CRICKET.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1320, 26 December 1911, Page 6

CRICKET.

♦- ■ HAWKE'S BAY AND WELLINGTON. CLOSE GAME. SPOILED BY THE WEATHER. A TASTE OF J. H. BOARD. . A-lightly overcast sky and sweltering heat,-with hardly a breath, of''wind'to tamper it, were, the weather conditions' when the intarprov'iiieial match in which Wellington, met Hawke's Bay commenced at thu Basin 'Reserve on Saturday afternoon. Yesterday the go mo ended unsatisfactorily in a draw, its conclusion being hastened by leeuiiug rain. The wicket in the centre- of the ground answered all expectation's on Saturday, its-yellowed surface we.s as clean, as a whistle, and it ran fast and true. . | Hawko's Bay won the toss,-and elected to bat. Their innings lasted for three hours and a half, .so that it occupied the greater part of the afternoon. The attendance of spectators was small. On paper the strength of Wellington lay in its bowling, while. Hawke's Bay was more of a batting combination. Anticipation's were formed accordingly, but they were only partly. realised. There were nine men in the local'eleven wlio could have been called upon-to bowl, and six were actually so employed, but the attack was never brilliant, and often staled .perceptibly. Possibly it was a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth. Changes of bowling were tried repeatedly, there being 119 fewer than eleven of these before the visitors lost their last wicket. "Johnny", Board at his Best. ' .T. H. Board—the Gloucestershire professional who acts as coach for Hawko's Bay-nnd T. Creed, opened the batting for llawkes Bay, facing tho bowling of fcaundors and Findlay. It at onto appeared that tho Englishman was ■ in scoring- form. He handled his bat like a master, and seemed at all times' to have at command tho stroke best suited to the occasion.' Though ho took things quietly, clever hitting and splendid placing brought him a rapid harvest of runs. In the first ton minutes he compiled 20, the best scoring of tho day. Whilo Board looked like getting a century liis fellow-batsmen played a less distinguished part. Creed lasted for a quarter of an hour, and was then taken at the wickets by Beremlsen. Sniyrk was equally ineffectual. After a. few minor j strokes ho sent up a catch which was smartly taken by Blamires. Saunde-rs in each ease was tho bowler. Board passed 50 after forty minutes' play. At this stage lie had a misadventure, coming into collision, as he ran, with Gibbes, who hrfd replaced Findlay. The Englishman got a staggering knock on the face, and had to stop for a minute or so, but was soon hitting to tho .boundary again. Hindmarsli got in some effective driving and eultiug before he was dismissed by Grace, wlio had replaced Saundbrs, with the fourth ball of his first over. Board's Downfall. H. L. Blamires-(brother of E. 0. Blamires) was caught at the wickets after a brief career. Soou after ho had been replaced by O'Brien, the fortune of the day turned against the visitors, Board losing his wicket to Findlay. The latter sent in a ball Unit turned in from the off. Tho Englishman struck forward a thought too quickly. He just tipped tho ball and turned it from the off stump to tho other side of the wicket. 'In his innings of an hour and 35 mimttes, Board compiled 82 runs. His scoring had slowed a little as the ho.t. afternoon .wore on,- but ; lie. continued to knock about tho bowling right up (0 tlio moment of his downfall, which came quite as a surprise. Tho score then stood at 124 for five wickets. Board was replaced by Fulton, a batsman irho showed a ready command of strokes, and attacked the bowling with spirit. Py tho time that O'Brien succumbed to a. Yorker from Gibbes, ho nnd Fulton between them had lifted tho score to US. There had been several inquiries for Patrick, who thus far: had been doing useful work in the out-field, and cheers arose when he was put on to bowl. As it happened, he did not. tako any wickets, but his first delivery was followed by tho dismissal of a batsman. Grant made a stroko for one, and ran half-way down the wicket, intent on gaining another run. Fulton, at the other end, stood fast. Becchy made a smart throw in—one of many which he accomplished during the afternoon —and Grant was easily run out. ■ At 5.10 p.m. Fulton and Stevens, in a partnership lasting for just 40 minutes, had mado the same number of i-uus. Stevens raised tho score to i 203 with a boundary drive for four, w.hen Hawke's Bay had been about three hours at tho wickets. Immediately afterwards Fulton cut through the slips, and was safely caught by Patrick'. At this point eight wickets had fallen for 201. Twenty minutes of uneventful play completed the innings, the Hawko's Bay score standing at 238Wcllington Opens Badly. In the forty minutes that remained for play disasters descended on Wellington thick and fast. Becchy and Phillips opened the batting, Fairey and Fulton taking up the bowling for the visitors. The Wellington skipper was clean bowled by Fulton half way through tho second over of tho innings. Phillips opened well, but was not long in following Beechy to the pavilidn. Ho was struck high up on the pad by a rising ball. . From the stand it seemed that tho ball would havo cleared the wicket, but the batsman was given out l.b.w. Blamires was the nest victim. Though ho-made somo dashing strokes, his defence was a bit shaky at times, and he seemed unable to.get comfortably set. An off-break from Creed found his wicket when his score stood at-28. Gibbes batted confidently from the outset, and was scoring well when stumps were drawn at hall-past six. Tho position then was: SS-3-2S. -.'....

