HUTT VALLEY NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 49, 27 February 1937, Page 23

HUTT VALLEY NOTES

FOUR CENTURIES

GENERAL MOTORS LEAD

A GRADE

. Over a lengthy period, results'of the Hutt Valley; Cricket Association's matches have disclosed a pronounced improvement in the individual^ performances recorded weekly. . In the past it -has been considered a good performance to score a century in one of these matches, but in recent weeks the achievement is becoming, a common .one .as a perusal of last '■' Saturday's results show. No fewer than four, three-figure scores were recorded. Incidentally, this feat has never before been equalled in the history of the association. ! '• : Apart from this feature of the day's play, there were also some excellent bowling performances.In the Taita versus Todd Motors;fixture,' J. Duffy was again in'fine form with the ball, capturing six wickets for 42 runs. Duffy sends a right-handed delivery, which he tosses well up on the leg stump, swinging across to the slips, and it has the effect of keeping a batsman who : is slow on his feet effectively subdued. Duffy:also batted consistently, scoring 36. Of the other batsmen, S. Cross scored a useful 26, and R. Hendersen, a new member of the team, proved himself a valuable addition by contributing 26 at a critical stage of the match. . Of the Tajjji batsmen, G. Spencer and L. Searle, two of the stalwarts.of the team, once again proved themselves capable batsmen by scoring 34 and 37 respectively. . . . H. WEBSTER IN FORM. Two seasons ago H. Webster, when playing for Bell Park, was. one of the most consistent batsmen in the association, his performances earning him representative honours. This season Webster has given some good and bad displays, but his effort of 100 last Saturday against Gracefield revealed this batsman,.at his' best.. Going in second wicket down with the score at 15, Webster was content to await his opportunities, but onc> he had properly sighted the ball his powerful .driving and hooking was a pleasure, to watch. So hard did this batsman hit 'that no fewer than eight sixes figured in his total, which-was made in exactly 60 minutes. Webster also took a- hand in the attack, capturing three wickets at 2 runs apiece. ■; ■ ■■'"', Following Webster's retirement" the remaining batsmen hit out to a tired attack, all retiring, after adding about 20 runs each, H. ,N. Jones doing best with 27 scored off one over. In reply to Meadows' total of 22 for six wickets, Gracefield at stumps had scored 136 for the loss of eight wickets, J. B. Sharpe playing throughout the innings for an unbeaten 42. .-■;.■ K. H. ROBERTSON'S BOWLING. The outstanding performance of the Gear United .versus Eastbourne' fixture was the splendid .performance of the Eastbourne left-hander, K. H. Robertson, who" bowled with wonderful accuracy to secure seven wickets for 29 runs. . Robertson is an ex-Wellington senior' player, arid he .can- be relied upon to keep the best of batsmen thinking to keep their wickets intact, Eastbourne's batsmen also had. an ■on 'day, four of them passing the quarter-cen-tury mark....-., ,;; ,;,,'.■.,.'...-■.. '. Robertson completed a fine double' with a valuable 56, which.- resulted -mainly from big hits to long-on- and the square-leg.boundary: IM "Teddy" Roberts scored two runs less than his. clubmate, but his halfcentury was much more spectacular, for his cover driving and hooking were the result of splendid footwork. Bradburn, an" ex-Hawke's Bay representative player, also batted stylishly to notch a.crisp 39. GENERAL MOTORS TAKE LEAD. By defeating Bell Park on the first innings by 23 runs, ■ General. Motors took the lead in the A grade championship. They are closely followed by Bell Park, who are one point behind with 23; then come Gear-United 21, and the unbeaten Empire team, who today are opposed 'by General Motors, are next with 20.;' For General Motors Anton, a new member, rendered valuable service with the bat to top score with 40 not out. ; Other welcome addi-tions-were-those of JVScott 23, F. Wellington 22,:.arid Fox 22. Of the Bell Park bowlers, E. Ord bowled with more vim than usual t& return the excellent figures of four- for. 21. . Bell Park's reply never really threatened danger, and had it not been for a fine fighting .effort of 30 by W. Blackwood, their innings: would have presented a sorrowful, spectacle. L. H. LAPWORTHSCORES 83. Following several other brilliant efforts in recent weeks, L. H.. Lapworth, the Trafalgar Park stylist, was again unlucky last Saturday to miss a threefigure score. 'With his total at S3, Lapworth appeared to get well over a ball from Philp in endeavouring a .cover drive, but although the ball was uppish, it appeared certain to beat the field .for .a boundary, but L. Harvey, probably the most brilliant fieldsman in the association at point, anticipated the 'stroke and moved across smartly to snap up ■ a brilliant one-handed catch. Lapworth had played a patient but stxlish innings for his runs. Jones (291 was another batsman who appeared set, but he was out to. a poor ball from Wood, whose bowling in recent matches has been deplorably 'weak. McLaggan (30) and Matthew (29) were both unbeaten at the time of the declaration of the innings at 4.25 p.m., the score being 241 for five wickets. ' . ■-■•■'' Empire's reply was, as expected, a drawn game, the early batsmen ■ advancing the score to 120 for the loss of three wickets of which. that briiliant colt, J. B. Wilson, claimed 76. A. G. White forsook his usual style of batting to play the rock. He occupied the crease for 75 minutes to score 35, including , two 6's. The remaining batsmen threw away their wickets, and at stumps Empire had lost eight wickets.. - ...