BEATEN BY TIME

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 149, 21 December 1936, Page 20

BEATEN BY TIME

TOWN CONCEDES

DRAW

INCONSISTENT CRICKET

Town's hopes oi! a win over Country at the Basin Reserve on Saturdaydwindled when they found the batting

of the visitors in the second knock

alternately forceful and stubborn; the bowling combination was sometimes illadvised, and although it ' was well varied late in the day Country's last wicket did not fall until within ten minutes of the official close of • play. •The innings yielded 181, and had there been time Town would have needed to add only 53 to their first innings total of 285. Play on both sides in the afternoon lacked consistency, and it was often uninspiring. Country's highest scorer, N. Gallichan (Manawatu), infused occasional brightness into the game with weighty clumps to the fence, _ but his innings was not chanceless. He should have gone at' 14, when only fumbling prevented a running-out, and he had another "life" before he finally went at 58. His batting made the difference between a loss and a draw for ""Country, but his timing was a little at fault at times. A successful experiment for Town was J. R. Lamason giving himself the ball when his stock men were ineffective, three quick wickets going to him for 17 in eight overs. The next best "bag" was E. D. Blundell's three for 44. Country faced a first innings deficit of 129 when they started their second strike immediately after lunch, but the opening batsmen were very subdued. Although W. Tricklebank, University s medium-fast right-hander, was not getting his usual final sting from the north end, his length and occasional kick in-, spired caution. His two wickets both came in his fourth over, 3. Murchison (Manawatu) edging a fastish one to Ell in the slips, and D. A. R. Moloney (Manawatu) putting his pads in front. At tliat stage Tricklebank had two for 7, and he finished with two for 33. STYLISH BATTING. ■ S. Betts, of Taranaki, who had opened with Murchison, was patientlyconfident. He was not tempted by frequent off balls, and when he did steer into the expectant slips*he did so accurately. He found gaps in the field time and again, favouring wristy shots through the covers and beautifullytimed glides, and almost invariably kept to the carpet with his drives. His control and neatness were not relaxed until he was 41. He distucbed his balance by going for a loose no-ball from Parsloe, and had not recovered his poise in time to deal with the next ball, a beautiful yorker, for which he hit far too late. Betts's was the most workmanlike effort in the second innings. He gave only one chance, when he was dropped behind at 38 off Parsloe, after surviving an Ibw appeal. M. A. O'Brien (Hawke's Bay), who partnered Betts for 18, was crisp in his •■ methods but he knew little about the ball from Blundell that wrecked his wicket. His dismissal gave Betts an- ... other sound Taranakian. M. P. Donnel- ,"* Jy, as partner, and both liked the ■■'~ bowling. Betts, however, left soon "ip after the tea adjournment, and DonI: nelly, stubborn, stylish, dhd a punisher of loose" bowling, appeared well set for •■■ ... a useful total; but .he tried an impromptu big hit off Blundell and miss-hit the ball to Dustin at short cover. Country's falling stocks were braced '" ' by the advent of Gallichan. who used his reach to trounce any likely balls. He hit seven boundaries, and twice almost found Adelaide Road with 6's to ' long-on before he was caught by Ell ■ off Lamason. A. H. Cutler (Manawatu),. however, 'was only 5 when Blundell got him Ibw. SEVENTH WICKET STAND. With four wickets now left Country pursued a policy of passive resistance for a time, Gallichan by then not having opened up. After his running-out escape—he answered a call for a short one from W. E. Norris (Manawatu) —he set out to show Town what a chance had been lost. Norris and Gallichan put on 61 for the seventh wicket. Lamason's slows succeeded where better bowling had failed, but time was against Town. Country's tail was not helpful apart from 14 from Norris, and at 5.50 the innings closed. Although C. Parsloe (Kilbirnie) took only one wicket for 20, his bowling was Town's main stiffener. He kept a good length except for a few short balls outside the off stump, and there was little falling-off in pace. He bowled five maidens, his fifteen overs averaging only 1.3 runs each. Blundell was worked the harder, but he stood the strain well for nineteen overs, four of which were maidens. He, too, was sometimes inclined to under-pitch on the off, but his straight, over-pitched balls often had the batsmen guessing. In the main, his length and pace were excellent. B. Griffiths was not successful with his slow twists from the south end. When he ' struck a length his nip off the pitch was difficult to play, but he was a little too erratic to get wickets. Town's fielding was .not. always up to the mark. Details:— COUNTRY. First innings 156 Second Innings. :c Murchis"on. c Ell, b Tricklebank ... 16 _. Betts, b Parsloe 41 - Moloney, Ibw, b Tricklebank 0 O'Brien, b Blundell 18 ' Donnelly, c Dustin, b Blundell 20

GaHichan, c Ell. b Lamason 58 Cutler, lbw, b Blundell 5 Norris, c Tindill, b Lamason 14 Peterson, b Lamason 0 Christensen. c Ward, b McLeod .. 1 McDougal, not out 5 'Extras (byes 1. leg-byes 1, noballs 11 3 Total 131 Fall of wickets:—One for 32, two for 32, three for 64,. four for 92, five for 98, six for 107. seven for 168, eight for 168, nine for 175, ten for 181. Bowling Analysis. O. M. R. W. Parsloo 15 '5 20 1 Blundell 19 4 44 3 Tricklebank ..... 14 3 33 2 Griffiths ......... H 0 49 0 Lamason 8 3 17 3 McLeod 6.4 0 16 1 Parsloe bowled two no-balls. TOWN.

First Linings