CRICKET.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 8 March 1927, Page 3

CRICKET.

MELBOURNE EIGHTS HARD. TO AVOID DEFEAT. MATCH WITH CANTERBURY DRAWN. (BY TKIif.GRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) CHRISTCHURCH, March 7. In' the last two hours’ play to-day, Canterbury had the Melbourne men fighting for their lives to avert defeat. After Canterbury had l made 253 for eight wickets, they declared the innings closed, and gave the visitors a sporting chance of making the runs required, 250 in two hours 1 17 minutes. The Victorians started off briskly, as if they intended to get the runs, but the loss of two of their best batsmen early caused them to come to the conclusion that it was a hopeless task, and they set, about playing for a draw.

After this Merritt bowled! three men in quick succession, and an hour’s play saw five wickets down for 39, with sti'b an hour and a. quarter to go. Then Hansford, joined Onyons, and they played/a rock game until 1 all danger of defeat was past, when they opened out somewhat. At closing time they were still together, ami the total was 105. A drawn game, in which Canterbury had by no means the worst of the encounter, was the result for the third day.

The weather was again beautifully fine, and the wicket, though dry and dusty, had worn remarkably well. Play was resumed shortly after 11 o’clock. Hamilton, (20) and Gregory (29) were the not out men. Hendry bowled an over from the south end to enable Ebeling to change ends, and then Ebeling and Armstrong had charge of the bowling. Off the latter Gregory got a nice four to leg, but after getting three singles, Hamilton was bowled by a fine ball from the slow bowler. 59 —1—23.

Page followed, and Armstrong beat Gregory with one that almost grazed the wicket. Each batsman got a stylish four to leg off Ebeling. and 70 went up. With the total at 75 Gregory was given out. caught at the, wicket. 75 2—39. Nixon joined his captain and, after some slow play, drove the fast howler to the off fence.

After some singles, the batsmen got Ebeling prettily "to the on for three, and 90 went up. Hendrv replaced Ebeling, and in Armstrong’s next over Page was l.b.w. 93 —3—16. Roberts was next, and Johnston replaced Hendry.

Njxon drove his first ball for four. Singles brought up 100 for an hour and 56 minutes of play, and then: Hendrv resumed bowling at Johnston’s end. In Armstrong’s next over Nixon on drove one that went to the fence at express speed, and sent him to- leg for another quartette. With a hefty on drive for two, Nixon reached 30 and sent 120 up. Then Rqberts got to double figure® with a nice off drive for three, and later opened his shoulders to Aimstrong for a, four to the on. He then off drove him beautifully for four. The first ball of Hendry’s next over saw Nixon caught at the wickets. This was Hendry’s first wicket of the match. 137—4—32.

Patrick joined Roberts, and got Hendry prettily to leg for tom-. In Armstrong’® next over he late cut one 1 for another quartette, and repeated the stroke next over. At 152 Ebeling replaced Armstrong, and Patrick got the first five of the match, as the result of four for overthrows.

Sandford relieved Hendry, and Roberts batted a full toss to the on boundary, sending 160 up. He then got the fast bowler prettily to leg for three, but in the same over Patrick was l.b.w. 166—5—20.

With Boon, in, Roberts opened opt, on Sandford, hitting him for three fours in one over. This took Roberts past the 40 mark, and luncheon adjournment was then taken. A blistering ,sou’-wester was beginning to blow up when play was resumed. Armstrong bowled from the north end, and Ransford made: his first appearance with the ball at the other end. In Armstrong's next over Boon stepped out to one, but only deflected it, into the slips, where it wais an easy catch for Hendry. 182 —6—2.

Evans joined ids club-mate, and the latter oft drove Ransford for three, which overthrows turned into five. A single took the colt to 50, and a. little later he .sent 200 up with a, lift stroke to the off boundary. It. had taken three and a, quarter hours. Roberts 'lifted another one over the bowler’s head for four, passing the 60 mark. At 207 Ebeling replaced Ransford, and Evans drove him for three, reaching double figures and sending 210 up. Then Roberts gained applause by lifting Armstrong over the picket® for six. After some slow play, Ebeling beat Evans with a perfect length ball. 221—7—13.

Read went in next. He lifted Armstrong to the on fence, and in Ebeling next over Roberts got to 70 with a single. Read again got Armstrong to the on boundary, making himself double figures. He bit Armstrong for a four and a six, and in trying for another six he gave Rogerson a catch near the fence, but it was dropped and went to the boundary. In Armstrong’s next over Roberts put a soft one, back to t-lic bowler. 249 —B—7l.8—71. Merritt was next, and after he had made a single the innings was declared closed with eight wickets down for 253. VISITORS’ BIG TASK.

