CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 276, 30 December 1909, Page 4

CRICKET.

MANAWATU v. NORTH TARANAKI. PLAYED AT NEW PLYMOUTH. Under perfect weather conditions the North Tarauaki Cricket Association yesterday played the season's first representative game, the visitors being the Manawatu team. The match was played on the Kecreation Sports Ground and was witnessed by probably a couple of hundred spectators. The Manawatu team was not the strongest combination possiole in that district, but it was t 1 ).; best available during holiday week. Being a man short, \Y. Hill, of Wellington, ami formerly of New Plymouth, was included in the eleven. Neither was North Taranaki at its full strength. HaselL was unable to play, and Jack took his p'ace. W. C. Weston play ;d in place of Benbow. The visitors were captained by C. Warden, and the local team by ii. Lash.

The wicket was in good order, despite dismal predictions, although it crumbled a little late in the afternoon. Had there been a few more cricketers willing to take their share of the rolling, th-.> pitch would have been better still. Manawatu won the toss and went to tile wickets, Roberts and Warden opening to the bowling of Soutliall and Hill. Roberts opened the innings, lie was not at all at home with Southau. Warden, however, was getting fairly set when he tipped one to Xieotl m trie slips. One for 13. Goldspring partnered Roberts, The latter haff a shoit " it. He reached out to a ball on the off, i>nd fireatbatch lifted the bails. Two for 20. Trevena opened with two in the slips, but was vcit shaky when facing Soutua'i. Both batsmen played Xicoll confidently, and lie v,a° replaced by ITU', IM.Ispring squa'ceutting his second bill f f ;r four. Trevena still continued to shaiie unsteadily when facing Southall, and Sventually placed him in Perham's hands at m'd-off. Three for 54. Childs, the next man, had a life in the slips off Hill, an 3 in the next over Goldspring, ■vho had been batting very steadily, was stumped by Grcatbatch off Southall. Four for 55. Holland followed, and with Cfiilds livened matters uV run* cuming- iair') i eely, Childs was again missed in the slips off Hill, but at the next ball the promising partnership was dissolved by Holland lifting one to Whittle. Five for 74. Simmonds came ; in next, on'.r lo see Childs well caught by Lash in tie long field off Sou'llnil. Childs had given a good display, particularly his youth. Six fo.' 74. Greer partnered Simmonds, and ■ hit Southall freely. He had a Hfc off Soutliall, reaching out at a hall that was going over his head, llill, howw. dropped it. I*'\' ball Simmonds ' :f t t-d one to Pciliam in the outfield, but it was not heli'. Greer was clean burled by Hill's succeeding 'oall. Seven, for SB. W. Hiil joined S-immonds, and hit out at everything. but his partner cmnd not stay, losing his wicket to a shooter from Hill. Oakley went in just prior to the lunchefn adjournment, which saw the score at eight for 97 for about an hour at'.: three-quarter's plai. Upon resuming, both batsmen played 111' bawling with the greatest renin!enc. and the ciieket was of a ji-i <! oro'i* na f ure. ili l . knocked uj. ttu hundredth run. Southall sent in a yorker to Oakrey and got his wicket. Nine for 118. Hill proving too expensive, Whittle went on ti bowl at his end. In his first over Mans'ciu the last batsma.i. 'kin> one to Lash, and the innings closed for 124, having lasted a further twenty minutes after luncheon. WeiiEon and Perham commenced Taranaki's first innings, Perham taking Greer's first over, a maiden. Weston's first hit wni for ?'our. Owing to wint of backing up when Weston was stealing one from Greer, Perham n-.u y I'-st his wicket. At lfi Perham caught one of Greer's on his thumb, and was held by Hill in t'n-i slips. One for Hi. Inman signalised his appearance by a nice cut to the boundary for four. Wi'-'an was caught fit iniil'n by OaijY/ w'ifn attempting ore to the off. Two I'nr 21. Egglcstoi followrd. The pair batted carefully, nut were too leisurely between th -1 wickets, and neglected sevral easy 'ingles. At 40 Hoilan I replaced Ma'isi'jiJ. After som> minutes' steady pinr Inman seemed to co'.'ar the. bowling, pud kicked a series of boundaries off Greir. He treat"/! Holland, too, with' scant ceremony. Hi I; '.v,>nt on at firvrs end. Eggleston opened his shoulder?, for *"hc first time to Mill's second d-jl.'orv, and lost liis vie**' Three for 82. The next batw.:in waGreatbateb. Jnman gave a iifli.ii.i chance oil (In boundary, but it was not accepted by Warden. He had the misfortune to 'ie put out 1.b.w., at 08, having made 48 by good all-round hitting. Four for 98. Xicoll joined Gre,itbatch. The century appeared for 00 minutes' hitting. A boundary bit by Xicoll showed 110 pn the board, tireatbaleli, who had during his short innings given a nice display of batting, well timed and placed, lifted one direct to Warden .on the boundary. Five for 117. Gree r replaced Ifitl. Lash scored three and was caught by Hill in the slips. Six for 123. Jack followed, and with his first smite sent Holland to the boundary, and passed the visitors' score. His next hit was fatal, for he was caught at the wickets by Trevena. Seven for 127. Whittle joined Xicoll, and the partnership was a merry one, Whil-'lc showing some of his old ten. form. Through a misunderstanding Nicoll narrowly missed being run out. Whittle arriving at his end before Xic >ll started. Next ball gave Xicoll another life, Greer dropping him in the sli,is. At the afternoon tea adjournment the score stood at 157 (Whittle 13, Xico.'l 18). Resuming, Whittle drove Greer to the boundary, and runs continued to come fairly briskly. A shooting ball found Whittle's stumps at the ground level. Eight for 100. Southall was immediately given a life high in the slips, the ball being dropped by Hill, hut a few balls later he over-reached for a swift one of Gold6pring's and lost his wicket. Nine for 162, Hill, the last mail, had a short stay, being prettily stumped !>.v 'J'rcvena. The innings closed for 107. . Manawatu opened their second innings disastrously. Roberts and llill went in to the bowling of Soutliall and Whittle, and Southall took a fine onehand c*fcch from Roberts between the wickets. One for 0. Simmonds, who followed, hit one to mfd-off. It was nicely returned by Eggleston to Grcatj batch at the wickets, and Simmonds 1 was run out. Two for 0. Oakley fallowed, but only two runs had bc-n scored when Hill was bowled. Three for 2. Runs came very slowly, the board showing only 20 for half an hour's hitting. Trevena had a life at 10, Eg?l> Ston dropping him at mid-off. X'coil took Southall's place. Oaklev tipped a hot one from Whittle to Inman, who held it, and Oakley went back to the terraces. The partnership had added 34 to the score. Four for 30. There was no alteration in the score at six o'clock, when stumps were drawn. The following are the scores.

