CITY CRICKET.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1074, 13 March 1911, Page 7

CITY CRICKET.

FIN.AU games,

A-DAY OF CHEAP WICKETS.

SOME SURPRISES.

Yellow sunlight gave to tho Basin Reserve on. Saturday afternoon as pleasant, an aspect as it has worn on any playing day this season: As is their way, our cricketers' 'started fifteen minutes late. It!was a sinful'waste of good weather and good wickets, but the habit of late starting has becomo ingrained. Tho attendance .of spectators was rather smaller than.usual,' perhaps because sixpenco was..charged, for admission. As the players took tho' field, it was seen that each wore around his arm a, little band-of black. This was a final token of respect to a good old cricketer who has joined tho gTcat majority, Alfred Ashbolt. Naturally,; as the game opened, all eyes were focused on' No. 1 wicket, where it was anticipated that a strife of giants would ensue. These hopes were only partly., realised. The contest between East A and Central A was keen and tense at -every stage in its progress; it was interesting nearly all the time, but in one respect it was very disappointing. These teams share between fheni the pick of our local batsmen, but no stranger would have suspected it from witnessing ' tho opening phase of the final game. Emphatically it was a day of cheap wickets. One or' two of tho front-rank 'batsmen rose in' their display as high as mediocrity, or maybe i shade above it, but not sno did his powers full justice, and.sevcral, who ordinarily stand top of the list or thereabouts, were dismissed Without doing anything at all.

Central A won the toss, and, electing to bat, sent in AVilkinson and Naughton, Gibbes and Hickey opened the attack. Wilkinson got in tho first big hit, a square cut for five off G-ibbes. Naughton opened with a breezy confidence that was slightly overdone. Several times he swiped and missed, and finally played an easy.bno on to his wicket that lie had presumably intended to hit to the country. Naughton lasted ten minutes, and made three. Gibbes at this point had an average of one for 8. Beechy, who was next to come in, opened quietly, got one away to the boundary for three, and settled down to steady work.- In tho rather dull play that followed, an occasional good stroke was nullified "by smart fielding. Scoring went on at_ a snail's pace.. Central compiled 20 in twenty minutes, and 40 in" forty minutes, but there were a couple of incidents before the latter point was reached. Wilkinson succumbed in a ridiculously easy way. Playing a tempting one from Hickey, no patted it gently to Mahoney at cover point. Blainires camo and went inside five minutes. Beechy , made a stroke to leg, and called his partner. l Grimmett did a -smart bit of fielding, and Blamires was run out by a narrow margin. Only two singles stood to his credit. Partnered now with Laws, Beechy made a. good hit now and then in tho following-, plajv and Laws .played a tolerably eltectivc second fiddle. Tho bowling was mild. AVhen.> the game was an hour' old, the East skipper put Grimmett in Hiokey's place to see what he could do, and M'Gill replaced Gibbes. Tho change proved effective,'for M'Gill, with tho last, ball of his first over, utterly confused Laws,, and lowered his wicket. Roberts was next to appear, for the defence. Beechy for a while seemed as little troubled by.the new bowlers as ho had. been • by ' their predecessors,' but' M'Gill caught him napping at last, and induced', him to lift a catch to AVills at deep-field. Roberts, after a cautious opening, shaped well. He made nimble use of his feet arid got in sonio capital strokes. The top-scoring, honours that in the final event fell to his lot were -.thoroughly deserved,; "With Stephenson at'tho other end, i'u'ns accrued for a while at a- fair pace. 'It was already perfectly evident that the jrestigo.^of-.Cpntrill A had been Jo'w--, cred for the "time being. The floweVof its hatting strength had come and gone unavailingly, and it was not to be expected that tho'tail would recover lost ground. . East A, with bowlers doggedly vigorous'-in attack and a field working liko' clockwork/ had a tight and assured grip ,'ori' their opponents aud whilom conquerors. The fact that Central were playing a man short did riot .improve their prospects.' Stephenson, with 15 runs in ha'hd, was caught by Baker at cover point, off .M'Gill's bowling. At this stagcV ufter playing for an hour and threequarters Central had made 130. Roberts,' deserting at length a policy of caution, opened his shoulders for a big drive and Tseut the ball to the far end of tho'ground. His. next stroke lifted a catch to Midlane, in the out-field, Who held it safely. AIL that remained of tho innings was'quickly over., Atkinson, in compiling a" score of 23, made some drives that wcro'numbered among the best" of the da'}-, Mason opened vigorously, and ' was batting, well when the' innings , closed. This.it did when Mitchell was bowled by Cibbcs's second ball. Central had made 173, ••'.■■■ East went to the wickets with . rosy prospects. The success, of their attack, and fielding amounted to. a triumph. Tho position sholildhave been inspiriting, but somehow the inspiring influence failed to act.. The surprises of the day were, not ycf'over, and the hour that remained for play' sufficed to-put a'totally newface upon the 'matters'at stake. To put it; shortly, a "rot" set in amongst the. East, batsmen, beside which tho mediocre batting performance of their opponents paled by comparison. Midlane aud Tucker, tried companions, topk post at the wickets, and Laws and Mason conducted the attack. Midlane made one stroke for three and just afterwards cut the ball into the slips. Travelling fast and low, it was taken by Blamires in one hand. No finer bit of' fielding was seen on the ground that day. The chanter, of disasters had opened, but not'by any means ended. At ten minutes from starting, Tucker followed his comrade, caught by AVilkinson at mid-on. Grimmett, having made half a dozen runs, escaped being caught by Stephensoil,' and immediately afterwards was clean bowled by Laws. Mahoney, after doing only a little better ill the matter of runs, was taken by Stephenson nt point, off the same ■ bowler. Hickey brought nn clement of dash into a situation.that was becoming drab and uninteresting. It was a relief to see the ball soaring upwards from the smashing strokes for" which he is famous, and his untimely departure was the more regretted. : He drove a ball from Mason sharply hack over its course. The bowler jumped forward along the pitch, and although he came to grass, managed to retrieve the ball and hold it safely. Gibbes had nlado 14 by good cricket when stumps were drawn. East A had made GG runs*for five wickets.

