A BOWLER'S WICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 255, 28 October 1929, Page 8

A BOWLER'S WICKET.

THRILLS AT VICTORIA PARK.

GRAFTON WICKETS FAIL.

SNEDDEN AND ROY IN FORM.

The programme of one-day matches arranged for Labour Day to advance the senior competition under the auspices of the Auckland Cricket Association was interfered with by overnight and early morning rain. As a consequence the games set for Eden Park, United Suburbs v. University and Parnell v. Eden, have been declared off'. The 'other two matches, Ponsonby v. Grafton at Victoria Park, and Y.M.G.A. v. North Shore at Devonport, are being played. It was a real bowler's wicket at Victoria Park this afternon, when play between Ponsonby and Grafton was commenced. The turf was so badly soaked that it was decided to defer the start and the match opened just before one o'clock. Smith won the toss for Ponsonby, and wisely decided to put his opponents in. ' Horspool and Sale opened for Grafton and Roy bowled from the city end. with Snedden, Smith and Taylor in the slips and only three men on the leg side. The' "devil" in the pitch was quickly demonstrated, Horspool snicking a fast rising ball into Smith's safe hands. It was' Roy's second delivery. o—l—o. Allcott, who followed, played Rpy's next two deliveries carefully but confidently, and alowed the third—a - kicker'' -to sail past, high over, the stumps. He got the last ball past third slip for a single, this being the first score of the match. Snedden came on at the other end, and his first over was a maiden, Allcott being none too comfortable with the sixth ball. Another maiden, to Roy, followed, and Snedden's next over was devoid of runs until the last ball, which Allcott pulled past square-leg for a couple. TJie outfield wa s very slow, otherwise the shot would have found the line. Roy was making 'em bump in daiuwous fashion, and Snedden was keeping an excellent length. Off the second ball of the ex-rep. player's third over Allcott was neatly taken behind the wicket/and Snedden's next delivery saw Walters brilliantly caught by Einlayson. the exWe hngtonian holding a catch in brilliant style close to the ground. This over was -a maiden with a pair," Snedden's average so f ar , being two wickets for two runs. His partner's was one for one,—equally impressive figures in the truest sense of the term.

Roy had bowled three successive maiden overs, but Ids fifth session yielded seven runs, Sale at last opening his score with a single to the on. Scoring was very subdued, the first three-quarters of an hour yielding only ten runs.' With the score at 13 Walters skied' one to ■fin* leg and Roy accepted an easy chance. Snedden's average up to this point was five overs, three maidens, three runs and three wickets. 1

GRAFTON. Horapool, c Smith, b Roy ..-.'--... ._.' „ Allcott, c Hunt, b Snedden 3 Se^ouP^'V^^'v'i Sheen ,c Roy. b Snedden"!*"' " 7 Hockin, c and b Roy ... "* « McCormack, b Snedden . ********** ? Wilson, c Monteith, b Snedden'* **!! i Stone, o and b Rov ■ **'".* k Rowntree, c Monteith, b.iSneddea"..!') 1 Extras «5; 2

Total (all out)' ~.. ' ir# ". 30 fo?ll lilaS: Sne(iden Eevea for 17 r Roy three

HARD GOING, Y.M. FIND BUNS DIFFICULT TO GET. It seemed certain that rain would effectively put the stopper on cricket to-day, but on the weather clearing at North Shore, it was decided to make a start at 10.45. Elliott won the'toss and decided to take first lease of the wicket, which, in the condition it was, might do funny things later in the day. Elliott and Lyons opened the batting for Y.M., and H. Webb and Player were entrusted with the Shore attack. Elliott and Lyons started cautiously, and it was over an hour before the half-century appeared. Just previously Saunders held a very difficult catch that Lyons snicked through slips >off Coates, who had come on in Player's place. 4S —1— 19. Panther did not last long and, wan-* dering out of his crease to a teaser from Saunders, turned round to see Keid take, off the bails. 51—2—1.

Elliott banged a couple from Saunders over the'chalk in quick succession, but in the next over fell a victim to Coates. He made a very weak attempt to glide the ball, which sailed straight up in the air and proved an easy catch for Naisinith; 09—3—45.

With Kemp and Sutherland at the crease, the scoring, which had never-been very quick, slowed still more, the result of good trundling and a troublesome wicket. A rot seemed to have set in among the batsmen, for with the score at 73, Saunders gained his second wicket when Coates snapped up a low cut from Sutherland at point. 73-4—4. The Saundevs-Coates combination again came into operation soon after, when Kemp tried to get one round to leg. Coates was there, however, and snapped the ball ott' the ground, to take a good catch. 74—5—1. Coates, after bowling thirteen overs, four of which were maidens, was given a rest, and D. Webb was given an opportunity to trick the batsmen with his twisters. Clarke got the second delivery away to the leg boundary, and followed this with a couple of singles, to bring 80 up on the board. Frater persisted with Saunders at the Cheltenham end, and was quite justified in doing so. His tricky deliveries had the batsmen guessing all the time, and instead of stepping out and driving him, they stayed at home and scratched—a fatal practice. The luncheon adjournment came soon after, with the score at 93 for five wickets. . Play had just recommenced after tlio interval when Clarke brought up the hundred by putting Saunders to leg tor a single. The scores were: — Y.M.C.A.—First innings. Elliott, c Xnismilh, b Coates j;' Lyon. <: Saunders, b ('.Males *| Pantlie.', st Ueld, i> Saunders - *, Sutherland, e Coates, h Saunders . ■•• * Kemp, c Coates, b Saunders A Clarke, not out * g Riddel], not out % Extras . Total for five wickets 1(W