CRICKETING SURPRISES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 281, 26 November 1932, Page 8

CRICKETING SURPRISES.

A few days ago the English team was dismissed at Melbourne for 00 runs. A few days earlier, in Auckland cricket, a suburban team was set the apparently impossible task of obtaining 219 runs in 90 minutes. They scored 226 for the loss of only two wickets, and won the match. M.C.C. and Manurewa are far apart, but the two instances are not exaggerated as showing the fascinating uncertainty of cricket. Of all ball games only one, and that is billiards (as played by its best exponents) has been reduced to anything like an exact science. Cricket, thank goodness, will never be. Other instances in which fate, or luck, or circumstance, call it what you will, took a hand in the eternal duel between batsman and bowler, come to mind. In 1922, or it may have been 1923 (journalistic memories, quaintly enough, are not models of accuracy!), Yorkshire played Hampshire at Southampton. Yorkshire were high in the county championship table, and Hampshire were very low. Yorkshire won the toss, and, on a good batting wicket, made over 300. Rain fell heavily during the night, but the sun shone brilliantly next morning, ar.d Hants, batting, or trying to bat, on a "gluepot" wicket, were quickly dismissed for 42. They followed on. The turf had dried, the wicket became slow and easy, and they made 036. With nearly a day left for plaj they got Yorkshire out for 200 odd, and \vbn the match.

Another instance, and one tii.it Ins not yet beer, recalled in print. Way back in 1912. or thereabouts, Warwickshire were playing Somersetshire, at Taunton. Warwickshire's opening bowlers at this time','were F. R. Foster and Sam IFargreave, while big guns in the Western shire's, batting armament were Lionel Palairet and Len Braund. Nothing of great importance depended on the result of the match, and there was.a distinctly festive tendency at the dinner to which the teams were entertained on the evening of the first day. Next morning Braund entered into a minor conspiracy with Hargreavc. "Just send a straight 'im down," he said, "I'd like to get back to the pavilion as soon as I can." Sam agreed, and sent down a straight 'un. It hit the stumps, but the umpire signalled a no-ball. The next miPsecUßraund's off stump "by a coat of varnish," and the third was also a no-ball. By this time Braund began to think his leg was bein? pulled, so he pulled the fourth ball for a boundary. He made 109, not out. They brought him a drink when lie had made a centurv, —H.A.B.