CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 247, 27 March 1915, Page 7

CRICKET.

POSITION OF THE TEAMS.

SATURDAY COMPETITION FINAL.

P. W. T. L. Pts New Plymouth 15 10 United Service 15 10 ■ 5 11 Inglewood 15 10 Albion 15 „ 0 18 —3 Tikorangi 15 5 _ 10 —ll Law 15 3 1 11: —lB

THURSDAY COMPETITION. Inglewood 7 0 1 10 Phoenix 5 3—24 Tikorangi 7 3 —-4 —2 High School 5

New Plymouth are to be proclaimed champions of the Saturday competition for the. season 1014-15, and are to lie congratulated on attaining that position, which at one time looked to be within the grasp of no one but United Service. That team, however, sustained a series of reverses in the last round which ruined the'ir chances and left the ultimate issue between Inglewood and New Plymouth. ITjj, issue was in doubt right up to the last two matches, in which strangely enough Law (the lowest team on the ladder) competed, and by defeating Inglewood somewhat decisively last week they robbed that team'oi the championship, which fell to the town team. Arid Inglewooc have to be content with third pla/c. The new system of scoring proved a decided success, and will probably be adopted next season. It caused the interest to be maintained right through the contest. A feature of the competition has ueen the fact that of the 45 matches played, every team, whether having a prospect of winning or not, has fulfilbd its engagement, save only on one occasion when Inglewood being unable to raise a team, owing to harvesting and other causes, was compelled to forfet't to New Plymouth. This robbed Inglewood of three points, and added a similar number to New, Plymouth's score. Had Inglewood won this match they would have been hard to beat for the championship, whereas a two-point defeat would still have robbed them of the coveted honor. Inglewood arc to be congratulated on the fine recovery they made, due to the arrival in their district of several new players. Inglewood's team is ft very scattered one, playing coming from as much as fourteen miles distanct to participate in a home match, and, owing to the ■presence of four town teams in the competition, .they, with Tikorangi, had the bulk of the travelling to do without the benefits of a suitable train service to compensate. This will probably be taken into account when the fixtures are drawn up next year. On the old system of scoring, New Plymouth, United Service, and Inglewood "would have tied for the championship with ten wins and five losses each.

The team to represent North Taranaki against South Taranaki at the Recreation Grounds on Easter Saturday and Easter Monday, though possibly not the strongest eleven that could be chosen if all' the 'players were available, is without dßubt a strong one, and should go very near to turning the tables on South Taranaki, who won the Hawera match at New Year time comfortably by ah innings and 44 runs. Of the eleven that participated in that match, only five have been selected this time—namely, Matthews, McGie, Osborne, Gwillim and Mason, The others comprise Roberts, Robertson, Moore, McKenzie, Clark and Heskett, which considerably strengthens the team. A pleasing feature, is the presence of three Inglewood players in the team, the team from the inland city comprising no outstanding brilliant men, but contains several who are consistent in all departments

The championship of the Southern Division was won by Okaiawa for the first time in that club's historv.

High School liavc put up some good fights in their last two or three matches in the Thursday competition, and the boys are showing improved form. A good cricket coach would find some good material to work on 111 the school. I.ast Thursday the school made :Plioenix look anxious, and, indeed, the latter are not yet sure of winning the match. The Thursday competition has had to sillier considerable breaks owing to various counter-attractions, and has also been more unfortunate than the week-end competition in the way of weather. Indeed, it is questionable, with three matches yet to finish, whether the ampetition will be able to be completed.

The end of the 1014-15 season is rapidly approacliing, and the representative match between North and South Taranaki on Easter Saturday and Monday will probably see the curtain rung down as far as the week-end cricket is concerned. This afternoon a match will p la v v|,| l between married and single, and, in view' of the above representative match, it is hoped that players will attend for the sake of practice. The, teams, as follow, seem evenly matched: —Married: I!ev. Colvile, M'Cie, Maekay, Mason, Ingram, liev. Chappell, Stohr, Sarten, Clarke, Purdue, C. Foreman; Single: Osborne, Stair,ton, Heskett, Hottrill, Shepherd, Eye, Jupp, lioberts, Colson, Oliver, Kichards. The writer has to thank the captain of the. New Plymouth Club tar an ■ invitation to the club's dinner on Monday evening. Needless to say, the invitation will be accepted, and as the invitation states that "extra provision has been made," this scribe is looking forward to a good time. Kden 11, who were contemplating making a trip to New Plymouth at Easter, have been compelled to abandon the idea.

