CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 193, 23 January 1915, Page 7

CRICKET.

J POSITION OF THE TEAMS. SATURDAY COMPETITION. United Service f) 8 1 14 New Plymouth 8 5 3 5 Albion 9 5 4 4 Inglewood 8 5 3 4 Tikorangi 9 3 6—7 Law 9 0 9 —2O THURSDAY COMPETITION. Phoenix 4 3 16 'lnglewood 3 2 12 Tikorang i 5 2 3—2 N.P.H.S. 2 -6 TO-DAY'S MATCHES. Law v. Inglewood, at Inglewood; Tikorangi v. Albion, at Recreation Ground; New Plymouth v. United Service, at Westown Park. NEWS AND NOTES. If Taranaki is to have any reasonable prospect of returning from Wanganui with the Hawkc Shield, it is necessary, firstly, that the best available eleven should be chosen, and secondly, that that team should have plenty of practice, in the interim, not only of batting and bowling, but also in fielding. This latter is too often neglected, and, as local fieldsmen know to their sorrow, many a big score has been compiled and a match thereby lost, as the result of a catch missed before the batsman lias had time to get into double figures. The fieldsman, who is prepared to accept chances as they come, be they hot or easy, is worth a lot to any team. With a view to getting away the best available team the selector, Mr K. Bain, has chosen the following, from whom the final selection will be made shortly, vix., Clegg, Matthews, McKenzie (Inglewood), Roberts (Tikorangi), Lash (Law) Monteath (High .School and Albion), Robertson, Hasell, Gwillim, Whittle (Phoenix), Stainton, Ileskett, Mason, Bottrill, Nieoll, Richards (New Plymouth), Clarke. (Albion), Osborne, McGie, Colvile, and Bain (United Service), These players arc therefore asked to obtain all the practice they. can, an for their special benefit the New Ply-mouth-United Service wicket has been reserved for practice on Tuesday nights, when it is hoped that all players, or at least those in New Plymouth, will make a point of attending.

I Last Saturday saw the week-end competition in full swing again, after a three weeks' spell, due to the Christmas and Ni'W Year vacation. The batsmen :lo not arjpear to haie benefited greatly by the spell, for there were no sensational scores to chronicle. In the seven completed innings there were 19 doublefigure scores anil 20 ducks' eggs. No one reached the half-century, and Nicoll, of New Plymouth, was the only one to get into the forties. On a belt": outfield than Western Park this vo.ild have relm: i nteO many more runs. The bowlers had a field day, Smith, of Inglewood, taking seven Albion wickets at a cost of iesi than two runs apiece. The fielding showed an improvement, some smart catches being brought off. United Service, by defeating Tikorangi, increased its lead, and the defeat of Albion, the runners-up, at the, hands of Inglewood, still further widened the gap. New Plymouth narrowly outpointed Law, and takes second place, nine, points behind United Service. New Plymouth has an uncompleted match with Inglewood yet to finish. Inglewood and Albion are level, a point further back,-whilst Law retains its position at the bottom of the list, without one win to its credit. The Law team seems fated not to the run of ill-luck that has so far -"1 them, and on Saturday went to New Plymouth by four runs,

:1 :• a match the issue of which was in I'.nubt until the fall of the. last wicket. Every Law batsman scored, double figures being obtained by Lash, Elliott, Johnson, and R. P. Quilliam. Phoenix maintained their position at file head of the Thursday championship by easily defeating Tikorangi by over a century. The bad fielding of the country team was largely responsible for the big total put up by Phoenix, no less than fifteen chances not being availed of. Robertson's batting was forceful, and that he has not forgotten how to hit was shown by the fact that he found the boundary seven times, and the third terrace once.

Playing for Grafton against University at Auckland last Saturday, Horspool and McCormaek put up 250 for the first wicket, a record for Auckland. Horspool scored 122, and McCormaek 129 ( not out). Extras proved very useful with 57.

Tlio following is the Law team to play Inglewood, at Tnglewood. to-(lay:—Bew-ley, Billing, Anderson, Elliott, Reg. Quilliam. Little, TTarle, Johnson, Hughes, Lash, and another.

The following will represent United Service, v. New Plymouth at Western Park to-day ((Saturday).—Bain, Mewton, Colvile. Osborno, Muekav, Dinniss, Purdey, Ingrma, Stewart, Mackie, and McOie.