CRICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 44, 22 February 1927, Page 15

CRICKET.

PARS 0* THE PLAYERS. WELLINGTON WANT KORTLANG. II! i; Al:i "F DISTOIITIuX. rolll ;J. .' ':< i.;ls '~ ■!! iiliMl.lfl ill tllC s c .v 7, :.ui 1 i,-a;i; i-.\ Kngkuid. is :.i',i, l; j no ■ :ia:; r- üb-ir. >.•:,;- tajru'.ighly r -._ .■ :.■■ Lu.ir. lii i!;-. , .Vickknid mui'-h "'.■■• Mul:«ji:: - ii'! Liiib's roam he ricked a K ;:| t -■> that uy ;\as uiiaV.e to [;ii\vl in tiiu visitors' svoiid innings. T;iot;_:.i '.'. : ; -i'n ■'■ ih , - , ■'train quickly t;ib*idv.'d. Al!i---tC ha- routed from cricket j., r ;|... •.!-* two Saturday*. CaM/iroi: iiii-l ■.•■.•:: i'.den:. C. C. Daere • a\c : ■'■- ; ;: '~" '• '<■ •' '■'* in-ite tlii~ H'ii-ni of ijj« !.h'-l tvrii! « hen he knocked n[■ lli'J on NC.urd.iy :iM:!!-t the Lfnifton bowl-i ink , , **i>llll l enthusiasts are of the view that LUci'i'? unsatisfactory form in the rell. yaine- wa« due in the cares of cap-t.iiir.-y. Ma} L«\ But whatever the i-iiii-i'. ■ ■•- > v »i"! certainly r>ii" form in I.l= kitting. a:ul the way in which hu made his run* on Saturday has been the bi.ii:ri-e "f much local satisfaction. Ti:i' movement which has been inaug i;-,i'--! I'V a ii'iniiior of Wellington 5.,-iiiiii piuyers to raise fund* to bond li. J, Kortlang to Kngland a> tifteeuth man in the New Zealand team is meeti,;;: with strong support i.-ays a !sout.. 1-laud writen. The Xew Zealand Crieket L'otinril annoiuicctl that the reason thai only fourteen players were iwiug r-'Mit was on the score of expense. The Wellington players propose to relieve the council of all anxiety Liy rai-ing tin. , ncce-fsary fluids to send Kortlang with tlie team. They contend that Kortlanpr would provt a tower of btrpiistli to the team, and that he has batted s<> eoiisi»HMit!v and brilliantly tiii-- MM*oii that he has fully earned the trip. The proposal upens up an interesting possibility. Supposing Auckland enthusiasts rai-ed a fund to sent A. XI. Mathesoii: Wanganui supporters colIccteil !-;iHß'ient to send H. 11. L. Bernai:: and Uta.so sent round the hat to enable (.. I!. Dickinson ro make the trip, what would tiie New Zealand Cricket Council do ai-otit it then v It I.- interesting to learn from Mr. W S. Urico. one of the selectors of the Xew Zealand team, that, if W. K. Merritt had not come to light as a bowler. tiiey might have seriously considered putting If. liead in the team, although his age is somewhat against him (writes '"Onlooker" in the L'hristeLureh '"Star"!. Read is a good bowler, and he has been playing for Canterbury for many years how. so that it is rather strange that lil , has never played for New Zealand. In spite of his lengthy innings as a rep. cricketer. Head is still a very useful man with both bat and ball. This season, in club and representative cricket, he has been bowling as well as ever. To date, in club cricket tl.is season, he has taken 49 wickets for 773 runs, an average of 1-3.77. and in Plunket Shield matches this season he took 19 wickets fer 410 runs, an average of 21. .17. SOUTHERN "APPRECIATION." Commenting on a remark by X. C. Siiedden that AuckU.ul played a good drawn game against the Melbourne Club team a Christchurch writer states: "It has been said that the Melbourne team could have won against Auckland. They needed only 48 runs to win, and had two hours ami a-half in which to make them, but. knowing that Auckland were handicapped by tiie loss of Bowley. they very Sporthigly restrained themselves and allowed the home side to draw."' This, coming on the top of an Orago comment that Auckland narrowly escaped defeat at the hand., of a mediocre Melbourne side, indicates a total lack of knowledge of the real facts of the game. Auckland made 284 in the iir=t innings, and Melbourne had lost three wickets lor GO runs when Bowley was injured, the local team thus bc-ing left without ;i slow bowler. Even thus handicapped they got rid of Armstrong's men for 30S (a lead of 24 runs on the innings . and this despite the fact that Allcott ricked a foot late in the innings, and had to be taken off. Auckland, without Bowley. made 171 in the second innings, and Melbourne had to make only 14S to win in 1-30 minutes, Auckland being crippled by the loss of their leading bowler, Allcott, and of Bowley as a slow change. Armstrong sent in his aggressive batsmen early, but at the end of ','> minutes' play they had lost live wickets for 71 runs, and from then onward the Melbourniaus were battling desperately to avoid defeat. After Ransford went Onyons and /lohnstone were several times in trouble, and had the former been bowled by a ball which beat him and brushed the stumps in his second over, it is almost certain Auckland would have won. Melbourne at the time had 101 runs on for six wickets, and freely admitted their relief at getting out of a tight corner. The plain fact, to anyone present at the matih, was that Auckland, without their leading batsman in the second innings and deprived of their leading bowler awi a good slow change bowler in Melbourne's second innings, brilliantly converted a prospective defeat into a moral victory. Further, it was obvious that Auckland were also at a disadvantage ii. not being able to play their leading wickfi.