INTERPROVINCIAL MATCH.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10870, 21 January 1901, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL MATCH.

CANTERBURY v WELLINGTON. For several reasons the match between Canterbury axd "Wellington, commenced on Saturday at" Lancaster Park, created more than the usual amount of interest attaching to such fxture*. In the first place the fact of Canterbury having so recently beaten both Utago and Auckland, and then meeting the only other province that can challenge her eupremscv, caused a good deal of excitement. Again, both Canterbury ar.d "Wellington are admittedly very strong in batting this year, and w.h a" food set oi bowlers in each team, it has been generally considered that a fine game ■ wou'd result. The knowing, ones were all i iullv asjreed that whichever side won, very large scoring would be the order of the day The=e prognostications, so far as burv's' first Innings is concerned, were completely upset, and Saturdays play, furmehed ,an ever-recurring instance of the "giorsous unf certainty" or the game. It also further served !to illustrate how the whole tide ot a match lis turned by the holding or dropping- of I catches. Not that the game is at.all onesided yet, but whereas the Wellington men held all the catches that were given them— excepting perhaps a couple of possible chances I at the wickets which can hardly be considered -two catches given by the Wellington batsmen were both dropped. Of course the safest men drop catches at times, but the side that make the fewest blunders in this respect is haloed very materially thereby. Had any of Canterbury's batsmen been given a second lease of life, it i≤ impossible to say by how many runs their total would have been increased, but certain it is that had the catches given• by the Wellington men been held the result of the days play would have been ier> i 'The 60 "weather on Saturday was as unlike cricketing weather as it could well be. Ham had threatened all the morning., and though it kept ofi a etrong and cold wind from tne east made it very unpleasant for the onlookers, of whom there were nearly a- tnou- ; sand present. The pitch had been made with I the Bulli soil recently obtained from Australia, and the wicket was as good ft one as could be desired. As usual, the scoring boards, t giving the names of batsmen, and their scores, I and the bowlers who had charge ot the attack, kept the spectators posted as to the progress of the game, and scoring cards with the names of all the players could be bought. It was generally thought that Canterbury were fortunate in"winning the toss, but they failed to take advantage of their luck ,and under the circumstances their total of 146 must be considered very poor. At the start both Sims and Wigiey played sound cricket, and took i\ deal of sting out of the bowling. Sims was showing most confident defence, and was beginning to' get on to the loose ones in good style ,when he sent one back to the bowler, which he appeared to have hit hard on to the ground. However, the umpire at the bowler's wicket could not give a decision, and on his appealing to the other umpire Sirtia had to leave. Wigley also played in most promising style, giving the good balls the full face of his bat. ilia driving was particularly crisp ar.d well timed, and ho also got in some nice late cuts. By far the best innings of the side was A. E. Eidley'e. Barring a coupio of uppish strokes in the vicinity of third man, ho never umde a bad stroke until the one that sent him back. His defence was sound, and over and over again he got in his telling drive, which sent the ball skimming away to the boundary, to the hu<-e delight of the onlookers. With Ridley's departure there cnine a collapse. Frankfsh was bowled first ball, and Callaway, who had been in a good time for his 7, tried to cut a very {Vμ--" ,, and , was snapped up in the slips. Olhvjer was shaping well, and had made a dozen, when he tried to bring off. his high lift to the oil, and failing to get yropeSv ho.d of the twisting slo-.v, was caught at forward cover. if C. liidl.y also gut a doze;,, v.™ 1 " 810 ; ,1 att ' lck w « consistently good. f , ", 11 & ocd . Perhaps, as tlie smallness of CVn leu-handed bowler, taking A j ong run 2nd with a lino .wingms delivery. The high wind, too, took h:s ball across to the elf v good deal rnakuig him at times diffioult to keen down' His average of 5 for 41 must bo considered a good performance on such a good wicket. Owing t« a stiff arm TJpham started off with slows, but as lie warmed up'lie got his pace I ar.d bowled very steadily. Tucker, with his ; slows, got a- couple of wickets at a sm.ill cust, I but the batsmen appeared to treat him with more respect than was ntcessiry. Ho'.dsworth was the oniy other bowler tried, and he w;a erratic, and, consequently, expensive. Upborn worked trundltrs nice.y, changing them frequently, and, apparently," to tha advantage of his side. For instance, when 01----livier and Harman were batting they were quite at home ta. the fa3t bowlers, but Upham gave Tucker another turn, and his slows proved fatal to both batsmen. The ground fielding was only medium, and the throwing in was erratic. Clark was s>ll exception, for he fielded brilliantly at mid-ctf. If the ground fielding was not first-cla33 the catching was, and no less than seven men were dismissed in this way. An a wicketkeeper Wright appears to have improved since he played for the Midland Club here, and there were no byes debited against him. The Wellington batsmen, did not start very auspiciously, as Wcybaurne was run out quickly und Hoklsworth, who is considerably over six feet high, and appears capable of making runs, found a clinking ball from Cfiliaway all too good for him. The next pair, Hickson and Tucker, are among Wellington's best batsmen, and when the former was missed in the slips when he had made 2, and Tuckor had a similar experience with his score at 11, it was felt that these mistakes might prove serious for the local men. At any rate, the pair gave their side no further cause for alarm, for they played the bowling after this with stylish defence, u-id with the utmost confidence. Iliokson made several nice hits, but both men appeared bent on playing out time, and they succeeded.

