CRICKET

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 16 March 1928, Page 3

CRICKET

THE AUSTRALIAN MATCH.

TARANAKI ROUTED. AN INNINGS AND 177 RUNS. The match against the Australian team at New Plymouth ended inglorioitsly for Taranaki yesterday, when, alter being 289 behind on tlte hrst innings, the local team succeeded in getting only 112 runs, and was thererore beaten by no less than an innings and 177 runs. The play yesterday was devoid ol interest, save for the effective bowling of A. M. Wilson and Giblin, and a nice innings by Cheevers, in which he withstood the attackjgg>f the visiting bowlers for half an hour and scored a well-played twenty runs. There was a moderate attendance, and the Australians, who bad been taken to the - North Mountain House in the early morning, were nearly hall an hour late in resuming their innings. Their remaining seven wickets yielded but 63 runs, and Taranaki was able to get only 112, despite the fact that in the latter part of the innings two bowlers were put on who were never given a chance in hard matches. The last three batsmen enjoyed the change and “made merry” for a. time at their expense. TARANAKI SECOND INNINGS. THE PLAY. With 289 to get to save an innings defeat, Taranaki ' began the second innings with R. Wilson and Nasmith. Morton and McNamee were the bowlers. The latter’s deliveries bumped badly, and both batsmen were hit several times, Nasmith having to retire temporarily as the result of a nasty smach on the hip after he had (scored five runs. Giddy took liis place, but after scoring a single was bowled round his pads by Grimmett. 20 —I —l. Lay, who was next, fell to Morton when he had scored one run. 23 —2 —l. GOOD PLAY J3Y CHEEVERS. Cheevers came in ami played nice sound cricket. Wilson, who had butted soundly, hit a full toss from Grimmett to loug-on and was well caught by Schneider. 23 —3 —12. Kingston took his place, and after a few fluky shots lashed out to O'xenham, who had replaced McNamee, and was clean bowled. 33 —4 —2. Nasmith resumed batting and opened with a pretty pull to leg for a couple. Cheevers got a similar shot off Grimmett for a single, and then hit the googly meichant for a pretty four to long leg, and 40 was signalled. A fine square cut by Nasmith was well stopped by Kippax, and then Cheevers scored a single from a pretty shot past cover. Play was again quiet until Nasmith hard drove Grimmett for a nice four to long-on, but soon after he went out to Grimmett and was stumped. 48—5 —14. Grayson followed, and Cheevers, though playing many nice strokes and showing sound defence, found it very hard to get past the alert field, who were showing exceptionally line ..form. 11c opened out and drove Oxenham finely! to the long-on boundary and brought his total to 20, and Grayson, after a considerable spell, opened bis account for a single. Two balls later Cheevers drove one from Grimmett hard to midoil’ and Wood lull took a nice catch. 53—6—20. The young Hawera. batsman had shown plucky defence against heavy odds, anti had made his runs when badly needed. Petty came in only to see Grayson out" l.b.w. to Oxenham 55 —7 —3. Giblin was next, and after a quiet spell a change of bowling was made, Schneider replacing Grimmett. Petty lasted for two runs only, and was out l.b.w. to Oxenliam. 62 —B—2. Falconer followed, and Whodftill took the ball from Oxenham. The batsmen bad a lively spell and both scored fast. Giblin slammed a full toss to the boundary past the bowler. Falconer hit a short one from Schneider to square-leg boundary. They both hit manfully and luckily, but Alexander then ended Falconer’s innings with a good catch in long-field. 85—9—16. A. Wilson was last man in, and Giblin hit Woodfull to long-on boundary, and 90 appeared. Then Giblin hit a full toss from Woodfull right on to the terraces, Taranaki’s first six, and the century appeared, Giblin having reached 29. Wilson smashed a full toss from Woodfull to square-leg boundary. , Both batted briskly and at 112 Giblin lifted Woodfull to longon and Jackson took the catch. Scores were : TARANAKI. First Innings 138 Second Innings. Wilson, c Schneider, b Grimmett 12 Nasmith, st Richardson, b Grimmett 14 Giddy, 1> Grimmett 1 Lay, b Morton , 1 CRecvers, e Woodfull, b Grimmett 20 Kiugstone, b Oxenham 2 Grayson, 1.b.w., b Oxenham 3 Petty, J.b.w., b Oxenham 2j Giblin, c Jackson, b Woodfull ... 211 Falconer, c Alexander, b Schneider 161 Wilson, not out 121 Extras 8j Total 1121 Bowling: Grimmett four wickets for 26, Oxenham three for 10, Schneider one for 26, Woodfull one for 24, Morton one for 11, IMcNamee none for 7. VISIT OF AUSTRALIANS. COMMENTS ON PLAYERS. The cricketers of Taranaki resume their normal course of play after the excitement and interest of the visit of the great team of Australians to New Plymouth. The match was an many ways a great disappointment for the local men made, with a few exceptions, a sorry showing. The bright spots were the really good stand made ihv B. B. Wilson and Nasmith on the first day, the plucky innings of Cheevers on the second day innings, the good bowling by A. Wilson and 'Giblin on the second morning and the really good ground fielding and catching of the whole' team. Neither in hatting nor in bowling did they show their normal form, except for a few patches. They made their better showing on the second morning, when the bowling was 50 per cent, superior to the first, and they reaped the reward of a generally good length. It is certain, however, that the slow break bowlers should have been tried much earlier than was the case, because even the best batsman is liable to mishit a googly, where ho will play fast straight bowling with certainty. I The display of batting given by ' Kippax and Alexander tvas easily the (most stylish ana finished. Kippax

