Safety-First Cricket

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 875, 20 January 1930, Page 6

Safety-First Cricket

ONE DAY MATCHES FAILED All Four Games Drawn THE programme of one-day matches in senior A.C.A. cricket on Saturday was a rank failure. In practically every case, tlie team which hatted first set its opponents an impossible task by safety-first batting or a belated declaration, with the result that a lifeless day’s cricket resulted in four drawn games.

Tho wickets were in very fair order, and there was quite a croQ of half century scores. A feature of the bowling was the success of D. Cleverley, the young Ponsonby fast bowler, who took three for 20 against Varsity. His elevation to senior cricket was long overdue. BATSMEN TOOK NO CHANCES IN PARNELL-GRAFTON GAME TWO WILSONS AN EXCEPTION Honours were fairly easy between Grafton and Parnell, when they finished their match at Eden Park on Saturday, although had the game gone on the odds were on Parnell winning. A solid innings by Allcott, and the lusty tail-end hitting of the two Wilsons, were the chief features of Grafton’s first innings. The wicket looked to be in good order, but the earlier batsmen refused to take chances, and it was soon pretty clear that unless the unexpected happened, the match would end in a draw. Wensley hammered away at the batsmen for two hours on end with wellpitched, pacey deliveries, but it seemed as if his bowling was playing the batsmen in rather than getting them out. ALLCOTT’S SOLID- INNINGS Allcott took no liberties with any of the bowlers, even though he must have been sorely tempted to let fly at some of McCoy’s curly ones. He gave no chance till past the fifty mark, and taken all through, it was a good sound display. McCoy would have secured the best average, but for the pasting lie got from the two Wilsons near the finish. He bowled really well, nevertheless. It was not surprising to find Harold Wilson setting runs, as he used to be a good bat, although his cricket career has been considerably interrupted in the past year or two. Both he and S. Wilson scored with splendid shots all round the wicket, and it was a treat to watch them after the laborious display given by some of the earlier batsmen.

rnise that he is a bowler of even greater possibilities. He maintained a good length. Varsity’s innings, although under limited time there was no great need for excellence, was rather disappointing. After Metge had hit up 12 in the opening partnership, Schnauer, Bush, Hay and Lunn were all extremely easy marks for the varied deliveries of Cleverley ajid Roy. At one stage, live wickets were down for 47 runs, but that was where Smeeton (19 not out) and Pearson (16 not out) saved the students with a commendable partnership. They succeeded in influencing the averages of Cleverley and Roy, and Smith and Finlay son both took a hand at trundling. Cleverlej*, with a 3 —20 average, was the bowler of the match. Three of his eight overs were maidens. Details: PONSONBY First innings SNEDDEN, b Schnauer 52 MONTEITH, c Lunn, b Hay .... 5 FLETCHER, b Matheson 38 SMITH, c and b Matheson 27 BURTON, not out 26 CLEVERLEY, not out 6 Extras 15 Four wickets (declared) for .. . . 163 Bowling: Matheson, 2-50; Hay, 1-1 S; Schnauer, 1-25; Bush, 0-20; Smeeton, 0-41. UNIVERSITY First innings METGE, c Hunt, b Roy ........ 12 SCHNAUER, b Roy 2 BUSH, stpd, b .Cleverley 2 HAY, b Cleverley 4 LUNN, c Finlayson, b Cleverley .. 0 PEARSON, not out .. 16 SMEETON, not out 19 Extras 14 Five wickets for 69 Bowling; Cleverley, 3-20; Roy, 2-25; Finlayson, 0-5; Smith, 0-5.