Of the Canterbury tnuidlcrs, Caliawav ulone appeared to trouble the batsmen. His first thirty-six balls produced one run :uid one wicket, whilst both the catches missed "were off his bowling. He finished up with one wicket for V 2 runs. Neither Robertson, nor Frankish troubled the batsmen, and the latter had 13 runs hit off his first three overs. Xα fault could b& found with the ground fielding, and Boxshall at the wickets was brilliant.

Messrs Fox and Speucer were the Umpires Barry having been elected captain of the Canterbury team, won the toss from Upham, the Wellington skipper, and sent the. Northerners into the field. At 1.40 Wigley and Sims opened the Canterbury innings. Tucker at the pavilion end and Hales having charge of the bowling. Wigley got 0 of the iirst 10 that went up and then both batsmen clumped Hales's fast deliveries, sending 20 up, quickly followed by 30. This brought Holdsworth "on. in place of Hales, anftl Sims, with a pretty forward cut, sent-40 Up. Upham took the ball from Tucker, and after some singles Wigley cracked Upham to- tho off boundary, sending 50 up Sims then returned what "appeared °to be a bump ball to the bowler, and was given out 50—1—20. A-.'E. Ridley was nest, And after a couple of fhikey strokes in the slips, made some grand drives, hitting up 20 in about ten minutes. 60 &nd 70 going up in quick time At 79 Hales t; bowled instead of Holdsworth and 7 runs later Wigley tried to glide Up--Imm to leg, and was clean bowled. 86—2—34. Callawny joined his club mate, and the latter sent 90 up -with another oil drive to the boundary. The same batsman sent the century up amid' applause. At 103 Ridley cut a high ball into Duncan's hands at point." 108— 3—45. Frankish followed, and. was bowled ofi his leg first ball. 10S—4—0. Ollivier partnered Callaway, but with only 4 added, Callaway cut Upham into Hales's hands at slip. 11-2—-5—7. Herman filled the gap, and play became slow. Tucker took the ball from Upham, and after more siow play Harman was caught at the wicket. 124—6—5. H. C. Ridley was the ingoer, and Holdsworth took the ball from Hales. Ollivier cut his first ball for 4—all Tun out —but in Tneker'e r.est over Ollivier lifted Tucker into Holdsworth's iisn'Ja at forward cover. 129—7—12. Barry was next, and Ridley opened his account with a late cut for 3, and drove Holdsworth Jioar'y to the boundary for s—all run' out—llo i-)\ I'phaia bowled again in place of Tucker, and Hales took the ball from Holdsworth.The latter change was successful, and Ridley was caught in the B.:ps off the first ball. 146—8—12. Boxshall followed, but without scoring he returned one to Hales. 146—3—0. Robertson was last man,

but was clean bowled'fSrst ball, Halea's last over resulting in three wickets and no runs. The innings closed at 4.35 for 14G.- , After a quarter of an hour's spell the Canterbury men took the field, and «£« w»a followed by Holds worth and v Cal!a*ay opened the bowling fr*>iu.the pevilion end, Robertson bowling »\ *JVr?™" end.. In Callaway's second over Weybourne cut a ball past point, and went for a. but his partner did not respond and he was run out, 2-1-0. Hickson followed, »nd after ma-king a couple of singles gave Barry I cWT in the slips, which was dropped The first 10 soon went up, but Callaway then clean bowled Holdswcrth with a ™l ball 'o—°—G. Callaway had bowled 29 balls for 1 run and one wicket. Tucker was the ingcer, and play was very slow, -0 at last went, ud from an uppish stroke ot Tucker's. Frankish took the ball from Robertson, and uneventful play saw 30 up Tucker save a chance in the slips, and though Frankish caught it, he fell forward and dropped it again. Hickson hit Frankish for a 4 and 3in one over, sending 40 up. After more monotonous play Barry to° k the ba '' from Frankish, and after a maiden from each bowler time was called, the Wellington score standing at 45 for two wickets. The match will be continued tt 11 o clock this morning. The following are the score 3: — CANTERBURY. ••First Innings.

W. C- II. Wigley. 313-231121111114111113. \ Sims! 1 !4312111411, c and b Holdsworth 20 a! E. Kidley, 2134241114112111413214, c Duncan, b Hales ... ••• •■• 4 3 S. T. Callaway, 21121, c Hales, b Uphain F. S. Frankish. b Hales ... ... - ° K. il. Ollivier, 121341, c Hoidsworth, b Tucker ... ••• ••• •■• 12 T D. Herman, 311. c Wright, b .Tucker ... 5 H. C. Kidley. 316111, c Upham, b Halee 12 R. W. Barry, 11111, not out ... ... 5 C. Boxshall," c and b Hales ... ... 0 W. Robertson, b Hales ... ... - ° Leg byes, 112 , ... ... — * Wides, 2 ... ... ••• ... 2 Total ... u6 Bowling Analysis. bis. mds. ma. wts. wds. K. H. Tucker ... 90 G 25 2 0 E. O. Hales ... 114 6 41 5 0 F. H. Holdswortb. 78 4 40 1 2 E. F. Uphain ... 102 3 34 2 0 WELLINGTON. First Innings. F. H. Holdswortb, 2211, b Callaway ... 6 B. Weybourne, run out ... ... ••• ° S. Hickson, 11111211343, not out 19 K. H. Tucker, 121221112, not out ... — 13 Byes ... ... .« — " I Leg byes, 311 5 Wide 1 Total for 2 wickets ... — 45