At .the outset the contest 1 between South' and North on No. 3 wicket was chiefly remarkable by reason of a fast and furious fall of. wickets. South took-up the defence, and Twohill, to whom, with Luckie, the North attack was entrusted, truridled in conquering vein: In five overs and a single "ball he lowered three wickets, one of them defended by Grace, who is not the easiest batsman in tho world to dismiss in this summary way. Four of the overs mentioned were maidens . and Twohill took his three wickets at.a cost of just four runs. Another wicket, that of Murphy, was .cheaply taken by Luckie and things looked very bad 'for South. Dickson brought relief that was sorely needed. In a long and chancoless innings, marked by a steady Tim of productive strokes, he knocked up 79. Wagst'afi seconded his efforts with a vigorous display that added 29 to tho total score and Burton and Haigh also travelled into, double figures. Thanks to these players South climbed out of what had seemed a hopeless position and completed an innings for the total of IGC runs. In the brief time remaining at disposal Blacklock and Phillips sot merrily to work and had compiled an aggregate total of 45 when play ceased. The North skipper was in excellent fettle and was responsible for some big' scoring strokes. With 45 runs in hand and no wickets down North have a mortgage on the match that will take a lot of lifting.

In the match Central B v. East A Central B went first to the wickets and Porteous faced the bowling of Hales. His first ball he put away nicely to leg for three. Johnston took the bowling from

the bottom end and early in his first over tempted Gourley, who returned it to him. Patterson \v,is next man in. Gourley was soon after taken behind the wickets'by O'Shea. The two wickets had produced 11 runs. Sisson went in and runs came more readily. Both batsmen opened out a bit and punished loose stuff. At 4j Patterson turned his back to one from Hales and the ball went from him on to the wicket. Schlaadt joined Sisson and the latter was immediately clean bowled. His innings had been considerably flukey. Schlaadt made a very fair stand, compiling 21, and hitting ouo five. Haines carried his bat for fifteen. Tho iunings produced 117 runs. Nash, who went on late in the innings, took three wickets for twelve runs. When East B went to the ' wickets, Crombie and Johnston kept the field going merrily till Iho call of time. Each ■nlayed the bowling confidently, notwithstanding various changes. At 25 Crombie was easily missed. He had compiled 30 rend Johnston 41 when stumps were drawn. At this stage East 13 had'to their credit !)8 .runs for the loss of two, wickets, Patktoson, who was keeping wickets for Cential B received an injury from the ball ami Schlaadt had to relieve him with the gloves.

