CRICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 303, 20 December 1913, Page 16

CRICKET.

SECOND GRADE CRICKET

The fifth draw commenced last Saturday afternoon, when the scoring, with tho exception of Parnell (230) and Ponsonby (179) was low. The match between Ponson-by and Fden looks like another three-pointer for the former. At North Shore the game between

Parnell and tbe home team is iv a more open condition, while Eden A appear to have University well in hand. The -Biggest -total of the day was that of Parnell at Devonport, and the bowlers of the home team were the sufferers.

Parnell had only a couple of dozen on the slate when the second wicket fell, but a substantial increase was made by the third wicket partnership, and when it was broken the total had reached 107. Afterwards the scoring was normal for a while. Ultimately the eighth wicket took the score from ISI to 236, then j t-hree more runs was the outcome of the last two wickets. The chief contributor to Parnell's total was Mclnnes. j He played bright, forceful cricket for | his runs, and was debited with a chance j behind the wickets before he had J reached double figures, lie hit ten 4's j and six li's in his total of 02 before i Saunders obtained hie wicket. Hunt (3(1. not out) played fine, easy cricket I for his runs, and never gave a chance. ! Baddiley (20) went along quietly, giving [ a chance be'.iiml the wickets before opening his- account. Do-w hit live boundaries in compiling 37 in a short I time. Dinnison (lis) was going well, •when a ball that pitched almost on to ■the wicket upset his timberyard, which sadly disappointed the batsman. Saunders was the best of the Shore attack, which underwent many changes, and, after bowling 21 overs, wound up with six wickets for 73. Before stumps were drawn. North Shore knocked up 53 for the loss of two wickets, as the result of three-quarters of an hour's play. Cummins (27) was the chief contributor, getting out shortly before play ceased for the day. Eden B met Ponsonby on No. 4 wicket at EJen Park, and fell short of the halfccntnrv by one run. In reply to Eden's total, "the* Ponsonbyites rattled up 179 for nine wickets, thanks to vigorous play on the part of the so-called tail. ; The B's opened disastrously. Gray, I after compiling a half-dozen, was badly ] run out. Gray and Smith were, as usual, keen on the short ones, and looked like making a stand. Somervell filled the vacancy, but, after registering a single, was beaten by a fast, goodlength ball from Roberts. who was bowling with the wind. His deliveries made considerable pace from the pitch, and spelled disaster to the Eden batsmen. Smith, after hitting up 14 in forceful style, was bowled by the lefthander, Wright. S. Mills was cleanbowled by Roberts before he had started his account. Business was i brisk for a few, minutes, when Cary and j Hobson were together, but the former I was smartly stumped bj- Mills, while i Wright claimed his second victim, clean bowling Hobson. Tbe rest of the inI nings was practically a procession. i Greenwood was most unfortunate in I being run out. He drove a ball hard I back towards the bowler. The ball bit I the wicket and rebounded. Thinking | there was an easy run both batsmen attempted it with the making of the | stroke. The bowler seized tbe ball on i the rebound, and pulled up the stump. Exit Greenwood. Eden's display gives them little hope of victory over the western players.

For Ponsonby. Roberts (five for Hi) completely had the Edenites at his mercy. He bowled well throughout, keeping a good length, and varying his pace well. Wright (two for 30) bowled better than his figures indicate.

Ponsonby opened with Brinsden and Osborne, the former getting early into his stride. His play was crisp and clean, and he well deserved his contribution of 30. Osborne. Drever, Wright, and Mills lost their wickets in rapid succession, and it remained for the "tail of the team" to wag to some purpose. Willets 34, Craig not out 2(i, and Devereux 40 treated the Eden bowlers with scant respect. Ball after ball was dispatched to the boundary, Hobson coming in for severe treatment at the hands of Willets and Devereux, two splendid sixes being hit. Batting one short, the blue and blacks ran up 179, and stand in a winning position.

With a deficit of 130, Hobson and Smith opened Eden's second innings, and have succeeded in wiping off 4G of the total. Smith showed more of his accustomed dash in the second innings, while Hobson, the left-hander, put his back to the wall with the hope of saving a three-pointer. Saturday's play should be most interesting.

