CRICKET COLTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 66, 19 March 1930, Page 16

CRICKET COLTS.

IN SENIOR B GRADE. KEEN FIGHT FOR HONOURS. PONSONBY AND KING'S OLD BOYS. The struggle for premiership honours in the senior B grade competition reached its climax last Saturday afternoon, when the two teams which had occupied the position at the head of affairs between 1 them throughout the season, met at Eden Park in the last series of matches for the first round. During the season competition has been very keen and with the exception of the tail-enders there was not much certainty about the result in the majority of games. The eighth set of matches was followed with considerable interest, especially on the second day, but both King's Old Boys and Ponsonby managed to shake off the shackles of their big tasks and meet on level terms to decide the leadership of this important grade. Under ideal weather conditions the coleaders commenced their struggle for supremacy of the grade at Eden Park. The wicket and outfield were in good order, but the short boundary was rather confusing. Morris and Caughey opened proceedings for King's'against the bowling of Kelly and Binmore. The register showed 18, when a good return from cover found Caughey out of his ground. Kelly shifted

Coath's off stump before he had scored.

e Then Kissling and Morris took the total 1 to 44, when Morris cocked up a bumpy 2 ball from Binmore to Sellars. Four t wickets were down for 53 when Kissling 1 was run out in attempting a short single. He had batted well in compiling a couple f of dozen. Jamieson and Wilson did not last long together, the latter returning a ball to Kemp, who had replaced Kelly. A more fruitful partnership ensued when . Simpson joined Jamieson, the score being ' taken from 69 to 100. It was broken by Jamieson (16) putting his leg in front of a straight one from Kemp, after an attractive display. Simpson (29) hit the ! ball with freedom and it was bad luck for King's when an impossible run was attempted. His score included one .six ' and three fours. Palmer (14 not out) was the only other batsman to offer any resistance and King's were all out for 140. Three run-outs were in no small i measure responsible for the total not being larger. Binmore (two for 40) was,,the best of the Ponsonby bowlers, his length being ■ very steady. Kelly (one for 36) was not so effective as usual. Kemp (two for 34), Gillespie (one for 6) and Warneford (one for 11) also assisted to do the damage. The fielding of the Ponsonby eleven was excellent, all chances offered being taken, while accurate ground fielding and returning to the wickets made run-getting a difficult proposition. At 4.15 p.m. Warneford and Douglas commenced Ponsonby's pursuit of the runs, against the bpwling of Simpson. The former collected seven from the first over, but was bowled by Kissling's first ball. Douglas and Matheson added 20 before the latter was smartly stumped by Wilson, with the total at 27 for two wickets. Douglas, Hoare and Binmore all went cheaply, and five wickets were down for 46 —Kissling having taken four for 18 —not a very promising start from Ponsonby's point of view, with the championship at stake. However, Mills and Kemp raised the hopes of the West Enders considerably by carrying the total to 100. Kemp (32) was brilliantly thrown out by Simpson, after an excellent and invaluable innings. Good offshots were responsible for a lot of his runs. Sellars just reached double figures, before being caught by Iveegan at third man. Stumps were drkwn with the register showing 116 runs for seven wickets. Mills (27 not out) assisted to save the situation by his patient display and shared the honours of the batting with Kemp, although his innings was marked by sirong defence. King's fielding was very fair and the bowling steady, the batsmen having to fight for runs. Ponsonby require 25 runs to obtain a lead on the first innings and a close finish is anticipated. With the new ball the Ponsonby batsmen have no little danger to face in the bowling of Kissling and Simpson, and it must be remembered that the Ponsonby tail has wagged very well this season. In the other games, University, after losing eight wickets for 84 runs, finished with a total of 174 against Parnell. Waddingham (57) and McKearney (22) put on 62 runs for the ninth wicket. Parnell put on 90 for three wickets, Smith 21, Roskilly 18, Righton 20 and Luke 27 not out. North Shore B, against Y.M.C.A. made 165 runs, Jay 34 and Drake 28. With a fast, swinging ball Nicholas produced a rout among the Y.M.C.A. batsmen, who were all out for 40. Nicholas got nine wickets for 12 runs. Following on, Y.M.C.A. lost two wickets for 14 runs. Eden were dismissed by Balmoral for 104 runs, Cashniore making 52 of these. Balmoral knocked up 137 in quick time, R. Broberg 27 and Byerley 42.