On Monday—Gibbes's Day.. The copious rain of Saturday-night and Sunday worked a transformation'.on the Basin "Reserve. Whoa' Monday niorning dawned the wicket was no .longer.yellow, but green; and the outfield was soaked. To start at 10 a.m., according to programme, was impossible, but the game got, under way again shortly before noon. Gibbr-s continued his batting, and., was joined by Mahoney. The former was quick to turn the altered conditions to account, and commenced a vigorous onslaught on the bowling. He hit boundary after boundary, and runs came to his account rapidly, risht up to the moment of his dismissal, which was an .undeserved misfortune. .He made one run. from n stroke, and started out to get another. Mahoney set out from the oilier end, but turned and went back. Gibbos was within a few yards of his partners crease when his wicket was knocked down. Maliouey's stoy-at-hqmo attitude drrw unflattering remarks from the spectatorate. . One frown of Fortune was followed by others. tirnco had not long arrived when'ho was caught and bowled by Sniyrk. Xaiichloii followed suit by knocking up »u easy calch. .which was {■ikf.u »l point. Ala honey pl.-iyei] a la-irly cooii innings, but.wa.s at.all times uii-ti-vtain in his run-getthig. He brought off somo ri.-ky attempts.- mid at other limes iie-,'lei'lc:l easy opportunities. A 'ii qiisirtcr. to Ihrcc Wellington were all out for ITS. ■ ' . Hawke's Bay Bat Again. U three o'clock Hnwkc's Bay went to the wicket? for another term, whioh was chiefly notsbln for. the easy. dismissal of Board :i'.ul the vnsari?« of tho weather. The Tin,?lishman. with only half a dozen rum in hand, skied n ball, which was i-iii-ffiillv collected l.y Phillip* ill t.l«n de»n field. Fiiidlay was'(he l>awler. . It will te remembered that he took Hoard's wiclcet in the first inning*. Tim inninsH went on placidly, Oved steadily r.ilinjj up a score, until shnrily Jiflcr half-past thro?, when raiii began to fall from grey clouds which had for some time been advancing from the south. There was n stir ami a scatter among the spectators, who were more numerous .than on the previous dnv. Some of them made for the gates. The lain increased in volume, and at ten minutes past four play was suspended fur .half an hour. Finis—A Wet One. Another start was made under decidedly iiiu-'.v.iil'oi'tablK'conditions. A steady , drizzle was descending, ground and wicket