Ait the Hutfc ground the local team was pittod against Victoria College. Battinz first,, Hntt held the wickets all through tho .ifternoon, and gave the College bowlers ,a.ad fieldsmen a. lot of work to do. Colic co'established a record for tho season :i: the matter of. changing bowlers. No f<v.ver than eight players successively tried ,-Jtheir hand at trundling, and possibly had a little, more time been available, -.the whole team would, have joined in the-attack. It follows that the Hntt batting' was cast on lines of success: Brice, Waples, and Judd each mado little of the bowling that they faced, and the last-nanv.ed player has not yet been removed, i The time of drawing stumps found Hott possessed of 293 runs obtained at a ,cost of nine wickets. It is a hopelessly one-sided situation.

CEIVTRAL A AND EAST A,. Wellington Central A.—First Innings. Naughton, 111, b. Gibbes, 3 Wilkinson, 1151141113, c. Mahoney, b. Hickey 19 Beechy, 2132111111511114332, c. Wills, b. M'Crill 34 Blamires, 11, run out 2 Laws, 2113213*. b. M'Gill 14 Roberts, 1132-.5'311333i2214, c. Midlane, -b. Gibbes; 38 Stephenson, 131211112, c. Baker, b. M'Gill ...- 15 Atkinson, 1353V1351, c. Collctt, b. Tucker. - 23 Mason, 23113, not out 10 Mitchell, b. GibSbes 0 Extras i. 15 Total -..- I' 3 Bowling Analysis. Hickey took one wicket for 44 runs; Gibbes, "three for 49; Grimmett, nono for 27; M'Gill, throe for 24; Tucker, one for 14. . Wellington East • A.—First Innings. Tucker, 133, c. Wilkinson, b. Mason... 7 Midlnno, 3, o. Blnniivcs, b. Laws 3 Grimmett, 3111, b. Lavs ...... C Mahoney 3111311, c. Stephenson, b. Laws r n . Hickey, 123313, c. and b. Mason 13 Gibbes, 312341, not out 14 M'Gill, 13, not out - j Extras 8 Total for five wickets 66Bowling Analysis. Mason took two wickets -for 39 runs; Laws three for 19. SOUTH V. NORTH.' • Wellington South.—l'irst Innings. Walters, 311, b. Twohill 5 . Johnson, c. Sheridan, b. Twohill 0 Murphv, 23/b. Luckio .5' Grace, 1, b. Twohill 1 Burton, -321334. b. Bragge 1G Hiekson, 31333133131311331213.21143111432., ~„, 111433, c. Sheridan; b. Bragge ■ 79 Wngstaif, 231311331242, c. Phillips, b. Luckie •'••■■ 29 Haigh, 1433112, b. Lambert ....;.. la Carter, 1, c. Sheridan; b.'Twohill■....;: 1 Guthrie, 14, b. Twohill 5' Schmoll, not out 0 . Extras J^ Total - m Bowling Analysis. Luckio took two wickets for 54 runs; Twohill, five- for 42; Bragge, two for 33; Phillips, none for 14; Everingham, none for 7; Lambert, one for G. Wellington North.—First Innings. Blacklock, 13112513213111142, not out... 3G Phillips, 2112111, not out 9 Extras • '• • 0 Total • '«. Bowling Analysis. Grace took no wickets for 13 runs; Carter, none for 18; Dickson, none for 13; Burton, none for 1. CENTRAL B V. EAST B, Central B—First Innings. Porteous, 31, c. O'Shea, 1). Johnston ... 1 Gourley, c. Nash. b. Johnston 0 Patterson', 211411332, h. Hales .18 Schlaadt. 23332125, c. Nash, b. Johnston 21 Wilson, 1313, c. Crombie, b. Hales ... 8 Kobiuson, 2, b. Johnston 2 Smith, 211, c. Pavitt, b. Johnston 4 Saunders, 3133, c. O'Shea b. Nash .;. 10 Wighton, 33211, e. Pavitt, b. Nash ... :0 Haines, .421323, not out Ift ' Sisson. 1232211, b. Johnston. 12 Extras • ■ • _13 Total »' Bowling Analysis. Hales took two wickets for 52 runs; Johnston, six for 38; Nash threo for 12. East B—First Innings. Wilson, 31, l.i. Robinson .; 4 Watson, 12113, run out 8 Crombie, 212112211333111113, not out ... 30 Johnston, 41-114222311231113-11, not out... si Extras _!•>, Total for two wickets ' 98 HUTT AND VICTORIA COLLEGE. Hutt—First Innings. Staples, b. Griffiths 52 Hickson, c. Burns, b. Howden 19 Isherwood, b. Salmond 1 A. Aldersley, b. Howden 10 Brice, b. Griffiths .' G3 Climic, c. AVard, b. Dempsey 23 Gate, b. Griffith's .'. : '•» Nilson, c. Dempsey, b. Fanning 11 R. Aldersley, b. Fanning 10 Judd, not out 40 j?ileher, not' out '. 2G Extras 23 Total for nine wickets 293 Bowling Analysis. Fanning took two wickets for 35 runs, Griffiths, three for 30; Howden, two for. 116; Salmond, one for 36; Dempsey, one for 34;, Caddick, none for 2; Stamton, none for. 12; AVard, none for 10.

