CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 181, 9 January 1915, Page 3

CRICKET.

f-ATUKtJAY COMPETITION. position of the teams. Played Won lost Pts. United Service 8 7 1 12 Albion 8 5 3 6 \c\v Plymouth 7 4 3 3 luglewood 7 4 3 2 Tikorangi 8 3 fi 5 Law 8 - 7 18 THURSDAY COMPETITION. Phoenix , 3 2 14 iikoiv.gi " ;i 2 1 - luglewood / 2 11High School. - / J TO-DAY'S MATCEHS. ■J ■ •*-■* New Plymouth v. Inglewood at the Reereaiion Grounds. news and nut:;-'.

The enthusiasm that was infused into cricket in North Taranaki at the commencement of the season is evidently not of a very lasting nature, judging by the extreme difficulty th eAssociation ! had in obtaining a team to make the trip to Hawera at the New Year. At the last moment it was only to scratch up eleven men for one day, and ten for the other. Of the twenty- ' nine men asked by the selectoi to go into training, only eight were actually available on the day of the match, and three substitutes had to be discovered, not one being unearthed until the very latent moment in the shape of a high school boy who happened to be on th* ground. Of course, at the holiday season/'pTayers mav ' avc other demands on their time, ■:.<. .: ; ay for business and other reason.; <■■ unable to make the trip, but surely cricket cannot have a very .high place in the niche of holiday attractions when devotees allow themselves to be draw away so easily. The teaan was an exceptionally weak one, and in being defeated by South Taranaki, has nothing to be ashamed of. Its numbers, at any rate, were loyal to „the Association and saved the match having to go by default, and it is to be loped that when future teams are being selected for home and trarel matches I the claims of these members, all other things being equal, wil he 1 given consideration before probably better men, who are unable or unwilling to go to the little inconvenience of a short trip away. Of course, the player who had; his chance through their defection, and J who failed to make good use of it, cannot possibly complain. That the team did well under the circumstances is tvi-l denced by the calibre of l!:: 1 men c.t home. Roberts, Robertson, Clarke, Heskett, Bain, Clegg, Nicoll, Hasell, Whittle, with Col vile or Bewley on another as eleventh man, would probably inflict as severe a defeat on the Hawera eleven as did South Taranaki. A team, thoroughly representative of North Taranaki, would have nothing to fear at the hands of South Taranaki, and would have good prospects of removing the Shield from Wanganui. North Taranaki's great weakness was in bowling. No less than nine of th* team were given a trial with the leather, I and of the nine Osborne proved the | most successful, taking four wickets for forty-seven runs. He opened disastrously, and off his first three overs I no less than thirty-four runs were scored, Penny .nulling him away for a four and a six in succession. Thereafter, he did much better, and his figures, which stood at thirty-eight for no wickets, were greatly improved. His last | six overs produced ten runs- and four ! wickets. Mason, who has pi:t up some I great bowling perf rmances in cup I matches, did not hud the wicket to hia liking, and in fifteen overs secured one wicket for the loss of fifty-eight runs. His failure in this department and also in fielding, where he dropped several chances, was disappointing. 'Hie ground fielding of both teams was on the whole

•good, and quite a large number of runs were thereby saved, but numerous catches were dropped. Gwillim batted well for the northern team, and his seore of 03, though marred by ono or two very difficult catches, was invaluable. lie- played a good innings, carefully choosing the balls ta seore off. That ball that took him was a beauty. It was hard luck for North Taranaki that he was unable to remain for the second day's play. McGie played a useful innings, and his score of 24 was well deserved. He had. hard luck in receiving a severe knock on the leg from a fast ball off Blamires. So painful was this that he had ultimately to rail on Osborne, to run for him. This knock, too. undoubtedly, interfered with his bowling action. Richards, a, usual, batted patiently for his thirteen. JTo played several uppish strokes early in the innings, but, fortunately for him. none of them were held. Mon'teath show•cd good form with the bat, and was 11 r. defeated, at nine. Matthews, the I skipper of (he team, who with his usual modesty went in last but one, did not have a chance to get going, as Ongloy found ],h stumps with n triramor.

■ The feature r£ ~outh Taranaki's innings was tiie find stand made by Blainiv.s and Penny, and Hlaniires and On<_'- I ley. The former pair added l- n >l for the ] third wicket, and the latter pair C,r, for the fourth -.vickct, stands tihat imdoubedly placed the issue of the match beyond doubt. Pratt and Column had gone cheaply fo>' twelve runs, but the. three bat.men mentioned raised file total to foi- four wickets. They tired out numerous changes of howling, no 1.-s than nine trundlers being utilised. I'll,, onlv members of the team that did n.d bowl were the two wicket-. kept!'-. Stewart ami Matthews. Penny was dropped by Mason with the score at !•!). N.- had al'-o aimth, r life in compiling his seore of lifty-niiie. which included * nix off Osborne and ten fours. TSlam-ii-es' innings of 110 was chanceVss. lie' played the bowling conlidently all i round Ihe wi.-k.d. In the ."ivst over lie j survived an appeal for J.b.w., hut theivi alter hi- gave no move chances until he | touch.-d on.- from Hughes, ami Matthews ! b.-bind tli,- wicki-ts made no mistake I ir smothering it. Ongh-v 21. Stapleton ! In, and n.eie-1:!- 11 '(not out), placed i foi.-rul ~-i-k.i. Staph.tonV di-mNsal was the re-ult of a ..mart niece ~f Helding by Richards. The wick, t-keeping of Matthews (North), and Coleman (South). was good, very few extras being '.n-mittcd. North Taranaki". second inning was t only retrieved from d-ba.-Ie bv the forceful vet e/itbi-I he-idv iiinin.'-s of Matlliews, Hi,, skipper, who svored Vn not out by delightfully erisn hittim.'. He .l.owi',] bad. judgment in puttine: himself in so late, p.-ntieiilarlv when the vest of the team v.-.-.v failing ~, bad'v. Tie could ! iret no one („ s fav with him. otlurwi.e ;t mi-ht not be. e bc-n an iiuiinys defeat. Matti-vc- h.ol hi. eve in, and was picking out the .covin.. dutV. IT,-lift-d Pennv twice out of the ground, j and liis pei-fonnance reminded South ~f the day op the New Plvmouth P.-crea-I tion -lound. when he ilvove Boycs out I of the ground live times in one over. f -dee-art (K). „•;.. t i„. onlv other | double figure -cover. Ougley am! Pennv bowb-d praetieallv throughout, and the J latter had flip fine figure, of ton overs, no maidens, 40 runs, six wieketV.

The visiting team were well treated by the local Association, bring entertained to dinner and afternoon tea in the Park. The Park was particularly admired, its well-kept lawns and 'beautiful flower-beds being ven- pleasing. It is expected that South TVrana-ki will return the visit about Easter time, if not at an earlier date. The afternoon of the second day wa; devoted to a friendly match, which proved enjoyable, and resulted in a wis for North by a narrow margin, tlra'' somewhat easing the wound inflicted V the previous defeat. No less than, eight of the north team got double figures, as did four of the Southerners. Matthews again hit a sweet sixer. i

The Hawke Shield match between Wanganui and North Taranaki will he : laved at Wanganui on -.'ither February IV ana IS. or February 24 and 25. The Saturday competition will he rcuncd to-day, when New Plymouth anl iglewood will meet at the Recreitioa rounds. Next Thursday wil 1 sec the ■sumption of Thursday eric' t.