CRICKET.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 31 December 1927, Page 3

CRICKET.

SHEFFIELD SHIELD MATCH. VICTORIA v. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. MELBOURNE, Dec. 30. The Sheffield Shield cricket match Victoria versus South Australia has commenced, Victoria losing four wickets for 472 runs (Woodfull 106,. Ponsford 25S not out), Hendry 35, Ryder 52) when stumps were drawn. The weather was cool and the wicket good. The destiny of the shield probably depends upon this match, as,' if the Victorians win, they will have an almost unassailable lead. Ponsford and Woodfull opened slowly 'until they had taken the measure of the bowling. Then the runs mounted rapidly, Ponsford being the faster scorer. Quick changes were made in the bowling in the hope of separating the pair, but without avail. Ponsford opened out and runs came rapidly when the wicket, which was wet overnight, commenced drying and became fast. At the lunch adjournment the score was none for 115. Runs mounted quickly after lunch. Ponsford gave a good chance to the wicket-keeper, but .the ball bounced off his bands. Second slip made a dive for it, but missed. The batsmen continued in great form and at 15S made a new llrst wicket record for Victoria against South Australia in Sheffield Shield cricket. After Woodfull was dismissed, caught by Richardson, Ponsford was joined by Ryder, who played a sound innings, and the pair scored rapidly, never being troubled by the bowling, which, however, was of a good standard. ■ NOMADS* AT WELLINGTON. (by telegraph—press association ) WELLINGTON, Dec. 30. The Touring Nomads commenced a match against a Wellington colts’ team at Kelburn Park this morning. The Nomads won the toss and had all the best of matters, as the bowlers were handicapped by a greasy ball. Cameron (Rangitikei). and Bunny (Wanganui College) gave the Nomads a start (by putting on 44 for the first wicket when Cameron, who had scored 28 was caught by Monkhouse off Brown. Chrystall (ClyistchuircJi ) then helped Bunny to odd 106 for the second wicket when Chrystall, who hail contributed 60, which included a sixer and ten fours, fell J.b.w. to-Leys. Talbot, who- had scored 14-s'uot out against W'airarapa on Thursday, came next and played a brilliant innings. lie and Bunny carried the score from 260 to 308 .before the Wanganui College boy was caught fey, Monk-house off Dustin for 84.

Talbot (Christchurch) and S. llecves (Tolaga Bay) took the score to 331, where the Canterbury man had bad luck to be caught and bowled by Lomason when he required only t\vo runs to reach hi.s century. He played a brilliant innings. Thirteen boundary shots figured an his enterprising display. Reeves went on to hit up 44 In workmanlike fashion and the record at tho tea adjournment was 358 for the loss of seven wickets. Heavy rain came on at the adjournment and caused play to he abandoned for the day. The match will be continued to-morrow morning.

AUCKLAND COLTS v. TARANAKI

'The team of young Aucklanders, under Mr E. C. Beale, who created such la favourable impression in Howe ra this week, slhowing really sparkling cricket, began a match with a North Taranaki eleven in New Plymouth this morning. The teams are as- follow : Auckland. —Monteith (North Shore), Butler, Weir (Eden), Gee, Sehniauer (Varsity), Whitetaw (Auckland Grammar), Hetherington, Bush, Eraser. (M.t. Albert) .Johnson (Parnell). Twelfth man : Vivian (Mt. Albert). Taranaki.—Kingston, Clarke, Nasmith, Wilson, S. O. Jones, Qheevers, Bottrill, higgle boo, H. Fookes. St. Giddy, Shallard. Twelfth man : C. Lash.