especially was on lii s best form and liis batting should have been a lesson and an inspiration to watching and observant players. It is perhaps most of all noteworthy that until Kippax was caught not a semblance of a chance was given. His driving was hard and low, his “chop” through the slips and liis late cutting and leg-gliding were masterly shots and a .treat, to watch. Alexander too made a great iuipros sion on spectators. He too kept every ball down, and features that marked all the batting of the leading players was the way they used their feet to get over the ball, their perfect timing and their follow through in executing every stroke. Ponsford showed in making his 81 what a great run-getter he is. He is not such a stylist as Kippax, but he is absolutely sound and scores all the time. He is not so pretty a batsman to watch.

It is very noticeable how many singles the batsmen score. They hit hard when the ball offers the chance and they pull nearly everything at all short to the on, and they explore the open spaces in the field,for singles and twos.

Grimimett’s bowling naturally excited the liveliest curiosity. Though lie was not as fit as he might have been In: got an extraordinary amount of work on liis deliveries. And every now and again came the “wrong bin.” The wonderful break was perhaps best indicated when he bowled Giddy round his pads, w T hen the batsman thought, the ball had gone past and made no attempt to block the progress. Morton and McNamee are both very fast and on the second day wore hard to play. They are considered two of the best over the Tasman.

Much disappointment was expressed when it was known that Oldfield had been obliged to go to Rotorua, to recuperate after a bout of neuritis. Naturally every follower of .cricket wanted to see the world famous “keeper” behind the wickets.

Jackson, who is considered quite in the front rank -of Australian .batsmen, did not get going, much to the regret of spectators.

In the course of a short, conversation Mr Bull, the manager, told a “Ilawera Star” representative they were a very happy party, all fine sports and that Richardson was a groat leader, and was held in high regard by all. Jlo said Blackie was the best fast bowler and had to be reserved for the Test match next week. He said that Blackie was considered to have very strong chances for the next Australian team. Richardson was a great all rounder, he added, and the only player besides OldHeld who could take the gloves effectively. He considered Jackson easily cue "of the foremost batsmen in Australia and spoke very highly of A. Beckett, the young ex-High School bowler, of Victoria. Both, in his opinion, had a strong chance of international honours.

The team came to Hawera last night in three touring ears and left this morning about eight o’clock. They are to play Wanganui to-day and to-mor row and then continue to tour to Manawatu and then to Poverty Bay, arriving in Auckland the day before the first Test match. Their constant travelling makes the tour pretty arduous. The Test at Auckland, which will begin on Saturday week, should try out the visiting team in a way that has not yet been the case on the tour so far. TO MORROW ’S MATCHES. The leading feature in South Taranaki to-morrow at Hawera will be the continuation of the final match between Midlands and Okaiawa. The former, with a first innings score of 1.26, have a lead of 71 runs with which to commence the second day of the match. It. is a very handy position to occupy. The result will be watched with keen enthusiasm.

High School have still to meet Old Boys and Eltham while (Stratford and Pares have to play at Patna. The latter have been doing well in the latter part, of the competition and are keen to win the match. It is not certain whether Stratford will be able to travel.