CRICKET.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 17 March 1927, Page 8

CRICKET.

LOCAL INTERESTS. Though the southern championship has been decided. O k alia wa. having won the coveted position by a decisive majority, interest in the game is perhaps as keen as it has been all die season, The teams', which has nnisnea their fixtures, have kept up practice,’ and filled in the Saturdays with extra matches, while the others have .kept their engagements' with enthusiasm. One unfinished- match alone.remains to be completed, Mariaia. v. St rat torn, and it will be decided this week whether it is to be played. . Under adverse playing conditions, Stratford 'anti Okaiawa- concluded their last fixture of the season, and the latter sustained) their only, defeat this year. The match was decided on the first innings. Stratford put on a fatly good total in the -second innings, Colo once' more proving himself the mainstay. He is marvellously, consistent. and was just as effective in bowlj. f Q . r }i<; got- five wickets, sharing tfie honours equally with Wilson. No Okaiawa batsman did mucli good, but Penny, Hr aft, Harrison, and Chawford all howled well. JUNIORS V. EXCELSIOR. The Juniors put up a fairly good score against Excelsior, .but, thanks largely to a great score of SI (retired) by Lay, they were beaten in the first innings. Lay’s performance was one of the best he lias given; steady play till he was set, and then a sample of his best and brightest hitting. Once more two of tho youngsters m cricket put up a fine showing against the senior bowling. Hayes has played a number of good innings, and shown that he has the essentials of a hatsmian. One can only regret very much that a coach is not available for him and his co-players, now of the’ light age to be taken in hand. A lot could be done with them, and, therefore, at is worth while making an effort to cooperate. with New Plymouth, and.perhaps Wanganui, to see if a combined scheme can be evolved. New Plymouth are apparently in the mood for a move. Dowdle is another hoy worth; encouraging, and there are also Barker, Milroy, Foster, Busing and a number of 'others. , Their fielding, which generally has been very good, was not quite up to the usual standard, . but there were many fine pieces of work, notably Barkei s excellent catch on the boundary dismissing Jennings. Dowdle and Milroy showed up well also in the field.

IN THE NORTH

In North Taranaki the position cl the senior teams is more interesting, and still open. Old Bovs A. by their consistent form, have moved up, whereas New Plymouth, on paper the strongest team, have given away their chances. Western Park have a good opportunity of equalling the leadens, because they have still two matches, to play, and are only four points behind Old Boys. REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES. South Taranaki null send a representative team north to Rrixton on Saturday to meet the Country Association A team, while in Hawera the junior representatives,' including men from EUtha-m and Stratford, will play the B team. Both should prove interesting games. It is worth notice that these northern provincial men put up some wonderful bowling figures, the most noted of which is the six for none by Sutton last week. It is a very rare performance. MELBOURNE! TEAM. FIRST TEST ON FRIDAY. The continued good work by the visiting team from Melbourne club has served to prove they are a stronger combination than most have realised, and have borne out the remarks of Hugh Trumble to the writer at New Plymouth. Their decisive win. from Wellington and Otago will lead to Urn opinion that the test matches will be keenly contested, and will try out th n New Zealanders. The ©result of the first test will be awaited with keen interest. It is unfortunate that- so many of the chosen New Zealand touring team are unable to play, though naturally the people of the districts from which come the emergencies, who are players just ,on the fringe of 'selection will watch with .interest their fortune.