CRICKET

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 133, 2 December 1931, Page 11

CRICKET

[TOWN V, COUNTRY

MATCH AT THE BASIN

COUNTRY BATTING

Regarded as a try-out for players in the running for placei) in Wellington's Plunket Shield team, the Town v. Country cricket match, which has been staged annually by ±lifl Wellington Cricket Association for some years, is : also looked upoii as a. fixture likely to jiroyide kceu and interesting cricket. This year's match, whici'i started this morning at the Basiu Reaarve, is being contested by teams which include practically the cream of ■ tbe province s leading cricketers, although one or two ■withdrawals after • the .original selections have caused leading players to bo replaced. Nevertheless, the material is still o£ good qualify and capable of producing first-claas cricket. '': Throughout this • niornins»' the sun struggled with the clouds flor ascendancy, and finally won out. "Che wicket •was-hard and fast, with the ouSfield also favourable to rapid, scoring.■. . There •whs a fresh breeze from the south. A •laat-minute alteration was. nocewsary in : the Country team, H. Eoaney (Hawkes ' Bay) replacing A. ; Newman .(Bfelson), ■who was not .vailable. -- The attendance improved cowsiaerably during the afternoon, until there was quite a big crowd present. The following are the teams: — Country.—Lowry (captain), STeale, Cameron, Cutler, T. Keaney, Beck, Hayvard, O'Brien, H. Eeaney, Montgomery, and J. Newman. Town.—James (captain), Dempster, . Christophersen, Ward, Biggar, Lamaaon, Lambert, M'Girr, Crook, Duncan, and Griffiths. . . The spin of the coin favoured Lowny, and'"Country had first use of a wicket audo to order for run-getting, D. A. Cameron (Manawatu) and E. B, JSeale . (.Nelson) opening to the bowling otr M'Girr, against the wind, and Crook. A leg bye resulted, f torn the first ball M'Givr sent down to Cameron, and; after Neale had collected a single, Cameron scored a brace with a shot to fine leg. The scoring did not continue at the same rate, however, a single coming off each of-Crook's first three overs, and M'Girr boing credited with three maidens. The batsmen- -.were not nibbling at Crook's medium-fast deliveries, •which were mostly off the wickets, and M'Girr was not easy to get .away. Tho ..fielding wa3 keen. '~ After twenty minutes' play had produced only seven runs, Cameron touched one of Crook's deliveries, and was snapped up by James, # Wellington's •wicket-keeper and captain. 7—l—3. No rnna came off the over. Cutler, Manawatu, filled the vacancy, tut did not last long. Neale played a ball from M'Girr to cover-point, and the batsmen attempted a run. With the ball going to Dompstor, however, it was risky work, and a smart return «aw Cutler run out by a yard. 7—2—o. T. Reaney (Hawkes Bay), a lefthander, was the new-comer, and notched a'single off the second Tjall he received. Double figures appeared on the board as the result of a legfcye off M'Girr-after half an hour's play. Four of M' Girr 'a, first six overs, which cost four runs, were maidens. -Six' runs came oft Crook's first six overs, one of which' was scoreless. With the total at 15, Crook gave • Way. to •.•Griffiths at the southern end, and. the ..'.change was immediately eft'ec-■■'tire;-Nejfle being-given oufr:lb'w>;torthe 'new bowler's first delivery; 15—3—6. •T. 0. liowry (Rangitikei) received an ovation'as he came out to the crease. He swung his bat at Griffiths's slows, but failed to connect properly with tho; first three, although the fourth -was banged through the covers to the fence in front of the pavilion for the ar&rtarandary. of the innings. Dun■oafitwas then; brought on in place of M'Girr, whose seven overs ■•. had cost only six runs. Duncan's first "over • was a maiden, and Lo'wry then brouglit 20 up by_ turning Grifflths to fine leg. The innings had.been in progress 50 minutes. . v Eeaaey did not; appear to bo comfortable when facing Griffiths, but survived, several "iffy" strokes. He coniiected with one ball which he sent to the fine leg boundary, but missed •the next, and became Griffiths's second Ibw; victim. 26—4—18. : ".' , LOWRTJ JBKiaHT. . A-. Beck- (Hawkes Bay) joined Lowry, who. .soon got a sight of the ball after : a somewhat uncertain start, which was jprobably due to lack of practice. Facing . 'Duncan, who was ■sending down a lot of loose deliveries, ho became characteristically aggressive, sending four balls to the boundary in one over. He supplied a bright note that:the innings had previously lacked, and reached 30 after batting about 20 minutes, his score comprising seven fours and two singles. Beck was content to feel' his way and allow his captain to do ths scoring, three singles being his contribution :; .while .'-. Lowry advanced the total to 50, which ,was reached after the innings had been in progress juat over an : hour. .."-.. .With thß score at C 4 Lowry's breezy innings came to an end. He skied a ball'from Dunban, and Lamaspn ran round from third man to make • the catch." Be ba'ttedrfor half-an-hour, and " hit eight fours.'o4 —5 —36-.- " ■ ' ■■'■ r. :::;■,:::-./;Quii!T play. V\ ':'. .:, V. .-..= ■ The--vacancy, was by Hay ward, who' has made good scores in the Rangitikei district. The newcomer was by no-means comfortable iniacing Duncan and survived an appeal for Ibw. Beck kept his end. up soundly, but 'ho scoring had slowed down considerably. At length Hayward made a determined effort with a cross bat to deal severely with Duncan, butit was to no purpose. However, when Crqrpk relieved. Griffiths, with the.total -at 4J, some- singles were, registered.*. The vchahgg' 'was. rja.a.de a doubio .'phe, "Janiek. bringihg;. On.1 M'Girr ' .at thengrtliern end, and another, maiden -"over wenf to this bowler's account. Hay-ward, afterwards. helped matters r along by forcing a ball from Crook to ;' the.onjor.three..' Beck reached.double , figures with, a single to leg off M'Girr, after which Hayward realised a brace from a snick through the .slips. The batsmen had becoino rather more at home, although the bowlers were still on top.- Eventually a late cut by Beck improved the scoring account by four. Hayward followed this up with strokes to the off and to leg which brought in half-a-dozen runs. The total was 93 when Lambert was tried for the first time. Beck treated this change with caution, bnt when a short-pitched ball came along ho immediately sent it to the pickets. Tho century was reached Tvhen Lambert was no-balled. Play . had been in progress for 112 minutes. There was no further scoring before the luncheon adjournment. THE AFTERNOON'S PLAY. Griffiths sent down the first over after lunch, and two singles and a throe were added to the score,. James missing a chance -of stumping Hayward off the last ball. Beck realised a four off M'Girr's first delivery with a nice square- cut,- and brought 110 up .by aotchlng a single off the last ball of the.over; Beck survived an appeal for Ibw by Griffiths, and in the aaino over Hayward reached 20 by sending the «!ow bowler to tho fence. Ho had been batting 50 minutes and was now Bhaping confidently, as was his partner. A drive to M'Girr at mid-off, with, tij-e addition of one for an overthrow,

