CRICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 300, 28 December 1897, Page 2

CRICKET.

CANTERBURY V. AUCKLAND,

FIRST DAY'S PLAY.

The cricket match between teams representing Canterbury and Auckland commenced yesterday in the Domain Cricket j Ground. The attendance was poor, ior which no doubt the thousand and one counter attractions of a fair-weather Boxing Day were responsible. The weather was beautifully fine, and a fresh southerly breeze kept the temperature down to a normal degree. Caretaker Yates had the . wicket in fine condition, ami the pitch | played well throughout the day. Ihe new ■Bonn" wickets, recently patented hj Mr Roberts, of this city, were used lor the first time in interprovincial matches, and proved a. great success, the Canterbury 'men being greatly impressed .with the efficacy and simplicity of the invention. These wickets are attached by springs to a metal plate on the ground, and spring back into position whenever hit by the ball. Two marquees were erected to meet the ■ want of a pavilion, and proved entirely (satisfactory. _, ■ C R. Clark captained the visitors,; -Dr. Pabst being elected skipper by the local •team. Messrs C. F. Nicoll (Canterbury) and C. E. McCormick (Auckland) were the nmpires, while Messrs H. C. Harrison and G H. Broughton acted as scorers. THE PLAY. The Canterbury captain won the toss, and decided to bat first, Auckland taking the field at eleven o'clock. Cobcroft and "YVieley opened for the visitors, the former facing the bowling of R. Neill. The second ball was sent to leg foi a single, and Wigley drove the third to the on for three. Kaflender bowled from the southern .end. Wigley scoring a couple oil the last balf of the over. Mall's next over produced seven runs, and Cobcrolt reached double figures with asnick to legfor two off Kallender. D. Hay then went on to bowl at the Hospital end, relieving lNeill. Cobcroft scored three off his fifth ball, with a pretty stroke in the slips. Another 'single to Cobcroft brought 20 up, "Wigley having a narrow escape of being run out. The latter hoisted his score to 11, with a ' fine drive for three off Hay, and soon after brought 30 on the board with a boundary hit to leg off Kallender. The next ball also he drove to the boundary. Cobcroft, ■whose score stood at 16, gave Kallender a difficult chance in the slips, which was not . accepted. Both men seemed well set, and another change of bowling was effected, Neill going in again, this time at Ivallender's end. A single to Wigley brought his score to 24, and the total to 40, after 40 minutes' play. The half century was ' hoisted five minutes later, Cobcroft putting ' Neill away to leg for four. The latter had his revenge in the next over, however,, his first ball taking Cobcroft's wicket. 55—1 —26. The outgoing batsman showed capital form for his runs. H. C. Ridley followed, but Neill beat him also, the second ball taking his wicket 55—2—0.

A. E. Kidley, a player who has _ been showing wonderful form in club cricket, filled his brother's place at the wickets. Wigley had now 31 to his credit, and was batting very steadily. The newcomer broke his " duck " with a single, and next ball hoisted 60 with a boundary hit off Hay. His stay at the wickets, however, was very short, for with his score at 6 he also succumbed to one of Neill's slows, giving Kallender an easy chance in the slips 67-3-6. ,D. Reese, a left-hand batsman, who brings a fine reputation as an all-round player followed, and with a boundary hit off Neill's fifth ball brought 70 on to the scoringboard. Wigley's end was near, however, and Neill- again proved the stumbling block, the batsman by a,, w.eak. stcojkesending the first ball of his next over into Labattfs hands 74—4—37. Wigley was warmly applauded on his return to the pavilion. The new batsman was A. Sims, a very promising young player, who, as it turned out, played the best innirigs of the day. With this score at 78, W. Stemson went on to bowl instead of D. Hay, whose bowling had not been productive of wickets. Neill kept on at the other end, and the scoring grew slow for a time, but livened up as the batsmen got the measure of the wicket. The century appeared on the board after an hour and a-halfs play, Reese being then 18 and Sims 12. Five runs later Reese succumbed to a slow one from the wily Neill, giving G. Mills a soft catch at point. 105-5-23. Reese made his runs by very pretty cricket, and was deservedly applauded on his return to the tent.

