CRICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 57, 9 March 1931, Page 16

CRICKET.

CLUB HONOURS.

EDEN IN THE LEAD

GRAFTOX DEFEAT 'VARSITY.

The completion of the semi-final matches in the A.C.A. senior club championship competition on Saturday saw Eden take the lead from Ponsonbv by virtue of a narrow first innings win by 17 runs. A sixth-wicket partnership by Vivian and A. F. Weir saw Eden get the lead, but the last four wickets fell cheaply. University rarely looked like getting the 203 runs set them by Grafton, and had seven wickets down for 82, but the tail-enders improved matters, and the- innings ended at 147, giving Grafton the win by 58 runs. Cowie and Allcott each got good bowling figures for Grafton.

In the B section United Suburbs made a strong effort to overtake Y.MjC.A.'s score of 238, and eventually ran up a total of 205, losing the match by 33 runs. Parnell, with a score of only 140 to beat, had a field day against North Shore, and declared with 259 on for six, Hay having made 100 and Vivian 61 not out. North Shore stayed off the threatened innings win, but at time had six wickets down for 114, to which Player had contributed 60. McCoy took four wickets for 52. The following tables show the positions of the teams in the two sections:— SECTION A. / Ch. P. W. D. L. Pts. Eden 9 7 5 " yq Grafton 9 6 Ponsonby 9 6 University 9 5 — SECTION B. Ch. P. W. D. L. Pte. North Shore 9 3 — 6 17 Parnell 9 4 — 5 17 Y.M.C.A 9 3 1 5 15 United Suburbs ..9 1 17 10 EDEN SCRAPE HOME. Eden defeated Ponsonby in the main attraction at Eden Park, but their margin of victory was small. For the most part they were scratching for runs, and their supporters heaved a proverbial sigh of relief when at last they passed Ponsonby's poor first innings effort of 124. The whole side was out for 141, so that it was a matter of only 17 runs that gave them the victory. The wicket was not perfect by a long way, but it should have been worth considerably more than 141 runs to a side boasting the batting strength that Eden docs. A few seasons back Eden made scores of three and four hundred the rule rather than the exception, but the ?ide never looked like going that distance on Saturday. As a matter of fact, if Ponsonby had accepted all the chances, that cropped up Eden would have experienced the greatest difficulty in topping the hundred. It was certainly a poor display for a team which are expected to win the championship. With six wickets to fall (only three \\ ere down, but Langton was on the sick list), and only 70 required for a win, Eden's task looked easy, and by the time the not out pair had taken the total into the nineties it appeared child's play. The Ponsonby total was passed after one more wicket had fallen, but the side were all out for 141, the last three men getting only half a dozen among them. ' It was Vivian (41) who saved his side. He played a nice knock, but it was not faultless. Gillespie, who added 11 to his not out score of 20, was very much more stodgy than usual. A. F. Weir contributed 23 when runs were urgently needed, lifting a six, but kicked his wicket when he was moving well. Finlayson bowled well to take three for 52, and with more help from the field his figures would have read better. He varied his deliveries skilfully, and in the early part of the afternoon batsmen could do little with him; Snedden, who took two wickets on the first day, got one more for a total of 47, and bowled excellently. Ponsonby made a practice knock of their second innings and lost five wickets for 98, Monteith showing better form to get within three of his half century.

3 22 3 21 4 19

Scores PONSONBY. First innings 124 Second Innings. Mon-teith, c McCarthy, bA. F. Weir .. 47 Cleverley, lbw, b G. L. Weir 5 Moore, lbw, b Laurie 13 Finlayson, c McCarthy, b Vivian .... 18 Fletcher, c Postles, bA. F. Weir .... 12 Clark, not out 1 Extras 2 Total for five wickets 98 Bowling: A. F. Weir took two wickets for 22 runs, G. L. Weir one for 23, Laurie one for 32, Vivian one for 0, Newdick none for 19. EDEN.—First Innings. Postles, b Snedden 3 Mills, c Smith, b Snedden 7 Gillespie, c Hoare, b Snedden 31 Lawrie, c Hoare, b Smith ......... 13 Vivian, Hunt, b Cleverley ........ 41 G. L. Weir, c Snedden, b Finlavson .. 2 A. F. Weir, hit wicket, b Finlayson .. 23 Brooke-Smith, not out 1 McCarthy, b Finlayson " " q Newdick, b Cleverley 4 Langton, absent 0 Extras .....I!* 16

Total 141

C J® ver,e ? took two wickets for -6 runs, Snedden three for 47, Finlayson three for 52, Smith one for none.

