SPORTING GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 41, 17 February 1920, Page 7

SPORTING GOSSIP.

(By ACTAEON.)

CRICKET.

The second round or the Auckland district club <-hampionshipK, which opened "n Saturday, promises to provide some surprises. In the lirst place, I'onsonby, which had hitherto been tacitly considered almost a -icral for the championship, has struct! trouble. In the absence on holiday of S. li. Smith, with Parnell, the team that has not n-ou a inn tch. The latter suddenly developed a flue batting Mreak. and luiw have 358 runs on for five wickets, a flying starl which should fully extend l-oi'isouby lv pulling the same off. Then Xorih Short, who are running neck and neck with I'ollsouby. developed an uuexpci-tiHl bowling success against Inlversitv. wltli the result that the students' flrst inuiugi realised only (i',l runs, to which the Shore team replied with 284, so thnl there 18 every prospect of the latter making a three. 'I'oln. . win of it. The position is iheretore .. -"resting, for while North Shore looks llki. .-Humping io the lead, there are yet possibilities of I'onsonliy keeping handy, an.l if lhat does not come off the question becomes one of Eden, by token of n good start against Oafton, slipping iuto second place, with a battle nival in succeeding gnmes among these three tennis.

The next month's games should make an exciting and worthy tinlsh for the championship, such as has not Tjeen witnessed for a number of years.

CMilef among the individual Imtting successes of the day were W. J. Mooru's Innings of I'JO not out against Ponsouby. and Brooke-Smith's knock of 108 for Eden against Grafton, while among the bowling perfopmances those of Arlilaster (live for '.S) and Coates (four for 21) for North Shore, stnnd out vividly on a liny when the bowlers generally had a bud tiiue of It. EDEN V. I'ABXBLL. Eden, which has been coming back to batting form in recent games, again performed well in knocking up 36J for nine wickets against Uraftou, though generally the display was rather tame. The first four batsmen (Hlnir IS, Irving 3«, Gillespte HO, and Ileighw-.iy nr>) batted fairly brightly, except when Lamb and A. Sloiuuu sent down half a dozen good overs at one period of the attack. After that L. Taylor and Brooke-Smith put iv an hour of very Blow batting, and it was not until Taylor went, closely followed 'by Mille, that Brooke-Smith woke up, and atoned for hLs former listlessness by a half-hour of brisk, bright batting.

Taylor aud Brooke-Smith put on 57 runs for the Qfth wicket by tame cricket, but the latter made amends when Bennett Joined him by p tints blue the tiowllng severely with flue drives and leg shots. He was just 40 for an hour's play, when he woke up aud put In a bright and breezy half-hour that brought him just over the century before he was caught in the outfleld, just after he had hit his tinrt six and the partnership had put on lU!> runs. Bennett played a steady consistent innings ror ill, driving nicely, and showing an occasional good shot behind point before a h«ilS<audi-half stroke saw Jilm caught at point. 11. Taylor did not stay long, but had the satisfaction of pulling left, while Shepherd and Beale were still defending the last ditch when the bell went with the score tit 3Ui

Grafton were a man short. Arneil not being there to keep wickets, and each ol ■the ten men available was given a turn wirh the ball. Among the most successful ■fcowlers were E. llorspool. who discarded the gloves for the bull, and R. Sloniau who was the last of the ten bowlers tried. SHORES POSITION ENHANCED. When University took advantage of the spin of the coin on Saturday last ami elected to have first strike on lhe Devonport wicket It was expected that they would put up quite a dcx-eiu score, in vloiv of the fact that the outfield was dry and fast, while the wicket should also have been in fardur of the baCsineu" "However the bowlers had the upper hand throughout the students' innings, the butsmen attributing their poor exhibition to peculiar traits which the pitch revealed, contending that it "hung flre." The fact that then oppouente put up a good .score on the same wicket somewhat discountenances this explanation, and some kudos is due to the liowllng performances of Arblaster anil Coates. Had some of the 'Varsity batsmen Bhown a little more temerity they would probably have overcome the eccentricities at the wicket. Lusk and Caradus opeued the visitors' venture, and Rankin kept the former quiet for a couple of overs. In the third Luak had the bowlers' measure, and nix. facing Arblaster he pulled one round to the leg boundary, but unfortunately Juit low enough for Dacre to get his safe hands on. Meantime Caradus had been run ont, us the result of a good return by the same batsman. Graham played fairly confldently before being bowled by Artrtaster at 11, but thence onwards the University display wiih 'more or less a procession, and the last wicket fell with the total at 69.

