspiring cricket in many years, the last day of the year at Devonport ended in a blaze of excitement and thrill as the Shore batsmen made a heroic and spectacular attempt to snatch a lost game out of the fire. The last man died gloriously in the last over with twelve runs needed for a full win, and Parnell is still top of the ladder with Shore bottom. At tho close of the first day’s play the home side appeared to be in a hopeless position when Parnell had 367 runs on for its first innings, while Shore had lost seven men for a meagre 61 before the deadly attack of McCoy. Whfen play was resumed on Saturday the outlook was not improved when a new ball swerver from Wensley sent Kelly hack with only two to his credit. A NINTH WICKET STAND Then Saunders and Hugh Webb sailed into the Parnell attack and made the bowlers look very ordinary for half an hour while they added 47 for the ninth wicket. Saunders’s 32 was a bright knock, but the honours went to H. T. Webb, who spoilt McCoy’s good figures by twice lofting him clean over the line off successive balls, and he pasted the Parnell trundlers with carefree impartiality in making top score of 37 not out. Unfortunately Coates could not stay with him a while longer when a first innings lead was on the horizon, and the innings closed with Parnell 30 to the good, McCoy finishing up with six wickets for 41 runs and “Doc” Altken three for 20, but Wensley was expensive.

Parnell restarted with orders to go for the runs and the chance ot a full points win; but Anthony was beaten all the way by a swinger from Player, and a roar from the bankers intimated that Wensley had crashed for his first blob in Auckland as the result of a neat catch by Bush off Player. McCoy. however, was unperturbed by the state of the poll with the Auckland and

Sussex cracks gone West for only four runs. The colt landed Saunders twice over the path to the flower beds, but fell to a red hot catch by Don Webb at cover and tea was taken with three down for 3S. AN HECTIC HOUR Parnell took matters quietly after tea, until Duncan came in and brightened matters up before declaring at 5.15 p.m.. setting Shore the seemingly impossible task of scoring 142 in 65 minutes. However, the Shore batsmen came out of their shells and went for the bowling with a reckless valour which nearly gained its reward. As fast

as one suicide occurred, the next can- | didate was actually running in to take his place, with a do-or-die determination to hit or miss. Sixers from the Webbs and Bush went soaring into the blue, and Parnell’s boundary fieldsmen were assisted by enthusiastic young ball boys and others. The veteran Anthony and the wily Wensley plugged away steadily with sound good-length stuff, and Parnell played the game in the sporting spirit by wasting no time on changing overs, the impatient barracking of an isolated few being quite uncalled for. When the last man, Lusk, ] arrived, and the last over started, only ! a dozen was needed for a home victory. But the colt skied Wensley to McCoy, and the Shore went down fighting by 11 runs on the stroke of time. It was a glorious and crowded hour after a very uneventful match. Details: PARNELL First Innings 167 Second Innings HAY, c Frater, b Player .. 17 ANTHONY, b Player 3 WENSLEY, c Bush, b Player 0 McCOY. e D. Webb, b Saunders .... 26 SINGLETON, st. Kelly, b D. Webb .. 30 DUNCAN, run out 30 VON ROTTER, not out 2 Extras 4 Total for six wickets (dec.) .. 112 Bowling: Player, 3-42; D. Webb, 1-24; Saunders, 1-38; Coates, 0-4. SHORE First Innings FRATER, b McCoy 1 GERRARD, b McCoy 12 PLAYER, st Whitley, b McCoy .... 10 GOLDSWORTHY, c Whitelaw, b McCoy 21 BUSH, J., lbw, b McCoy 0 LUSK, c Wensley, b Aitken S WEBB, 3T>., b McCoy 2 KELLY, b Wensley 2 SAUNDERS, c and b Aitken .. .. 32 WEBB, H. T., not out 37 COATES, c Anthony, b Aitken .. 4 Extras 8 Total 137 Bowling: McCoy, 6-41; Aitken, 3-20; Wensley, 1-43; Anthony, 0-10; Goodsir, 0-15. Second innings GOLDSWORTHY, b Anthony 12 WEBB, H. T., run out 18 FRATER, c Singleton, b Anthony .. 32 WEBB, D., c Anthony, b Wensley .. 35 SAUNDERS, b Anthony 2 BUSH, J., b Wensley 30 PLAYER, b Aitken 1 COATES c Whitley, b Goodsir .... 7 GERRARD, c Goodsir, b Wensley .. 5 KELLY, not out 3 LUSK, c McCoy, b Wensley .. .. 1 Extras 6 Total 132 Bowling: Wensley, 4-42; Anthony, 3-54; Aitken, 1-15; Goodsir, 1-15.

