NOTES ON SATURDAY'S PLAY

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 25, 31 January 1928, Page 14

NOTES ON SATURDAY'S PLAY

PONSONBY BEAT GRAFTON. LANG RIDGE'S CLASSIC CENTURY.

More than four hours may at first glimpse appear to be an unconscionably long time to expend over the making of a century in anything but test or representative cricket, but "circumstances alter cases," and there was more than one special circumstance about the case of Langridge at Eden Park 011 Saturday. Going in first for Ponsonby, he played in faultless fashion until he had passed the three-figure mark, and his steady defence and classically accurate placing did much to take the sting out of the Grafton bowling and to make the task of his colleagues easier I than it would otherwise have been. The attack was weakened by the absence of C. A. Snedden, but some very sound work with the ball was got through by Goodwin, Turvey, and others, and it was due mainly to Langridge's remarkable steadiness that the bowlers came out with such poor analyses. Until the young Sussex professional had completed his century, indeed until he was 130, and the total had been carried to 350, he did not make the semblance of a mistake, and there was classic correctness throughout his performance. He made great use of his characteristic shot to the off, a defensive stroke played from behind the batting crease which, though not exactly graceful in appearance, is obviously under remarkable control and places the ball with marked accuracy. Langridge received useful help from Taylor during the earlier part of his innings, the amateur scoring rapidly and using a pull stroke very effectively. Lendrum made a useful 55, and Warnefrod, Wheeler, Smith and Commons also batted in brisk and breezy and Warneford, hitting eight foux-s in compiling 37 runs. When Ponsonby had made 350, the declaration was made, but the umpires ruled, quite correctly, that as the game stood lit could not be allowed. An addition (for Australia and New Zealand only) to No. 53 of the Laws of Cricket reads: "The in-side may declare their innings at an end in a three days' match at any time on the second day; in a two days' match the captain of the batting side has power to declare his innings at a close at any time, but such declaration may not be made on the first day later than one hour and 40 minutes before the time agreed upon for drawing stumps; in a one-day match at any time." In the case of Ponsonby there was only an hour and a-quarter left for play. There was some dashing hitting, whilst the total was carried from 150 to 388, the batsmen taking all sorts »f risks and having all sorts of escapes, irafton, with 27 on the board for the oss of one wicket, will have all their york cut out to avoid a first innings eficit next Saturday.

FEW THRILLS,

With the exception of the occasional clanging of the firebell half-a-niile away (there were three or four gorse fires in the Edendale district on Saturday afternoon) there was little excitement for the followers of the Eden-United Suburbs game on No. 2 wicket at Eden Park. Despite the fact that Eden, who won the toss, were minus Mills, Cooper, the two Weirs, and Whelan, it was expected that the competition leaders to date would take full advantage of the conditions—a hard wicket and a fast outfield —and go for the bowling, with the idea of knocking up a very big score, but such was not the case. All the afternoon, from 2.15 until G. 15, they took their time, and were rewarded with a total of 224, a very useful but by no means startling tally. Had it not been for a careful innings by Alf. Postles it is very likely that the champions would have been "in the cart." Suburbs, in the three-quarters of an hour they had at the wickets, put on 48 for the loss of one man, so that anything may happen when the match is resumed next Saturday. Postles went just as near as any batsman can to scoring a century. He was sent pavilion-wards when

three-figure J? s » r l7 played Hant He g tonW 5* gS was he t>rilliant. He took few risks, being content to score when the opportunity offered Gillespie gave a livelier exhibkion, hS ing up 27 in rather quick time. He too, was dismissed by a catch taken byi

an Eden player fielding as a substitute. McCarthy got 25 before being caught and bowled by Martin, as the result of a weak shot, while Brook Smith also reached the twenties. The last-named made a characteristic start, smiting a good six. Bennett (13) was the third Eden batsman to fall a victim to a catch by one of his club mates filling a brcach in the Suburbanites' field.

Martin is a bowler who, on his present form, will give trouble to any batting side in Auckland. Against Eden he took eight wickets at a cost of 54, an average of less than seven runs per wicket.

YOUNG MEN CRASH,

SHORE IN GOOD POSITION.

