CRICKET NOTES

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 114, 7 February 1935, Page 4

CRICKET NOTES

Hutt Valley : (By “Willow.”) Saturday’s matches in the Hutt Valley Cricket Association completed the first round of games for tlie Wilford-Kerr Shield. Gear displaced Metters United at the head of the ladder, defeating General Motors A, and Meadows lifted themselves into the second position by defeating General Motors B by an innings. Empire and Waiwetu x\ played a drawn game at the Petone Recreation Ground. The Waiwetu-Empire fixture did not produce any performance worthy of note. The players appeared to be affected by the heat, and this had a moderating effect on the play. For Empire, Wood, May and Richardson batted attractively, and scored 38, 24 and 23 respectively,- while for Waiwetu Berry scored 29 and Lamberg 18. s Richardson bowled well for Empire, taking three wickets for 8 runs, as also did Sherlock, with three for 26. M. Jones bowled with most success for Waiwetu, taking four wickets for 32. Tlie Gear eleven have proved themselves a hard team to beat, and will be difficult to displace now that they occupy the leadiug position. Their score of 130 for six wickets against General Motors A was the result of good batting by Sehoper (40). Cunnnoek (not out 30), and McLeod (notout 24). With the exception of Wellington, -who scored 21, General Motors’ batsmen were dominated by the accurate bowling of J. Asplett (five for 30) and Pollock (four for 29). Meadows proved too strong for General Motors B, and J. Dunn, 71 not out, and T. Langford 59. scored their runs in convincing fashion. Clothier, 23, was top scorer for the Motors B team in their first effort, but the team failed in their second innings, and could only manage 47. Meadows’ bowlers finished with good averages, H. Jones four for 2 and five for 27, R. Dunn four for 13. and T. Langford five for 60.

In the B grade Gracefield (82) defeated the hitherto unbeaten Waiwetu team (62) by 20 runs. As was to be expected, the difference between the teams was not very marked. Both teams are noted for their fighting qualities, and are capable of carrying off championship honours. Henderson (30 not out), for Gracefield, and Hayes (34) for Waiwetu. were the outstanding batsmen. Gracefield’s best bowler was Webster, who captured six wiekets for 22 runs, and for Waiwetu, Beagle, four for 10. and Swain four for 16. ' Another exciting game in this grade was fought out between Gear nnd Central. Gear scored 92 in their first innings (W. Asplett 24), and Central replied with 77 (Ingham 26). Gear’s batsmen took command in their second effort, nnd put on 116 for four wiekets (W. Asplett 20. F. Ashton 32. J. Martin 24 not out. and G. Bullen 26 not out) The successful Gear bowlers were, Martin five for 31, and G. Bullen three for 14. For Central. Ingham took four for 25, and Wilson three for 26.

A total of 4993 children paid a penny each admission to Riddiford Baths, Lower Hutt, last mont'h. The baths takings altogether. am n uuted to £4B/7/8.