CRICKET

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 151, 23 March 1938, Page 16

CRICKET

Kilbirnie’s Splendid Win TEAM WORK PREVAILS Visit By Sir Julien Cahn’s Team Likely

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By resolutely turning seemiug defeat into victory on Saturday after having been one run behind on the first innings, the Kilbirnie team won the Wellington Cricket Association’s senior championship for the second year in succession. There was great excitement when Wellington headed Kilbirnie by one run on the first innings. ’ It appeared as if Kilbirnie might be deposed from their top place on the championship ladder, but the members of the team, with tine fighting spirit, af once set out to turn the tide of battle. . » Thanks to forcing innings by H. F. Rice and S. Ward, who both reached the half-century, Kilbirnie boldly declared their second innings dosed with 147 on for the loss of eight wickets at the tea adjournment.

A Sporting Challenge. Here was a direct challenge to the Wellington eleven. They had been given two and a half hours in which to score 147 runs for an outright win. With batsmen on the side of the calibre of J. Ell, M. Thomas, A. P. Monteath, and R. Morgan, this appeared an easy task. However, the Kilbirnie men bowled and fielded with such determination that Wellington were routed' for 88 runs and Kilbirnie scored a brilliant victory by 58 Kilbirnie’s fine win was the reward of good team work. Every man on the side took the field in the second innings with the will to win. D. S. Wilson, C. K. Parsloe, IL F. Rice, H. Handscomb, and W. J. R. Christophersen bowled like men inspired, and every chance offering was snapped up by the fieldsmen or the wicketkeeper. A Good Bowler. 1

Wilson, who had taken four wickets for 39 in the first innings, again bowled in hostile fashion in capturing four for 21. Kilbirnie owes much of its success this season to this greatly-impr o v.ed righthand, fast-medium bowler, who has taken 45 wickets for 559 runs at the small cost of 12.42 runs a wicket. A feZ years back Wilson was one of the most brilliant batsmen in the senior competition. Recently he has completely lost his batting form and has developed into a firstclass bowler.

A District Team. Kilbirnie’s success may be partly due to the fact that they are a district team. In their spacious park by the seaside they are far from the distractions of the city, and may practise in the summer evenings to their heart’s content. The club possesses a most capable band of officials and is excellently managed. Added to this, the senior team is led by an experienced and astute captain in W. R. Christophersen, who has little to learu. about the game of cricket. The Kilbirnie club’s senior team has had a great record in the senior championship competition. They first took the honour in the 1931-32 season, when they tied for first place, but won on averages.,They took the premiership in 1933-34, 1936-37, and now have retained it for the 1937-38 season. The team won second place in 1932-33, and occupied this position again in 1934-35.

Hutt’s Gallant Fight. • The Hutt team put up a Spartan stand against Institute Old Boys on the Hutt Recreation Ground. Institute, who were in second place on the championship ladder, had piled up 399 on the opening day and looked certain to score a five-point win on the first innings.

The Hutt men, however, put their backs to the wall, and R. J. Kemp, R. IV. Stehr, E. J. Aim, and J. R. Capstick all defended so stubbornly that Hutt were able to hold possession of the wickets for the whole afternoon, and eventually make a creditable draw of the match, nine wickets -being down for 296 runs when stumps were, drawn at 6.30 p.m. in semi-dark-ness.'

The Institute bowlers strained every nerve to knock the last wicket over as time, wore on, but C. A. Muir and O. H. Fowler, aided by the failing light and not a little luck, hung on grimly and saved the day for Hutt. It was a sterling batting performance by Hutt, and in direct contrast to Wellington’s collapse for 88 in their second innings against Kilbirnie. R. J. Kemp, who scored 66 for Hutt, was a pupil of the late L. T. Cobcroft, and he played a masterly innings. His defence was of the soundest, but he drove the overpitched deliveries with power on both sides of the wicket and rarely lofted a stroke. Stehr, who reached 42, is an exxYucklander, and at one time played with the Parnell senior eleven. He presented a broad blade to all the bowlers, as did Aim, who reached 51. J. R. Capstick, a couple of seasons back, promised to develop into one of the most promising young batsmen in Wellington. He fell off in batting form for a while, but this season has regained touch, aud he played a sterling innings for 68 against Institute on Saturday. Institute's failure to secure a win on the first innings lost them all chance of winning the championship, as only two points are scored for a drawn game.