The salient features of Y.M.C.A.'s game with North Shore were the sensational collapse of the visiting batsmen and the freak bowling average of seven wickets at a cost of 17 runs obtained by the ex-University trundler L. Saunders. The home team's first innings total of 214 was fairly good when the bumpy state of the wicket is considered. Frater gave a splendid display of batting, and gave only one chance, when he lifted one from Pearce just short of Otter at square-leg. He took exactly 100 minutes in compiling his score, which included nine boundaries. Bush compiled a nice 33, taking full toll of any loose stuff. His partnership with Frater added 71 runs. Probably the most pleasing feature of the innings, however, was the return to form shown by Gerrard, the ex-Auckland representative. He knocked up a nice 39, and although he gave one or two chances he was unlucky in being run out through a misunderstanding with his fellow batsman, Saunders. Walters obtained his runs in forceful style, the batsman laying the wood on with gusto, while Scott played a steady bat for his 20 not out. Elliott finished the innings with the best bowling average for the Young Men, obtaining three wickets for

34, though Lyon (one for 52) was bowling much better than the figures indicate. Poeppel (three for 63) mixed his deliveries well, and at times had the batsmen puzzled. The fielding of the Y.M.C.A. team was poor, particularly in returning the ball to the wicketkeeper. Hunt gave a fine display behind the sticks, his stumping of Walters being a very smart piece of work. He impressed the writer as a likely 'keeper for some future Auckland representative team. The visitors started their innings at nearly two minutes to six, and in an hour the while side had been dismissed for the very poor total of 43. Riddolls was the only one to make a stand, but he was unfortunately run out by Lyon after he had scored 14. With the other batsmen it was simply a procession, nobody showing any confidence. Saunders finished the innings with the astounding figures of seven wickets for 17. He mixed his deliveries well, occasionally sending down a fast one which appeared to make the batsman undecided how to play them. Scott trundled well, obtaining one wicket at a cost of 17 runs. Saunders and Scott bowled unrelieved throughout the innings. Frater, who skippered the home team in the absence of Dacre, placed himself behind the wickets, and gave a >ery creditable exhibition. He stumped two, caught another, and was instrumental in running another out.

UNEVEN BATTING.

Parncll would probably have run up a big score against University but for Che fact that six men could accumulate but sixteen runs between them, and the score of 267 was really a moderate collective effort seeing that the opening pair put on 90, and the two hundred mark was passed with only four wickets down. Parnell were fortunate to bat first on a fast wicket, with the advantage of the fastest outfield that has been seen in Auckland cricket this summer. Very little impulse was necessary to send the ball to the boundary-line. The outstanding feature of the Parnell batting was an even century by Duncan. He played with confidence from the outset, put plenty of weight behind the blade when driving, and disclosed a nice range of shots. His foot-

work was of a very high order, and it was refreshing to see a batsman gamely jumping out of the crease to get the slow bowling on the full. There were a few fluky periods in his plav, but taking it by and large it was a most entertaining knock.

Playing quietly, Hay gave an impressive display, and seemed quite at home to the bowling when lie walked in front to a ball that came straight through after pitching.

In a brief, meteoric career Macallan accumulated runs attractively, while the left-handers, McCoy and Kissling, were both in good form, and drove cleanly in front of the wicket.

The 'Varsity fielding was patchy, although some of the work was firstrate. It was obvious at times that the fieldsmen were beaten by the extra pace of the outfield. In one instance the bending action of a 'Varsity man with outstretched hand downward coincided with the collision of the ball with the picket fence. Behind the stumps Kelly was neat and effective, and was responsible for the dismissal of two of the opposing side, gathering a catch after a run in the direction of square leg to end Duncan's innings, and in the case of Macallan, taking a lightning return to run th< batsman out.

On actual figures Smeeton was the best of the University bowlers. It Was bowling of the up and down kind, but it had the merit of a tolerably good length, with a little whip from the pitch. Garrard bowled well, and bjj mixing the leg break and straight ball judiciously often had the batsmen playing for safety. Before the call of time University had lost two good wickets for 52. The game is at a very even stage, and its resumption will be awaited with interest.

TE KUITI.

(By Telegraph.—Owu Correspondent« TE KUITI, Monday. A representative cricket match played on the Railway Reserve between Walkato and Maniapoto to-day resulted in a win for Maniapoto by sixty-seven runs. Maniapoto opened first with 156, Walkato replying with !>6. Maniapoto playing out time with 05 runs in their second innings. For the winners, H. Hughes (43), R. Wilkins (20) and Jennings (27), were the highest scorers, while Tiinbs (29) and Weston (23) contributed most runs for Waikato. The bowling of H. Hughes, Maniapoto, was most consistent throughout, this player capturing six wickets for 24 runs. Owens showed best form with the ball for the visitors with an average oI three for 34.