added a couple to Beck's score and placed him in tbe thirties. The batsmen were presenting a solid front to the attack, and the score mounted steadily, 120 being reached at the cud of the first quarter of an hour after lunch. Shortly afterwards Beck stepped out ( to M'Girr and James whipped the bails off to send him back to the pavilion. Ho had played a valuablo innings, batting 80 minutes and scoring mainly in | singles.. He hit three fours, and his partnership with Beck added 57 to the ' score. 121—6—33. i O'Brien (Hawkes Bay) followed, but i was out to the second ball he received i as the result of the third Ibw decision ] of the innings. 121 —7 —o. i H. Beaney (Hawkes Bay) filled the vacancy and survived the remainder of i the over, which was a maiden. His innings was of brief duration, how- • ever, as ho was beaten by a ball from 1 Griffiths, which took off his .- bails. ] 128—8—0. . .! Montgomery (Wairarapa) Teas the > next man to go, giving Griffiths his 1 fourth wicket. 130—9—2. At 2.15 p.m. the score waa 130 for i nine wickets. • COUNTRY ALL OUT. ] After the rot which had seen four : batsmen dismissed with only nine runs ' added to the score, J. Newman (Nelson) " and Hayward became associated in a brisk last-wicket partnership. . Both batsmen attacked the bowling, and 12 ' runs came off one of Griffiths'a.' overs. ; Hayward reached 40, and brought 150 1 up .by driving M'Girr to the sight ] screen. The innings closed at 2.30 p.m., , when Hayward was'clean bowled by , M'Girr. Hayward shaped very well in < hitting the top. score for the innings. , Once, he had taken the measure of the ( bowling, he.met everything that was sent down confidently, and scored all round .the wicket. ■'■'.. The country team's batting was i rather uneven, but the batsmen appear- < ed to be unfortunate in some of the : decisions given against them. The ' town attack did well to dispose of the • visitors for such a moderate score, but was-seldom really dangerous. : ■ . I Details: — ■ ■' ' ' .' 1 .-'..- COUNTRY. •■/.-, j ■ First Innings. | Cameron, c James, b. Crook ....... 3 ; Nea.ll, ibw, b Griffiths .......... 15 j Cutler, run out • :. ■'..'. ;.;../... 0 ( T. Beaney, Ibw, b Griffiths 8 l Lowry, c Lamason, b Duncan .... 36 j Beck, st James, b M'Girr 33 j Hayward, b M'Girr ............ 46 \ O'Brien, Ibw, b M'Girr 0 i JI. Reaney, b Griffiths...... 0 j Jjklontgomery, b Griffiths 2 < Ifewman,.not out : 7 ] Extras—Byes 14", leg byes 2 . 17 ; Total 158 Pall of wickets: One for 7; two for 1 7; three for 15; four for 26; five for 64; < six for 121; seven for 121; eight for '< 128; nine for 130. ] BOWLING ANALYSIS. J O. ' M. 'R. W. < M'Girr ...... 21.4 10 14 3 ( Crook 10 1 20 11 Griffiths 10 2 51 4 c Lambftrt ..«'.,, 3 1 5 — 1 Duncaii 8 4 25 It Lambert bowled one no ball. ( Dempster and Christopherson opened tho To«m innings at 2.45 p.m. to the bowling! of Newman and H. Keaney. . Dempstev survived an appeal for Ibw c in Newnf.aii's first over. At 3 p.m. E Christophiersen was bowled by Newman. ] 20—1—7. ■ ■ • ■ ■ . -t