CRICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 56, 7 March 1929, Page 17

CRICKET.

SECOND GRADE. GR AFTOTT LEAD IN <A» SECTION EPSOM UNITED'S STRONG POSITION.

The majority of the games in both sections of the competition had advanced sufficiently at the end of the first day to enable the critics to prognosticate results with little fear of their calculations being upset, except in the matter of points. However, in the contest between Epsom United and University, the lead obtained by University in the first innings did not prove any indication of the result, though in the end it was an exceedingly close fight and Epsom United only won by the narrowest of margins. The win was quite enough to make, their position free from danger regarding B section honours. All Saints', who wore five points behind Northcote at the end of the first round, succeeded in defeating the leaders, thereby leaving Grafton at the head of the A section, ■with, 81 points to their credit. The last four were gained at the expense Windmill, the margin amounting to an innings and 73 runs. Balmoral caused no little surprise in taking four points ■from North Shore, winning by 60 runs. In a low-scoring game Parnell A defeated Western United by 96 runs. Mount Albert added another victory to their credit, while both Parnell B and Ponsonby collected four points apiece on the first day. Umpiring is frequently the subject of criticism, still players are invariably grateful for the services rendered by umpires and also recognise that they have some knotty propositions to decide on the spur of the moment. However, on some occasions, bad decisions have been given through ignorance and could easily be avoided if the player-umpire paid a little attention to the laws of cricket. ALL SAINTS V. NORTHCOTE. All Saints' batted themselves into euch a good position on the first day that they applied the closure with no email measure of confidence, without going to the wicket again. A score of 339 for eight wickets was excellent against a team of the calibre of Xorthcote and the leaders in the competition fully recognised that they would require a large slice of good fortune to save the situation, notwithstanding that an excellent wicket was provided. The tranaharbour team made a good effort; fcut the task wa« too great and they wound up with 203. Cross (28) batted well, being particularly strong on the off. Isbister (69) was fairly quiet, scoring chiefly with pulls to leg. Boswell (19) batted nicely. De Blois was the most tuccessful bowler, taking four wickets for 19 runs. Swinley (three for 30) bowled a fairly fast ball, which required watchin" care fully. EPSOM UNITED V. 'VARSITY With a lead of 11 runs on the first inn tap, and three wickets down for 14, Va "! sl *y continued their second innings on an Indifferent wicket at the Domain Their second strike-yielded the very moderate total of 74 SlcKean (23) and Binmore (11) were the only two to reach double **"***■ Thp y batted carefully, and, although hampered by a bumpy wicket, «ave finished displays. Both batsmen showed a liking for the off side. Andrews secured the very fine average of six wickets lor. 21, and was always dangerous. He Kent a fine length, and his off break was always hard to get away. The disinclination of the students to have a "go" helped him considerably. Paced with a deficit of 85, Epsom United were confident of their ability to set the runs easily, but they had not taken Into consideration the state of the wicket. An exciting finish saw Epsom United's last man secure a four, and win the game. He was bowled next hall. The teams were of the opinion that the loaders bad secured a win by 4 runs, but the margin was one wicket. As in 'Varsity's innings, only two batsmen secured double figures, these being Rudllng (31) and Hart (12). Both laid the wood on freely, and, although a little lucky, it was the right same under the circumstances, and gave their side a win and the honour of being the winners of the* B grade championship. They cannot be beaten now. Binmoro again bowled splendidly, helped by a damaged wicket. His six wickets cost him 4 runs apiece, and. although he did not "bump" the ball Intentionally, he was' always difficult to play on account of the uncertain way in which he flew off the wicket. MT, ALBERT V. UNITED SUBURBS. In continuation of Mount Albert's Innings, Ott. who had notched one over the century, and Delugar, with 29 to Wβ credit, raised the total to 264 for the ninth wicket. The partnership added 119 runs by good cricket before Ott hit a delivery from Cooke. on to his wicket. Ott's 125 was the outcome of forceful batting, combined with clever placing. Delugar (34). after adding 5, was bowled by Cooke, the iqpings closing for a total of 276. United Suburbs, In their second venture, opened carefully, but in Delugnr's third over, Nolan, who had been playing confidently, was cleverly taken by Slaney behind the stumps. Two overs later the same combination accounted for Boreham with a clever catch on the leg side. Delugar made pace off the pitch. Somers (27) made a gallant attempt to stay the attack, and campelled the Mount Albert skipper to make a ebnnge in the bowling. Rankin inking the ball from Delugar. The inning* quickly terminated, however, United Suburbs being dismissed for 77. thanks to Ttanken. who wound up with four wickets for 4 runs in four and a-balf overs, three of which were maidens. The 4 rone were scored from a lucky snick through the fill ps. Hirst (three for 37) bowled unchanged throughout the Innings. Delugar captured two wickets for 30. The fielding of the Mount Albert team was good, no less than half a dozen batemen bring caught out. Slaney accepted two behind the stumps, while Delugar. Wilkinson and Camp took offerings cleverly in a well placed field. „ . . It mny he stated that United Suburbs strove liard to save the four-pointer, mw wrre not nllowed to settle down t» the good length bowling served up by the opposition. GRAFTON V. WINDMILL. Windmill began their second" Innings 152 runs behind Graftons total of 245, and were set a har9 task to save an innings defeat. Disaster Mt in in the first over, the opening batsman heing run out. while Wβ Partner also failed to come to light. Slator (11) paid the penalty of lifting one too high. Brigge then occupied the crease, and gave h good disp>*iy in getting, his 25 niM. He played earer.illy. as evidenced by Mβ nine singles, but got down on nny loose ones, hitting three boundaries. Tie was liuluekv In r-lnyiiij: a ball from Hamilton on to m> wicket. Pnvis (20) used his strength, ami hit four 4s before getting clean bowled Dy X.vkoia It is to be hoped that ne can reproduce his form nsain before the *<* e <™ .ml*. T>ie rest of the team failed to Pt thc> runs. mid. with one absent. Windmill » Kpronrl venture was worse thnn the ni>t. rinsing for 79. . Hamilton ffnnr for 10) wns consistent with length nnd diiecHon. Dykes (three fop I'Rt. with slow leg breaks, nnd I'linnlng (cme for 13), were the other successful hnwlern. finifton won by so innings and 73 rune u four-pointer..

BALMORAL V. NORTH SHORE. In resuming play both teams were shortnanded, and in waiting for the delinquents a delay of twenty minutes occurred Balmoral carried their last week's total of 32 for fou r wickets to 113. Seaton, who was not out, failed to put in an appearance, so B. Mills accompanied Price to the wickets, and their efforts yielded 35 before Price was bowled off his pads for 33, scored by frontal driving and leg shote. Mills (31*) again gave a good display. He showed a strong defence, and executed some nice off strokes, proving to be the best bat on the side. Fickling (24 not out) shaped well. The most successful bowler of the northerners was Wynne (seven for 40), a fast medium ball with an off break doing the damage. North Shore required 192, a fairly substantial total under the circumstances, and they started badly. C. Palmer, after running 5 for an off drive, apparently lost sight of the ball on its return, for he stood a couple of yards outside the crease while the wicketkeeper removed the bails R Palmer (21) featured cover strokes: J. Foster (19) scored chiefly on the leg side • and Jackson (13) and Bishop (28 not out) were forceful. Corwell (17) also punished anything loose, and assisted to add 29 for the last wicket. For Balmoral, Way (five for 36) maintained his consistency, getting wickets with a medium to fast ball with a slight variation.