CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 166, 19 December 1914, Page 7

CRICKET.

' TO-DAY'S MATCHES. Albion v. New Plymouth, at the Recreation Grounds; Law v. United Service, at Western Park; Jnglewood v. Tikorangi, at Inglewood. POSITION OK THE TEAMS. SATURDAY COMPETITION.

NEWS AND NOTES After to-day's series of matches, there will be a break of three weeks in the second round of the Saturday competition, owing to tlie Christmas Holidays. In New Plymouth at all events cricket enthusiasts will find much to interest them during the interval, as then,' is a prospect of two Saturdays being filled. .Next Friday and I Saturday, a team from Wanganui will do battle against the representatives of North Taranaki 011 the Recreation Grounds. The followiLg Friday and Sat- ' urday, our representatives will journ.ey 1.0 Hawcra to meet South Taranaki, and 011 the third Saturday Inglewood and New Plymouth will meet on the Recreation Grounds to play off the the match whicli was missed in the round. The news that Wanganui is sending a team to New Plymouth this Christmas will be gladly hailed by all cricket enthusiasts. has the reputation of doing big things in the cricket world and has held the Hawke Cup against several challengers, while there are not wanting those, who think that Wanganui would be capable of extending the defenders of that blue riband of big cricket in the Dominion, viz., the Plunket Shield. It is to be hoped that North Taraw.ki can put its strongest eleven in the field, though unfortunately, at the holiday season, this is almost impossible owing to the counter attractions both at home and abroad. With its strongest eleven in the field, the match would possess an added interest, in view of the fact that North Taranaki will later go knocking at Wanganur's door in quest of the Hawke Cup. It must not be forgotten, however, that there is no com parison between the wickets here and at Wanganui, where cricket is played unj der most favorable conditions, from that point of view.

The South Taranaki match the follow- I ing week will also prove very interesting. Matches between North and South always provide interest, if not excitement, being generally keenly contested. The matches last Saturday proved very interesting, but they made no material change in the championship position, save that Albion, by gaining a threepoint victory over Law, advanced one rung on the ladder into third place. This •leam is showing improved form, the result of assiduous practice at the net, and the members of the team are to be commended for their thoroughness in this respect, which >■■ a fine example to ' other older teams. United Service still head the list, while Law are still wliippers in. It was a west dav taken right through for the bowlers, who came out with some fine averages. There were two or three good batting performances, notably that of Heskett, who scored 73 in almost chanceless style. 11l the United Service-]nglewood match, the country team batted first, but made a disastrous start, losing "n'sli, l'ullen, Mcßae and }\icbolls for T8 runs. McKenzie, who batted steadily, seemed the only one able to make a stand. After Stratford had gone thirteen runs later, Eggleton was broughtup from last man and sent to the wickets. The scene at once changed. Up to this time the scoring had been pitifully slow, only averaging about two an over, whilst the ball had only once reached the boundary. Egsleton moved to some purpose, and hitting up 21 oir two overs of Osborne, including three boundaries and a six, raised the score to 74 before he retired, caught behind the wickets. This infused fresh life into the team, and the tail, aided mainly by Thomas, added 29 to the innings, which closed for 103. Bain bowled well, and proved difficult to play, as his figures—l 4 overs, 7 maidens, 19 runs, 3 wickets —show. ' Osborne, despite his disastrous .experience with Eggleton, also bowled well, and wound up with 4 for 20. United Service opened with Stewart and Osborne and play was very cautious. Eggleton and Mcßae seemed to keep the runs down, but could not take a wicket, and it was not until thirteen overs had been bowled for 30 runs, that Mcßae met with success. Then he got both Osborne and Stewart in one over. In each of his next overs, he bagged McGie and l'urdie. With four wickets for forty-five, IngleWQod's clianee looked good, hut fine partnerships by liain and Colvile, and later by Bain and Mackay, altered the situation. Bain playcil very cautiously, as may be realised by the fact that he only scored 28' of life total of SI that was added while he was at tlia wickets, and never once reached the boundary. Colvile and he ran smartly between the wickets, though the former is apt to leave his crease before the bowler lias delivered the ball, and may be caught napping some day. He batted well for his runs. Mackay batted forcefully and deserved his not-out score. There was very little between the top scorers. The last three men only added nine. Mcßae bowled well for the losers. The scoring of United Service was good, though Purdue failed to hold vine or two catches. Inglewnod fielded briskly at the start, but shirked oil' in the closing stages.

At Tikorangi, New Plymouth achieved an easy win over the local team. Butting first, the visitors scored 14(!; TTcskett, by fine cricket, getting just half the total off liis own bat. Considering that it was a difficult wicket this was a fine individual performance. He only gave one chance, which was accepted. Stainton, who has evidently struck form with the bat, scored fifteen in good style until smartly held bv Lye. Purdic, Roberts, Sarteii and Foreman shared the local team's bowling honors Mason, with seven wickets for twentyseven runs, caused Tikorangi's downfall, their total only reaching 7"t. Roberts, who has latterly been Tikorangi's mainstay with the bat, had reached the unlucky number, 1:1, when ITeskett bowled him with a beauty. .T. W. (irillin (10) was tile principal contributor to Tikorangi's total.

Law continued (heir career by adding another scalp'to Albion's belt, this time to the tunc of three points. Law batted first, but could only compile (iS. Lash, who carried his bat through for 28, Bewlev (10), Hughes (10), did the bulk of the run-getting. Clarke took five wickets for 23. Albion made the rc•'"cial'le total of 104. Girling with 23,

s not out, was the top scorer, but 110 less than five others made double figures, and Lash (5 for 37) did the bulk of the bowling for Law. Law's second venture produced seven less than their first, only one man, Billing, reaching double ' figures. Clarke 4 for 11, and Monteath 4 for 18, came off best. Law had no 1 trouble in knocking up the 20 runs required for a three point win. Clarke, V in lilio first over, knocked 12 of them ■ in two hits, and the balance were got for the loss of two wickets. Albion's fielding is showing decided improvement.

To-day's matches should be very interesting. Law were defeated in the first round by United Service by 1!) j runs, and though the former have not had a win, they have gone very close on several occasions, and if they were to defeat the present leaders, it would cause- a great surprise. The match between Albion and New Plymouth will prove a great draw, as it will decide who is to obtain second position. Last time, the teams met, Albion scored a twopoint win, but neither team was repre- ' sented by its full strength. Both teams have improved since, and New Plymouth to-day will be further strengthened by the addition of W. C. Weston. In a low-scoring match at Tikorangi, Inglewood gained the advantage by ten runs. Tikorangi can be depended upon to make a big effort to turn the tables to-day.

•3 s -+£ "a rt* 5 o 1 'o ft United Service 7 6 i 10 New Plymouth 0 4 2 (> Albion 7 4 3 3 Inglewood 6 3 3 — Tikorangi 6 3 4 —3 Law • 7 • — 7 • -10 THURSDAY COMPETITION. Phoenix 3 2 1 ' 4 Tikorangi 3 2 I 2 Inglewood 2 1 1 — High School 2 — — —0