CRICKET.
[Br The Breaker.]
DEEDS ON THE CITY GROUNDS. College-North Encounter. i Number 3 wicket, tho scene of the Victoria College-North match, was at times difficult, this being especially noticeable in tho Collego second innings, when several of Eindlny's fast ones failed to rise. "With tho brief timo at his disposal after the Tain, Saunders did remarkably well to get tho wicket in any condition at all. As far as the North players were concerned, it was not a batsman's wicket, for Crombio was tho only member of tho team to reach double figures. Though he gave a couplo of chances at different stages of his innings, it was a pleasure to seo bim hitting out at anything that looked liittable, while his various partners seemed mostly frightened of the bowling. Crombio has evidently been giving attention to practice, and, as was the enso last year, ho opens the season in much better form than tho majority of the players. There was really not much to choose between College and North, and, had the match been completed, it seemed quite on the cards that North would havo turned a first-innings defeat into a victory. That tho seore of tho North was not bigger in tho first innings was due to some excollent ground fielding by tho Collego, but one or two soft catches were dropped during tho innings.
From Near and Far. News of a good performance behind tho wickots comes from Christchuroh.- While West Christohurch were compiling 280 runs on Saturday last, Taylor, who was keeping wickots for Linwood, never allowed an extra. In addition, he 6tumped ono of the batsmen.
Interesting items from Sydney are as follow:—Playing for North Sydney against Burwood, Dr. H. V. Hordern bowled in excellent form, and there is every reason, to believe that by the time the Englishmen come along he will be at his top. The Bosic artist captured six for 70, following four (or 65, and three for 47, so that' ho is gradually tuning up the arm and fingers to their work. He is practising regularly, and, though not available for the match next week with Queensland, ho is keen on the game, and will bo in evidence in the still more important matches. Br. Ij. 0. S. Poidnvin is also practising, and will probably make his appearance with North Sydney in the next match. His lawn tennis bonts during tho vrintor have kept his condition good. E. J. Long, the wicket-keeper, i>ro established a world's record by securing eight wickets in an innings for Middle Harbour, re-appeared as a Shoreman in the Burwood match. 111-health 1-ept li m out of the game last season, but ho is very well again. To record the many trinmnhi ail'n bat and ball to tho credit of Dan Reese (remarks a Christclmrch writer) would occupy too much space. Suffice it lo say that the fulfilment of his early promise ha 3 been complete. Ho was a member of the New Zealand team that visited Australia in 1899, and we remember tho thrill of pleasure experienced hero when the cables told us of his 83 against Victoria, whon he and tho burly "Jim" Baker put on 135 for tho first wicket. Reese has scored 2190 runs in first-class cricket in Now Zealand for an average of 20.7, and hns taken 119 wickets for 2513 runs—an averago of 21.1.
Redoubtable East A. There was nothing very venturesome about tho decision of East A to declare with seven wickets down for 223, for their opponents' batting was by no means strong. But even the wicket could not be taken as a sufficient excuse for tho poor showing made by South in losing eighteen wickets in an afternoon for 152 runs. In the beginning, ■'South ''shaped fairly, for I'enton and Walters had quite a long stay at the wickets before they were sent back, the former by a beauty from Hickcy, and tho latter by a legbreak from (irimmett. i'enton knocked up 44 runs in all, but ho was dropped early in his innings by Mason, and afterwards by several other people. With t'enton out, South's last cbanco of making any sort of a light vanished, and all the other wickets fell in a dreary sequence. In their second innings, South fared even worse, the only batsman to reach doublo figures being Laws (2G) and 0. Johnston (12). They lost eight wickets for 40 runs, and if the afternoon had been a quarter of an hour longer the ciianoes are that the othor two wickets would have gone, and Bast would havo registered a three points win. Hickey was tho bowler who did all tho damage, and he did it mainly because the batsmen, by their methods, delivered themselves 'into his hands. It is surely bad tactcs for batsmen to poke iu an uncertain way at auch trick stuff as Hickey sends down, but all tho South men chose to do it. If one or two of them had jumped out to even a fow of the over-pitched ones, Bicker's fino average might have been affected. You must either play Hickey cleanly and carefully, or step out and hit him; scratching at him and "feeling for him" with timid forward play is no good at all. As things were, he did havo the batsmen thoroughly rattled, especially in the second innings, when ho took six wickets for 14 runs. Gibbes had rather better success than ho deserved, for his percentage of good balls was decidedly low, lower than his averages (three for 18 and one for 25) ought to indicate. Grimmett bowled much better, but with much worso luck.