A Clever Googly Bowler. The outstanding bowler on the Institute side was J. McKeown, the right-hand slow googly; bowler, who captured six wickets for 112 runs off 29 overs. This youthful player appears to be. the slow s'/in bowlgy that the Wellington representative team has needed for some seasons past. McKeown can turn the ball both ways and can sandwich in a good faster one occasionally, but his faster ball on Saturday was a trifle on the short side. It would have paid the Institute team if McKeown had.been bowled unchanged •on Saturday, as none of the other bowlers greatly troubled the Hutt, batsmen. So far this season McKeown has taken 36 wickets for 491 runs at the good average of 13.63 a wicket. His greatest triumph was against Wellington in the sixth series of muJches, when he took seven wickets for 47 and five for 39.

Aggression Pays. Wellington College Old Boys owed their victory over University by 66 runs on the first innings to resolute batting by 11. H. Lamason, the team’s capable wicketkeeper. When seven wickets had fallen for 169, Old Boys’ chances of reaching the 229 set them by University did not look very rosy. Tricklebank and Stephenson were making their fastmedium deliveries kick at times in disconcerting fashion, but this did not undiijy trouble R. Lamason. He boldly attacked the bowlers of pace and, with powerful drives, hit both off their length. Swinging the long handle with discretion, Lamason reached his half-century in 42 minutes. He and R. V. Boys put on 75 for the eighth wicket and saved the day for Old Boys. After reaching 54 in 48 minutes, Lamason was caught in the slips by A. Wireu off Dean. R. Lamason is fast qualifying for representative honours as, apart from his batting ability, he has developed into a first-clasg. wicketkeeper.

The Old Boys’ batsmen all shaped well on Saturday. Every man on the side except H. V. Du Chateau and K. Young, making tidy scores, with N. S. H. Burnette (54) and J. R. Lamason (43) doing particularly well.

Free Scoring. The Karori ground must be a batsman’s paradise, judging by the free scoring which was done in the match between Mijlland and Karori on Saturday. On the opening day Karori had fallen for IGO, and Midland had hit up ‘216 for four wickets. Ou Saturday Midland ran their score to 334 and then applied the closure. E, W. Tindill, the wicketkeeper of the side, made his 72 not out in neat, style, hig dainty taps to all parte of the field be;.

ing well timed and well placed. H. W. Qsborn shaped confidently for 67. A Useful All-rounder. The Karori men showed that they could make runs by putting on 267 for six wickejs in their second innings. J. Duffy, who had'scored 45 in the first innings, led the -way with a sound knock for 120. As he took three wickets for 55 runs, he had a good match. Sir Julian Cahn's Team. It is fairly certain 'that New Zealand will have a visit from Sir Julian Cahn's team toward'the end of next season. This wealthy Englishman has a cricket team of bis own. It regularly plays matches in England and often makes tours overseas. His team is probably the most cosmopolitan in the world, as it includes South Africans, Australians, and -New Zealanders. ,R. C. Blunt and C. S, Demnster, tlie well-known New Zealanders. have been members of Sir Julian Cahn’s team for some years, and the'Australians, V. Jackson nnd J. G. Lush, are on their way to England now to swell its ranks. Nothing definite has been arranged yet as to the New Zealand itinerary, but it is understood that Sir Julian Cahn’s team will arrive about the beginning of March. Bradman’s Modesty. At St. Joseph’s College send-off to Stan McCabe in Sydney, “Chappy” Dwyer, one of the Australian selectors, told how Don Bradman had expressed the opinion that McCabe was the, best batsman in the world. The Australian selector charged Don with modesty. “Oh, no,” was Don’t reply. “I. might get more runs, but he is tl\e polished stroke maker.” SOUTH AUCKLAND HAWKE CUP TEAM Hamilton, March 22. The following team will . represent South ■ Auckland in the Hawke Cup cricket match against Wanganui commencing on Friday: R. Skeet (captain), A. J. Aiken, R. Clough, J. Everest, E. Everest, o.' McKenzie, A. Lissette, T. Morgan, T. Lyon, M.- Lyon, I’. Bright; emergency, W. ,1. Cassidy. This is the first time the holders have been asked to defend the trophy since winning it from Mauawutu. The same team that won the trophy has been again,.