were sodden,, and the ball was of course most uncomfortably greasy. At ten minutes to live. t)i(TC was jinothcr .suspension of play for half an" hour,- and it;hud not long been resumed when it,was finally abandoned, steady soaking rain making it impossible to proceed any longer. Blatuircs and O'Brien .were joined iti a profitable partnership when , the inereashig wetness put a stop, to, their efforts. The match ended in a draw. . •■■ . THE SCORES. ' ' • Hawke's Bay;— First Innings. J. H. Hoard, 41241311411111121112*14241 ' .11.121123111131,. b.,l;'indlay. ,;'...;...... 82 T: Crce<l, 111, c: Bereiids'en'i b. Saun- ' dors .....■.....■..:....•...■......... .;:..;.... .3. E. W.- Sinyrlc, 112, c. • Blamircv b. ■ ••' launders ' ".;.'...:'..'......;..;.':;;..;.f. ( .'..;.".; ,, "4 J. S. llindmarsh, 11414141,1). Grace... 20 11. L. BUiniiros.- 112111141, c. Borend-' sen, b. J.'indln.v ■;. ;.. 13 J. J. O'Brien, 151144, K Gibbes .......... 10 1 , .' It. Fulton, '111211121111521121441, C." ■■ Patrick, b.'.Blamircs ~r......V........... 42 M. K. Grant, , I,. , run out ". ;... ] G. Stevens, ,11111111411, h. Gihbos ,v < «. Fairey,; 331341441, b. .Saunders U l>. Asheroft, 113, not out.' ;.:...;....;.■ a Extras ~.....,..'.....; ..:.". ;...... 12 . Total ......v.... . ...... '...„ ......238 How the .Wickets' Fell. 12 3 4 ;5 .g; 7. 8 9 10 3 r - 39 82 122 .124 148 160 204 .214 238 Bowling. .Analysis. '■ Saunders took , three wickets for 54 runs. Findlay, two lor 50; Gibbes, two for 59; Grace,, one f0r , 34; Patrick', none for 17; Blamires,'one for 13. ..' " ' : Findlay was -no-balled once. ; - Hawke's'Bay—Second Innings. J. H. Board, 11112, c. Phillips, b. Fimllay ;..';....•.....; G T. Creed, 2412113111314144, c. Findlay, b. Patrick ..:.:. 37 E.W. Sniyrk, 11,, c'. Saunders,. b. Find- / J. S. Hindniarsh; 1, run out: ' 1 H. 1,.- Blamires; -433312414111422413411 ■ 221, not out ; 55 J. J. O'Brien, 2112344113, not. out 22 •Extras '..;.,.■.:....., 11 Total. for four ..wickets 131 How. tlie Wickets Fell. . . ~.1 •'.: 2■.■■!' 3. ' i... . 22 23 33 81 Bowling Analysis. Saunders took'no wickets for 35 funs; Findlay, two for 26; Gibbes, none for 21; Patrick, one for 36; Grace, none for C. Findlay was np-baJled once.' . . . Wellington—First Innings. E. Phillips',' 14141; 1.b.w., 11 E. 11 Beechy,,3l, b. Fairey ;;,... ( E. :O. Blamires, 441112114111212, b. Creed ...:........ „...........: 28 W. Gibbes, 24141111424C2144213241141, not out .'i.. , ~... Gl Mulipney, 1111413212112421, c. and b. Smyrk ..;..,. 28 Grace, 112, c. aud b. Smyrk I Naughtou, 14, .c. Anderson, b. Creed 5 Patrick, 14114, 1.b.w.,, b. Fairey.. v> Berendsen, c. Blamires, b. Fairey I) Fjndlay, .414;),. b. SmjTk 12 Saunders, not 0ut.... ;„. .|) Extras „ ...,10 Total , 175 How the Wickets Foil. 12 3' 15.078 9. .10 5 2G 58 113 124 135 161 163 163 "lTp" Bowling Analysis. Fairey took three wicketo for 33 run.;; 1; ulton, two for. 59; Creed,: two for". 30 ; bmyrk, three for 27; Stevens, none for 16.

At Kclburne .Park ,on Saturday, tho Vacuum Oil Company defeated a" ■ team from the.s.s. Cprinthic:bylß.Tuns.: Tho Oil Company's team.; compiled , 82 runs, and their opponents 64 runs.