Cricket

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVI, Issue 86, 27 March 1926, Page 10

Cricket

WITH the senior competition practically over for this season, last Saturday’s matches were hardly regarded seriously, and there was a decided holiday flavbiii about the second day’s play in both matches.

Scinde made very light of the United bowling ,and carried their score along to the big total of 414. Nearly all the Scindd batsmen helped themselves liberally, Bradburn and J. O’Brien, with 6 and 4 respectively, being among the more modest, contributors for once in a way; Hardaker went very close to the century mark, getting to 93, Cano got 84, Piirio> 78, Hawke 50, and most of .the others also did well, “Mr. Extras” also bulking largely on the score sheet. The United bowlers had a pretty frying time, the veteran Southall (3 for 75) doing best... Seven bowlers had a try altogether, Hunter (2 for 120), Temperton (3 for 78), and Pedlow (1 for 43) being the only others to get wickets.

H.S.G.B. made a very poor reply to Heretaunga’s big score on the previous Saturday, the whole side being out for 119, Owen top-scoring with 29, Clarke 22, Holt 21, and Stephenson 10 being the only other double-figure scorers. Paterson came out with the best figures, his deliveries being treated with almost exaggerated respect. His average panned out to 3 for 16. Mitchell was hardly up to his recent,form, his four wickets costing 69 runs. Heretaunga went to the wickets again, and when stumps were drawn had 221 up for the loss of nine wickets. The order Of going in was altered to give some of the tail-enders a chance to distinguish . themselves, but most of them failed to rise to the occasion, and their averages did not get the boost they hoped for. Lowry once more came to light .with a solid score, and his 70. was a very sound and workmanlike innings. •He greatly appreciated a couple of overs from Clarke, and laid the wood on with a will while the opportunity offered, scoring something over 40 runs from the 16 balls. Paterson got a nice 24, and M. Bfeuth got 23 not opt at the end of the day. Mitchell’s run of bad luck clung to him and he only got as far as 7, while Pearson also failed to get. going. Stephenson .as usual, came out. with good figures, getting 6 for 92, Chetwin also did well in getting 3 for 42.

In view of the present undoubted I strength of Hawke’s Bay cricket, it | is a pity more representative cricket is not being played. Not for some years has there been such an array of talent available. and good young players have probably never been more plentiful. Not many of the Associations in the Dominion have two such fine keepers as Ritchie and Lowry to choose from. Indeed, the latter improbably the best stumper in the Dominion at the present time, and also one of the best bats. In all the other departments, also, the Bay is particularly well off at the moment though the want of a. really fast bowler is a drawback. On the face of things, the Bay should have little difficulty in lifting the Hawke Cup next, season, if a really serious atempt is made to get the best team away.

The Australian selectors stand justified in at least one of their most criticised selections. “Not Out,” of the Sydney Referee,, .who is travelling with the team, has discovered that the side has no “second” wicketkeeper. Ellis was chosen for that post, but his form in Tasmania was so good that it appears to be very much a matter of opinion whether he is not as good as Oldfield. One piece of stumping he brought off in Hobart was as good as anything ever seen from Blackham or Carter. And he took both Everett and Gregory at their fastest with ease and certainty.

Everett also showed very fine form in Tasmania. He kept a good length even when bowling his fastest, and came off the pitch at a great pace. Against Hobart he .showed a glimpse of batting form which, if it develops as it should, will make him a great asset to the side in this department also. Going in last, he put together a very breezy 77. and hit with tremendous power, lifting two balls out of the ground on the leg side. * * *

The older members of the combination are quietly confident in their powers to retain the ashes, though Warwick Armstrong described the coming trip as six months’ hard labour .(whites “J.W.” in the “Australasian.” on the eve of the departure of the Australian team). They are pinning their success on Gregory and Grimmett with the ball, especially the latter, though they all regard Gregory as a match winner. It is rather strange that outside opinion should also place its faith upon the same two men. As he bowls such a different kind of ball. Arthur Richardson is also regarded with favour. But, taken • all round, they are a band of non-talkers, except to a chosen few; a clean-living, temperate and intelligent body of men, a combination on which Australia should be inordinately proud as men and cricketers.

Wanganui has had another close call for the Hawke Cup, and only a brilliant bowling fMjrformance by Bernau and fine batting by Onenabled them to pull the Alanawatu match out of the fire. Bernau’s figures are certainly impressive. In the first innings he sent down ten overs (two maidens) for five wickets and 61 runs. In the Manawatu second innings he did even better, for off 16 overs he got six wickets for 61 runs. Stevens, another Hawke’s Bay man, got two for 23 in the first innings and one for 7 in the second. Orr. the ex-Sydney batsman ,was the mainstay of the Wanganui batting. He has not been as successful this season as in the past, on the whole, but he made his presence felt in this match, for he got 53 in the first and 59 in the second innings. The latter knock was a very brilliant one, accomplished at a 1 time when the holders needed every run possible. Orr was out in a most peculiar fashion. He hit a no-ball of Hope’s high into the slips, where Broughton held the ball and tossed it back to the bowler. Orr thought the extra (for the no-ball) was the winning run and started for the pavilion, whereupon Hope put his wicket down. Treadwell, who batted brilliantly for 33, was also run out off a no-ball. Hope, who toured Australia with the New Zealand team, bowled very well for Manawatu. getting three for 36 in Wanganui’s first knock, and 2 for 38 in the second. He was dangerous at all times, but a tendency to bowl no-balls cost his side seven runs in the first innings and 17 in the second.

The Wanganui people are a little alarmed at the weakness . shown in their last two matches. Apparently the riverside city has lost the art of raising cricket colts, and the large percentage of old hands in the presentcombination some of whom are losing the form which once distinguished them, raises rather a bleak prospect for the Cup holders. * * * A Hastings junior team, comprising lads under 21 years of age. met and defeated the select of the elder generation. The boys batted first and eomniled 149. the best displays being given by Nairn (37 retired). Carr (28 retired), Lunn (24 retired) and Clifton (19). In

face of what appeared a strong bowlj ing side it was a good showing, beair- ’ ing in mifid that three men retired when well set. The veterans then took a turn and against good bowling, good fielding and a failing light could not reach their opponents’ total, the last wicket falling at 94. Mitchell (36 retired), Watkinson (27), both batted attractively. For the Veterans Webb and Beard bowled best whilst the Colt’s bowling strength came from Laurie, Fitzgerald, Nairn and BirentonRule. • * • Another game was played between two teams, A and B, the B’s winning by 20 runs. I . * After the Colts’ good showing last Saturday it would be a good game to stage during Easter, versus Napier ; Colts, would would contain a good, sprinkling of High School boys, and splendid cricket would be sure to result. If no other game has yet been arranged with Napier, it is not yet , too late to consider the idea. i