-keeper, Rowntree. But on the game a≤ it was, to say that "the Melbourne team could have won . . . but very sportingly restrained themselves and allowed the home side to draw." is equivalent to saying tiiat against Auckland the Canterbury team could liave won, but their batsmeu very sportingly allowed Player to take seven wickets for SS runs, or that against Canterbury the Otago team could have won. but that they sportingly allowed Merritt to get eight wickets for GBl runs. None of the three statements is justified by fact. UNIVERSITY'S VICTORY. PONSOXBVS TArL WAGS NOBLY. The tale of the match between Ponsonby and Auckland University at Eden Park is soon told. Thereby hangs a tale, which is the tale of Ponsouby's tail. Here is what happened. University made 243 in their first innings on the first day. and on Saturday Ponsonby carried their uncompleted venture of -"6 for three wickets to 13S all out. They followed on and made* 203. thanks to a good stand by Commons and Sellars for the eixtii wfeket, followed by another gallant etfort by Kemp. History will never record what Ponsonby's full team Blight have done, for the simple reason 'hat two plavers. Brinsden and Newdick, were absent*. As it was, University gained three points for a win on the first innings.

A- Already indicated, tiie heroes of the ■li'y were Commons, Cellars and Kemp. L'l'iisoiiby ..pcned with their veteran I u:r. >mith iiml Sneddon. Imt Mstheson. w ii'j :nid bowled uncommonly well i-ar-l l:er in the afternoon, soon [rot sfmith's J iv\rk.-i. M. : n..;,j:a1l taking an e:i*y eau-h. j Micd.leii did not i0ll? survive. Bannister ! !|im uit the leg jide off a temptj ''■■~.. ! :; 111 f' r0l » Garrurd. McLeod batt.'d *i» idly, but with half the -.ide out fur 'il. ma:to:-* -11._! no: look too bright i\. r J llit: 'Ae-te-'n »;de. Common-, however. : --iKer lining aiul i;e -smote ilie bo'wiii,j fining Hinf 4"- au.l Mue r. six t..,n>j'.-iT-j vive >o.>riiiy -<tv.jk.-s cr..-sed the liuun■mr\ .ini>. 1 11- lVa < bright eri.-ket. an 1 I tiio -j>ei.-tat..r- on tin.' rocky "-tan.i" ■ w .lere tin.- -curing i- .lone heaved a <i"li ■ «Jon tin.- Bat-man who had held in.. I tort -o well fell to a catch i,v (;,..■ oil' Saunder,. Seilars and Kemp." I, OH L . V er. ..sited the v. ;ie- of the bowlers until -Do had boon pm on the war,!, and wita the tall o f Kemp;.- wicket the end eanie. i Smallwo.Ml anl Xevvdick were not avail- j DAC3E AT EIS 3EST. C Alkott was still resting the loot ■K- :.:J sjn-amod in the Melbourne mat.-h ' and w.h not with lirafton on Satunlav waen they had to pet rid of the last hvc of Shore's >ide for less than 42 run- to s-ave the game. On a -ood i wicket, and with Da ere and a inost ■ I'lunu.-inu wit in Bush at the wicket, I the Grafton bowlers liad little chance of achieving the dillieult task set them. ; Both bat.-men were absolutely eonti- i dent, and swung the runs on" briskly j till, with only 8 more wanted. Bush was bowled by a trimmer * x>lll C. Sneddon.; I This young batsman, a left-hander. : j shows a deai more than usual promise. : I His knock of r>2 runs was a pood one, [ many of his runs beinj; made" by pood ! confident cricket at a time when more '■ experienced batsmen- were in trouble ; to the bowlers. ; ■Johnson cJ.ll stayed a considerable | :ime with Dacre,' -vho showed "rent ! lash and tine footiork in punish.njjr the bowler-1 with well-placed i >ulls and drives to ' each his hundred ! 