CRICKET

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 131, 30 November 1926, Page 11

CRICKET

MANAWATU v WELLINGTON

MATCH AT THE BASIN RESERVE

LOCAL TEAM SCOEES WELL.

The encouragement of crickot in the country districts is a matter to which tho Wellington Cricket Association pays particular attention, and each seasoa a. special match is provided for the representative* of tko minor associations in. the Wellington district. If possible, other games are arranged, and one for Manawatu was begun at the Basin Reserve to-day. Several of tho leading Manawatu players were nnablo to make the trip, among them the New Zealand- representative, Hope, who is to be operated upon for appendicitis. The opportunity of a game with Wellington was .not lost, however, and quite a fair team made tho • trip, some of the members being colts of promise. The team was without its captain, Cooper, on leaving l'a.lmerston, and this meant that J. Smith, the manager, had to take a placi until Cooper arrived just before noon. In Wellington's team, captained by J. S. Hiddleston, there wore also a number of colts. Throughout the morning the weather was dull and threatening, but remained fine. Conditions generally were fair, the wicket being in good order considering the amount of rain which had fallen during the previous few days. Wellington won the toss and had first use of tho wicket, making a steady commencement and subsequently speeding up to put on runs in merry fashion. The teams were:— Manawatu: Cooper (captain), Galli--chan, Murdoch, Spring, M'Viear, Sinillie, Murray, Day, Donaldson, Norris, and Kelis, with J. Smith as manager. Wellington: J. S. Hiddleston (captain), W. Airey, J. Hutchings, K. Mason, K. James, A. C. Tripe, B. Massey, A. Grant, J. Fitzmaurice, J. Virtue, and L. Browne. PLAY IN DETAIL. Airey and Mason opened Wellington's innings at 10.15 a.m., the latter facing Murdoch and setting the score moving with a shot for four. Gallichan was the other bowler. For a time both commanded a fair amoWnt of respect, and scoring was quiet. After seven overs, however, there was some speeding up, and with this the play became brighter. Both batsmen appeared to be fairly well set, and made quite a number of good shots.' At the same time an amount of variety in the bowling prevented the batsmen from becoming too free,, though they did not neglect to lay the wood on to anything of a loose nature. At 33 a change was made in the attack, M'Viear replacing Murdoch (none for 14 in six overs). This had the desired affect, Mason being smartly caught at point. 34 —I—l 7. HXTTCHIKGS AOOBESSIVE. J. Hutchingg filled tho vacancy; and immediately tackled tho bowling with confidence, while Airey also kept going steadily. The half-century was reached after 51 minutes' p'-y, but subsequent progress was mado" faster by the aggressive tactics of Hutchings, who seemed to enjoy the slow deliveries of Spring, who replaced Gallichan (none for 28 in seven overs). Prom eveiy ball of Spring's first over the ■core was improved, and a repetition seemed likaJy in his second over until Airey found the temptation jump out top great, and failing to connect he was easily stumped. Airey h^ I batted soundly for 29. 81—2—29. BBIOHT PABTNERBHIP. Hiddleston joined Hutchings, and quickly ran into double figures. Hutehings continued to rattle on runs, and frequently jumped out of his crease to force the leather to the boundary. The scoring went on merrily, and further bowling changes did not disturb the batsmen. Murray and Sinillie were at length given a hand in tho attack, and tho latter, in his second over, succeeded in disposing of Hutchings, having Norris to assist him with another fine catch at point. Hutchings had played forcing cricket all the way, and his •core of 63 was netted in less than fifty minutes. He registered nine boundaries, and another feature of his performance was smart running between the wickets. 139—3—63. The next batsman was James,, and he, like the others, opened confidently. Hiddleston kept going in solid style, numerous powerful drives being included in his range of shots. His scoring rate wa«good, though smart work in the field now kept. the : ana d wn to some extent. The total reached 150 when play had been in progress for 105 minutes, and Hiddleston carried his score to the 50-mark after 50 minutes at the crease. For a time Hiddleston did most of the scoring, but Jambs eventually took a more prominent hand 'by dispatching two successive, deliveries to the boundary. Shortly afterwards, however, another attempt „afc a boundary brought about James's downfall, Murdoch taking a good catch on the leg side. 186— Tripe did not go very far, being caught behind the wickets after scoring three singles. The wicket was obtained off the last ball of M'Vicar's eighth over, which was a maiden—the first of the match. 191—-5—3, HIDDLESTON OUT. Shortly after Fitzmaurico's appearnncc.at the crease Hiddleaton brought 200 up with a solid drive for 4. Play had been in progress for 140 minutes. Steady progress was maintained, although the rate of scoring had slackened off somewhat. Pitzmaurice had just started to get under way when Hiddleston was beaten by a big break from Spring. The Wellington captain had batted soundly for 70, which score included six boundaries. Ho was at the crease for an hour and twenty minutes. 225—6—76. Browne was next, and after a Binglo had been added to the score he was dismissed, returning a ball to M'Viear. 226—7 —0. Virtue's stay was also short, being smartly stumped by Day off Spring, whoso slows had been causing somo of the batsmen not a little uneasiness at times. 231—8—0. Grant ■vras next, and opened by banging a ball for 4. With the score at 235 (Fitzmaurice 20, Grant 4), the luncheon adjournment was taken. Details:— WELLINGTON. Pirat Innings. Airey, st Day, b Spring 29 Mason, c Norris, b M'Viear 17 Hutchings, c Norris, b Smillie .. 63 Hiddleston, b Spring 76 James, c Murdoch, b Spring 18 Tripe, c Day, b M' Vicar 3 Pitzmaurice, b Gallichan 36 Browne, c and bM' Vicar ' 0 Grant, b Gallichan 6 Virtue, st. Day, b Spring 0 Massey, not out 1 Extras 3 Total 254 Bowling analysis.—Murdoch look no wickets for 14 runs; Gallichan, two for 57; M'Viear, three for 46; Spring, four for 103; Murray none for 11; Smillie, one for 18. Manawatn in repjy commenced badly, losing two wickets for 22 runs. Norria '5, M'Viear 12, Gallichan not out 2. Massey took both wickets.