W. Pearee joined Sims, but his life was a short one, for he spooned one of Stemson's deliveries back into the bowler's hands, after making a 2 and a single 114— 6-3.

F. "Wilding followed, and Neill sent .down his first and only maiden over of the innings. The newcomer broke his duck with a 2 off Stemson, and Sims raised liis total to 23 with a hit for 5 off Neill, 4 of the runs being for an overthrow. The runs came faster now, and 130 soon appeared. With the score at 137 an adjournment was made for luncheon. AFTER THE ADJOURNMENT. On resuming, the score mounted to 146, when Wilding was smartly caught at midon by Kelly, off Neill's bowling. 146-7-14. C. R. Clark filled the vacancy, and opened off Stemson with a pretty stroke in the slips for 3, bringing 150 up. Sims put the next ball away to leg for 4, raising his score to 41, the highest of the innings so far. A boundary hit to Clark, off Stemson's next saw 160 on the board. The whole over produced 15 runs. Neill's first ball was hit for a single by Sims,' but in stepping out to the next Clark was smartly ; stumped by Wright—l62-8-7. C. W. Garrard came next, while F. V. Kelly relieved Stemson with the ball. Four singles to the new-comer and a 2 to Sims brought the total to 170. Garrard than opened out and "pasted" Neill to the boundary, and Sims followed suit wifch a fine drive to the off, D. Hay saving a boundary by good fielding. But his end was near. The fourth ball of Neill's next over beat him, and he retired after a good sound innings of 51. Sims' score included four boundaries— 179—9—51. J. N. Fowke, the last man, now came in, but four baJls later Garrard •was caught at square-leg by I. Mills, and the innings closed, for 182.

Of the Auckland bowl era It. Neillmetwith •wonderful success, capturing 9 out of the 10 wickets, at a total cosst o? only 86 runs. Host of the visitors lost their -wickets through attempting to play forward to his slows instead of playing back. The fielding of the Auckland men was rather patchy, though D. Hay, Kallender and Labafct showed good form in this department).

At three o'clock Kallender and G. Mills started Auckland's first innings, to the bowling of Pearce and Reese. The score mounted to 10 by twos and singles, both batsmen shaping well. Kallender then drove Reese to the boundary, and followed it Up with a single. In the same bowler's next over, however, Mills succumbed leg before. 17—1—8.

I. Mills joined Kallender, but the latter only outstayed his former partner by two balls, A. E." Ridley bringing off a beautiful catoh in the slips, oft" a fast ball from Pearce. 17—2—8. D. Hay followed, and raised the total to 20 with a couple of 2's off Pearce. Mills started off with a single, and followed this up by driving Reese to the off for 4. Next over Hay followed G. Mills' example, and retired leg before to Beese, 28—3—5.

A. M. Labatt filled the vacancy. Mills snicked Pearce to leg for 3, bringing o0 up, and Labatt cut the same bowler lor a single, following this next over with a, boundary hit to leg. Forty was hoisted after forty minutes* batting, the rate of scoring being so far just the same as in Canterbury's first, innings, though at a cost of considerably more wickets. Kuns continued to come slowly, both men treating Pearce's deliveries with great respect. At 48 Pearce resigned the ball to Y\ tiding, a slow bowler and very tricky. Fifty at ■length appeared, the last ten having taken nearly 20 minutes to compile. Labatt welcomed the half-century with a hit for 3, off Reese, arid Mills followed suit with a le^-stroke. for the same number. Next over Labatt gave A. E. Ridley a hard chance in the slips which was accepted.

57-4-15. Dr. Pabst came next, Garrard meanwhile relieving Reese with the ball. The new batsman treated the bowling with respect, and runs came very slowly for a time, a fine hit to leg for 4 by the Auckland captain coming as a welcome relief. Mifls brought 70 up with a drive for 3 off Garrard, but in letting ont at the next ball, a slow one from Wilding, he was well taken by Wigley in the long hold. 70-5-25. R. Neill followed, and the score mounted slowly to S3, when Neill skied a ball from Wilding, Cobcroft bringing oft' an easy catch. S3-6-9. W. Stemson, the new arrival, marked his advent with a pretty leg-glance for 4, oft' Garrard. At S9 Reese went on again in place of Garrard and the change had the desired etl'ect, Stemson sending the new bowler's second ball into Cobcroft's hand. S9-7-5.

