REP. CRICKET

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11403, 2 January 1931, Page 6

REP. CRICKET

POVERTY BAY v. WELLINGTON,

SOME SIDE’S GOOD POSITION.

LEAD OF 205 WITIT. SIX WICKETS TO FALL.

FINE BATTING BY" G. J. . ••ROBERTSON.

With two-" days’ play; completed, the. '. Poverty Bay reps have worked themselves into a very solid position against Arthur Doneghue’-s touring team of Wellington colts. The visitors, secured a ten runs’ lead on the first- innings, but the home side is now 205. runs ahead with- only four men out in their second hand.. The. finish -of the game to-day should be exceptionally interesting. Play is timed, to start at 11 a.m.

For the two days’ play, completed, the weather has been excellent, if a little on the warm side for the fieldsmen. The wicket has played splpndidly and shows little signs of wear despite the free use made of it. From present indications _ the visitors, .on going in again, will be faced with the hard task of making over 300 runs in the fourth innings to win.

Wellington won the toss and sent Poverty Bay in to bat first. G. J Robertson "and R. Nicholson gave the team, a good start by making 56 runs in about 50 minutes, Nicholson then being out for a valuable 26. & Reeves ran up 16 quickly, but was then nicely taken by Browne off McAllan. C- Fraser 'joined Robertson and this pair had a very solid partnership which added 10S runs in about .90 minutes. Fraser was then out for a sound 2-1. With only three, men out and the total IS4 Poverty • Bay stocks were high, hut •the remaining batsmen did little. W. Aitken, who secured Fraser’s wicket, being the main cause of the collapse. The tea adjournment appeared to unsettle Robertson, for he was -dismissed soon after the re-start when only two runs short of three figures'. He had hatted for approximately 140 minutes and bit 11 fours in his splendid innings. P. C. Dwyer innde 19 briskly and J. Jennings hit up a merry 15. hitting a sixer off MeAllan and then being skittled by the next ball. W. Aitken finished. un with the fine figures of four for 27, while MeAllan secured four for 74. in the course of just- over 20 overs..

Wellington opened badly by losing Hepburn, run out. at seven. B'owno and .Ward then battled very freely to score. 70 in the 48 minutes remaining' before stumps. Soon after the resumption yesterday Ward was dismissed with 29 to his credit. Doneghue and W. Aitken failed to stay long and at 129 Browne’s fine innings came to a close. He made 66 which included nine fours. Fortune went -cheaply and six wickets were down for 137. Lawton and Griffiths made a’ valuable stand which realised 52- ‘in fast time, but Lawton was then run out for 49. Off successive ball's from Lord lie hit 6,6, 4, also hitting another six off the same -howler in his next over. : MeAllan "hssisfed Griffiths to put on 36, the litter then departing for a valuable 23,>, i Mc.AHnn stayed long enough to put the side ahead on the first- innings, i-hut the last wicket fell at 23/, • only ten ahead "of the home team’s total. Lockett bowled right up to his best form, sending down the -large number of 28 overs, nine being maidens, for six wickets at a cost of' 85 runs.

. Robertson and Nicholson again gave the Bay a good start-, 68 being on the hoard before Nicholson was out- for 27. With three men out for 97 Lockett joined .Robertson and laid the' wood on in great style, rapidly overhauling his partner, who was again showing very fine cricket. The pair put- on 93 in under the hour, Lockett- then being dismissed for 61 which contained three sixers and seven fours. At stumps the total was 215 for four and Robertson was still undefeated with 77 to his credit. He hit nine boundaries. Griffiths was the most difficult of the Wellington howlers in this innings, only two balls in seven overs being _ scored firm, and he finished up with one wicket for five. Six of his overs were maidens. Detailed scores are as follows:

POVERTY BAY. First- Innings. G: J. Robertson, e Ward, b Hepburn ... 98 R. Nicholson, b Brawne, b Mc:.Allan. r . ... 26 S. Reeves, . e Browne, b McAllan 13 C. Fraser, c Griffiths, b W. Aitken 24 B. Ocjg, b "W. Aitken 4 P. O. Dwver, c Ward, b McAllan ' 19 J. C. Dow, run out ... g G. Clifton, .not out 3 G. Lockett, b W. Aitken ~ J. Lord, bW. Aitken ... ... ... 2 J. Jennings, c Ward, b MeAllan 15 Extras. ••• 20 Total' ... ... : 237 Bowling; J. Fortune 10 overs, 1 maiden, 0 wickets, 41 runs; L. V. Browne 12, 2, 0. 29; I MeAllan 20.5, 4,4, 74; B. Griffiths 9,3, 0, ]2* A. Doneglme 7, 3. 0, 16; W. Hepburn o, 1,1, 18; W. Aitken 10, 2,4,27. • 7 Second Innings. Robertson ,not out ... ... ... 77 Nicholson, c Hepburn, b W. - 'Aitken' ••• ••• 27 Fraser, c Turbitt, b Doneghue ... b Itaeves, • b Donegliue t) Lockett, • b Griffiths 61 Dow, not out ... . ••• 3 Extras. ••• ••• ••• Total for four wickets ... ... 215 WELLINGTON. - First' Innings. WM Hepburn, run out ... ... 2 L. V. Browne, b Lockett 66 6 Ward, b Lockett ... 29 A. Doneghue, c Nicholson, b Lockett • 5 W- Aitken, c Reeves, b Robertson 2 St Lawton, run out ... ... ... 49 ,T.-Fortune” b Lockett 1 B. Griffith's, b Lockett ... ... 23 L MeAllan, c and b Lockett ... 29 T. Turbitt, not out ... 4 E. Aitken, lbw., b Dow ... ... 5 i ' Extras . ... ... ... 32 Total. . . . ... 247 Bowling: J.' 0. Dow 10.3 overs, 1 maiden, 1 wicket,. 30. runs; J. Lord 11, 2,0, 57; J. Jennings 8,0, 0, 14; G.; Lockett 28, 9,. 6, 85,. 4 no-balls; G. J .Robertson 12, I, 1, 29.