EDEN SCORES FOUR POINTER OVER SUBURBS

GILLESPIE GETS CENTURY On an easy wicket, Eden’s two representative men, G. L. Weir and Gillespie, continuing their innings of the previous Saturday, found little trouble in knocking up the 38 runs which brought Eden’s score level with Suburbs. Whilo Weir continued to play careful cricket, Gillespie made runs rapidly, his total benefiting largely from a number of fours glanced neatly to leg. After ja little over an hour’s play he exceeded his century with a four, pulled to leg; but (characteristic of Gillespie) he abandoned all caution in attempting a similar stroke with the next ball and a badly-timed ball dropped neatly into the hands of square leg. A. F. Weir’s batting performance, bringing as it did the second highest score, is also worthy of note. Opening cautiously, he returned the first few balls for singles, but with increasing confidence he scored three fours in one over. In the bowling, Webster was most successful, taking five wickets for 77, but Williams, who was delivering a fast ball rising dangerously on the off, very nearly succeeded in accounting for two other wickets by possible catches in the slips. Eden’s first and only iifh ings produced the highest score of 292 at Eden Park. Strange to say. the whole team with the exception of Langton, who was bowled, was caught out. SUBURBS’ HOPES FADE

United’s hopes of bringing about a draw had slowly faded as Eden’s score grew and when in the second innings Williams, Leikis and Bushill were dismissed by Langton for scores of six, one and seven respectively, a fourpoint win for Eden was imminent. Kerr and McLaren, however, provided a temporary lull in the procession of returning batsmen until Kerr was caught by Postles. McLaren carried his bat and since United’s score was 100 in the second innings and 154 in the first. Eden secured an easy fourpoint win. Details: EDEN First innings MILLS, c Leikis, b Kerr 14 LAWRIE, c Kerr, b Webster .. 26 POSTLES, c Leikis, b Kerr .. .. . * 4 0 Langton. b McLaren 101 BL fLLR, c Kerr, b Webster 4 ™-SES’ C f* c McLaren, b Williams 31 F.. c McLaren, b Webster 52 \ IVIAN, L. E.. c Langton. b W’ebster 14 SMITH, c Butler, b Webster .. .. 23 McCarthy, not out 5 LANGTON, b Williams 4 Extras 14 Total 292 Bowling: Kerr. 2-51; Williams, 1-88: Webster, 5-77; Martin, 0-39; McLaren, 1-18. UNITED SUBURBS First innings 154 Second Innings WILLIAMS, cG. L. "Weir, b Langton 6 LEIKIS, c McCarthy, b BUSHILL, b Langton . M 7 KERR, c Postles. b Mills 31 WATKINS, cA. F. Weir, bG. L. Weir 2 MARTIN, run out, b G. L. Weir .... 4 SMITH, b Mills 9 McLaren, not out 37 WEBSTER, c G. L. Weir, b Butler 0 Extras 3 Total 100 Bowling: G. L. Weir. 1-33; Langton, 3-25: Butler, 1-20; A. F. Weir, 0-14; Mills,

AFTER USEFUL START. GRAFTON CRUMPLED UP

MATHIESON IN FORM With 110 on for three wickets, j Grafton looked to have a fair fight- , ing chance against Varsity between j three and four o’clock on Saturday j afternoon. But a# spectacular “hat ; trick” by Mathieson fairly crumpled i up the Grafton batting, and at the I tea adjournment it was all over bar ! shouting. "When play resumed on Saturday afternoon, Sheen started off brightly with a four. He and Sale went along nicely for a time, but both lost their wickets practically together. Sheen has been a consistently fair rangetter so far. He has a good eye and some good shots. The two Grafton mainstays, Allcott and Horspool, set up a select partnership for the third wicket. They put on just over a half century together, before Allcott was beaten by one of Mathieson’s fast ones after a useful VARSITY’S FIELDING GOOD It was not till some time later that Horspool lost hs wicket, a fine return by Garrard resulting in the old-timer being run out. He played sterling cricket, and produced one or two beautiful cover drives as a reminder that be still retains much of the artistry of other days. There was little else of note in the innings. Varsity’s fielding was crisp and clean, Garrard Lunn and Pearson all doing good work. Although a trifle erratic at times, Mathieson put plenty of vim into his bowling, and made the ball “fizz” off the pitch at a great pace at times. His five for 44 was a splendid effort. Smeeton bowled better than his figures (1-56) indicated, and Bush picked up a couple of cheap wickets after tea. Varsity had a lead of 47 runs on the first innings when Grafton’s innings closed, and with less than a couple of hours left, “the students (and exstudents) went in for some batting practice. Pearson hit up a sparkling 59, and Schnauer also got into the forties by dint of some powerful bitting, although he had two “lives” in McCormick’s first over. The Grammar School lad was uncertain in his length at the start, and even so, he should try and bowl a little faster, as his deliveries are two slow to worry a batsman who is any way quick on his feet. He has a good idea of flighting the ball and gets plenty of spin on to it. and with attention to his length, should develop into quite a good bowler. Details: VARSITY

