CRICKET FLASHES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 284, 1 December 1941, Page 4

CRICKET FLASHES

Two Centuries Scored

SHORE'S LEAD IS REDUCED

In spite of the unfavourable weather conditions brighter cricket was general in the Auckland Association's senior championship, and during the afternoon the first two centuries of the season were recorded. The batsmen gaining the honours were D. D. Taylor, Middlemore, and N. Ellis, Grafton, with 123 not out and 106, retired, respectively. Taylor opened the innings for his side, while Ellis, also an opening batsman, made his century late in the afternoon. The best total was compiled by Middlemore, with 229 for four wickets, declared, while Grafton made amends for some recent failures by making 196 for one wicket. Bowlers to perform weli were E. Clapham, Parnell, who took six wickets for 71 runs, D. C. Cleverley, Middlemore, five for 26, and J. Felts, Grafton, five for 38. Wins were registered by University, Middlemore and Grafton. The match at North Shore was called off early owing to the weather.

The results of matches were:— Eden, 194, drew with Parnell, 121 for five wickets.

Middlemore, 229 for four wickets, declared, beat Papakura Army, 128. Grafton, 196 for one wicket, beat Y.M.C.A., 125.

University, ill for five wickets, declared, baat Training College, 54 and 58 for three wickets.

North Shore, 51 for no wickets, met Ponsonby-Balmoral.

Position of Teams.—With three games to be played by all 10 sides before the end of the first round on December 20 the points are: North Shore 28, 'Varsity 27, Grafton 23, Eden 20, Parnell. 18, Middlemore and Papakura Army 15, Y.M.C.A. and Ponsonby - Balmoral 12, Training College 11.

Century to p. D. Taylor.—ln compiling the first senior century of the season, D- D. Taylor, Middlemore, introduced several well-timed scoring shots in which strong driving on either side of the wicket predominated. In spite of the fact that he gave two chances, nis honour was richly deserved as a couple of weeks ago he had 87 not out when the innings was declared closed. L. E. Vivian hit up 46 in breezy style, while Taylor and the lefthander, L. A. Fisher, added 112 runs in a bright third-wicket partnership. For once R. E. J. Menzies, the Army team's skipper, failed, being clean bowled with a half-volley with his score at 9. R. Jessup (53) and W. Strachan (30) batted well in an effort to save defeat. D. C. Cleverley bowled consistently well in taking five wickets for 26 runs.

Ellis and Cleave in Rons.—Although he was facing bowlers hindered by the greasy state of the ball, N. Ellis' 106 retired for Grafton against Y.M.C.A. was none the less meritorious and he was only beaten for the honour of recording the first of the season by D. Taylor about an hour before, Ellis, who has not been at the top of his form lately, was Blow to get settled, but once he had the edge of the bowling he set out to make the runs quickly. Although "pasting" any loose deliveries to the boundary he played

carefully to good balls and gave no chances. Although his strokes were not all in the text book, he hit powerfully and cleanly. His partner, B. Cleave, also seemed set for his century, making 69 not out in nice style before Wallace called his team in shortly before time, when they were well past Y.M.C.A.'B total, without any wickets falling. Felts Bowls Well.—Bowling practically throughout Y.M.C.A-'s innings, with a slippery ball, J. Felts' performance of taking five wickets for 38 runs was a really fine one, despite the fact that four of the five were caught. He and T. Cleave, who took two for 46, had most of the bowling to do and kept the batsmen very quiet. G. L. Weir Aggressive.—Playing one of his aggressive innings and also one of the most entertaining of the season, G. L. | Weir, the Eden and Auckland captain, rattled on 75 in quick time against Parnell. He treated all the bowlers with scant respect and lifted them with powerful drives to the fence and twice well over it. His partnership with A. J. Postles j added 122 for the second wicket, but after this the Eden batting slumped somewhat. Although not so aggressive as Weir, Postles often went for the attack and scored at a fast rate in periods, especially with hard hits to the on boundary. Considering the conditions E. Clapham did well In taking six wickets for 71 runs, and for the most part he was not afraid to keep the ball up, some loose deliveries naturally being the order with the wet ball. Teachers Fare Badly.—Training College fared badly in Its match with University, which the latter won on the first innings. Not a single member of the losing team succeeded in reaching double figures in the first innings, and the side was all out for 54. University had no difficulty in passing this score, and declaring when 111 runs were on the board for five wickets. They made a bid for a tenpointer. The teachers, however, did better in their second turn at the wickets, and after an hour's play had just on 58 runs for the loss of three wickets, C. P. M. Elliott compiling 21 of the total and was still there at stumps. W. H. Cooper (48) and A. F. Bell were the most forceful of the 'Varsity batsmen, while A. M. Matheson with three for 10 and three for 23 was the best of the bowlers. Southern Highlights. — The seventh round of matches in the Canterbury Cricket Association's competitions was played on fast wickets, but with a bitterly cold wind blowing. Some of the fastest scoring in one-day matches was seen. Old Boys made 303 in 125 minutes and Lancaster Park 312 in 131 minutes. Two centuries were made, F. B. Smith told Boys) getting 109 not out in 94 minutes and M. Cummings 102 for St. Albans in 75 minutes. The most brilliant effort was that of V. C. Empson for Lancaster Park against Army, his 92 not out taking 58 minutes. An aggregate of 538 runs was compiled in the drawn game between Old Boys and St. Albans. When Karori beat Midland by 245 runs at Wellington, G. R. Dickinson, the exOtago and New Zealand Rugby and cricket representative, scored 145 and took four wickets for 40. Playing for Waiouru Army at Wanganui, M. P. Donnelly hit up 66 in 50 minutes, his tally including 44 from boundaries. There was no cricket at Dunedin owing to rain.

First Inter-State Match.—-At the fend of the second day's play in the scheduled three-day contest at Brisbane the scores were: Queensland, 334 and 165 for six; New South Wales, 310.