TO-DAY'S CRICKET.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 72, 28 March 1910, Page 7

TO-DAY'S CRICKET.

THE TEST MATCH. SECOND DAY'S PLAY. NEW ZEALAND TEAM AT THE WICKETg. The second Test Mskih was resumed to-day at 11.30 o'clock. The weather was muggy. At certain periods last evening it looked doubtful, but indications at the time of starring pointed toi a day without rain. Tb c sprinkle eavly j this morning did no ha/.-m ; on the other hand, it freshened up, the grass somewhat. The wicket bef.rayed no i'/l-effects from Saturday's use. The attendance at the time of starting was smali, but growing visibly. One thing to be thankful for was the absentee of £he -distressing northerly that maVle itself such a nuisance on the opening day. At stumps on Saturday New Zealand had lost three ior sd. Lusk (20) and Reese (6) resuimtd to-day. The three Aucklanders— Sale, Hemus, and Haddon. —had been in and out, and in the casa of Sale it was not unEktdy that his runout will be sadly x'elt to-day. The local eleven was 204 to leeward of its opponents' score, 1/ut it was a batsman's wicket, suire enough. The tail of tha eleven — most likely Brice, Bennett, Boxshall, and. Sandman — was just as likely to do Uiing.R as not. If they do get runs it bhorikl prove merry cricket. LUSK BEATEN. Shortly after time Whitty opened to Lusk, who put his second ball uppishly through the slipj, for a single. Ree.=e took the remainder of the over safely. Facy, with no wind to assist him this tune, began again from the north end. Lusk slipped one deep for a single, and Reese with a nice stroke chopped on« to third man for another. To the next ball Lusk reached out, and when ho failed to touch it walked out and looked at the pitch, casting (by suggestion) the blame upon the turf. With a, straight drive off Whitty Reese sent up" 60. Lusk fluked another through the slips without adding to the total. This was his last chance, as Whitty clean bowled him with a ball that sprung in a good deal, the batsman attempting to on-drive it. °°— 4—22.4 — 22. He had not been at all happy during hi/s short stay to-day. ANOTHER WICKET IN QUICK TIME. Siedefoerg, the Ofcago mainstay, succeeded him. The remaining two balls from the left-hander Siedeberg watched very carefully. Reese,, at the other end, was lunging at Facy, and the slips crouched expectant. The last ball of the over— a maiden — the captain jammed on to a yorker. Siedeberg opened bis account with a single for a well-placed drive off Whitty past mid-off. The, scoring was funereal, and Whitty was mixing them well, taking a lot of playing. Five runs were up in eighteen, minutes. But it was Facy who was to add a notch to his average. He rocked dow'A a fast one one to Siedeberg, wha had his leg stump knocked out. 61 — 5 1. The ball was made doubly difficult to play inasmuch as it kept low. TEN RUNS IN TWENTY-FIVE MINUTES. Sims followed, and began in an encouraging way by square-(Cutting tha first he received from Facy to the rink. This heartened up the crowd, who cheered further whei> tht> newcomer forced one to the on — rapid scoring comparatively. At noon 66 runs were up on the board — 10 runs m twenty-five minutes. Sims, after playing Whitty to the on, pushed one straight for a single. The crowd cheered every run. Here Gorry appealed for a lbw against .Reese, but the umpire said no. SIMS HAS SOME LUCK. Facy was bowling with but one man," Whitty, to the on, and his fast stuff kept the batsmen on their toes. Reese straight drove the left-hander down tho ground for a single, making his score double figures, and that total 70. Reese's score was all singles. He was playing himself in, slowly and carefully, for it was a crucial period in the innings. If ever a stand was needed, it was at this stage. Facy encouraged the monotony by sending down another maiden. Sims batted with much more confidence, and <now and again jumped out to Whitty's slow break ball. The South Australian at times curled in disconcertingly, and Reese (left-handed) stopped severai with his pads. At last Sims, who had been smothering WhiUy's slow stuff, lay back, and cut a short one inside point to the stand rails. Reese, incited to do likewise, off -drove Facy to the rails, Mayne chasing the ball. 80 up. Two fourers practically in succession ! The crowd looked for more. Sims lofted Facy dangerously high through the slips over third man, and took the next one on his pad. Opposite Whitty, Sims turned one prettily past Armstrong to the fence : Sims 22, total 90. Sims had given his partner eight runs and a good start in minutes, and was now eight to the good. The over following, Whitty had Sims in trouble, one ball going very close. Two balls later he had some more luck, when he snicked one to Armstrong's left-hand a.t first slip." The Australian captain attempted to get it on the rebound, but missed. Sims was then 24. Facy bowled another maiden, and was mixing a few yorkers for Reese, who, it is alleged, displays a partiality for the Tasmanian. THE CENTURY UP. Reese livened up by lifting Whitty safely to the boundary, and with a single the following ball, brought up the level century, made in 115 minutes. Reese (himself) was 20. Bardsley, close in as long-on, was finding the ground uncertain, and 'took no chances when going do>vn to the drive. Reese square cut a short one from Facy to the rails, and Sims hit Whitty past cover to the fence. Facy was given a spell at 108, Armstrong going on in his stead. Facy'a average was 3 for 53. VALUABLE PARTNERSHIP. The Australian skipper had his field well spread. Reese, jumping in t» him, ! drove him to the track, and turned one j round to leg for a single, making his own score 30. Hopkins relieved Whitty (one for 48) at the south end, and Reese drove him for a couple. The scoring showed signs of brightening up, and so far the partnership — a much-needed ono — had put on over 60 runs. Sims made his score an even 30 by pushing one of Armstrong's slows to the on, and Reesedragged the next round to long-leg, where Smith saved, throwing the wicket down from near the ropes. Sims and Reese had pulled the game round encouragingly, in good style, though the former had had some good fortune. He was not making much of a fist of Armstrong's slows when he played back to them. Reese, since the double change, was now scoring the faster, and drove Hopkins to the on for a couple. Armstrong in four overs had bowled two maidens in succession. Sims cut Hopkins, who did not appear to be bowling dangerously, wristily through the slips for 3, Bardsley just saving the four. Reese pulled a loose full-toss from the same bowler to the stand rails. Total, 128 : Reese 40, Sims 34. Bowling to Reese, Armstrong had no slip and no point, and only* two men on the off. A maiden to Hopkins, and Sims got a single off Armstrong's first ball. Just before lunch Warne relieved Hopkins, and bowled an over of "googlies." Reese jumped out to the fifth and just scraped it clear. A couple was scoied off iU.

