Sports & Pastimes

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2125, 26 February 1908, Page 5 (Supplement)

Sports & Pastimes

CRICKET. Notes l>y “Short-Slip.” Tho mooting between To Ilnu and Wiuulorors on Saturday was expected io furnish a Titanic struggle. Jo Huu were loading for the championship with 12 points, while Wanderers were runnors-up with nine points. A win for To It an would have given them an absolutely commanding load. Both elevens realised tho importance of tho issue, and had their men going hard at the nets all the week. Groundman Eon ton. had prepared a splendid wicket, when tho To Itnu won tho toss a long score was confidently looked, for. You never know what is going to happen at cricket, however. That is one of tho cliiel charms of tho game. A batsman with the blushing honors of a century thick upon him is ns likely as not to have to ignominioiislv trail his bat alter him to tho pavilion in his very noxt innings with the awful “blob’ staring at him li'ko a basilisk lroin tho telegraph-board. Tho strong To ltau cloven, who havo not sulfored a defeat this season, went down before the bowling ot Harry Babb like grass before a sicklo, Tho innings was a short procession, and (toll it not in Gath) tho total only reached the ignoble height of 39.

Babb was in capital form with the ball, lie always keeps a good length, but oil Saturday he varied his deliveries with tact and there was a “devil” in his trundling that the To Kau has always been looked upon Babb secured seven wickets lor twelve runs—a wonderful performance on such a perfect wiclcot. Sam McConnell was again all there behind the sticks, and only gavo one solitary extra. Sam is very safe at stopping and has a flattering rocoul this season for the small number of extras" ho has allowed his opponents. On 'Wanderers taking strike, To Kau woro confident that their total would not go far beyond the century. To Itau has always been looked ypon as possessing a very strong bowling side, but tlio Wanderers fell fiercely upon it and smote the seven trundleis who were tried hip and tliigli. Babb secured a double honor by top-scoring with an excellently compiled 42. Ho has plenty of solid defence, but proved in this match that ho also possesses plenty of good scoring strokes. The biggest surprise: that Te Kau got was when Frank Burke came in, and dominated the situation by playing the best innings of the day. His defence was very sound, and he demonstrated his ability to hit by lifting Olsen twice out of the ground for 6. Tliis is Burke’s best season in senior cricket, and lie has all the qualifications necessary to make a good player. At the onset of what I hope will he a brilliant career as a cricketer, I should like to give this player a word’ of friendly advice: “Let your captain do all the talking necessary on tlio field of play, and save all the wind you have to spare for chasing the leather and wielding the hat. George Harkor (33) and J. G. Glennie (32) also played fine innings, and met the bowling with ease and confidence. These two also did good work with the ball, Harker securing two wickets for 24, and Glennie one for 2.

Judge was left with 17 not out, and unless liis captain declares the innings closed as soon as play resumes next Saturday appears good for a score. The record at call of time was the respectable one of 185 for seven wickets. This is the highest total put up in Club Cricket in Gisborne this season. Tho To Rau howling was weak on tho perfect pitch, and they sadly lacked bowlers of the type of Harry Waclc, who could turn the ball a bit. Schofield, Monk, and J Wack bowl too much alike, and roly upon straight bowling of good length to get wickets. This is all right to get rid of poor batsman, or men out of form, but straight stuff is no use when bowlers are up against good batsmen in form. To Ran also sadly lack a slow break bowler. Bob Cary, their captain, is not a great believer in “muck,” as he terms it; but ho had to take off the pads and gloves on Saturday and send some of this self-same despised stuff before ho could get rid of Babb, who was doing as ho liked with tho straight deliveries from .Schofield, Monk, and J. Wack. And Cary got Babb, too—caught and bowled ; well done Bob. Why did you not send up a few more?

United and Taruhoni had a very pleasant gamo on the latter’s ground oil Saturday. The pitch was not in the best of order, as it had not been attended to during the week. The game was played upon the turf, and it only shows what a splendid wicket there is at Taruheru when it played as well as it did. Tho pitch looked worn, but very few balls got up. Lasker won the toss from llallamoro, and Taruheru batted. A. Young (who wa suffering from rheumatism so badly that be bad to have a man run for him) and Whiteley opened the innings. Both batted well and runs came freely off Gillies (righthanded fast) and Reynolds (lefthanded medium). It was not nnt'l the United captain brought W. Gibeffected. Young played back to tl e son on with slows that a change was slow bowler’s fourth ball, and vas bowled. Gibson secured Whitchy, Dillon, and Menriis cheaply, but C. Lasker played the slow bowler so » mfidently that Hallamore wisely brought Reynolds on again. Lasked played a capital innings. He opened with the greatest confi-dence,-and hit with all his accustom-, ed vigor, hut he kept the hall down well and nominated liis strokes. Many people mistakenly imagine Lasker is nothing but- a mighty slogger, who wildly lashes at anything and everything. This is by on means the caso, and 'against- the bowling of , say, Relf and Howden, I would as lief -back Gli irlie Lasker to keep his end up as any other batsman in the district. Lasker’s 45 was a fine performance on Saturday, and stood in isolated grandeur on the score-sheet. AV. Gibson (four for 1G) and Reynolds (four for 20) bagged the wickets. Tho former relied upon an offbreak, while, the left-hander, of

ho shaped. However, ho is not-like-ly to bo available often, ns he is employed int Hokoroa. station. Neither Coop nor Yeats could strike a length, and oanio in lor punishment. Dillon and Bond, two promising colts, shaped well for Tarulieru. Dillon bowls a good length ball, and his height causes Jus deliveries to come high after pitching. -.Bond scored lb in good style. Ho hails from Wellington, .whoro ho played junior cricket. Bowman and W. Gibson gave. United a good start by putting on 50 for the first wicket. Jim Bowman played a tip-top innings, and hooked Dillon to the square-leg .boundary brilliantly several times. Ho played well all round the wicket, and his defence was particularly sound. 9 Lasker broke up the partnership, getting Bowman caught at point. He also caught and howled Gillies soon afterwards. Tho veteran Charles got a good one past AV. Gibson, who had been a long time at the wickets for 17. J. Gibson was caught at the wickets by Dillon off Lasker after scoring 9. including a 5 to leg, off Lasker, all run out. Time was called with tho total standing at 75 for four wickets. Tho outfield was in splendid order, and the-ball travelled very fast. Arrangements are well in band for the monster on tor tain men t to be held in His Majesty’s Theatre on Thursday evening, March sth. The tickets are selling well, and a strong ‘array of vocalists liavo promised to assist. The Bice Dramatic Company supply the second Half of tho programme. As the proceeds are in aid of tho funds of tho Poverty Bay Cricket Association, there should be a bumper house.