CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 229, 6 March 1915, Page 7

CRICKET.

posmoxs of the teams. Tin-: SATURDAY COMPETITION*. I'd. Won. Ties. L. l'ts. Xew Plymouth" ..IS !) United Service .. 15 H) ii 11 Inglewood .... 12 S 4" 7 Albion ]."> 0 1 8 —I! Tikorangi .... 14 5 !> —S I-aw l:i 2 1 10 —l7 TiII"RSDAY COMPETITION*. Inglewood .... R 4 1 li Phoenix , r i .'! I Tikorangi G 3 —• X.P.Ji.S. 4 TO-DAY'S MATCH. New Plymouth v. Inglewood, at the Recreation Grounds, Xew Plymouth (completion of unfinished game). The following team will represent Xew Plymouth in the match with Inglewood on the Sports Grouiyl to-day: —liottrill, Stainton, N T ieoll, TTeskett, Oolson, Mason. Stolir, Oliver, Ilamblyn, and Hughes.

XEWS AXD XOTES. Last Saturday saw the completion of the third rotted of the week-end competition, save for four unfinished matches. Saturday cricketers up to last Saturday had had nothing to complain of in Hie weather, having had only one wet Saturday out of sixteen. This time, however, the cloudy, dull weather tried its utmost to dampen the ardor of local cricketers. There was an occasional drizzle, one shower being sullicient to cause an adjournment for a

while. The light practically all through Hie piece was bad, and caused both

batsmen and fieldsmen considerable anxiety. It was the last Saturday on which the rules permitted the extension of play until G. 30 p.m., but on the Recreation Ground, at all events, cricketers found tile light so bad at G p.m. that they had to draw stumps. During the rest of the season stumps will be drawn at 6 p.m., in accordance with the rule.

Of the six competing, United Service and Albion are the onlw teams that have completed all their matches. Neither team has had much success in its later matches, and the former, who had an apparently unassailable lead a few weeks ago, have latterly failed so signally that they arc now in the position of runncrs-up to New Plymouth. Law would have to beat Inglewood twice, and both Tikorangi and Inglewood would have to beat New Plymouth—and this is hardly possible, even allowing for the uncertainties of cricket —to restore Service to the winning position. Albion also started well, and at one time appeared to have good prospects of getting among the leaders, but they are now well down the list, with the unenviable minus sign against their name< This team, however, has no need to be ashamed of the result of

its first year in the competition. It lias played with considerable hard luck. It lias quite a number of new players, who will benefit considerably by the practice they have had.

The competition now appears to lie between Tnglewood and New Plymouth, and their meeting this t afternoon will be followed with interest by, it is hoped, quite a crowd of spectators. Should Xew Plymouth secure the match, it will give them the" championship indisputably. Should they lose, there is every prospect of a play-ofT between the same two teams. To-day's match is sure to be keenly contested.

Tuprlcwood. with seven wickets clown for 123 (Mattliews 52 not out), will continue their innings. There is a prospect of one team securing a three-point win.

Xext Saturday will see two more mavches played, in which the aspirants for championship honors are interested. At Inglewood Law (1 (>5) will meet Inglewood (99 for four), and at the Recreation Grounds New Plymouth (23(1) will play Tikorangi (nine for 88, with Roberts 57 not out. The following week, at New Plymouth, Law (138) will play Inglewood (one for 25). Interest in the championship may be sustained to the finish. The match between New Plymouth and United Service last week produced a disappointing display of batting, though, on the other hand, some keen fielding and good bowling were t.he order of the day. Both teams were wenk. When the fall of the last wicket, saw the moderate total of 76 on the board, Service's hopes of securing the championship for 1914-15 went down to zero. Some of the members of the" United Service team went to afternoon tea, whilst the" others were left to~nold the fort. Disaster came quickly. With four wickets "down for 0, reinforcements were hurriedly brought up from the tea tent, but • the procession continued, and the innings closed for 2S. Of the nine batsmen, only one was clean bowled. Heskett | and Nicoll bowled five overs each, and divided the honors. The former broke both ways. The value of good fielding was illustrated in this nitach. not one chance being missed by Xew Plymouth. The two High School boys, Sykes and Hughes, held smart catches. With nearly two hours to go, United Service had a chance of recovering. With Colvile and Bain bowling, Xew Plymouth's score read after the first four overs, five runs for four wickets, Bottrill and Heskett being among the victims. Xew Plymouth's chances did not look too bright. Ardcn saved the position, and when joined bv Xicoll runs came freely. >At 39, Nieol! touched one from Colvile, and it went straight to the wicket-keeper. The field appealed with one voice, but Ingram could not hold the ball. A most expensive let-ofT it proved, because at 45 Ardcn went for a wellplayed 23. Xicoll and Stainton kept the field busy till G p.m., adding 01 without a separation.

One of tlie umpires received a severe shock. ITe was standing in position to leg, when Stainton swung round.' ami drove the hall straight at him, knocking the hat out of his hand and causing him to describe a- circle. Fortunately, lie escaped injury. Law put up the respectable total of 138 against Inglewood, at Western Park. The unfortunate mishap to Lash has caused Truhy King to come out, and he hit up 42 top score for the match. Tiewlev, who has been hatting consistently lately, put up 38. and with Gray (17) and Billing (11) obtained Ihe bulk of the runs. Tnglewood missed some catches. The out-field was against rungetting. Lash, junior, took his father's and was undefeated with 2. Tnglewood have lost one wicket (McKenzie 17) for 25, and the match is left in a very even position. Albion journeyed to Tikorangi with a weak team. Albion batted first, and just reached the half-centurv. Jupp (five wickets for 7 runs) took the bulk of the wickets, and Martin (23) scored nearly half the runs. Roberts, who has been Tikorangi's main run-getter this season, was got rid of cheaply by Clarke, but Lye showed a glimpse of last year's form, and knocked up 32 (not out), adding. with Rarten (24), 38 for the last wicket, and the total stood at !Ki. .Tu'pp and O'Neill played havoc with Albion ill the second and tl'.'e c;oi't

only reached 32. Jupp got four wickets (or 7, making his bag for the match nine (or 1-1. Roberts was very slick behind the stumps. Dan. Hughes has taken up the bat to assist Albion, after having given up tin! game for ten years. He showed good form on Saturday, and between tile wickets and in the field can give rr.r.nv of the youngsters points in activity. Hardwick was very disappointed List weelc. He, after knocking _ off work late, hurriedly cycled to the point of departure, only to discover that his tram had been unable to wait, and had to leave without him. He was about tri cycle the fifteen miles to the ground., when he was informed that eleven men laid made the trip, and he reluctantly abandoned the idea. The old players easily beat the younger ones for enthusiasm. South Taranaki will visit Xew Plymouth on Easter Saturday anil Easter Monday, to play a return match against Xorth Taranaki.