MANAWATTJ.—First innings. Roberts, st. Oveatbatch, b Snuthall 2>Kl 11 Warden, o Xicoll, !i Soutliall .. 1 Goldsprinjr. at. Oreatliatch, li Southall, 4411211412 21 Trevena, c Pcrham, "o Soutliall. , 2122122 J2, Childs, c Lash. li Soutliall. 141121141 10 Holland, c WliiltK b Hill, 1111 .. -1 Simtnonds. b Hill. 4421 .. u Greer, b Hill. 21 ~. .. " 3 Hill, not out. 72121134114111111 ?7 Oakley, b Soutliall. 11121 .. .. 0 Hansford, <? Lash, h Whittle, 12 .. .1 Extras 9 Total Bowling analysis—Southall, 0 wickets, 48 rune, 20 overs. 4 maidens; Nico'l, no wickets, 21 riiijs. 6 overs, 710 maidens; Hill, 3 wickets, 14 runs. 13 overs 2 maidens; Whittle. 1 wicket. 5 runs, one over.

NORTH TARAXAKI.—First Innings. Weston, c Oakley, b Circer, 4111121 11 Perliam, c Hill, b Greer, 2111 .. 5 Ininan, 1.b.w., b Holland. 4114114411 41441411141 .. ~4s Eggleston, b Hill, 21411 l .. .. jo Greatbatch, c Warden, b Holland, 11411414 17 Nicoll, not Out, 114111412111 10 Lasli, c Hill, b Holland .. 3 Jack, c Trevcna, 1) Holland .. 1 Hill, st. Trevcna, b Holland, 12.. 3 Southal], b Goldspring .. .. I Whittle, b HollanJ, 111411441111 :>1 j Byes 16, leg-byes 8, ivides 1 ~ 25 j (Total in 107 Bowling analysis.—flrecr, 2 wickets, 48 rii"S, 16 overs, 2 maidens; Mairsford, no wickets, 28 runs, 7 overs, no maidens; Holland. 0 wickets, 40 runs, IT) overs, 3 maidens; lliil, one wicket, 2S runs, 4 overs, no maidens; C!ol<ls|iri one wicket, 4 runs, 2 overs, no maidens. I A X A WA To.—Second Imii figs. Tlill, b Soutliall 0 Huberts, c and b Southall .. .. 0 Simmonds, run out .. .. 0 Oakley, c Ininan, b Whittle .. 12 Trevcna. not out 15 Extras 9 Total for four wickets .. .. 36

tendance of the public this afternoon, for the cricket is well worth watching, and the local association wants a financial lift. The luncheon and afternoon tea yosterday were served in a marquee on the ground, the-catering of Mr. J. C. Lcgg, of the Hygienic Bakery, giving the utmost satisfaction.

THE AUSTRALIAN VISIT. By Telegraph.—-PrcH Association. Wellington. Wednesday. The Wellington Cricket Association has definitely refused to participate in the pooling scheme under which the New Zealand Cricket Council has arranged for a 'tour of an Australian team through the Dominion. It is contended by the local Association th.'a Wellington is the beat town as regards gate receipts m New Zealand, ami that it is unfair its profits should # o to make up Ihe d; licit* in jho other centres. During the last vi4t of the M.C.C. English team, Wellington was the only comlt;* in which aiiv material profits were made, and though over A'3l)o c!eq r \vn«s netted. th<> local Association, owing to participation in the sehenft under which the tour was carried out, lost considerably. If no compromise is effected it will nu-an that the Australians will not play : n Wellington.