CRICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 302, 21 December 1926, Page 12

CRICKET.

SATURDAY'S GAMES. THE PLAY REVIEWED. COLLAPSE OF NORTH SHORE. When Eden and North Shore met last year at Devonport the match was started, as it has been this year, on the last playing Saturday before the holidays, and finished in the New Year. Then, North Shore won the toss and put up a score that Eden was unable to overtake. On Saturday history repeated itself, and Shore had first knock on a fast wicket, but Eden caused a sensation by getting their doughty rivals out for 100. There can be no doubt that the Shore players threw their wickets away in the early part of the j_ame by reckless play. Fratcr and Gemini were victims to the old fault of playing at a ball outside the off stump, both of them being caught behind, and then Xetlleton, Dacre and Player were run out through a combina-

tion of bad judgment and taking undue risks with the Eden fielding, which was brilliant throughout, and exacted relentless toll of mistakes by the opposition. Thus five wickets were down for less than 60 runs, and with Cooper and Butler bowling steadily and well, the side was out for 100. Butler's bowling was one of the features of the game. He got the ball to nip fast off the wicket, and used the off theory with a discretion that brought him four wickets for 29 runs. Mills and Gillespie batted steadily in putting on 33 before the former was trapped on the leg side, and 71 runs were up before Dacre tried his slow bowler, Townshend, who at once got Gillespie leg before. Cooper again played excellent cricket, and, with Postles, saw Shore's total passed. It was not till 120 runs were on that Johnson was tried, and this bowler's slows at once had the Eden batsmen in trouble. He clean bowled Cooper, Postles and McCarthy and got Brook-Smith leg before, with the result that six wickets were down for 159 when time was called. There, is some doubt about the rep. players, Dacre, Prater, Gerrard and Player for Shore and Mills, Gillespie and Cooper for Eden being back in time for the concluding stages of the game on January 8. PAPATOETOE'S PUZZLING WICKET. From a review of the performances that have been put up on the matting wicket at Papatoetoe to date this season, it is clear that the batsmen have had decidedly the worst of the fortunes. In the display given by the local representatives, and also by the visitors during the concluding-day of the match-'against-Parnell, it appeared,- however, that the summer weather was H having a H good effect. But all the hopes that were raised were dashed on Saturday last, when both Papatoetoe . aud Ponsonby made painfully hard work of it to get beyond :the half-century. In fact, the Papatoetoe team scored only Go, and their prospects were gloomy indeed until E. H. Burnside and A. Swafliold completely beat some of the best visiting batsmen and Ponsonby were all- out at the close of the day for 59 runs. It was notable that only three men were caught out, although twenty wickets fell in the afternoon. The batting calls for little mention. If a man had played cautiously enough he might have stayed at the wicket for the afternoon, but any departure from the straight bat style of cricket ■was dangerous, and frequently disastrous. The ball kept so low that a batsman was fortunate if he trapped it a foot off the ground and sent away a scoring shot. Bowlers found themselves developing a surprisingly useful habit of shooting the ball, and it was this that accounted for the good bowling achievement of A. Swaffield. Winks had to play an hour for his 22 runs, and he was top scorer of the Papatoetoe team. Mills, for Ponsonby, got 20, and the only other visitor to reach double figures was Williams, with a score of 10. The two catches by A. Warneford were the most striking pieces of work in the field, and were both taken ill the slips close to the turf. Since the previous week the outfield had not been mowed, and boundaries were scarce and hard to get. PONSONBYS USEFUL START. By topping the double century against Grafton, who, in . their, turn, had. lost four wickets for 69 when stumps were drawn, Ponsonby had somewhat the better of the first day's play. The side was given a good start-by" the early batsmen, and for once the "tail" rather belied its reputation, Sniallwopd and Newdick in particular ' playing bright and breezy cricket towards the end of the innings. Batsmen were favoured with a good wicket, and an outfield that carried the ball along at a merry clip. ln the circumstances, bigger scoring might havo been expected, but at no time did the batting rise to heights of brilliancy, and most of the time the bowler s had the situation well in hand. HMcLeod registered his third successive half-century, his two previous hands against l'arn.-li hriii__i]i__ i>:t and 57 not out. Against Grafton he played a solid, chanceless innings, putting "plenty of power into his off strokes, and clipping the ball nicely through the slips.- Smith was very sedate, spending an hour at the ticket for 39, but he was death on anvlniig loose, especially on short length '■alls that permitted him to exploit his favourite pull on the leg side Grafton backed up a useful" variety of bowling with steady fielding, especially on the pound, although two chance's u-nt a-b.. s »,i, X i„ the outfield, Snedden and S.dlurs getting the benefit. The exWcllingtonian, King, secured the best average. King apparently works on the Mnileyian principle that, to g»t batsmen out, they must first of all be tempted to hit, and he sent down more than an ordinary proportion of rubbish during his term nl the bowling crease. He was 3 however, very deceptive at times, swerving the ball just enough to catch the batsmen napping, and varying his pace and length well. Allcott. as usual, kept the batsmen quiet, without setting many

wickets, but he had one or two of the bat-men, notably Snedden, in difficulties with a hall that swung across the wicket and went away to the oIF. One would like io have seen more of that dangerous hall.