Inglewood will probably be playing a match at llawei'a on* (!ood Friday against South Taranaki. Inglewood made a disappointing show in the finish of the. match against baw oil Western Park last Saturday. Inglewood had a fairly strong team, McKac, .Moore and Marsh filling the two vacancies that were in the Inglewood team when the match started, and that caused by the absence of U-wes. McKenzie, who had batted, but is a good Held, was absent. Inglewood nad one w'eket down for -ii. They had bad luck in losing Nieholls, who was run out through a misunderstanding, with McDonald.' Elliott and Hilling were bowliim' well, and the smart lidding,

aided by the slow turf, kept runs dowa. With six wickets down for 49, Inglewood looked like having to lollow on, but Pullen and Marsh "saved the situation. The former tackled the uowling gamely, and had carried the score to ■V3, wiien Marsh was run out through the ball recocheting Ixom a, fieldinan's shin to the tiowler, who threw down tlie wicket. At S8 Pulleii) ufbo had scored 29, was caught, and the innings closed for 90, or 48 in arrears. Elliott and. Billing bowled, unchanged throughout, and did well, as the figures show— Elliott, 23.2 overs, 7 maidens, 47 runs, 7 wickets; Billing, 23 overs, 8 maidens, 34 runs, 1 wicket, Inglewood still had a good chance ot recovering the lost ground, and when Moore disposed of Bewley and Billing for G, their chances looked good. Elliott and King (11) made a useful stand, and then Hughes provided the sensation of the match. He knocked up 50 runs, and with Reid (14) and Anderson (9) was responsible tor the score reaching 1)8. Hughes, who is quite a youth, hit up five sixes ana two fours, giving only one chance. Two of the sixes were hit olf Mcwae in successive balls. His performance was rewarded by his employers, Messrs. Roy and Nicholson, presenting him with a liat. Law batted two men short. Lash, jun., lidded well, and was again not out. Moore bowled well for Inglewood, his figures being 15 ove<s, 3 niaiflens, runs, 6 wickets. iAs there was only a quarter of an hour left for play, Inglewood had no chance of scoring the necessary 147 runs, and stumps were drawn. Law got a great reception from the spectators, there being a big crowd of New Plymouth supporters present.

NEWTON KING v. TIKORANGI. On Thursday tlie annual cricket match was played between Newton King's and Tikorangi veterans, at Tikorangi, the game resulting in a win for the home tram by 18 runs for five wickets, on the first innings. A most enjoyable day was spent, and. the visitors were entertained at luncheon and tea at the hull, and tlie thanks of nil are due to t)ve ladies whose efforts contributed so largely to such a pleasant day being spent. The Tikorangi" match is an event looked forward to as the visitors always know they arc treated right royally. The scores were as under: —

Newton King's, first innings.—IT. L. Simpson, 1> Soffe, O; F. Moore, c Cole, b Lye 12, C. Fairbrother, run out 1, Ti. Hawkins, c Lyp, b Whitehead, 4; E.Kiii run out, 1, R. Renner, b Whitehead, 20, F, Duckworth,"b Whitehead. 7, W. Healv b Solte, 1, H. L. Cutfield, Ir Whitehead, 13, F. Honan, c and 1> .Sarten, 0, G. Golds worthy, b Sarten 1. byes 4; total (55. Second Innings.—R. Renner, run out 5, C. Fairbrother run out in, H. L. Simpson, b Soffc, 7, H. L. Cutfield, b Snrt p n 10, F. Moore (not-out)..' 22, F, Duckworth, b Sarten 5 f E. King (not out) 10, byes 0; total for five wickets, 08'. Tikorangi, first' innings.-—J. Lye, b Moore (1. H. Cole b Moore 3, A. Jupii b Moore 15, SofTe, b Hawkins 14. Serir.igeour (not out) 10, .T. Sarten b Hawkins 17, J. Whitehead b Hawkins 10, C Santen b Hawkins fi, R. Lye b Hawkins 0, L. Lye (not out) 1, byes 5; total for eight wickets, 83. Second innings.— Scriingeour c and b Hawkins 0, «T. Lye b Hawkins 11, H. Foreman b Cutfield 8. H. Cole (not out) 24, A Soffe b Hawkins 0, J Sarten (not out) 3, byes 7; total for four wickets, 53.