REP. CRICKET

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 252, 7 October 1932, Page 5

REP. CRICKET

MATCH IN NAPIER

WELLINGTON v. HAWKE’S BAY. HOME TEAM AT THE WICKET. The special inter-provincial representative cricket match, Wellington v. Hawke’s Bay, commenced at Nelson Park, Napier, this morning in ideal conditions. The match was arranged with a view to swelling the funds to send the Hawke’s Bay team on a comprehensive tour of the South Island.

The outfield was good though somewhat dead near the boundary and the wicket was fast, but there was a bad patch at the town end. There was a light breeze from the north, which gave bowlers from the east end assistance by swinging the ball into the wicket.

The Bay won the toss and Skipper Kavanagh elected to bat first, Finlayson and he opening the innings at 11 o’clock. Kavanagh played McGirr for a maiden over, and Finlayson recorded the first run off the last ball of Fortune's over. Runs came in singles and couples at a fair rate until McGirr came on for his fourth over, when his first delivery swung in nicely and completely beat Kavanagh, scattering the sticks after 20 minutes’ play.—l7—l—- — The vacancy was filled by Tom 1 Reaney, who opened his account with a brace to the off. Twt> balls later he was awarded five runs, four coming from an overthrow. With the score at 27, Fortune was relieved by Dustin, a medium-paced, left-handed bowler. The ensuing overs saw the field smarten up and keep the runs down, though the batsmen were running well between the wickets. McGirr, whose figures read one wicket for 21 runs in five overs, was relieved by the youthful leg-break trundler Brown, the score being 35. Finlayson, who was playing well though he was a little shaky on the off, lifted Duncan to the leg edge of the grass for the first boundary off the bat. Reaney was more forceful and opened out his shoulders to both trundlers, driving good and hard. The half-century was hoisted after 43 minutes’ play. The bowling was changed again when Griffiths took a turn from Duncan and McGirr reappeared and clean bowled Finlayson after 55 minutes’ play. The opening batsman had knocked two fours.—67— 2—27. Mat O’Brien was the next in and opened for a single. At the end of an hour’s play Reaney raised the aggregate into the seventies with a brace. Shortly afterwards he skied Griffiths for Fortune to take an easy catch, his figures including two fours, in an innings that lasted 45 minutes.— 75—3—35. GRIFFITHS TROUBLESOME The breach was filled by Allan Beck. The breaks of Griffiths troubled both batsmen for a time. McGirr (two for 34) was again relieved, Duncan reappearing from the town end; he set a trap in slips for O'Brien, who, however, increased his score with good placements. Griffiths was bowling remarkably well, getting surprising breaks both ways considering the pace of his delivery. The scoring slowed down; O’Brien was not backing up too well and so letting singles go by. Brown replaced Griffiths (one ior 13) with the score at 86 and his. first ball almost broke the partnership, Beck being badly beaten. The rate of scoring for the ensuing overs was almost zero. McGirr returned to the attack at 94 and his first four deliveries beat Beck, who snicked a couple before the change over, though it was a lucky one and brought him into double figures Three overs later Beck hoisted the century after exactly 100 minutes’ play. After running a boundary four Beck was well beaten by Duncan after 34 minutes’ stay at the wicket. —105— 4—15. The next in was George Brown who opened his account with a single after O’Brien had brought his individual tally to twenty. ' Griffiths displaced Duncan (1 for 30) and O’Brien had a “life” first ball. However, the trundler reaped his reward three balls later when he badly beat O’Brien with a leg break after the batsman had been at the wicket fors2 minutes. —110 —5—22. The defence was taken up by Merle Beuth and Fortune replaced McGirr (2 for 38) with the ball. Three overs later Griffiths beat Brown with a ‘ swinger” from leg.—ll 3—6—4. The younger Reaney, Harold, was next to take up stance and opened with a brace but two balls later ho sliced a catch to Dustin in slips.— 115—7—2.

The luncheon adjournment was taken at this stage, Griffiths’s average being four wickets for 18 runs.

HAWKE’S BAY. First Innings. Kavanagh, E. J., b McGjrr 6 Finlayson, F. H.,b McGirr 27 Reaney, T. P., o Fortune b Griffiths 35 O’Brien, M., b Griffiths 22 Beck, A., b Duncan 15 Brown, G., b Griffiths 4 Beuth, M., not out 1 Reaney, H., o Dustin b Griffiths 2 Extras 3 Total for seven wickets 115 At 2.45 o’clock the score was 138 for seven wickets —Beuth, not out, 11, Williams, not out, 13.