Grafton's four for 09 calls for little comment. Most of the batsmen found the Smith-Snedden bracket a constant source of trouble, and only Allcott and Wilson laced it with any degree of confidence. Grafton will probably be without Allcott's services when they resume, but if Sloman can reproduce some of his old-time form with the bat, the second day's play may prove more speculative than at pro-cut appears, with Ponsonby retaining the formidable trundling trio represented by Smith. Snedden and Newdick.

HIGH SCORING BY V.M.C.A

With a fast true wicket, and everything in the favour of the batsmen for inn-getting, V.M.C.A. ran up the big score of 340 against University. The outstanding feature was the fine score of Kit) hy Bovvley, the coach making his first century in New Zealand, and giving one of the finest demonstrations of correct batting that iias ever been seen on an Auckland ground. Right through Bowlcy played the bowling as it should be played, defensively with a straight bat to anything of best length, and with a wonderful repertoire of shots for anything else, of which there was quite a lot. When well set the English player batted very freely, making the cover drive and back cut with telling power, and for anything short pitched on his legs playing the hook shot with shortened grip in a way that should be an object lesson to Aucklandcrs who have allowed that particular scoring stroke to fall virtually in dis-use. Moreover Bowley's batting was stylish and attractive, and minus the stodginees born of the twoeyed stance and search for an average which is so characteristic of some of the English professional batsmen. But for the dismissal of Bowlev by the run-out

process the score would have been larger. | His batting was' flawless and chanceless, although one late shot down the gully may have been in the category of chances had the University third man moved in time to the probable point of interception. There is a tendency to regard V.M.C.A. as "a one horse show," but although the man from. Sussex is undoubtedly the scintillating star of the side, he had, on Saturday, a fair modicum of support; the most helpful being an old friend in Mr. Extras with 46—the "twelfth" man was evidently out for a record—and C. Otter. It is said that if Otjter—a smiter pure and simple—hits a sixer Hie goes home happy. On Saturday he niust have felt doubly pleased, as he made two termendous; soaring hits off ■ Gerrard which cleared the line in the deep mid-on direction with a lot to spare. Likewise, they , were made off halls-of respectable length, and the bowler had reason to feel aggrieved. It was a joyful exhibition of smiting, and Otter was unconquered at the end. Six other members of the side made useful double-figure contributions, the wag of the tail being decidedly energetic. Seeing that the University bowling has, in two successive innings, had SOl runs piled up against it, a weakness in the students, trundling department is obvious. Garrard was again the best bowler, and kept a fine length. In the main he pitched the leg break on the wicket to turn away from the right-handers, but as an occasional ball carried overspring and went straight through he had to be watched carefully. On actual figures Saunders did well, but he was very erratic, and appeared to be trying to convert himself into a bowler of pace. Matheson bowled well, and nipped nicely from the pitch. The V.M.C.A. innings closed eight minutes before time, and the teams by mutual consent decided that the tea-table was the next most attractive thing. Howeven, the umpires induced them to carry on,'and a couple of saw. Smeeton and '-Matheson put on two runs by way of reduction of their opponents' opening score. As a matter of fact, Varsity are virtually one down, as Matheson is in the representative team to go on tour. A DISASTROUS START. Shore B made a disastrous start in their game against Parnell, four wickets falling before a single run had been scored. However, the eleven made an excellent recovery, chiefly through the efforts of Monk, Horsley and Arblaster, and carried their total 'to 135 before the innings closed. Parnell commenced by playing the bowling with confidence, the opening pair, Irving and McCoy taking the score into the fifties before the last named was unlucky in being dismissed leg before. The following batsmen all did their share with tho result that when stumps were drawn for the day. the town eleven had scored l.'i.'? for the loss of four wickets. Monk topped the individual scores in the B*s innings, putting together 42 In-fore he Mas caught. This is his second good score within the last fortnight. Horsley was aggressive during his stay at. the wickets, putting plenty of biff behind his strokes.. He scored 27. Arblaster (1!)). and Adams (12) Were the only other batsmen to reach doiibb figures. Aitken bowled well from the opening over, finishing up with seven wickets for ISO. In his first over he struck a soft spot on which he landed consistently, making the ball nip i in well from the off. Irving took two i for eleven. Opening Paniell's innings, , McCoy and Irving scored stcadilv, the ! hist named being the faster to gather ! in hi* runs. McCoy'* total of 41 included fo, lr fours aml , out e l£\™ll ie * beforp he ™ s run > out, while Smith added 15.