First Innings 209 Second Innings PEARSON, b Whelan 59 METGE, c F. Wilson, b H. Wilson 3 SCIfNAUER, c and b Allcot 43 BUSH, c Horspool, b Whelan .... 0 SMEETON, not out 3 Four wickets for 108 Bowling: H. Wilson, 1-23; S. Wilson, 0-24; Horspool, 0-18; Whelan, 2-2; Allcott, 1-15; MacCormick. 0-26. .GRAFTON First Innings SALE, c Gari'ard, b Mathieson . . .. 11 SHEEN, c Hay, b Smeeton * 37 HORSPOOL, run out 33 ALLCOTT, b Mathieson 25 WHELAN, b Mathieson 0 McCORMICK, lbw., b Mathieson .. 0 WALTERS, b Garrard 3 HOCKIN, b Mathieson 17 WILSON, S., b Bush 11 WILSON, H., b Bush 0 ROWNTREE, not out 1 Extras 24 Total IG2 Bowling: Mathieson, 5-44; Garrard, 1-20; Smeeton,# 1-56; Bush, 2-18.

ROY AND FINLAYSON SETTLE Y.M.C.A.’S FATE

PONSONBY’S THREE-POINTER By bowling unchanged throughout the remainder of Y.M.C.A.’s first innings with consistent success, the Ponsonby bowlers, Roy and Finlayson, were responsible for their side gaining a three-point win over the Young Men in the Auckland Cricket Association’s sixth series of matches on Saturday. As Y.M.C.A. had only three wickets down for 56 runs the previous week in reply to the Ponies’ first innings effort of 157. when the game was continued on Saturday it was generally expected that the batting side would win, more especially as the chief batting stars, Cooper, Elliott, Panther, Innes and Riddolls had still to come.

But the Ponsonby trundlers upset all well-laid plans which Y.M.C.A. may have had in train for the not too formidable task of securing the 102 runs necessary to give them the verdict. The not-out batsmen, Clark and Smith, added slowly to their previous Saturday scores, but both struck the journey back to the pavilion at about the same time.

It was then that Elliott and Cooper became associated in what should have been the partnership of the day, judged on the reputations of the batsm€ i n. But by this time Ponsonby was beginning to take the upper hand, so much so that although both men succeeded in holding their wickets intact they could do little else. Cooper, \vho has seldom been noted as a hurricane scorer, took no less than 20 minutes to get his first run, and Elliott was hardly any more enterprising, as may be seen from the fact that he scored three singles in 25 minutes. CHANCES FADE AWAY

Elliott was the first to go. caught in the slips by Snedden olf Roy for i°- B. Riddolls then joined Cooper, and when he promptly returned to take off his pads after being beaten by one from Finlayson which curled lound his legs, Y'.M.C.A.'s chances rapidly receded with seven wickets down for 111 Innes, the ex-Suburban player, had one “let-off” shortly after taking strike, but showed his appreciation of this generosity by promptly banging Finlayson for the first four ot the afternoon. Just when it appeared possible that* the Young Men might make things interesting Roy had a say in affairs by skittling Cooper, who had 9 to his account. With eight wickets down for 120. Panther joined Innes, and although the former was dismissed for one, Innes got in one or two more good hits before the end came shortly after, with the fall of A. Riddolls’s wicket. Y.M.C.A. was all out for a total of 129 in reply to Ponsonby’s score of 157, and as time .was too short for any further development on a second innings, Ponsonby went to the wickets again for a practice hit. n Finlayson, who bowled throughout the completion of the Young Men’s first innings, finished up with the fine bowling figures of five wickets for 28 —a performance which made spectators ask how it was that this bowler, who was good enough for a New Zea-