CRICKET IN WAIRARAPA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 December 1939, Page 3

CRICKET IN WAIRARAPA

SATURDAY’S SENIOR GAMES Many Good Batting Displays LAMBOURN, CLARKE AND BELL OUTSTANDING (By “BLUE & GOLD.”) 'Red Star had an easy victory over Lansdowne on Saturday at the College ground, the wicket being a perfect one to bat on. A noticeable feature of the game was the fact that two soldier members of the Red Star team, Wally Peterson and Graham Coleman, made their final appearance with their old clubmates prior to sailing with the first New Zealand military force overseas. Wally Peterson fielded for McWhinnie, another Red Star player, who went into camp last week. The highlights of the match were the batting of Lambourn, Bell and Clarke and the .bowling of N. Hoar. In a .good scoring match at the Park Oval, Old Boys secured a fivepoint win over Wairarapa College, the latter team making a splendid first innings recovery.

Lambourn’s Splendid Strike. Red Star continued their innings, declaring at 262 for 6. Of this good total G. Lambourn contributed 92. It ■ was certainly the best strike he has staged. A rapidly improving batsman, he has shown increasing confidence each time he has gone to the wicket and has cultivated a number of good scoring strokes. On Saturday he was strong on both sides of the ■ wickets and drove with power. Many of his leg side shots were as neat as one could wish, and he is using his feet more and developing very useful wrist work. At times he plays a •stroke peculiarly his own and scores freely off it. On Saturday he found the boundary on eight occasions and also hit a 3 and six 2's. A Vigorous I Bell is .'developing into an exceptionally useful, member of the team. He is .-an outstaiiding fieldsman with a deadly return. that even from the most distant-part of the outfield comes in fast ,and true. As a batsman he is most..aggressive, and once he gets into ■his stride is a most'difficult batsman ■to get rid of. His most powerful shots are made with a cleanness that is pleasing to -witness. He has shown much improved form this season and has now a of strokes at his command... On Saturday he notched ten 4’s and seven 2’s in. his total of 75, while together Lambourn and Bell added 123 to.the score.;o.ne hundred of -which was put on in : an hour. Quick Scoring. Newman 'Hoar soon rattled up 23 toot .out), scoring .three 4’s in his total. Gordon. Peterson was not long in putting together his 15 which includ.ed one boundary and two 2’s. An Outstanding Display. The second .innings of Lansdowne was :• mainly a display of excellent cricket on the part of Reg Clarke, who played sterling cricket for 82. .He seemed to always have the measure of the bowling. He drove magnificently .and displayed some neat wrist work on the leg side. To the on -and the off he placed the ball neatly -and correctly, and demonstrated that .once he -gets .going he is a most difficult batsman to dispose of. His display on .Saturday for correct and effective batting was probably the best he has ever given. He made his strokes confidently and was -at home to. all the types of bowling opposed to him. Anything of a loose nature was promptly hit to the boundary, and the most difficult balls played with comparative ease. The outlook for Lansdowne in the second innings was very black with 4 wickets down for 26, but Clarke set to work with a determination to change the situation and he certainly succeeded in doing this, setting a worthy example to the remaining members of the team. But for his resolute play the score would probably

have been little better than that of the first innings, and due to Clarkes splendid play Red Star was nearly prevented from obtaining an 8-point win. Clarke registered eleven 4’s in his score, three 3’s and three 2’s.

A Patient Innings. Miller played patiently . and . displayed many good shots, his driving being very impressive. However, on at least two occasions he should have been stumped, the regular Star wicketkeeper having been replaced by a player not used to the position. Miller notched two boundaries in his total of 18. He. made a valuable partner for Clarke and the pair put more life into an innings which up till then had been a dull one. They added 63 to the score.

An Exciting Finish. ■ The finish of the game was exciting and it was doubtful whether Red Star would gain an eight-point win -within the time limit; but Newman Hoar with the second last ball of the final ove.r of the match bowled Haise, thus leaving Red Star victors by an innings and 19 runs.

A Plucky Effort. The Wairarapa College failed by 79 runs to reach the Old Boys first innings total, but the effort, nevertheless, with 6 down for 60, was a particularly good one. The remaining batsmen had an uphill fight, but they stuck manfully to their task and although they were unable to reach the Old Boys total they were able to make the College score a respectable looking one.

Resolute Batting. The bulk of the runs were scored by Tier 1.34), McFarlane (34) and Prior (26). Each of these players deserve the greatest credit for their skill in scoring runs when a rot had set in. McFarlane and Prior scored nearly the whole of the 81 runs added to the first innings score and in doing so they played many attractive shots, the spectators warmly appreciating their attempt to pull the match oul of the fire.

A Punishing Innings. Old Boys, in declaring at 4 for 118, left the College a fairly stiff hurdle to win but the boys were able to play out time. In the second innings of Old Boys, Alexander played a punishing innings for 43 which included three G’s and two 4’s. Whitburn’s 20 included a 6 and both these players shaped well for their runs. Drives Well. Stevens (not out 51) played attractively for his runs and scored well on both sides of the wickets. He drove exceptionally well at times. He found the boundary seven times. Tooby’s 20 included in which was four 4’s. was also a very good strike. Next Games on January 6. There will be no more championship matches until January 6. POSITIONS OF TEAMS. The following is the position of the teams in the senior championship:— Won Lost. Ch. Pts.

Eight ponts count for an outright win and five points for a first innings win. JUNIOR GAME. In a junior game on Saturday St Patrick's Old Boys scored an eight point win over Wairarapa College. Scores: St Patrick's Old Boys. Ist innings, 68 (Corlet 25, Donnelly 15; Slatter, 3 for 8, Grant, 2 for 11, Donnelly, 1 for 15, Schofield, 1 for 28); second innings, 90 for 1. (Brice, not out, 48, Donnelly, not out, 35; Donnelly, 1. for 15). College, Ist innings, 47 (M. Schofield 14, Q. Schofield 11; Brice, 6 for 6, Simpson, 1 for 6, Branwaite, 1 for 11, Corlet, 1 for 17); second innings, 92 (McNab 39, Grant 21, Q. Schofield 15; Brice, 2 for 31, Simpson, 2 for 33, Branwaite, 1 for 9. Corlet, 1 for 19).

Red Star 4 — 32 Old Boys 2 2 13 Lansdowne .... 1 3 8 College 1 3 5