CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 241, 20 March 1915, Page 7

CRICKET.

THE POSITION OF THE TEAMS SATURDAY COMPETITION. Ply. Won Ties Lost Pts. New Plymouth 15 10 Ingiewood 14 10 United Service 15 10 Albion 15 G 1 B—3 Tikorangi 15 5 Law 14 -2,1 11 -20

THURSDAY COMPETITION. Ingiewood 7 0 1 10 Phoenix 5 3 Tikorangi 7 3 High School 5

_ TO-DAY'S MATCHES. Ingiewood v. Law, at Western Park (unfinished match). Law scored 13i> m their first innings, and Ingiewood one wicket for 21. Ma,rried v. Single at Recreation Grounds. In their match against Ingiewood at Western Park this afternoon, Law wiil be represented by the following: Bewley, Billing, Elliott, King, Hughes, Harle, Grey, Reid, Anderson, Tocker and Lash (jnr). When the match was commenced three weeks ago, Ingiewood only had nine men. As, however, two substitutes were fielded, they will be able to play the full eleven. The nine men comprised: McKenzie, McDonald, Nicholls, Gibson, Thomas, Harkness, Pullen, Smith, and Lewis.

The eyes of all cricketers in North Taranaki will be centred in the match at Western Park, as on its result depends the championship of North Taranaki. Law are to be commended for the sportsmanslike spirit that caused them to stick to the game in the face of various misfortunes, and it is certainly fitting that even if they are at the bottom of the list, they should be in at the death and have a say in the final disposal of the premiership. Should Law win today, New Plymouth will be champions, whereas should Ingiewood win, they will carry off the palm. There has been a great revival in cricket at Ingiewood this season, and a local enthusiast who has taken a keen interest in the game for many years past considers that the inland town has never been better off for cricketers, both numerically and from the point of view of the game. It is considered that there would be no difficulty in getting two strong elevens. This is a 'pleasing state of affairs, and one that all Taranaki cricketers will like to sec continue for many a year. The match this afternoon bears a very open appearance, and should be worth witnessing. Law has a stronger team than that which faced Ingiewood last week and, moreover, will not be two men short.

This afternoon a match will be played on the Recreation Grounds between teams representing married and single. 11l view of the proposeil representative match during Easter week it is to be hoped that all players chosen will make a point of attending. The teams chosen are: —Married: Rev. Colvile, MoGie, Mackie, Mason, Ingram, Rev. Chappell, Stolir, Sarten, Clarke, Purdue, C. Foreman. Single: Osborne, Stainton, Ileskett, Bottrill, Shepherd, Lye, jTupp, Roberts, Colson, Oliver, Richards. Last Saturday's matches resulted In three point wins for New Plymouth and Ingiewood, and consequently United Service dropped to third place on the championship list, which is now headed by New :Flymouth, with Ingiewood a point behind. Tlie other leading teams have pompleted their matches, whereas Ingiewood has a chance of adding another two or three points to their total, or nf having a similar number deducted therefrom.

New Plymouth Imd a commanding load against Tikorangi in the match which was completed on the Recreation Ground, and as was expected, they gained a three-point win, though even their most sanguine supporters hardly expected such a majority. New Plymouth had scored 23P>, anil Tikorangi SS runs for nine wickets. The country team only added 04 in their two ventures, and suffered defeat by an innings and S4 runs. E. Roberts scored just 40 of the fi4. Being not out at 57, lie hit out freely and quickly added 19, before he was caught out in the long field off ITamblyn. ITis score included two sixers off Heskett. In the second innings whichi dosed for 44, Roberts was the only one who could do anything with the bowling of Nicoll and Tleskett, and he scored 21 by good cricket. He jhad hard luck in being stumped by a T>all rebounding from Stainton's pad. TJeskett, 5 for 2S. and Nicoll 4 for 12, bowled very well. Inglewood scored a three-pointer against Law, but the men of the legal fraternity, though two men short, made them move to win. Law had scored lfio in their first innings (of which Lash bad rnaile 94) whereas Inglewood had compiled !)!) for the loss of only four wickets. Inglewood opened very well, the not out men batting very very freely, and with the score at over 120 without a separation, a big total looked probable. At 120, Sutherland, who had carried his total to 36, was smartly caught by Matthews fielding substitute. The innings ended 11 runs later. Elliott taking the bulk of the wickets. His last right overs had produced eight runs, and three wickets. Thomas (13) was smartly caught, Killing bringing off a high one handed cateh in the slips. Ilarkness threw his wicket .awav, being foolishly run out. Law's second innings opened disastrously, Eggleton and Mcline bowling well, disposing of Billing and Bewley for one run. The latter just touched one, which Matthews smartly held. Elliot and Little then made a great stand, and looked like saving the mutch. The former played carefully, whilst the latter stone-walled like a Bannerman. Runs came slowly, fifteen runs coming off eighteen overs, and tile majority of these came off Elliot's bat. Then Elliot opened out with a four and Little also brightened up and knocked up eleven, including four couples. At 32, Little had hard luck to be given out of!' a bump ball. The bowler slipped on delivering the ball, recovering in time to see Harkness effect a fine catch. Naturally, he appealed. TTe was the only one to appeal. The Inglewood captain (Pullen) was away in the outfield, anil did not see the incident otherwise the lad would have continued his innings. However, the majority of the Inglewood team, and particularly the genial wicket-keeper, Matthews, extended their sympathy to him. It was hard luck for T.aw. Elliot livened up, and with the assistance of Hughes, carried the score to 51. Mcßac got a good one past him! Tile last four wickets added two runs. The innings lasted 100 minutes, the S"> runs being £ot off 251 balls, comprising two boundaries, fifteen and fifteen singles. Inglewood only had 50 minutes to get the eighty-two runs necessary to win, but they went out determined to make every effort. Pullen handled his team judiciously, sending in the hitters Matthews and Eggleton with instructions to smite. The runs came quickly, and in forty minutes the home team had knocked up SB, losing four wickets in doing bo. McKenzie, who went in at 21, carried his bat for 25, and as most of the runs had to be run out, he was exhausted at the conclusion. Matthews lost ! ltis wicket peculiarly. Ho stopped one I fjom Billing, which slowly rolled round