At the luncheon adjournment the score was 135 : Reese 44, Sims 37, both not out. The pair had added 74, making a most valuable stand. Sims's chance to Aimstrong was » very soft thing, and the latter made a sad mess of it. Whitty had bowled distinctly well, mixing his pace judiciously and coming across at times with a dangerous turn. The wicket appeared to assist him a little, and twp or three of his deliveries kept very low. Armstrong kept to his old formof attack, with all his men but two on the on. Ho kept a beautiful length, and his break had Reese more than once in serious trouble. Hopkins's length was erratic, and Reese played him comfortably. THIS AFTERNOON'S PLAY. SIMS BOWf,ED FIRST BALL. After luncheon the weather was much more decided. The sky had cleared considerably, and tho sun came out hot. The attendance was a considerable improvement on what it had been in the morning. Sir Joseph and Lady Ward and party were present. As usual, there was some delay in resuming. It was 2.30 before the teams filed out. Facy opened to Sims, and created a sensation by knocking out Sims's leg stump first ball. The ball kept rather low, upending the wicket, and Sims jammed down late. 135 — 6—37.6 — 37. Sims played an invaluable innings, and it was no disgrace to jgo down before such a ball. The partnership represented 74 runs. Brice in, Facy's over was a maiden. REESE DROPPED. Whitty began at the sooth end, and Reese fluked one through the slips for a brace. Brice cut Bacy sharply to Kelleway at third man, and the fieldsman scored cheers for a clean pick-up. Facy, in his next over, should have had another wicket, for Reese (46) mishit his first one hot to Gorry, standing back, but the ball was not retained. There was a pretty confident appeal against Reese for lbw. off the last ball of the over, but it was not allowed. The Tasmanian was wheeling them up faster, if anything, than in the morning. Brice crossed the Rubicon with a single down the off. Reese had not settled down again, and was dragging on his stroke.. He sm-vivd still another appeal from Qorry. Bnce stretched out to Whitty, and scooped him high to the on ropes. Off the next the batsman smote a clever single. Another well-run one came from a tap through the slipj* off Facv. Reese ran into the fifties with a single off the fast bowler, and the crowd recognised ■his effort. At Rvt minute* to three < Basin Reserve time) 150 was hoisted, and simultaneously Brice was sent back. Whitty whipped in one with a little extra sting in it, and Brice just touched it into Gorry'6 gloves. There was no doubt as to the unanimity of the appeal, and the Petone man had'to go. 150— J- — 8. Sandman, who got two fixers off Armstrong in the Canterbury v. Australian match, was next. ANOTHER LIFE TO REESE. Then Reese had a second life, again off Facy. He. snicked the Tasmanian once again into Gorry's hands, whence the ball went into Armstrong's — and out again. It was a touching business, and Urn Australian skipper rolled over in his endeavour to hang on to the chance. Reese, Incky man, was then 51. At 3.30 following were the scores : — Lusk, b Whitty 22 Beese, not out ... ... 69 Siedeberg, b Facy ... 1 Sims, b Facey v .. 37 ■Brice, c Gorrv, b Whitty 8 "Sandeman, b Facey , w 3 Bennett, b Facey 4 ... 6 Boxhall, b Facey ... 0 Extras « ... ... 7 Grand total „, T .- k .. 177 --" WELLIN6TON v. HAWKES BAY. {BZ TELEGRAPH — PRESS ASSOCIATION.] NAPIER, This Day. ' Play' in the Wellington-Hawkes Bay cricket match was resumed at 10 o'clock in dull weather. Kinvig lost his wicket shortly after the start, getting l.b.w. to Fenton, after making 15. When the total had reached 73 for four wickets (Roberts not out 7, Patrick not out 1), heavy rain set in, and play was suspended till 1 o'clock. The match was resumed at 2 p.m. on a, wet wicket. Additional scores :—: — 'Roberts, run out „. 11 Patrick ... 20 linlayson ... ... 4 Extras 3 Total for five wickets ... 100