With 179 to get in less than 75 minutes, Parnell faced an almost impossible task, and the dismissals of Anthony and Wensley settled the matter, tho colts, McCoy and Whitelaw, being content to carry on at their natural pace till the end came. Both batted very nicely. Details: GRAFTON First Innings

HORSPOOL, E., lbw, b Wensley .... 26 SALE, c Whitley, b Wensley 7 ALLCOTT, c Duncan, b McCoy .... 60 SHEEN, lbw, b McCoy 3 WHELAN, st Whitley, b McCoy .... 2 McCORMICK, c Vivian, b Goodsir .. 14 HOCKIN, c Singleton, b McCoy .... 9 WILSON, S., b Aitken 23 WATTERS, run out 0 WILSON, H, not out 24 HORSPOOL, A., b Aitken 0 Extras •• •• H Total 179 Bowling: Wensley, 2-37; Goodsir, 3-81; Aitken, 2-9; McCoy, 4-68; Anthony, 0-23. PARNELL First Innings WENSLEY, b Allcott 26 ANTHONY, b Allcott 12 McCOY, not out 27 WHITELAW, not out 32 Extras 4 Two wickets for 101 Bowling: H. Wilson, 0-31; Allcott, 2-37; Horspool, 0-14; S. Wilson, 0-13. OPENING PARTNERSHIP HANDY FOR PONSONBY VARSITY’S DULL BATTING Given a sound opening; of 88 runs on the first innings, Ponsonby managed to compile 169 runs before it declared, with four wickets only down, in its one-day game with University on Eden Park No. 2. The match merely served as another argument against abbreviated periods for cricket matches. The game had practically no finality. Varsity went in, but five batsmen were dismissed cheaply under the effective trundling of Roy and Cleverley.. Smeeton and Pearson made a stand for the sixth wicket, carrying the score to 69 at stumps, when the match was declared a draw. Nothing outstanding took place during the afternoon, bLit the game was not without patches of good cricket. N. C. Snedden, for instance, knocked up a really creditable tally of 52 (one of the largest scores in a day of mediocre cricket totals) in reasonable time. He opened Ponsonby’s innings with Fletcher and the pair settled down to steady batting. Snedden had one or two lives and nearly went out right at the beginning, but he managed some profitable scoring shots off the really difficult bowling of Matheson and Smeeton. A change bowler, Schnauer, eventually sent down a puzzling ball, played on to his wicket. Fletcher was a very sluggish scorer. His useful total of 38 was made in one and three-quarter hours’ batting. S. G. SMITH’S JUDGMENT It was left to experienced S. G. Smith to show probably the most stylish strokes of the day. He met the deceptive slow-break bowling of Hay, which caused the early downfall of Monteith, with equanimity, and every now and then pulled off fine scoring strokes with the ease knowledge alone gives. Smith scored 27 before Matheson, off his own bowling, made a beautiful left-handed catch. From 143 from the fourth wicket, Burton, formerly of Wellington, and Cleverley carried on to make 26 more runs. Burton was another good scoring man, and lie ended up the day with 26 not out to his credit. Matheson’s bowling almost invariably of good length, was watched closely by every batsman, but the fast Varsity bowler had to be content with a 2—50 average. At the other end. Smeeton had no success. Play’s slow tosses gave the batsmen fLill cause for puzzlement and Schnauer gave pro-

NINTH WICKET SAVES SHORE IN MATCH AT DEVONPORT

A FINE PARTNERSHIP The Shore ground looked a perfect picture on Saturday, having rolled out perfectly after the heavy rains. The wicket was easy but the new growth slowed up the pace of the outfield. So far, Shore has not won the toss —or a game—this season, and with only one afternoon’s play Wetherill put the home side in to bat, the knowledge of what would be required from his men later being an advantage. With seven of Shore’s best out for 55, and then eight for 67, on a plumb wicket, the outlook was again distinctly gloomy for the home club, and the good crowd which had been tempted along by the perfect weather and prospects of a lively one-day go became very depressed.. Frater hit the first ball of the day for a soaring sixer, but poked the second to Williams at fine slip. Hugh Webb committed suicide in going down the pitch to make a good length ball of a long hop. Bush was batting freely and gracefully, but after a perfect six shot he edged a swinger from Williams on to his sticks. Goldsworthy and Webb bagged a brace between them through mis-hitting swervers from Williams, while Saunders and Lusk could only score a pair of threes between them.