CHRIST’S COLLEGE ODD 1 BOYS v

WANGANUI

Tire cricket matoli between Christ's College Old Boys and a. Wanganui representative Was concluded on Thursday and resulted- '.in ft. drawn game. To Wanganui’s first innings of 235, Old Boys' replied with 252; Efetrl 42, Jackman, 30, and Young 30 being the prin cipal scorers. The moist successful bowlers were- Williams, six for 63, and Evans, one for 13. In their, second innings "Wanganui were dismissed for 142, Hutchinson 39 was top scorer, while S-purdle compiled 29 and Darby 21 were the only others to. reach 20. Sugden took three wick ets for 36, Smvt'li two for 18, Earl two for 6 and Ball one for 22.

VISIT TO NEW PLOWYOUTH

The touring Old Boys’ team from Christ's. College began a match yesterday .against ft team of young New Ply mou-th players- and very interesting play wias seen during the afternoon, the match commencing about three o’clock because of rain in the morning. The visitors batted _ first and after several fine displays, including a first wicket stand of over ft hundred, by Toot-hill and Earl, were all o.ut for 221. The remainder of the wickets fell fairly rapidly, Stromboni being the principal destroying agent and coming through witlh the. satisfactory average of five wickets for 41. Seven catches were taken, two of them being quite spectacular. The score Was as below : (JURIST’S OLD BOYS. First Innings. Toth ill, cj and ib Ewart 54 Earl, e Elwairt, b Stromboni 62 Kivkcaldie, 1.b.w., b Stroniboin ... 1 Jackman, e and b Stromboni 18 Sugden, c Alexander, b Ewart Smythe, run out 2u Mair, c K. Fookes, b Stromboni ... 12 Young, 1) Stromboni If Webster, c K. Fookes, b Alexander 2 Hamilton, e K. Fookes b Alexander 0 Bail, not out 5 Extras 5 Total 224 Bowling analysis.—Alien wickets for 59 runs, EWa.it two. for 57, Alexander two for 60, Strom bom five for 41. The match, was continued this morning. ) ENGLISH TEAM FOR AUSTRALIA. NEXT YEAR’S TOUR. Much interest has been taken in the visit- of the English team to Australia ait the end of 192 S and the beginning of 1929. because of the fact that a request. had been made from New Zealand for two matches in this Dominion at the end of the tour, and it will be disappointing to learn that the Board of Control considers- the visit is impossible. But one feature in connection with the tour qf Australia is significant in

that for the first time in the history or the tests in Australia, one has been allotted to Brisbane. No doubt the much improved, status ox the game in Queensland has been responsible io-r the innovation, and also that tins maton is taken not from Melbourne but from Sydney. Melbourne hae the third and last tests, Brisbane the. first, Sydney the second and Adelaide the fourth. The decision of the board apparently created some dissatisfaction in’ New South .Wales, but the board stood firm.

It is pretty certain that the selection of the English, team will gee included a number of younger players from ithe county teams. This js .the 'opinion o.f Langnidge and B. B. A\ilson. Several have shown good and consistent form throughout the sea son. The opinion generally leans to the appointment of Chapman as the captain.

ENGLISH TEAAI’S TOUR

AUSTRALIAN DECISION APPRECIATED.

CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 30. * Commenting on the decision of the Australian Board of Cricket Control not to include any matches dn_ New Zealand in the itinerary ofthei 1 Engl is n team which is to visit Australia in the 1928-29 season, Mr D. Reese, chairman of the management committee of the New Zealand Cricket' Council* in an interview to-day, said: ‘‘One can quite appreciate the decision of the Board jf Control, for, with the development >f Queensland into a first-class State and the steady progress of the game in West Australia, it gives them a more extended programme for the English teams than hitherto, and quite naturally the welfare of their own States must come first. “As this is likely to be the case in all future tours,” he continued, “it looks a 6 if New Zealand’s chance of laving English teams visiting this country can only be brought about- by the council’s inviting the. Alarylebone Club to send a team direct for a New Zealand tour.”

“The Australian authorities,” added Mr Reese, “have always taken ®ucli a generous attitude towards New Zealand cricket that it may be assumed they would have complied with tho council’s request had it been at a.l possible.’