CRICKET

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 10291, 28 December 1926, Page 2

CRICKET

THE AUCKLAND TOURING CRICKET TEAM.

This team embarked on its fifth consecutive Xmas-New Year tour to the Minor Cricket Associations of N.Z. on Wednesday last, 22nd December, by the 7.55 p.m. express. Arriving at Dannevirlio on the afternoon of December 23rd (Wednesday'), they' were due on the next day to commence the first match of their programme, which is as follows: December 24 and 25 v.. Southern Hawke’s Bay at Danneyirke; December 27th and 28th v. Hawke’s Bay colts at Napier; December 29th and 30th v. Hawke’s Bay at Napier; January 1 and 3 v. Poverty Bay at Gisborne; January' 4th and sth v. Waiapu at Tokomaru Bay; Janu'ary 6th v. Air. A. AI. Beale’s East Coast eleven at Waipiro Bay: January Bth v. IVairoa at Wairoa, H.B. Upon completion of these matches tho above-named team will have visited and played on their home grounds all the nineteen minor cricket associations of New Zealand between the North Cape and the Bluff which are affiliated to the New Zealand Cricket Council, except South Canterbury, West Coast and Buller, and it will he a matter for consideration as to whether the team shall continue to travel or cease its activities. For this season’s tour the team will be: V. 0. Butler, N. H. E. Kockin, F. AlcCarthv, J. B". Simpson and A. F. Weir (Eden District C.C.); W. J. (“Dick”) Coates, L. T. J. Monteith ‘and Leo F. Johnson (North Shore D.C.C.); E. C. Gee, C. R. Jones. L. H. Saunders and E. W. Wells (University C.C.); IV. H. Johnston (Parnell 0.C.), and P. E. Whitelaw (Auckland Grammar School), with E. C. Beale of the Eden D.C.C. and A.C.A. as manager. Four of those,, viz., Cofites, Saunders, Monteith and Simpson, have represented Auckland in Plunket Shield matches and probably several others of the team will do so in the near future.

The tourists have a well balanced side and tbe members are, with three exceptions, all “colts” and full of enthusiasm and keenness.

There are two fast right-hand howlers in Coates and Simpson. A fast left, Wells, and a slow left, IV. H. Johnston, while in Saunders, Butler, Leo Johnson and Weir, there are four of Auckland’s best slow righthand bowlers who can impart considerable spin to the ball, while Alonteith, Jones and Gee form a useful reserve trio of howlers who can get wickets.

Tho side should be able to make plenty of runs, for it has batsmen who can play the stubborn defensive game and also those who believe that attack is the best defence and who put their theory into the form of frequent boundaries and occasional “sixers,” and the combination ot their four left-handed batsmen with their right-handers should be an added difficulty for their opponents. Tho batting is expected to provide sufficient variety, elegance and vigor to prove attractive and interesting to watch.

In fielding the team is expected to prove as good a side as any they will meet on tour, for in Alonteith, Saunders, Butler, Gee. Leo Johnson, Weir, Wells" and Hockin, they have some of the “champagno” of Auckland’s “out” cricket and their wick-et-keeper, AlcCarthy, though only 17 .years of age. (s, on bis day. both quick and sure in stumping and cat-

ching. The tour is being looked forward to with pleasurable anticipations because of the amount of good cricket in store and also because of the interesting country to be visited. The team is due back in Auckland oil the morning of January 12.

HAAHLTON r. WELLINGTON COLTS.

HAAHLTON, Dec. 27

The cricket match between Wellington colts and Hamilton commenced tc-day in ffine weather. The scoring was slow, Pomerv and Averesfc being the only ones to, make double figures for Hamilton, whose first innings ciosfed for 55. Wellington, in its first innings, lost seven wickets for 62, Crook 11, Owens 10, Root 14, being the only' ones to reach double figures.—P.A.

PLUNKET SHIELD AIATCHES

CANTERBURY v. AUCKLAND

CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 27

A Plunket Shield match, Auckland v. Canterbury, commenced to-day. The wicket was very dead after the' recent heavy rain. The weather was dull and threatening and a few light drizzling showers fell about midday'. Da ere won the toss and sent Canterbury in. The batting was very dull, except a good stand by 7 Oliver and Page, who stopped the early rot The Canterbury bowling was vorv weak, the Auckland batsmen being much more confident. Canterbury made 12S (Page 30, Oliver 29, Patrick 24, Read 15.. Cunningham ] 1). Player_took six wickets for 38, Bowley two lor 39, Allcott two for 38, Auckland replied with J 49 for three wickets (Mills 55, Bowley 34, Cooper not.out 42, Prater 12). .Sandman took two for 48, Read one for 32, and Cunningham none for 46.—P.A. WELLINGTON v. OTAGO .WELLINGTON, Dee. 27. la the Plunket Shield match, Otago v. Wellington, the ‘ latter continued tha innings at the Basin Reserve befoje an interested attendance of 6000, HSldlestone (98) and Worker (50) resuming at the wickets. The firstnfentioned continued, and reached the dfntury, and was 121 ‘when he went dnt. Worker got to 73. Of the others , Wliwry made 90, Kortlang 68 and Wimbert 49. The rest went for small iwores, due principally' to the good howling of Blunt, who secured seven wickets for 96 runs. Other Wellington scores were: ' Dempster 9, K. James, not out, 16, Badcock 4, Bruce 1, Hollings 0, AleGirr 0; extras 25-, total 448. Blunt took seven for 96, Alloo two for 79, and Zimmerman one for 22.—P.A. AI. C.C. IN INDIA. GAMES AGAINST BENGAL „ ' . SCHOOLS. (United Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received Dec. 27, 7.50 p.m.) CALCUTTA, Dec. 26, After beating the Indian and AngloIndian Schools- at Bengal, when Sandbam made his sixth century of the tour, Alaryle'bone played a drawn one-daw.match against British Schools at Bengal. Endeavoring to hit runs quickly Marylebone lost four wickets for five runs and then Sandbam, ParsonsCkand Wyatt claved out time.— s i