SUBURBS TRY HARD.

United_ Suburbs made a plucky effort to negotiate the stiff hurdle set, them and they failed to top Y.M.C.A.'s first innings total of 205 by only 33 runs. For a team which is regarded much as the Cinderella side in the competition, the fight they put up was a creditable' one, and the fact was not lost on the spectators. It was unfortunate for Suburbs that one of their side failed' to turn up. Had they been at full streiajth Y.M. might have been seriously troJjled. When one man fails to put in an appearance it is the whole team that suffers, although, of course, there are occasions when a player's absence is unavoidable. In scoring 54 Webster gave easily his best display of the season. The hopes of the Suburban supporters were rising fast until he played a weak shot and was skittled. Davis got 40 before he was out to a good catch by Sutherland, and Scholium contributed 23. Nicholas, the last man, went in to do or die, and "did" to the tune of two splendid sixes, carrying -his bat for 20. Clark and T. Lyon were the successful Y.M. bowlers. The first named relied chiefly on swerve, and clean bowled three

of his four victims. His wickets averaged 13 runs apiece. Lyon, with three for 60, trundled as vigorously and as tirelessly as ever. Scores: — Y.M.C.A. First innings 238 UNITED SUBURBS.—First Innings. Kerr, c Smith, b Thyon t 18 Davis, c Sutherland, b Elliott 40 Scholium, b Clark 23 11. Lyon, b Clark 2 Hendy, b Clark 9 Scott, c Smith, b Thyon 11 Archer, c Cooper, b Clark 12 Hollis, absent 0 Webster, b Lyon 54 Leikis, c Chapman, b Cooper ti Nicholas, not out 20 Extras 10 Votal 205 Bowling: Clark took four wickets for 52j runs, Lyon three for 60, Cooper one for 30, Elliott one for 39, A. Kiddolls none for 8.

HAY GETS HIS CENTURY,

Parnell gained an easy three-point win over Nor til Shore, over the harbour, on Saturday. Shore had made 140 in the first innings, and Parnell passed the total some time before afternoon tea. When they were 259, with four wickets down, Duncan declared and went for a fourpointer. Shore played out time, however. The outstanding figure of the game was Hay, who got his century after a clean, forceful innings. He never looked like losing his wicket, and the bowling was no trouble at all. He hit nine bpundaries, scoring all round the wicket. It was a good exhibition of batting and worthy ol a more experienced player. Up to this stage Hay has not had a good season, but if Saturday is a criterion he has found his form—with only one match to go. It was his first century, but it did not look like it. Vivian and Duncan also batted brightly, the former for 61 not out and the latter for 40. Both had the bowling well in hand from the start. Duncan and Hay between them added 106. Y r ivian's total included two sixes. McCoy was the most successful bowler, with four wickets for 52 runs. He had Shore thinking, and Bush,, the thorn in the side of Parnell last week, he dismissed for the minimum. McCoy changed the pace and the trajectory of his ball very frequently, and was paid exaggerated respect. Generally speaking, the fielding was poor, though perhaps this was on account of an uneven outfield. The picking-up was not clean, and once or twice, a boundary guarder allowed the ball to trickle through his fingers over the line. On the other hand, the catch which dismissed Player was brilliant. Stehr had to run in from the long field boundary about 10 yards and then he just managed to gather in the ball as he fell forward. It was a great catch. He also took D. Webb well. Scores were:—