The feature of the Shore Innings was the sparkling third wicket partnership of the Dai-re brothers. C. Dacre had about twenty to his credit when he was joined by his brother, and he commanded most of the bowling during the partnership. BB lnulnirs was one of the btst displays that he has given this season, being characterised by very free cricket all round the wicket while at the same time there w-jin an airaence of the recklessness which soniettines mars his batting. He was particularly partial to anything on the leg. his Biicccsaful timing making Garrard c breaks look easy, while he was also equally at home to Player. From one of Player's overs he scored five boundaries, while later faeioig Pern- he got 23 off the eight balls Hls contributlou of 82 was compiled without mistake, and he seemed well set for a ceutury when he put Saunders up to Carfldus at mid-on. U Dacre then got more of the bowline, and he was batting confidently when a high swing was taken on the bounfinr.v by Uocxlwin. This -batsman hit a sli that landed on the roof of a house In the background, and it Is doubtful If a more mighty stroke bus been seen on the grouno, though two of the club's earlier batsmen, Kallunder and Haildon have some big hits to their credit. Stewart also batted confidently for 27, while Hemus, who had been prevented by indisposition from batting earlier, went In with the tall and knocked up 17 quickly. Ooates gave tile fieldsmen a lively time in knocking up :». Garrard wound np with the best bowling performance, taking live wickets at a. cost of 68 rune.

With a lead of la"), and a whole afternoon before them, University will have to put np a pood second imiliiKß performance to avoid the seaside™ adding anotter tbreepolut victory to their laurels. GOOD FOR TARNELL. Farncll's jKore of 338 for five wickets against I'onsonby came as a distinct surprise to the supporters of the batting side, who had scarcely been so sanguine as to hope for such figures, even with Smith absent from amongst the Ponsonby bowlers/ The result showed that Ponsonby had perhaps been relying overmuch on the help of Smith tn the bowling department, for without him the burden fell almost entirely on Snedden and McMath. This pair, although they gave a most capable performance, had to keep at it to the point of weariness, and for lack of a third man of equal capability conld not work the changes which are so apt to get wickets on a good batting day. It was a good while before the younger bowlers were called on, and then Tarnell had struck a gait that could not very well be broken.

A profitable partnership between Anthony and Badeley opened the Innings, producing 40 runs, mostly made by Anthony. His partner was not too confident against the bowling, and eventually was caught In the slips off McMath. The n-;xt wicket (Somervell's) fell i'or 43 move, the batsman making 20 In a vigorous style. The next arrival was Moore, who proved the star of the afternoon. He pro-zed an able and stylish partner to Anthony, thoogh In the early part of their association runs came slowly. The two saw the total up to 144, at which Anthony was yorked by Culllmore for 81. He hnd given a very sound display all through, opening out finely with forward play and adopting a good defensive as occasion required.

Probably the brightest epell was the fifth wicket stand for 185, between Moore and McLeod. Both tbeee young batsmen seemed thoroughly happy, and thanks to the best of the bowling: being a little on the tired side they scored steadily, taMng few risks considering the amount of enterprise they showed. McLood, In particular, pasted the bowling with vigour, and had reached 70 when he wae stamped. Turbott saw the-day out with Moore, who carried his bat tor 120, Including seven fours and a six. Method having made 13 foam. One six- wan aleo included in AnUwßZ'a total.