Player pottered about patiently for 18 before smothering up to a straight one from Williams and retiring Ibw, the suburban swerver claiming four victims in as many overs for two runs from mis-hits. The board showed 67 for eight when Kelly joined Gerrard, who had been batting with solid confidence. By smart running and some Crisp off shots by Gerrard play brightened up till tea time with the addition of 20 to the score. A WELCOME PARTNERSHIP After the break Gerrard and Kelly continued to play the bowling with ease and confidence in spite of frequent changes. Kelly was the more aggressive, but Gerrard was very polished and finished, getting well over the ball and forcing some nice carpet shots to the on side and through the covers. The Suburbs field was well plotted and the fielding clean and snappy, but runs came steadily and the visitors’ bright hopes of notching their first win faded with the westering sun. The ninth wicket men were very smart in stealing singles and had a quiet contest who would reach the half-century first, Kelly coming with a good rattle in Williams’s last over. It was afetr 5 p.m., with both batsmen on the even 50 mark, that Frater declared. The ninth wicket stand had saved Shore by adding 87 runs, Kelly’s half-hundred including six fours and three threes, but Gerrard’s was an invaluable and chanceless innings. Williams bowled well while the ball was glossy and the breeze fresh, but the slow bowlers might have been exploited more after tea. Suburbs declined the somewhat suicidal prospect of going for a win in the time remaining, and dug in stolidly until the final bell. Kerr and McLaren opened with grim obstinacy, but Coates crashed one past McLaren’s defence and upset Hendy’s sticks two balls later, but Martin and Kerr carried on doggedly until the danger time was past. The batsmen were not looking for runs, but were satisfied to stick it out for a division of the points. Saunders secured three cheap wickets in the closing stages, and Suburbs had still four wickets in hand when time was rung up, Kerr having Flytox is the ideal Insecticide. Kills flies and mosquitoes instantly. Stainless. Harmless to humans. Fragrant. —3.

POSITIONS OF THE TEAMS

The positions of the teams in the Auckland Cricket Association’s senior A grade competitions are as follow:

batted with admirable patience and resource in carrying his bat. Details: SHORE First innings FRATER, c Williams, b Webster .. 6 BUSH', b Williams 14 IT. T. WEBB, st. Wetherill, b Martin 3 FLAYER, lbw., b Williams 18 GERRARD, not out 50 GOLDSWORTHY, c Kerr, b Williams 0 D. WEBB, c Webster, b Williams .. 0 SAUNDERS, c Williams, b Nolan .. 3 LUSK, b Kerr 3 KELLY, not out 50 Extras .. . . 7 Total for eight wickets (declared) 154 Bowling: Williams, 4-30; Kerr, 1-13; Nolan, 1-32; Webster, 1-33; Martin, 1-35; Leikis, 0-4. . UNITED SUBURBS First innings KERR, not out 34 McLAREN, b Coates v) HENDY, b Coates 0 MARTIN, c Garrard, b D. Webb .. 11 WEBSTER, b Saunders 1 NOLAN, st Kelly, b Saunders .... 0 LEIKIS, c Coates, b Saunder .... 7 Extras 5 Six wickets for 07 Bowling: Saunders, 3-37; Coates, 2-3 5; D. Webb, 1-17; Player, 0-13. Y.M.C.A. AND EDEN PLAY DRAWN GAME Y.M. won the toss and elected to bat on a good batsman’s wicket with a rather slow outfield. Weir and Lawrie opened the attack for Eden, and after half an hour’s play Lyon succumbed lbw to Lawrie. The board then read 16 —I—B,1 —8, and at the next ball but one, Sutherland was run out with no alteration in the score. After about an hour’s slow play Cooper had a very narrow escape when he misjudged a tricky ball from Langtori, which broke to the off and just scraped the bails. A. F. Weir replaced Langton at the north wicket, and success came his way when Elliott lifted a drive to point where Postles brought off a difficult catch. Elliott had batted 72 minutes for his 22. There was no doubt about the umpire’s decision of lbw when Cooper mistimed a ball from Lawrie which hit his pads. Riddolls did not survive long, being caught by Lawrie at square-leg off A. F. Weir. The board then stood at 65—5—1. Innes and Panther livened up the rate of scoring and Innes lifted a ball from A. F. Weir for a fine six over the leg boundary. Panther did not stay, however, for he was clean bowled by Butler with his score at 8. The hundred was registered after 111 minutes’ play, when Clark scored a single. At the tea adjournment the score stood at 108 for six wickets. Innes continued to hit freely after the tea adjournment but Clark was bowled after a few minutes by Langton. The slow bowler continued to prove disastrous to the Y.M. tail and close on Clark’s dismissal followed those of Bambury and Smith. Innes brought a fine innings to a close when he was dismissed lbw by Butler with his score exactly at the half-century mark. A. Riddols was the not-out man and the innings had produced a total of 132.