'or SO minutes' j »1 a y. At 10!) i ie was beaten | 'or the lirst time,' ind bowled by [ ">nedden. coniplct- ! up the best dis- ! play the batsman has given this season on club cricket. In Grafton "s second innings. Dacre; went nap on the attack of"his slow I bowlers, Townshend and Johnson, and , up to a point lookeV: like getting sue- i cess, for seven wickets were down for 147. But Taylor (50) and Pope (13 not out) proved to be stickers and joined issue with the time element to baulk ; of the outright win. Taylor 1 batted in good style for his runs, his j off-side shots being excellent. PARNELL'S RECOVERY. ! In no uncertain way Pkrnell pulled j the game out of the lire in their match j against Y.M.C.A. to Jinally register a ! clear-cut win. The opening contribution of Y.M.C.A. was 100 runs, and at the close of the first day Parnell had j five wickets down for 59. The resump- j tion of play saw batsmen similarly ! short-lived, and when nine wickets were j down for 77 runs the eastern side appeared to be in a hopeless plight. Then ' began the Turbott-Aitken alliance, a ' hard-hitting partnership which lasted j until Parnell were ahead, and ten runs in the lead. In the early stages a separation appeared likely at any moment. Both men put a ball up close : to the wicket before they got properly ; going, but their luck was in, at the j tim chance was lost through two spec- : tators, who were crossing the ground, j getting in the way of the fieldsman who ' went for the catch, and a misunder- | standing between two fieldsmen saw | the other chance go harmlessly to the ! ground. The luck of the pair held, but ' on the principle that nothing succeeds 1 like success, they played the forcing [ game to the utmost, the gap was safely i bridged, and it was not until 93 run's '■ had been added that thev were separated. * Even at this stage Y.ILC.A. had the chance of forcing tlie game, putting on j runs at a rapid rate, closing the innings i when they were far enough on, and then ; sending Parnell in again. But the | VArfi wr;.,~ failed, and Parnell i were set the light task of getting 87 runs for a straightout win in less than an hour, a task which was accomplished for ! the loss. of two wickets, thanks to spirited batting by Anthony and Irving. Apart from the Turbott - Aitken stand. Miller's free hitting in Y.M.C.A.'s second knock, and the batting of Anthony nnd i Irving against time, the play during the afternoon was not particularly , colourful. McCoy got three wickets j very r-heaply for Parnell, while, when i Parnell were righting for runs at the j end of their first innings, Kasper gav? j a beautiful exhibition of length bowling, i One of the finest features was Hunt's 1 wicket- keeping. Y.M.C.A.'s cighteenI year-old cok not giving a single extra ! j away. All through the game his work .' was of a very high standard, and the ! indications are that when Rowntree | lays the rep. gloves aside he will have a ; worthy follower to pick them up. j It could not be said that the Y.11.C.A. I I team was well handled in the field, and 1 ! the placing left a lot to be desired. | J In the Parnell first innings, a mistake ' I was made : n not bringing Scott on to ' bowl before the eastern side got the . lead. When he did get on he promptlv ' ended the partnership. EDEN V. SHORE B. I Although Shore B never looked like i winning against Eden, this game was i not without its exciting stages, as it ! was only in the last over of the day that the city team gained their four- ' point win. When [day was resumed ' from the previous Saturday, Shore had lost four wickets for 42 and needed 171) to equal Eden's first inning's effort of 221. With the majority of their best j batsmen out. it was admitted tha't ! Shore had little chance of gathering in the required number of runs, and it then became a question of whether the Devonport eleven would be able to avoid a follow en. When the ninth wicket , fell still needed nineteen run? to get within a hundred of their opponents' total, and there were but few among the spectators who liked their ■

t-nancei. Arblastcr, however, scored i well, and the total was slowly carried r.long until a brace put the issue beyond doubt. Immediately afterwards Doble was bowled. <liore thus escaping the ! follow on by a single run. Kden. how- j ever, were not to be denied their tour points. In their second innings they knocked up 11-J for two wickets and ' :'.:en pur Shore in a'jain. In the ear!-, i stage- Shore did well, and it hi.ked-j a- if Kden would have :o b< content | with three point-, but the tail l<\ t!i" j ieam was without a ua_'. and the tenth j wicket fell right on time. In Kdcn'inniiits. Brooke Smith ga\e a ta?:e "i I his >dd form. scoring ~>~ in bree/.v »:•!••. ' while Butler i2i;i 'and Mills ili-l. ':■■■ [ miti wer-.- responsible fur the re*',, of r;i«• ; run-. I'eopples iva- the only S ..■;••■ j f;,r -Jr.. Monk was the outstanding performer in Shore"? -ceoj! 1 -trikc. Mppo... the iinlividiial seores with :Jii. He used iii- reach io advantage. nii out to the bowling, .lohnston made a big effort to -air the four point defeat, carrying hi- bat for o~>. Arblastcr (2oi was the only other batsman to get into the twenties, (.'ooper claimed four w ic- , kets for j:) and A. Weir two for ■'!.