HAWKE CUP CRICKET

Horowhenua Chronicle, 31 January 1929, Page 7

HAWKE CUP CRICKET

Manawatu Begins Well Against Wairarapa XI.

BAMBER'S GREAT INNINGS; VISITORS' BOWLING ' COLLARED

With seven short of the fourth century for the loss of seven wickets Manawutu has made a good beginning in its Hawke Cup game against Wairarapa -which commenced at the Sportsground yesterday. .■ The Cup holders went to the -wickets first and after batting all day had still three to fall when stumps were drawn. Although the first wickets did not fall cheaply scoring was slow and inclined to be uninteresting until, "with the arrival of the Horowhcnua batsman Baumber, the Wairarapa bowling v/as completely collared and thoroughly hammered. The drawing of stumps found 393 on the board after 51 hours ’ batting while Baumber was still at the wickets .with the splendid total of 147. Although this performance tended to overshadow the more modest tallies of the remainder of the side, the Manawatu batsmen scored very consistently, only one failing to reach double figures. Baumber’a performance, however, piust be classed as one of the most meritorious scon in Manawatu cricket. He scored .aggressively throughout and gave only two difficult chances while he undoubtedly contributed the lion’s share towards the breaking up of the Wairarapa .attack. No less than eight trundlcrs were tried against him . but he never appeared to bo troubled at any stage of the innings. His first half century came up in forty minutes •and the century another forty minutes later. He was at the wickets in all for 130 minutes averaging well over a run o minute.

The wicket was inclined to be fiery but owing to the growth of grass the outfield was a trifle slow.

. |The Wairarapa fielding was keen and judiciously placed but the bowling was not outstanding. Hoar and Montgomerie took the most care although Kenner was not productive with a number of the batsmen. The Play..

Ongley was favoured by the spin of the coin and elected to send the home side first to the wickets.

Pacey and Wild were the opening pair, the former facing Hoar from the town end. The batsman opened Manawatu ’a score with a single off the fourth ball of - the over and again faced the bowling. The first ten came up with ■u three for Wild through the slips, Paccy reaching double figures shortly afterwards with a brace' through leg. Scoring was slow but 20 came up after 30 minutes’ play, when Paccy snicked a pretty boundary stroke through the log field. Both trundlers were swinging well, aided by a stiff breeze but the batsmen were taking no risks. dhe greater propoition of the rune was being scored on the leg, despite the placing of the Wairarapa field. Bot-h trundlers were being punished in this direction and Pacey brought up his 30 with another pretty ’ log boundary. In the next over, however, he gave a •difficult chance in the slips with a distinctly flukey shot which nevertheless yielded a single. With 30 on the boai'Q -at 11.40 a.m., Renner replaced Falloon at the town end, his first over being a maiden. The fielding vvas keen but with pnlv* an occasional single to break the .monotony things were uneventful. Renner’s deliveries were proving a trifle wild but the batsmen did not fin'd, him productive, his first four overs being maidens. The log break trundler Morton replaced Hoar .at this- stage, and the change in bowling:,. signalled a quickening in the scoring! Wild reached double figures with :a single to leg, shortly afterwards -driving Renner for a brace. The half •century went up after 80 minutes’ play, Pacey driving Renner to the on for a single. At the next change over Groves replaced Renner at the town end. Wild evidently appreciated the -change which he signalled b> pulling the new trundler through square leg for four while 60 came up when Pacey drove Morton to the -*on for three. As 70 went up Morton was replaced at the river cud by Montgomerie.