and took Ms wickets, while he stood and looked at it. He did not realise that he could have hit it again, until iiis bails fell off and it was all too late.

The secretary-of the local association has received word that the Y.M.C.A. team will not be able to include New Plymouth in its itinerary, owing to lack of time. It is understood that the tour of.the team includes Marton, Wanganui and Hawera.

South Taranaki will play a match against North Taranaki at New Plymouth on Easter Saturday and Easter Monday. A trip to the mountain house will probably be made on Easter Sunday.

HAWERA v. INGLEWOOD,

At Ingiewood on Wednesday a match took 'place between a local eleven and a Hawera team, resulting in a win for the latter bv 70 runs. Scores:—

INGLEWOOD. Moore, b McCarthy 9 Clegg, b Gardner i Sutherland, c Colman, b McCarthy 7 McDonald, run out 3 McKenzie, b Gardner 0 Pullen, c Lord h Gardner 21 Mcßae, run out . 11 Gibson, b Blamires 5 Nicholls, not out 6 Harkness, b Gardner 2 Smith, c Harper, b Blamires ...... 2 Extras .».»»».. 17 Total 87 Bowling analysis—Gardner, four for 25; McCarthy, two for 22; Blamires, two for 11; Pratt, none for 12. Blamires sent down five maidens out of lO'/a overs bowled, HAWERA. Blamires, b Mcßae ................ 4 Stapleton, c Clegg, b Smith 4 Pratt, c McKenzie, b Mcßae 30 McCarthy, c Smith, b Sutherland 32 Gardner, e Sutherland, b Mcßae 15 Douglas, c Clegg, b Smith 9 Page, c Harkness, b Mcßae 6 Peters, c McDonald, b Pullen 8

Colman, not out i) Harper, not out 1 Extras » 20

Total for eight wickets 168

Bowling analysis.—Mcßae, four for 73; Smith, two for 50; Pullen, one for 29; Sutherland, one for 3.

DECLINE OF CRICKET,

Writes a Sydney correspondent:— Amidst the war topics which of necessity demand much attention, time is being found for au exhaustive discussion concerning the decline of popular interest in cricket. This decline ,dates sines long before the outbreak of the war. There was a time when the course of an international or interstate or even top-grade state match was followed by most of the adult and 'practically all the juvenile population of our large cities with flaming interest. Matters are wholly different now, and even the biggest of matches draw but very few spectators, and receive but very scant attention. The decline of interest must -be admitted with unanimity, but there arc wide differences of opinion as to the causes of it and suggested remedies. One point of view whiAlias many adherents is that :f cricketejkto regain its hold on the public it W| have to be made spirited, brisk and more definite. It is asserted that in' these days of electrieity, wireless telegraphy, and swift action and movements in other affairs, cricket is too slow altogether for the average man if it continues to be played in a way which-leaves the result of the match in doubt for days, and frequently gives the spectator nothing more than slabs of tedious stonewalling, interspersed with a lot of waste time in changing over. Some advocate the widening of the wickets or a reduction in the width of the bat as likely to lead to more "go" being imparted into the game. But it happens that a majority of those who are the most loyal devotees of cricket'' strongly any schemes for changes J in the essential features of the game which they reverence, together with its traditions. j