NORTH SHORE. First Innings 140 NORTH SHORE.—Second Innings. Player, c Stchr, b Anthony 60 Macindoe, c Vivian, b McCoy 0 Nettleton, c Hay, b McCoy 16 Bush, b McCoy 0 D. Webb, c Stehr, b McCoy' 8 Edmunds, lbw, b Duncan 7 Wensley, not out 8 Gerrard,- not out 3 Extras 32 Total for six wickets 114 Bowling: McCoy four wickets for 52 runs, -Aitken none for 17, Anthony one for 20, Vivian none for 1, Stehr none f'or I, Howden none for 1, Duncan one for 9. PARNELL.—First Innings. Whitelaw, lbw, b Saunders 11 Anthony, run out 1 Hay, c D. Webb, b Player 110 Duncan, b H. Webb 40 Vivian, not out 61 McCoy, not out 0 Extras 36 Total for four wickets 259 Bowling for Shore: Coates none for 51, Wensley none for 46, Saunders one for 67 11. Webb one for 16, Player one for 26 D. Webb none for 17.

A LAST-WICKET STAND. The glorious uncertainty of cricket was once again exemplified during the final stages of the match between Grafton and 'Varsity on No. 3 wicket. 'Varsity collapsed badly, seven wickets being down for 82 runs," and nine for 89. It looked "any odds" against University averting the follow-on, or even reaching 100, but then ensued a dogged partnership between Howell and Graham Blamires (a recruit from Takapuna Grammar School), and 58 runs were added.

The Grafton attack had proved very deadly during the earlier hours of the afternoon, Allcott bowling splendidly, sending down an occasional in-swinger that had the batsmen guessing. He never lost his length, and turned the ball very effectively at times, the ball that beat Lunn being a real "fizzer." Cowie, too, bowled well, but he tired somewhat towards evening. This very promising young all-rounder would do well to try a shorter run—one of over 20 yards takes too, much toll of energy in the course of a long spell. Rowntree kept wickets well. Scores:— GRAFTON. First innings 205 Second Innings. Sheen, c Matheson, b Pearson 15 Wilson, c Matheson, b Pearson 0 Cowie, not out 2 Rowntree, c Matheson, b Pearson .. 4 Extras 1 Total, for three wickets 22 'VARSITY. —First Innings. Leys, c Sale, b Martin '..... 37 Garrard, b Cowie 10 Schnauer, b Cowie .... 0 Pearson, c Wilson, b Allcott 1 Butler, b Allcott 9 Matheson, st Rowntree, b Allcott .... 5 Geoff. Blamires, lbw, b Cowie .. ..... 0 I.unn, b Alicott .' 6 Macklow, run out 16 Howell, b Cowie 39 Graham Blamires, not out . 22 Extras 2 Total 147 Bowling: Cowie took four wickets for 48 runs, Allcott four for 57, Martin one for 35. A PRESENTATION.

GIFT TO WENSLEY BY SHORE TEAM. The presentation of a pipe was made on Saturday to A. F. Wensley, ericket coach in Auckland, by R. Coates on behalf of the Shore senior team. Mr. Coates referred to what the coach had done for the club during the season, and expressed the gratitude of the members. Mr. Wensley suitably replied

GIRLS' ASSOCIATION.

SATURDAY'S ONE-DAT TOURNEY. The Auckland Girls' Cricket Association held a one-day tourney on Saturday. Pollowing are the results:— Senior Grade. —First round: Trainirtg Collega A defeated St Cuthbert's B; University defeated St. Cuthbert's A, Auckland Girls' Grammar defeated Takapuna Grammar. Second round: Training College A defeated University, Auckland Girls' Grammar defeated Training College B. Third round: Training College A deefated Auckland Girls' Grammar. Junior Grade. —First round : Technical Old Girls' defeated Y.W.C.A.; St. Cuthbert's defeated Y.W.C.A. Girl Citizens; Y.W.C.A. Hostel defeated Training College. Sccond round: Hostel defeated St. Cuthbert's, Technical old Girls, a bye. Third round: Technical Old Girls defeated | Y.W.C.A Hostel. I