HUTT'S BATTING FIREWORKS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 56, 8 March 1937, Page 15

HUTT'S BATTING FIREWORKS

Hult put up a creditable performance by gaining an eight-point decision over Midland at the Recreation Ground after an interesting game, the final stages of which were especially exciting. To gain the eight-pointer Hutt had to score 52 runs in half an hour. Midland having declared at 5.48 p.m. with six wickets down for l/i runs. The local team sent in Champness and Wall, their hard hitters, who faced O'Neill, Midland's best trundler. Both players, lashed out at the bowling and the innings commenced in hurricane fashion, the fireworks keeping the spectators on their toes until stumps. Altogether five of Hutt s wickets fell, but they succeeded in gaining their objective. An idea of the whirlwind nature of the batting can be gained by the fact that four of. the Hutt batsmen were caught at longon, Macßae being responsible for two of the catches. It must be conceded, however, that the display of fielding was weak and as a result Hutt obtained more runs than they should have done. An illustration of this fault was noticed when Wall was batting. Midland had him at their mercy on a run-out decision, but through a bad throw-in Champness was able to get through and make the run. When Midland continued their innings from the previous Saturdays total of 11 runs for one wicket, Tindill and Osborn lost their wickets rather cheaply, a few minutes .after the commencement o* play. Tindill was clean bowled by Rudman, a promoted second grade player, whose medium-fast deliveries were responsible for the loss of two more wickets.

Crawford and Baker placed a restraint on the Hutt bowling when they combined in a partnership that produced 67 runs. Crawford's 39 was the second-best performance of Midland's innings. The batting honours of that innings, however, went to Gates, whose

aggressive work enabled him to score 59 runs. He had settled down to a bright display of scoring when the other tail-ender, Mcßae, was caught behind the wicket. Midland were all out for 187. 120 runs behind Hutt's first-innings total.

Midland followed on after the tea adjournment, their innings being notable for a partnership between Tindill and Crawford which produced 50 runs in thirty minutes. ---I 5 o'clock they had a leeway of 121 runs to make up and they made the total in just under an hour, largely as the result of Crawford's work. He appeared to be well on his way towards scoring a century, but at 86 he was clean bowled by Champness. The pair had scored 112 runs irf 56 minutes.

O'Neill made an effort to assist TindiU but he was run out through overeagerness. Tindill was giving a valuable lesson in singles stealing, his efforts having speeded up the scoring rate to two runs a minute. Midland declared at 5.48 with the score 171 runs for six wickets.

The decision gave Hutt a sporting chance for an eight-pointer and at stumps they had gained their objective, winning a game which was both exciting and interesting. Midland were without the services of J. Fortune, who had injured a finger on the previous Saturday. Details:— MIDLAND. First Innings. E. W. Tindill, b Rudman ... '. ■ 7 R. Buddie, c Fowler, b Champness 0 H. W. Osborn, b Champness ... 11 R. Crawford, c Gwilliam, b Ross .. 39 W. Baker, b Champness 28 W. Hepburn, Ibw, b Ross 0 A. Gates, not out 59 R. O'Neill, b Ross 17 D. McCawe, Ibw, b Wright 12 B. Macßae, c Fowler, b Rudman .. 5 J. Fortune (absent) 0 Extras 9 Total 187 Bowling: Champness took three wickets for 65 runs; Ross three for 44; Rudman two for 30; Wright one for 39. Fall of wickets: One for 2; two for 17; three for 31; four for 85; five for 85: six for 91; seven for 118; eight for 159: nine for 187. Second Innings. R. Crawford, b Champness 86 A. Gates, b Rudman 10 E. W. Tindill, not out 57 R. O'Neill,.run out 2 W. Hepburn, b Ross 4 McCawe, b Ross 6 Osborn, b Ross 0 Extras 6 Total (for 6 wickets declared) 171 Bowling: Champness took one wicket for 33 runs; Rudman one for 72; Wright none for 22; Ross three for 81; Kemp none for 7. Fall of wickets: One for 30, two for 142, three for 149, four for 163, five for 171; six for 171. HUTT. First Innings 307 Second Innings. J. F. Wall, c McCawe, b O'Neill . 23 B. Champness, c Macßae, b O'Neill 7 R. Kemp, c Macßae, b O'Neill .. 11 B. R. Ross, c Gates, b Osborn ... 8 E. Aim, b O'Neill 5 Gwilliam, not out 1 Extras 1 Total (for five wickets) ..... 56 Bowling: O'Neill took four wickets for 29 runs; Osborn one for 26. Fall of wickets: One for 17; two for 40; three for 42; four for 51; five for 56.