THIRD GRADE. Templars Club met Wellington East for the second time this season on Saturday in a two-days' game, and at present East imve the best of the game. Batting short, Templars were dismissed for 7G— Lambert getting 21, Ryan 12, R, Blenkinsop 12. East replied with 110—Plain notching SG. Clarke 22, Kelling 16, Gray 10. Prain and Clarke added 1)7 for the third wicket, tho former giving many chances. With the ball, Clarke (six wickets) and Forrester (three wickets) did the work for East. I'or Templars the best figures were secured by Brown (six for ■1G) and Crossivcll (one for 8). The Catholic Club has a lead from ICnrori on the first innings of 87 runs., with live wickets in hand. Karon batting first, with three men short, made 01 (Spiers 27 not out, Coatc 17). When stumps were drawn the Catholic Club and made. 118, with live wickets down (Warne SO not out, Lcydon 29, J. M'Grath 18 not out). Howling for the winners, Warne took two wickets for •! runs; T.eydon, one for '•t; Carroll, two for 22. Atkin took four wickets for- Karori. The Catholic Club made a disastrous start, three wickets being down for only 7 runs, but Lcydon and Warne put on 70 for the fourth wicket, and .M'Grath and Warne a further 78 for the fifth wicket. Central defeated College B by 75 runs. ' College, batting first, made G7 "(Canty 20

not out, Dixon 10). Central made. 142 (J. Robinson 45, A. Donalil.-on 31). Bowling 'for Central, J. liobinsoit took four wickets for S nuts; C. .1. Bay, two for .1; and Hulso, one for 8. For the lasers, Homier took seven for 04, Sievers, three for 42.

JUNIOR. Opening a game against Wellington North, Johnsonville, in their first, innings, made 124 (fientley an not out, Coe 19). North, in their first innings, made 5!l (Iluttou 14 not out). In an uncompleted second innings, Johusonvillc made 73 at a cost of three wickets. Ilentle.y and Windley were the most successful trumllers for Johnsonville, and Proud for North.

JUNIOR ASSOCIATION. Kilbirnic- A defeated Albion by len wickets. Kilbirnic made 140 (Comlliffo 31, Tilynril 22, Ktisscll 18). and 11 for no wickets in a second innings. Albions made 34 and llli. Kilbirnic B, making 31 and 51 (Cowan 20 not out) d6feated Kilbirnic Wcsleyan by 28 runs. The losers made 39 and IS. The Kilbirnic Club takes both Junior Association championships.