E. Wright's stay at the wickets was of the shortest, the local wicket-keeper being clean bowled bj r Reese second ball. 89-S —0. Lawson followed, and hoisted 90 with a single, only to place Wilding's next ball into the safe hands of Cobcrolt. 00— 9—l. Kelly, the last man, had not been at the wickets very long before Dr. Pabst, whose score stood at 11, stepped out to one of Reese's and was stumped by Fowke, the innings closing for 90. The Auckland men, on the whole, showed very poor form with the bat. Canterbury's fielding was very clean and neat, and much ahead of their opponents' display in the field. With a lead of 92 on the first innings. Canterbury started their second venture about a quarter past five, Cobcroft and H, C. Ridley opening to the bowling of R. Neill and Labatt. Cobcroft started with a i hit for three off Neill, while his partner | placed a brace of twos to his credit in the next over. Ridley brought 10 up with a leg stroke off Neill, following this up with a nicely placed cut off the same bowler, two runs being notched. In Labatt's next over Cobcroft tried to pull one to leg, and was given out leg before 15—1—5. Garrard, the next man, was out in the same manner to Neill's bowling, without adding to the score, 18—2 —0. Then Ridley ran himself out next ball, I. Mills scattering the wickets with a smart return. 18—3—11.

Sims and A. Ridley, the newcomers, ■ scored very slowly. Labatt was keeping a wonderfully good length, and sent down five maiden over 3in succession. At 27 Sims gave Labatt a difficult chance at midoff, the ball rebounding from the fieldsman's hands. Sims had but a brief respite however, for next ball in was stumped in playing forward to Neill. 27—4—7. Reese followed, and he and Ridley played out tirae» stumps being drawn at 6 o'clock, when the score stood at 31 for 4 wickets. Canterbury.—First Innings. Cobcroft, b Neilt... 26 Wigley, c Labatt, b Neill 37 H. C. Ridley, b Neill 0 A. E.-Ridley, c Kallender, b Neill ... 6 Reese, c G. Mills, b Neill 23 Sims, b Neill ... 51 Pearee, c and b Stemson ... ... 3 ••Wilding, c Kelly, b Neill 14 Clark, st Wright, b Neill 7 Garrard, c I. Mills, b Neill 12 Fowke, not out 0 Extras 3 Total IS2 Bowling Analysis. Overs. Mdns. Runs. Wkts. Neill 23-2 1 80 0 Kallender ... 6 2 15 0 Hay '. 12 1 23 0 Stemson ... 10 0 4G 1 Kelly 4 0 9 0 AUCKLAND.—First Innings. Kallender, cA. E. Ridley, b Pearee ... 8 G. Mills, lbw b Reese 8 I. Mills, c Wigley, b Wilding 25 Hay lbw b Reese 5 Labatt, cA. E. Ridley, by Wilding ... 15 Dr. Pabst, st Fowke, b Reese 11 Neill, c Cobcroft, b Wilding 9 Stemson, c Cobcroft, b Reese 5, Wright, b Reese 0 Lawson, c Cobcroft, b Wilding ... 1 Kelly, not out 0 Extras 3 Total 90 Bowling Analysis. Over. Mdns. Runs. WktsPearee ... 12 4 21 1 Reese 16 3 37 5 Wilding ... 9 5 18 4 Garrard ... 5 2 11 0 Canterbury.—Second Innings. L. T. Cobcroft, 32, b Labatt 5 H. C. Ridley, 222221, run out 11 C. W. Garrard, lbw, R. Neill 0 A. Sims, 412, st Wright, bR. Neill ... 7 A. Ridley, 1111, nbtout 4 D. Reese, 1 not out ..." l Extras 3 Total for 4 wickets 31 BOWLING ANALYSIS. Overs. Mdns. Runs. Wkts. R. Neill ... 9 1 25 2 A. M. Labatt 8 6 3 1 Play was resumed this (Tuesday) morning at half past ten.