CRICKET

Wairarapa Age, 15 February 1927, Page 2

CRICKET

PLAY AND PLAYERS. (BY “SPECTATOR.”). The game of cricket is well-known for the surprises it yields and the peculiarities wickets sometimes show, but never before, in the histpry of the game in Masterton have these been more pronounced, when the Masterton. rivals, United and Old Boys, met again in the second round of the senior championship on Saturday afternoon at the Masterton Park Oval. The teams were favoured with perfect cricket conditions, perhaps with the. exception of an atrocious wicket which began to crumble almost from the commencement, and was like a dust-heap when the last ball of the day had been bowled. United won the toss and elected to bat. The usual opening p®!ir, A. Hoar and A. Patrick gave them a fair start, but it could early be seen that both batsmen were very uncomfortable indeed to the express deliveries of Old Boys' ex-High School bowler, McMichael. When the score reached 32, A Hoar was completely deceived by a ball from McMichael which never left the ground and took the middle pin clean out of the ground. A few balls later A. Patrick was nonplussed by a fast rising ball from the same bowler, and he also followed Hoar to the stand.

Old Boys appeared in an excellent position when five of United’s best wickets had fallen for 56 runs. Renner was early dismissed by an easy catch taken by Falloon, and Bundle, after scoring a boundary and a single was taken in the slips by Perry. J. Patrick, a newcomer to Masterton cricket and a brother to the Wairarapa *rep., A. Patrick, was very fortunate to reach his share of 15, which was of an aggressive nature, and replete with many “lives." J. Patrick, with more practice at the nets, should be a decided asset to United, as by a number of his strokes it could be seen that he has'had much experience.

A complete change came over the, game when consistent F. Hoar came to the crease. He was sensationally run out before he had scored, but was allowed to continue his innings on the umpire's decision. After this chance,

along with many confident appeals for 1.b.w,, and three missed chances in the field,' Hoar went on to compile the fine score of 80, under conditions decidedly favoured the bowlers, especi-

ally those with any turn on -their deliveries. Of his total, F. Hoar made eleven 4's and two 6's, which go to show that he was in an aggressive hard-hitting mood. In one over from McMichael he banged the bowler to the pickets on three different occasions, square cut him for 2?, and finally lifted him over the boundary for six, making twenty-one runs in all for the over, which can be considered as a very fine batting feat. At the present time F. Hoar is the best all-ro'und cricketer we have in the Wairarapa, and no one will deny him this well-merited position.

Of the remaining United batsmen Voyce was the only one to reach double figures, but his score was only accomplished after he had been in for nearly an hour, while his cricket was of a very poor standard. Preston, after lifting Logan to the off boundary for. six, was' brilliantly caught by the same bowler the next ball ho bowled. Logan sent down a well-pitched ball, which Preston hotly returned to the bowler., the latter taking the ball highup with his left hand. This closed United innings for 170 runs. McMichael and Falloon bore the brunt of Old Boys' attack. They both bowled very well, especially Balloon, who sent down ten successive overs for three wickets l , which cost 27 runs. McMichael was bowling deadly at one stage during his nine overs, but when he btgan to tire, his bowling lacked its usual pace and sting, and consequently he was very expensive. Old Boys' innings was nothing less than tragic; indeed the whole team resembled a procession as they trailed to and from the wicket ,with regular monotony. True, they only possessed nine men in their team, but they are capable of a much better performance than they displayed on this occasion. The collapse commenced almost as soon as the first two opening batsmen vzent to the wickets. First McClure was bowled by F. Hoar wit ha ball that broke into his wicket from fully two yards from the off. Then Gee was caught and bowled by A. Hoar, and almost immediately Falloon, Ibbetson, Uttley, Logan and Perry went, and the innings ended dramatically when F. Hoar bowled Law with a ball that broke suddenly a yard and a half from the off.

F. and A. Hoar's bowling was magnificent, hut it can be said that had the wicket been a true one, United would never have dismissed Old Boys in the manner they did. Both the Hoar brothers are bowders of distinction, and on the Park Oval wicket on Saturday they were almost unplayable. Old Boys were more confident in their second strike, and at the drawing of stumps had lost wickets for 66 runs. Of this total, Gee hit out for a quick twenty-five, and Dr. Uttley and the veteran, D. Logan, 'were continuing strongly at the call of time. United appear to be in an impregnable position for the Wairarapa senior championship now they have Old Boys almost beaten. Their nearest rivals, Carterton, are a well-balanced team, but United should, on their present form, vanquish all the teams they have to meet in the second round. Play in the Martinborotigh-Carterton game on Saturday was of a very even nature, and had Beech been playing for .'Martinborough, probably the latter team would have hold the upper hand. Phelps, the Carterton left-hander, was in form against Martinborough, and he shone brilliantly by making many attractive strokes in his total of 46. Smart, the Carterton skipper, also

p.layed enterprisingly for his runs. MASTERTON v. ALFREDTON. .VISITORS WIN BY 19 RUNS. A team from Masterton visited Alfredton during the week-end and played the Alfredton Cricket Club. The result was a win for the visiters by 19 runs. Good form was shown by the 'Masterton side in compiling 137, especially by the colts, J. Bundle and J. Logan, though the whole team performed creditably. The Alfredton team had a good even side and shaped well. Weston 16, and K. Raleigh 20, batting patiently and well for their runs. Bourne was successful with the bat and ball, bagging six of the Masterton wickets, -while Harr hit up 23 quickly. The Alfredton wickets were divided ■equally amongst the Masterton bowlers, Miller coming out with the best figures of 2 for 3. The Masterton players were treated very hospitably by the home team and they enjoyed the outing immensely. A ■return match will be played in Masterton om St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. The following are the scores:— MASTERTON. First Innings. D. Logan, b Low .. - 14 J. Bundle, c and b Tansley .... 18 James, c Kennedy, b Bourne .... 33 J. Logan, e Bourne, b Hart .. ..i 14 Falloon, b Bourne 0 Jones, lbw, b McLennan 9 E Bundle, b S. Ralph 23 McClure, b Bourne ■ ■ 6 Miller, b Bourne 0 Preston, not out ■•. 9 McMichael, b Bourne 1 Extras 10 Total 137 Bowling: Low, 1/31; McLennan, 1/17; Tansley, 1/21; Hart, 1/9; Bourne, 6/45. ALFREDTON. First Innings. Weston, b Falloon 16 C. Raleigh, c James, b McMichael 9 S. Raleigh, b Falloon 4 Hart, st. James, b Falloon 23 K. Raeleigh, b Logan .. 20 McLennan, b McMichael 5 Bourne, c James, b Miller 20 Tansley, e Falloon, b Logan 1 R. Low, c Falloon, b Logan .... 0 F. Low, not out 7 Smith, c James, b Miller ...... 0 Extras 14 Total .. .. ng Bowling: McMichael, 2/37; Logan, 3/38; Falloon, 3/31; Miller, 2/3.