The match was drawn when at stumps Eden’s total was 83 for three wickets.

Y.M.C.A. First innings ELLIOTT, c Postles, b A. F. Weir .. 22 LYON, lbw., b Lawrie 8 SUTHERLAND, run out 0 COOPER, lbw., b Lawrie 28 RIDDOLLS, R., c Lawrie, b A .F.

Weir 1 INNES, lbw., b Butler 50 PANTHER, b Butler S CLARK, b Langton 5 BAMBURY, b Langton 4 SMITH, lbw., b Langton 0 RIDDOLLS, A., not out 1 Extras 5 Total 132 Bowling: G. L. Weir, 0-11; Lawrie, 2-25; Butler, 2-25; Langton, 3-31; A. F. Weir, 2-35. EDEN First innings MILLS, not out 50 BUTLER, lbw, b Lyon 6 SMITH, W. 8., b Elliott 9 GILLESPIE, b Lyon 5 WEIR, A. S., not out 8 Extras 4 Three wickets for 82 Elliott, 1-42; A. Riddolls, 0-S; Lyon, 2-28. SENIOR B GRADE EDEN V. Y.M.C.A. Y.M.C.A.—First innings: Miller, c Christie, b Aickin, 51; Ross, c Hintz, b Gillespie, 8; Stewart, b Hintz, 1; Speer, b Hintz, 0; Paton, lbw, b Aickin, 5; Organ, run out, 0; Thompson, b Blair, 5; Dow, b Blair, 39; Mardle, not out, 5; Harrison, b Blair, 0; Cato, absent, 0; extras, 11; total, 105. Bowling: Hintz took two wickets for 28 runs; Gillespie, one for 31; Aickin, two for 20; Blair, three for 14. Eden.—First innnings: Aickin, c Paton, b Miller, 15; Gillespie, st Paton, b Miller, 50; Cantlay. run out, 12; Blair, c and b Miller, 8; Harrop, b Organ, 3; Hutter, b Organ, 3; Hintz, b Miller, 3; Stewart, b Miller, 11; Black, c Ross, b Harrison, 8; Buckley, b Harrison, 17; Christie, not out, 5; extras, 5; total, 140. Bowling: Organ, 2-37; Ross, 0-17; Miller, 5-50; Stewart, 0-27; Harrison, 2-4. Eden won by 35 runs on the first innings. PONSONBY V. NORTH SHORE A. North Shore. —First innings, 152. Second innings: Smith, not out, 26; B. Mclndoe, c Sellars, b Hoare, 12; B Horsley, not out, 4; extras, 4; total for one wicket, 46. Bowling: Hoare, 1-29; Binmore, 0-10; Matherson, 0-3. Ponsonby.—First innings: H. Warneford, lbw, b Mclndoe, 58; J. Douglas, c Naismith, b Mclndoe, 45; W. Hoare, c Nicholas, b Macindoe, 2; A. Warneford, lbw, b Naismith, 18; A. Matherson, lbw, b Nicholas, 13; C. Mills, c Cleal, b Mclndoe, 48; R. Sellars, b W. Mclndoe, 8; F. Gillespie, st Smith, b W. Mclndoe, 17; G. Lendrum, o Mclndoe, b Naismith, 1; A. Kelly, b Mclndoe, 6; Binmore, not out, 29; extras, 22; total, 267. Bowling: Nicholas, 1-58; Horsley, 0-15; W. Mclndoe, 2-71; Nai-

Parnell P. 7 w. 4 L. D. 3 Pts. 19 University* . • .. 7 3 1 3 17 Ponsonby .. .. 7 3 2 2 16 Eden 7 2 1 4 16 Y.M.C.A. .. .. 7 2 2 3 14 Grafton 7 2 2 3 13 United Suburbs 7 — 4 3 9 North Shore .. 7 — 4 3 6