Impressions of the Hutt Game. Only Bonner, or Jessop, of noted smiting fame, could have hit tho game out of the firo for Petone in the closing stages against Hutt. Eighty-five in 20 minutes is a lot to get, and, in these days, when Bonnors are scarce, it was not to bo thought of. One wonders even whether Bonnor or "Jack", Lyons could havo dono it.
Some seem to think that Nunn's slow breaks woro too expensive on the second day. Were they? Well, when tho total against his sido was only 68, it seems captious to talk that way. Tho ball that Ijot Staplos was a. weird sort of effort. It soemed to come in behind the batsman, breaking about a yard. One thing about this bowler seems pretty sure. Unless his length is very good to-day, tho East batsmen will got to work, and ho will have to bo fished out of tho hedge a good bit.
Tho Hutt captaiD, 0. I'\ Judd, is out for runs this season, and, judging by his performance in this match, should close with a fair average. Turner is another man of promise. He has a nico style, and some really pretty strokes. Of tho other Hutt batsmcu, Staples, as usual, played carefully. One first-flight bowler in thi3 team would make a great difference.
For Fetone, Brice did nothing.with the bat, but ho bowled well in tho second innings. M'Kenzie, a young player, looks as if ho will develop into a fine bat, and ho may also causa trouble with tho ball ere tho season closes. Barber shaped well in both bowling and batting. Tho fielding of both sides was good, but thero is still room for improvement in tho teams, nnd both skippers are said to bo awaro of it.
Central's Walkover. Bast B succumbed to Central last Saturday. Whether or not tho East eleven expected that that would ha.ppen may be an open question, but there is no doubt that Central expected to win. They were vorv sanguine, nowever, they hardly reckoned on winning so easily. Sumo of Central's supporters wero ;i little anxious about the bowling strength of the team. Maybo they are still anxious, for the match with East B provided no real test
The match attracted a good deal nf interest on its opening day, but when it was continued last week attention seemed to be fired in other directions. The quick downfall of East B did not servo to ill aw people away from other guinea, and the match finished' very much in tho cold. The swift exit of (ho vanquished team was a surprise. Most people expected a fairly good finish. Central had only mado ISO on their first innings, and thcro seemed to be ono reason why East B should not at least show signs of approaching that total. Particularly did this reckoning appeal to one, as thore
seemed a likelihood of Central's bowling being weak. But only two Eastern batsmen made anything like a showing— they wero the only ones to reach double figures in the second innings. These were Bowles and Jl'Girr, and both their scoi-es were small. Tho rest of the batsmen came and departed rather hurriedly. Particularly in tho second innings did thoy return and put t.'ieir coats on after making a brief and merely formal appcaranco at tho crease.
The fact that there, were no less than fix "ducks" in the second venturo of the East B people mnkes it quite clear that it is no exaggeration to say that tho "procession" was at least nu slower than accentuated lightning. When tho first innings of East B closed for Gl, and the team had to follaw on, there, seemed good prospect of Central winning without again going to the wickets. As tho second essay realised only 59, this was easily effected.
Central's bowling did not seem to be the sort of stuff that ' would break through a fortification, but it was quite hot enough for East B. Bragge shouldered the heavy end. It is probably that after November 10 a member of the Management Committeo of the association will move to have "all clubs' books produced." Tho Management Committee is considering some suggestions as to placards to indicate tho matches which are proceeding on the various wickets at the Basin.
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Bibliographic details
Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1277, 4 November 1911, Page 12
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1,663CRICKET. Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1277, 4 November 1911, Page 12
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