CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 211, 13 February 1915, Page 3

CRICKET.

POSITIONS OF THE TEAMS. SATURDAY COMPETITION. Played Won Tie Lost Pts. United Service .. 1-2 10 New Plymouth ..10 6 Albion 12 (1 1 5 4 Inglewood .... 10 <i Tikorangi .... 11 3 1 B—ll Law 11 1 ■_ (j _ l7

THURSDAY COMPETITION. Inglewood .... ,5 4 1 G Phoenix 5 3 2 4 Tikorangi .... .1 2 3 —9 X.P.H.S 3 - 3^-8

TO-DAY'S MATCHES. Albion v. New Plymouth, at the Recreation Cirounds; Law v. United Service, at Western Park: Tikorangi v. Inglewood, at Tikorangi.

NEWS AND NOTES. Two more weeks will see the conclusion of the third round of the Saturday competition, except, for the uncompleted matches, which will require two additional days. Matches yet to be finished are the New Plymouth v. Tikorangi match, in which New Plymouth has 23(i against Tikorangi's nine wickets for SS, and looks like getting a. three-point win; the New Plymouth v. Inglewood match, where Inglewood has scored 123 for the loss of six wickets; and the Law v. Inglewood match, in which Inglewood has scored 0!) for four wickets, against Law's IC9.

As New Plymouth are runncra-up in tins competition, it mav be expected that the two first-named matches will require to be played out, else New Plymouth will gain three points in each case by forfeit. Should New Plymouth win both, the position will be interesting when they meet United Service in the final match. Of course, if cither Albion or Law defeat New Plymouth, th e latter team's chances of annexing the championship will be destroyed, whereas United Service is in a position to stand a losa to any other team other than New Plymouth. Prior to meeting New Plymouth United Service has to I meet Law and Tikorangi, and United Service should win, but one can never tell. Cricket is an uncertain game. United Service Buffered the second defeat this season, when they went down to Inglewood. and had their tally reduced two points. At one stage a threepoint win to the men of the inland town looked probable. Inglewood, bating first, set United Service 139 to get to-win. This was not much to ask, for on the last occasion when these teams met at Inglewood,. United Service replied to Inglewood's 105, with 176 for seven wickets. 1 This time, however, they failed badly with the bowling of Smith and Mcßae, and the innings closed for half a century. The. fielding of the local team was good. Service, 88 in arrears, had to follow on, and McEae had them in difficulties, three wickets being down for 20. Bain, however, hit out vigorously, proving specially partial to Smith, wlio had brought his downfall in the first innings, and ho and Osborne averted the major defeat. A feature was the wicketkeeping of the Inglewood custodian, Walter Matthews. In the first innings he allowed not a single extra, and caught one of the batsmen; in the second there were but three extras, and he smartly stumped Mcfiie. New Plymouth made the fine score of 2311 against Tikorangi. The feature of the innings was Heskett's 140. He was dismissed by a beautiful bail. Roberts played an invaluable innings of 57 not out, including two sixes and two boundaries. The innings reached 88 for the loss of nine wickets. Nicoll came out .with a fine average, whilst Robe:fs* average of five for sixty-eight was verv creditable.

Law and Albion provided the first tie of the season, with 03 runs cadi. Clark ami Martin, in a sportsmanlike spirir stood out for Albion. Sutherland's sixwickets for four runs reads as the second best bowling performance this year, the best having been Hughes' six for one, playing for New Plymouth against Tikorangi. Lash was again the best bowler for Law. A .fine stand by Bcwley and Pilling enabled Law to declare and try for a three-pointer, but F. Shcppnrd and Monteath batted well and saved the position.

The following is the United Service team to play Law to-dav 'Saturday), at Western Park: —Mcf:if, Purdie, Col\ilc, Bain, Thorne, Dinniss, Stewart, C'rawshaw, Ingram, Newton, and lirabant.

The following is the Law team to.plav United Service in the -Western Park today:—TSewley, Hilling, Anderson, Quilliam (2), Klliott, Little, Tlarle. Johnson, Hughes and Lash

The following will represent New Plymouth against Albion on the Snorts Cround. 10-ilav, iit 1.4;"):-W V Nieidl. K L. Mason, W. C. Westim, L, ("'. Uicherds. .1, A He-Lett. C. (!. Potlrill, P. S. Oliver. ('. J. Uamlvn, A. I?. Chappell, K. D. Unison. A V Stohr; emergciieie--, 11. 1). Hughes and <L <!. Newell. ' '