FINAL MATCHES

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21374, 19 March 1941, Page 8

FINAL MATCHES

HAMILTON CRICKET i

SEASON IN REVIEW AITKEN HEADS BATTING (By “Spectator”) Honours Board Batting.—J. D. Bright (Hamilton East) 149; A. J. Aitken (Old Boys) 106; L. Brown (Claudelands) 83 not out; E. Avery (Hamilton) 74; ii. Clough (Old Boys) 57; W. Higgins (Old Boys) 52. Bowling.—J. D. Bright (Hamilton East), took eight wickets for eight runs; T. Lyon (Olcl Boys), five for 50; R. Clough (Old Boys), five for Final matches in the Hamilton Cricket Association's 1940-1 competition were concluded at Seddon Park on Saturday, when Hamilton East further increased its lead by inflicting an outright defeat on Hamilton with an innings and nearly a hundred runs to spare. In the final points table East has 27, Old Boys 23, Hamilton 13 and Claudelands 9.

As the question of tne leadership in the competition has been confined to Old Boys and Hamilton East it is interesting to review the matches in which the two teams have met during the season. When East met Old Boys in the opening match East secured a three-point win. Old Boys was dismissed for 155 to which East ] replied with 199 (Bright 77). Old j Boys’ second innings opened disas- j trously, six wickets falling for only 47 runs. Six weeks later when the two teams again met Old Boys compiled 155 and East had three wickets down at the end of the first day. Rain, unfortunately, prevented play the following Saturday and the match was drawn, otherwise there is every possibility that Old Boys would have established a first-innings lead as Bright, Ganley and Innes had been dismissed on the first day. Sensational Match The third and final time East and Old Boys were drawn to play each 1 other provided the most sensational match of the season. East’s first innings was an utter debacle, the whole team being dismissed for 39. Old Boys’ response was 144 and Hamilton East in its second innings failed to reach the century by four runs. East thus suffered its only reverse of the season to the tune of an innings defeat. The inexplicable collapse of East in this match and the significant fact that Bright had failed in both matches tended to support the view held by a number of followers that East’s success was dependent mainly on Bright’s success or in other words, that East was in some measure a “one-man” team. Bright’s double success with bat and ball must be admitted as one of the principal reasons for East’s victory in Hamilton cricket for the fourth successive year. Bright is not only second in the Hamilton batting average in club cricket with 540 runs (including an innings of 149) scored at an average of 54, but he also fills second place, next to T. Lyon, in the bowling averages, having captured 48 wickets at a cost of 8.6 runs each. Two other East players who have compiled several good scores during the season are Cassidy and Woolley, while Skeet, and Dawson have been the most successful of the stock bowlers. Old Boys’ Record Players most in the public eye this season were the captain, A. J. Aitken and T. Lyon, who head the batting and bowling averages respectively iri Hamilton cricket. Aitken scored 574 runs during the season, including knocks of 241 (not out) and 106 last Saturday, for the remarkably good average of 64. Lyon’s achievements comprise a hat-trick, eight wickets for 9 runs and 47 wickets taken during the season at the cost of 8 runs apiece. Both these players can claim to be among the best fieldsmen in Hamilton, being quick and accurate in their returns to the wicket.

In the Hamilton team Avery, the skipper, will probably have the best batting average though de la Mare has also been prominent in a number of matches played this season. Up till the last match the team had been doing particularly well, with G. Rollo, Bary and J. Everest having their share of the batting honours. The burden of the bowling has fallen principally on A. Davies and N. Winger though N. Dutton had some good performances earlier in the year.

Claudelands has relied mainly on the solo efforts of W. R. Cassells who has scored 328 runs at an average of 27 an innings as well as taking valuable wickets. Towards the end of the season L. Brown had several good innings while the honour of taking the most wickets falls to D. Hcmi.