HOUSE MATCHES. At Newtown Park on Saturday, a team from The Dominion defeated- the Telephone Exchange eleven by 71 runs on the first innings. Batting first, Tim Dominion team compiled 131 runs, to which Jlaysnior contributed 43, Chapman 20, and Brown 16. Olson, Magee, and Lambie each captured three wickets for Telephone Exchange, whose. batsmen were subsequently disposed of for 03 runs, the principal scorers being: Lambie 17, and Webb 10. The successful Dominion bowlers were Jlaysmor, who captured six wickets, and Boyle three wickets. A feature of tho match was tho fact that the first ball was hit. for eight by Plimmcr, who was run out in attempting to get a ninth run. Pronse Lumber C.C. beat Tanera Crescent C.C. at Newtown Park. For the winners Anderson, 33, Adams, 2G, were the best scores, whilo Galbraith, 30, Seaward. 17, Gauntlet, 11, were the best for the losers. Fay took four wickets for 17 runs, and Adams three for 19 for the winners, and Galbraith, 7 for 41, and Reynolds, three for 34. for the losers. In a match against W. 31. Baiinatyne and Co. on Saturday afternoon, Dalgety and Co. were beaten by 59 runs on _ the first innings. 'Bannatyne's, batting first, made 137, Wood .35, Caldow 20, Hollis 25, and Powell 15 being the chief scorers. Dalgety's replied with 73 (Hannay 36, Jameson 11), For the winners,. Caldow took seven wickets for 22 runs, whilo Robinson and Macmorrau were inos:. effective with the ball for the losers.

IN OTHER CENTRES. INTERESTING MATCHES AT. CTRISTCHURCH. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Christchurch, March 11. Play in the tenth round of the senior matches to-day was full of incident. Sydenham were leading by three points, and had to he beaten, whilst St. Albans had to get a three-point win to ; deprive Sydenham of .the championship for tho season. St. Albans got their three-point win, and West Christchurch. defeated Sydenham amidst the greatest excitement, as they required 253, and had lost eight wickets for 239- The tenth round ended in a tie between St. Albans and Sydenham: The match between West Christchurch. and Sydenham was marked by a magnificent partnership between Reese, :>S, and Lusk, 91, who added 113 to .tho third wicket. Donnelly., also hatted well for 10. In the St. Albans versus Linwood game, the former, wi'.h . 170 against, them, made 299 for six wickets, and declared. Crawshaw batted magnificently for 122 not out, and Bishop made 71 by equally Rood play. Linwood could only total 15.5 in the second innings. . Thomas. 45, was (op scorer. St. Albans made the necessary 49".f0r the loss of one" wicket (CrawShaw not out 21). Kiecarton, playing EastChristchurch, just succeeded in passing their opponents total of 158, with a score of 159 (A. Norman 41). East Christchurch went in again and a fine partnership by AV. Carlton and Sims put on IS2 for' one. wicket, Sims hcinp not out nt the liuisli with 113, made in his very best style.

Auckland, 31 arch 12. ' Only one senior grade match wns'pkyeil on. Saturday. ■ The otlier two were postponed owing to 1-Meu Park having been rendered unlit to play on by tho •recent heavy rain. In the Grafton-North Shore niatehj the former team won by SO runs on the first innings. Tho scores were: Grafton,' 92 and 180 for six wickets (innings closed), I). Hay (41) and Horspool (40) being tho highest scorers. North Shore made 42 and 87 for eight'wickets (Prime 22, I''ar(|iiharson 20).' Shacklock took five wickets for 20 runs.

Ouncdin, March 11. The senior cricket matches were continued to-day in beautifully fine weather. The following are the results of the contests:— Carisbrook B made 228 in their first innings (Ramsden 58), and Dunedin made 1!) and 80 (for three wickets). Carisbrook B thus secure a two-point win. In Granae v. Alhiun i.m latter inndo 2i)2 and 55 (Hiddestone 21 not out), and Grange 28(J and' 08 (for six wickets), winning by six wickets, and making a twopoint win. In the match Carisbrook A v. Opoho the latter compiled 194 and 113 and the former 110 and 124 (for six wickets). Carisbrook A secure a two-point win.

Catch of the Season. Laws and Manning's splendid stock of cricket materials. Courtenay Plecc. Repairs a speciality.*