CRICKET
PLAY AND PLAYERS. (BY “SPECTATOR. ’) The much-travelled Martinborough senior team, who, by reason of nut possessing a ground suitable for the playing c.f c< repetition notches, play all their matches away from home made another ap« oarance in ■dusterton la.-.t Saturday, meeting United for the second time this season.
Martinborough so far have failed to win a match, and it is therefore not surprising that the end of the first day's play against the undefeated United eleven should show little prospect of the visitors' breaking their sequence of losses.
Although as players Martinborough has obviously cjuite {L l°t to learn, the team, individually and collectively, is earning a great reputation as sportsmen against whom it is an undoubted pleasure to play. Fortuno's frowns and favours are accepted in the same philosophic spirit, and a most appreciated tfeature of their play is the total absence of unjustified appealing in the hope of catching an umpire “on the hop.’ 1 During United's long innings on Saturday, the impire's verdict was only sought on two occasions, on each Of which the decision in their favour wus undoubtedly fhe correct one.
Minus their ‘ i star-* boWkr, Beech, who is still Martinberough’s attack was again very Weak, and United had little difficulty in putting together the big score of 347, a senior record for this season.
Another season’s record for an individual total was established by A. Hoar, whose 181 was well ahead of Bob Gee’s 143, the best previous score. Arthur failed by only 15 runs to equal the highest score ever recorded in senior club cricket, in the Wairarapa (196), which was made by “Paddy” Miles, playing for the Masterton Club asainst Carterton a few years back.
Although his innings was not devoid of chances, Arthur gave a generally sound display in getting his runs, and after passing the century, opened out; his score in the latter stages comprising several sixes. It was a slightly swerving full-toss that ended his innings; the ball grazed the edge of the bat, but was not deflected sufficiently to miss the wicket.
It is surprising how often a full toss will subdue a stubborn batsman. As a general rule, bowlers are not alive to the possibilities of an over-pitched ball, and when one is delivered it is usually quite unintentionally, as was the case in this particular instance
Archie Patrick played another sound, ch aireel css innings so characteristic of his displays of late. He opened United's innings with A. Hoar, but ow-
ing to the fact that his partner got’ most of the bowling and that a wellplaced field was in the wav of most of his favourite off-drives, his. rate of scoring was comparatively slow. His • 7 will help to build up an already fine average.
Renner and Bundle failed to get going. The latter is far too fond of the “pull” stroke, which is perhaps justifiable when a batsman has his eye well in, bu> is too often fatal when used as a medium for “breaking his duck.” • With plenty of runs on the board, F. Hoar and O'Dowd adopted the right tactics in forcing the pace, and their short but lively displays of forceful hitting were bright features of the innings.
Jim Patrick's innings for 19 lacked the usual fireworks characteristic of his previous displays l as a member of the Carterton Club. In the end, however, habit reasserted itself, and he. lost his wicket in jumping out for a big hit off Stringfellow, being well out of his crease when Wall removed the bails.
Voyce, United’s not-out specialist, was the only other batsman to reach double figures, and, batting a man short United closed their innings a little over half an hour before the drawing of stumps.
The rate of scoring was over a hundred an our, but even this at times flattered the bowling, the great bulk of which lacked both length and accuracy and rarely tested the batsmen’s defence.
lan McLeod, with 3 for 52 probably delivered the best assortment, finding the right spot more often than any other. Stubbs was right on the wicket most of the time, but in the main his deliveries were nicely pitched for driving, and A. Hoar in particular reaped h harvest. Stringfellow gained his average of 3 for 78 more as the result of perseverance'than merit. He failed to strike a length, and only the fact that the wicket assisted him to break disconcertingly at times saved him from worse punishment. Biss and M. McLeod were also well tried out,, but for ordinary straight bowlers, were sadly lacking in length and accuracy. Roach was recovering from an attack of “flu,” and did not bowl with his usual judgment. F. McLeod was the last change tried, and while being no improvement on the others, had hard luck in not getting an average of one for none* Voyce, one of the last men in, being dropped off his first delivery. Whatever their shortcomings in other respects, Martinborough must be given credit for the keenness they showed in the field throughout a long and tiring afternoon. There were, of course; the usual weak spots, but'taken on the whole, the fielding was well up to standard, that of F. McLeod, at deep mid-off and Griffiths at point, being specially worthy of mention.
Martinborough opened their innings •with Griffiths and M. McLeod, to the bowling of F. Hoar and O’Dowd. Neither were comfortable when facing Hoar, who was breaking from both sides, and finally an off-break accounted for McLeod, who hail fcored 10. A little later, Griffiths failed to properly cover a ball nipping in from log, and was caught in the slips off the same bowler. Stringfellow (6) and I. McLeod (14),
played out time. The latter batted more freely and confidently than usual and put plenty of wood behind his strokes.
Bill Beech, Martinborough’s popular skipper, is still undergoing treatment for his injured thumb, and is not likely to take the field again this season. With only eight men, Old Boys finished up their first innings against Featherston with a majority of one run, and there is every prospect of a close finish in this match. Old Boys, in common with some other clubs, appear to have a difficulty in putting a full complement, in the field (tech Saturday, and it is to be hoped that an effort will be made to remedy this state of affairs. There is little satisfaction to a full eleven in defeating a team whose baling list is two or three short, while when it comes to fielding it means that an equal number of obliging players have to fulfill a double# shift.
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Wairarapa Age, 3 March 1927, Page 2
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1,113CRICKET Wairarapa Age, 3 March 1927, Page 2
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