CRICKET.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2570, 3 April 1877, Page 2

CRICKET.

Auckland v. The Thames

We gave an account of Ibis match up to the fall of the last Thames wicket in the first innings, yesterday. Auckland commenced with Kent nrid .Nolan. The latter like many other fast runners judged a run for himself, but not for his partner, who sent him back part of the way in time to see Whitford put down his wicket, liynch and Kent stayed a long time, the excellence of the wicket making it very easy to stop good balls if the batsman had patience, and of this virtue Kent had a i large share. Lynch played well, hitting the off balls hard, a little behind point; he made 33, and on that wicket he was worth them. Steedroan's twist beat Gleeson, and so it will all men who try to play a slow round-arm bowler forward by going out of their groun 1. [Robinson started as soon as he saw the ball coming to leg and caught out the Auckland Captain. If all men startedin time and used their eyes there, would be more catches made. Cameron hit hard at the ball, which apparently disliked him or his bat, and Kent having hit one ball tried to hit another, and was caught by West with one hand,, a good catch. Philson was dismissed by Robinson, and so was Pilling ; the latter looked like hitting, b'jt shooters from a left hand bowler which come across are . not easily stopped. Mason hit a sixer, and tried for another. He failed, as Steedman was one too many for him,. and dropped one short—result, a wicket. McLean was bowled, and the innings closed for 111. Visions of a one innings victory appeared before the eyes of the Auckland men, who were 47 to the good, but it was not to be, as Hargreaves, the not out in the first innings, and Curtis scoring well, and playing well too, soon put the matter at rest, the former showing what improvement practice can effect. Bobinson's innings was the best of the dayynot that that is necessarily praise, but it was a. good innings from first to last, and this is not newspaper praise, and so was Curtis's. The changes in the bowling were frequent, but none were of any.avail, as the batsmen stopped the straight ones with ease, and every now and then: ;hi| the bad ones. They also ran the short ones, and added to the score thereby. After several attempts Cameron succeeded in "yorking" Curtis, and the partnership was dissolved. Steedman, who played so well in the first innings, hit his wicket, and Whitford, playing straight and well, ran himself out, or, as the Auckland papers would say, ppbly sacrificed himself to save his captain's wicket. Ball and West put on more than 20 between them, and the innings closed for 140. The Thames men were out in the field immediately, and though the light was very bad-in-dee'd the Auckland batsmen came to the wickets like men and cricketers, showing no wish to shirk the match, though they certainly were playing under difficulties. It was not a question of "win, tie or wrangle " with them, and other cricketers might well copy them. The result of the hide and seek part.of the match was that Auckland lost four wickets for 27 runs, Lynch*-making 12 of them. Crawford made a good one-handed catch, and the stumps' were/ rdrawn. The shouts of "upidee"_ and .three, cheers for .that "jolly good fellow "the Mayor (so they called him) caused Griffiths' horses to go and land the cricketers in Grahamstown in time to take part in an extempore dance, which, thanks to the ladies who came at a very short notice, was a mest: enjoyable one. Before concluding this notice of the. match a word of praise must be given to Steedman for his bowling, to Bull for his fielding at point, to Curtis and Kobinson for their batting, the latter especially being- in. magnificent form. ,- ■-.-'.,- ...,-■