The match University v. Eden was commenced at Victoria Park, 'Varsity playing one man short. The students'! team was much changed, owing to various causes, and included Rev. Colvile and X. Vickerman, who have been play- I ing in the senior grade during the season. 'Varsity took first strike, opening with Vickerman and Fawcett, tbe latter rapidly getting on to the bowling and monopolising the scoring. With the score at 15, however, a rot set in, Vickerman being howled by a fast, swerving ball from Honeycombe, who was bowling with the wind, his deliveries giving the batsmen much trouble. | With the score at 20, Fawcett got in front to one of Honeycombe's swerves, after compiling 13. Gray was bowled bj-yßlair, tbe ball coming very sharply off the pitch, while Beechey, who followed, had the bad luck to play one of! Honeycombe's on. 'Varsity's record ' then read: One for 15, two for 20, three for 20, four for 20. With Colville's arrival matters brightened, and, playing confidently and running well between wickets, this player looked like making a stand. His partner Marks, after scoring a single, succumbed to a' fast one from Honeycombe, Fisher following after putting a fast one off Blair' to Ward in the slips, that fieldsman;' bringing off a go ' one-handed catch. The total then showed six for 27. and when Colvile mis-hit a ball from Honeycombe and was caught, 32 runs only were registered. Then ensued the bright spot of 'Varsity's innings, Fletcher and Winks, chiefly through vigorous batting, carrying the score from 32 to S3. Fletaher batted carefully, but brought off several good strokes to the off, while Winks took more risks, being dropped twice in the outfield. With five for 23 to his credit. Honeycomb* was relieved by Hill, and later by Dee, but no success followed the change, while Ward gave Blair a spell, and the scoring became slower, but no wickets

Ifell. Winks ultimately drove a very hot one to Alexander, off Blair's bowling, and it was held. Thomas found - Blair too good, and Fletcher remained j unbeaten, with 25 to his credit.

\ Both Honeycombe and Blair bowled I well for Eden, though it must be ad- | mitted what luck was about went their j way.

Eden opened ns promisingly as 'Varsity had disastrously, and the end of I the afternoon's pVy saw the hitter's I total of 89 passed by 6 runs. Wyatt having compiled 4". not oui and Blair 40, both batsmen giving good displays, and | se-oriug freely. Fawce-tt obtained both j wickets. PUBLIC SCHOOLS' CRICKET. The following tables indicate the positions of all teams in the three grades of the primary schools cricket champion- ! ships for the year 1913: — A GRADE. I Chump.

I In the A grade it is interesting to note . that Devonport have won in this grade I since 1909, this being the fifth successive I wiii. j On Saturday last a representative ! primary schools match was played at ' i the Domain, the teams being composed lof players from the Weestijrn and eastern | schools of Auckland, and as twenty-two school teams had taken part in the 1913 championship, one player was selected from each school. Arneil (Ponsonby) captained the : " West," Dacre (Devonport) acting in a similar capacity for "East," and the 'latter, winning the toss, sent "West" to take tirst strike. The western boys A opened badly, Anilerson (Napier Street) 'and Barnes (Ueresford) being clean ■ bowled by Dacre in his'first and second overs respectively, two wickets being . down for four runs. Bagnall (Baylield) was beaten by a good one from Kuowlcs : (Newton East), when 4, and three were down for 18. Flower (Mount Albert), i and Arneil made a stand, the former ; hitting vigorously, running a liver for • one hit. Sinclair (Mount Eden) bowling , fast stuff, eventually secured both batsi ment, and then llcndy and Stevenson F became associated, upon which followed . the most profitable partnership of the i! innings. Hendy (Nelson Street) batted . quietly yet correctly for his 2S not out. . while Stevenson (Normal) got a lot of I power into his strokes, being . cry strong , on the leg side. Together this pair put [ on 47 runs, " West " closing with 87 for . six, so that " East" might show what , their batting talent could do.

For "East" Burkill (Ellerslie), Wright (Epsom) and Dacre all batted very . ggrcssively, and retired unbeaten, the bowling of the western hoys failing to dispose of the batsmen. Dacre gave a good display, his work to the off being particularly sound, some of bis strokes showing great finish. He gave a couple of chances, one of stumping and another a catch at square leg. With live wickets down East had 117 to the good. The fielding of both teams was fair, the bowling at times was rather erratic, and on the whole the batting was not of a very high standard.

In the junior knock-out 'Holroyd again top-scored for Grafton, with 30, Bond, with 44, doing likewi-,- for Newmarket.

Pld. Won. Drn. Lost. Pts. Devonport . ... 14 14 — — 28 ! Grafton 1-i 8 1 5 17 I Ponsonby .'.. . 14 s - 0 IB Parnell 14 s — (I 10 .Mount Kden. .14 7 1(i 15 j Newton East.. 14 6 — 8 12 I henmera 34 3 — 11 « Richmond lu.ud 14 1 — 13 2 B GRADE. Champ. j Pld. Won. Drn. Lost. Pts. | Vermont Street 14 13 — 1 26 Bayfield 14 lo — 4 20 I -Napier Street 14 8 — 0 10 j Beresford St. 14 7 1 6 15 I Mt. Albert... 14 7 — 7 14 Newton West 14 4 — 10 8 j .Normal 14 y 1 10 7 | .Nelson Street 14 3 — 11 6 C GRADE. C'bamp. Pld. Won. Drn. Lost. Pts. I Ellerslie 10 s l 1 17 ! Epsom 10. b — 2 16 I Stanley Bay.. lu 6 — 4 12 . lieK-lidule 10 4 1 5 U i Muuuguwb.au.. 10 2 — 8 4 .Newmarket... 10 1 — y 2