The visitors required 250 to win, and they had two hours 17 minutes to get them in. Hendry and Sandford were the opening batsmen, and Read and Cunningham took up the bowling. In the lat-tcr'-s first over Sandford got four for a stroke just over third man’s head, and got. into double figures with a. four past point. Read, in his next over, beat Sandford all the way. 15—1 —13. Onyons followed, but with only two singles added Hendry got one sharply to extra slip, where Hamilton, brought off a, good catch, 17 —2—3. Johnston was the next in, and the next three overs produced three runs, the bowling being very steady. Then a bumpy one from Cunningham went for four byes 1 . The batsmen were digging in, the early reverse, having dissipated any hope of getting the runs. Although Cunningham was bowling well, it was a wise move on Page’s part to put Merritt on, for Johnston had been thoroughly unhappy to the slow bowler in the first innings. The change came off. Johnston made fruitless: attempts at four balls, and the next one he played on. 29 —3 —3. Jewell went in. and got a pair off the first ball, which nearly howled him. However .the first hall, of the next over Heat him badly. 33 —4 —4. Roger.son joined l Onyons, and survived a confident l.b.w. appeal from Read. Merritt bowled a: maiden to Onyons, the laist ball of which he chopped just clear of li.is leg stump. The batsmen were making heavy weather of it. They could do nothing with Read, and Rogerson seemed oleased to get up to the other end. However, he relished Merritt less, arid the third ball clean howled him. 39 5 —3. Merritt had now taken three wickets for nine runs in five overs. Ransford went in to stop the l rot, and Read bowled his fourth successive

maiden, his last 10 overs having produced three singles. It was slow cricket. With the total at 48 Cmmuigliam went on in place of Merritt, g The batsmen could not get the ball away, but Cunningham took the iscore to 50 with a couple of no balls. It had taken an hour and 32 minutes. Nixon replaced Read, and the scoring brightened up, eight coming off the over. Cunningham bowled his third successive maiden, and 60 went up as the result of four byes off Nixon’s next over. Merritt- replaced Cunningham, and five came off his first over, sending 70 up. In Nixon’s next over Onyons got his first four, driving a full toss to the on fence. This gave him 20, and, Hansford got to the same number with a single. When SO was up Evans replaced Nixon, and Onyons got to 30 with an on drive for four. An uppish stroke past slips gave Hansford four, and sent 100 up for exactly two hours’ play. Ransford Was now 30. Read replaced Merritt, and Cunningham took over from Evans. A maiden from: the latter was the end. the total being 105 for five wickets. The- scores are: CANTERBURY. First Innings 346 Second Innings. I. M. Hamilton, b Armstrong ...... 23 G. R. Gregory, c Jewe’ll, b Ebeling 39 M. L, Page, 1.b.w., b Armstrong 16 D. C. Nixon, c Jewell, b Hendry 32 A- Roberts, c and b Armstrong ... 71 W. R. Patrick, 1.b.w., lb Ebeling ... 20 M. K. Boon, c Hendry, b Annstrong 2 C. E. Evans, b Ebeling 13 R. J. Read, not out 29 W. E. Merritt, not out Extras 7

Total for eiglit wickets (declared) 253 Bowling analysis: H. T. Ebeling, _22 overs, 1 maiden, 64 wickets, 1 no ball; H. L. Hendry, 14 overs, 2 maidens, 45 runs, 1 wickets; T. Annstrong, 26 overs, 1 maiden, 99 runs, 4 wickets; R. C. Johnston, 1 over, 5 runs; H. C. A. Sandford. 2 overs, 17 runs; V. S. Ransford, 5 overs, 1 maiden, 17 runs. MELBOURNE, First .Innings 350 Second Innings. H. L. Hendry, c Hamilton, b Cunningham 3 H. C. A. Sandford, b Read 13 A. Onyons, not out 37 R. C. Johnston, b Merritt ' 3 R. Jewell, b Merritt 4 T. R. S. Rogerson, b Merritt 3 V. S. Ransford, not out- 30 Extras 12 Total for five wickets 105 Bowling analysis: R. J. Read, 17 overs, 9 maidens, 14 runs, 1 wicket; AY. Cunningham, 9 overs, 5 maidens, ]6 runs, 1 wicket, 2 no ball's; W. E. Merritt, 11 overs, 2 maidens, 29 runs, 3 wickets; D. C. Nixon, 3 overs, 18 runs; C. E. Evans, 3 overs, 16 runs. CANTERBURY’S SHOWING. RANSFORD VERY PLEASED. CHRISTCHURCH, March 8. Interviewed after yesterday’s game, Ransford, the captain of the Mel-

bourne team, said that lie 1 was very pleased with the showing of Canterbury’® young team. They were all very keen players and willing to learn. Merritt is 4 very good bowler, and should do well on the English tour. SATURDAY’S MATCHES. The following will represent. Combined Juniors v. Excelsior seniors, on Saturday at 2 p.m.: Barker, Busing, Fairweather, Vinnicombe, Moloney, Hayes, Morrissey, Foster, AValker, Milroy, Malone; reserves, Barndon and Sturrock. ... In the match Excelsior v.. Combined Juniors, the former team will be:.Treweek, Little, Lay. Galvin, Jennings, Seagar, Jordan, Ivirwin, Inch. Lend'rum, M a chin ; reserve, Barker.