CRICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 64, 15 March 1919, Page 18

CRICKET.

Efforts are being made to arrange a triangular series of matches in Auckland I at Easter time between teams representing the Auckland Suburban Association, t the Waikato and Whangarei. A reply ) ! has been received from the secretary of » i the Mareden Club, at Whangarei, stating . I that seven clubs were playing in the disI trict, and he thought a team to visit Auckland at Easter could be got , together. i Two rather unusual and interesting in- ' icidents occurred on Eden Park on Saturday. In the one case Midlane Had I reached his century and had the bowiers " iwell tired, when Hemus was brought on * to have another try with the ball. AlidJ lane happened to be at the bowler's end, 3 and as "Chummy" spun down a "wrong ' run," which the other batsman spotted, r and pulled to the boundary, Midlane, '• coming bark along the pitch after > i smartly backing up, grinned cheerfully at 5 jthe bowler. "That's all right," re- ' jsponded Chummy to the grin, "your t ! time's just about come." Midlane took • the remark as the customary bluff of a worried bowler who has just been well hit, i and smiled again and once more backed up with his usual promptness as Hemus came along to deliver the next ball, anticipating the delivery by a foot or , two. But the ball did not come, and the , backing-up batsman turned just smartly enough to see Hemus toss the ball back [ against the stumps. Midlane was out a foot, but he could not forbear smiling J again, though a trifle ruefully, when the umpire called "Out!" as he recalled ' Hemus' veiled gaming that his time had about come, an<7 realised that ■ "Chummy" had caught him with one of the "wrong 'uns" that had been invented before the days of Bosanquet and Schwarz. The other incident was yet more unusual, and was not observed by the 1 crowd in general. Wilson Garrard, who usually keeps wickets for Univer- . city, was having a holiday from that job, land when pretty well all the 'Varsity I bowling talent had been tired out by the Graftcn batsmen, he was given a try with the ball. It so happened that one of hie hobbies has been to be an ambi- ' I dextrous bowler, and he has practised I until he can send down a very fair ball (with his left hand, though he is natu--1 rally right-handed. He started off bowling left-hand. He commenced with almost a wide, and before the over was finished he got Baker caught off a mishit. His next over he sent down righthand, and in it he had Hopkinson caught jat point. His third over, he again 'changed to left-hand, and with the third 'ball clean-bowled Barnes, the last man of- the side. Thus in nineteen balls he had got two wickets with left-hand de- | liveries and one with a right-hand ball, getting his three for 13 runs. j F. S. Jliddleton, who played for Par[nell last year, is in Wellington now, [and made top score on Monday for a I veterans' eleven against a team of colts. A local critic says:— "Middleton was at the wickete for the longest period, ' and did a lot of useful hitting. During : the course of his innings, which yielded ] 50 runs, he split two bate. His was a I vigorous display, and he was warmly applauded when he returned to the pavilion, after being caught by Hiddleston off the tetter's own ball." SECOND GRADE GAMES. There was only a limited amount of cricket in connection with the second grade competition last Saturday afternoon, owing to Parnell B defaulting to Ponsonby, while North Shore had a bye. With wickets and weather excellent, it was anticipated that some respectable scores would be compiled, as it was just the occasion for batsmen to be in a rungetting mood, and the spin of the coin was awaited with interest. Eden were I fortunate enough to have the option of batting, and they occupied the crease all the afternoon. The best score was compiled by Mills (111), who reached the coveted century for the first time. Cotterall and Gillespie opened proceedings, and carried the i score to 28 befoie the latter succumbed. Gasparich was sent in early, but did not make an impression. Milis joined Cotterall, and the total was taken to 91, when the latter, in playing back to Green, j hit his wicket. Ricketts followed, but the most fruitful partnership ensued ' when Bennett and Mills became associ-1 I ated, the register showing 221 for five ! wickets. Only 27 runs were added for J the next three wickets, but the last two I put on 74. Mills (111), who scored 80 in the i match against Shore on the previous ■ Saturday, had the honour of notching his ! first century in grade cricket. He was I at the wickets for 105 minutes, and duri ing that time played with confidence and I only gave a couple of.difficult chances—, one to Catley at point and a chance of' stumping on the leg side. He hit sixteen ; fours, mostly on the, leg side, and lost his wicket in attempting a six off Farquhar. Bennett (47) played a forceful inn- , ings, starting with three 4's in succes- | sion, and finishing up with a couple more. Altogether he scored eight 4's. He had the misfortune to hit his wicket. Cotterall (30) obtained his runs chiefly on the leg side in his usual manner. Rankin (26) put himself in last, and was not long in making his f i-uns, three 4's on the leg side being his chief strokes. Hewson (20 not out) played steadily. Ricketts (24) executed some sound off strokes, but came to grief through a very faulty effort. Booth, who kept wickets, discarded the pads towards the end of the innings, and succeeded in capturing three wickets at :i cost of 9 runs apiece in four and a-half overs. Farquhar (three for 43) bowled six j overs, and included the two top-scorers, j Mills and Bennett, amongst his victims! PRIMARY SCHOOLS NOTES. To Napier Street falls the honour of securing the first two century score of the season, and to Wynn the credit of ithe first century. Against Vermont J Street the city team rattled up in quick time the fine total of 241, of which Wynn claimed 132, or more than half the total. Added to this the same player trundled so effectively as to secure the fine average of nim> for 27. Vermont Street, scored only 31, Prnndersaet alone, with 14, reaching double figures. The Mt. Eden-Epsom contest was an artair of very small first innings scorns the leading: team of the grade making only 29. Epsom failed by two to reach this total and in the second innings the Hill eleven made a decided improvement in batting form. Davis, one of the best all-round players in echool cricket this year, made a very creditable 47 against solid bowling. Clark was the mainstay of the Epsom side, bein 2 credited with double figures on each of his two appearances at the crease. Certainiy the most excitin? game of \ and Mt. Albert. Remuera, battW first l "ftV*. a *d their opponents, wlfh one wicket down for 40, failed 'by cix to

reach this total. Going in again Rem uera were disposed of much mor. cheaply, leaving their opponents 45 to get to win in 35 minutes. This Mt Albert failed to do 'by seven run." leaving Remuera victorious on the second innings. A word of praiee ia due to the winners for the sportsinsnlike way ln which they hustled alone their second innings to give the other side every opportunity of turning defeat into victory.

Remiiera are fortunate in the possession of a fine leg break bowler, wtig once he strikes his length, will cause trouble to any school team. He would b e well advised to "nurse" hi ß energies more. Continuous running back to deliver a ball is bound to tire even the best of bowlers if he has to face a stubborn and continued defence.

Ellerslie scored very poorly in both inmnga against Grey Lynn, for whom Xodder uvae bowling in good form. The Grey Lynn boys, too, were very disappointing in the first innings, but, thanke to Lock and Xodder, did better in their second strike.

Bayfield proved too strong for formal, whom they defeated on the first innings by 50 runs. Bayfield lads, in contrast to their opponents, displayed a knowledge of correct method* of batting, good performances being put up by Con way, Jensen and Bowden.

Kelson street were too strong a batting side for Edendale and in a two innings game established a lead of 41 rune Shatter, with both bat and ball, Walter! and Fielder were prominent for thd winners, Fletcher being the principal contributor for Edendale. Credit should be given to the latter side for their Brie fielding, a department of the game that is not this year up to the standard 6t the past.