The change signalled Manawatu’s first casualty when an'"l.b.w. appeal ■against Wild was upheld. The returning batsman had contributed a careful 22 and had given no chances. Me Vi car joined Paccy and opened his account with a square cut for two while Pacrey in the next over drove -Groves to the boundary, followed bya single to leg. The luncheon adjournment found ‘Groves and Montgomerie carrying on the attack and Pacoy and McVicar together at the wickets. The former had 48 against his name, the telegiaph reading 82 —I—^22. ( , The Century XJp. Pacey had taken little time to settle -down after the adjournment and nua contributed an additional 24 when Montgomerie with the last ball of his first over after lunch, was successful in obtaining an l.b.w. decision against him. Pacey had contributed a wery useful 72 which included nine tours, Ids last three scoring strokes being flawless boundary drives. He had given four chances, two in slips, one at square leg and one behind the wickets but •very little fault could be found with Ilia general display. : Montgomerie was causing trouble, his average rending, two wickets for seven with the fall of Paccy’s wicket. In each case his wickets had come from l.b.jy- appeals in his first over after a change. ' who joined MqVicar, did mot sec .a groat deal of the .bowling at first as the veteran was monopolising the greater part of the trundling. McVicar,, however, was, the first to go, a ball from Hoar boating him nil the way sume half dozen overs after Oallichan came to the wickets. MeVicar's 15 had been compiled with a care that amounted at times to over caution.

Wickets Tall Cheaply. With the arrival of Gallichnn, &cor

ing livened up somewhat, the incoming batsman reaching double figures with a beautiful carpet drive to the on and a flick round to log for a brace. Disaster came to him shortly, however, when he mistimed a well paced delivery from Hoar to give Falloon an easy catch in the slips. Baumber came out to join Norris and brought 150 up shortly before 3.30 p.m. Scoring had been slow, the 150 taking 195 minutes. Baumber and Norna did not liven the scoring to any extent at first, although the former early displayed signs, of aggressiveness which was to distinguish him Later. Blamircs at this stage placed the ■field on a deep leg theory for Renner and aim,ost immediately secured the dismissal of Norris when Falloon took a beautiful one-handed catch at midoff. Paster Scoring. With the arrival of Pogdon, Baumber proceeded to carry on his policy of aggression, hitting three successive boundaries off Mofftgomerie, tho first a beautiful cover drive, followed by a pretty late cut and a pull to leg. Pegdon brought 190 up with a square cut for three and at this stage the afternoon tea adjournment intervened and Lcgdcn and Baumber had to settle themselves again to bring the double century up. Pcgdcn performed the feat-with a drive to the on, after Manawatu had been four hours at the wickets while Baumber drew a round of applause from the stand when ho lifted Hoar over tho palings for six. The Horowhcnua batsman had passed his half century with a single previous to this, after being at the wickets for 2 little over half an hour. He was punishing the bowling in a much more determined manner than his predecessors, and backed up by Pegden, proceeded to give the first really bright display of the match. The Third Century.

The next half century came up in 20 minutes, Bnumbcr bringing up the 250 with a perfect carpet drive following an over in which he had knocked Id off Falloon. Boundaries followed in attractive succession, and in ah endeavour to stiffen the attack the visiting skipper Blamircs, who had been ‘'keeping/'’ handed the gloves to K Uttley and went on at the town end. Pcgden, however, was.nothing deterred and brought up the century partnership by driving the new trundler through cover to the boundary. Ihc partnership had been exceptionally productive, the pair getting their 100 in 05 minutes. Pepden was batting easily and confidently in the manner that brought him 150 against Victoria College when the wily Blamircs, titter beating him badly with a “donkey xlrop ’ ’ got the next one straight on to the pads and secured an l.b.w. decision. Pegdcn had given a very attractive display after a somewhat uneven commencement,, his partnership with .Baumber being the brightestscoring seen during the innings. Ongley joined Baumber who was rapidly •approaching his century. With a brace past slips off Montgomerie, followed by a single, he brought, himself within striking distance of the century but Ongley had the bowling. A* single from the Manawatu skipper saw 200 recorded, with Baumber still requiring four to reach his century. Then the Horowhenua batsman put the wood behind a delivery from Blamircs to complete the good work but ho still required three runs to reach his own three-figure total. Following a single apiece from the batsmen, Baumber faced the bowling, again to score another single ami make his individual total 09. Blamircs again had the leather and sent down a full toss for Baumber to turn it to the boundary amid a roar of applause from the stand. Judging from the public appreciation the century, was one of the most popular recorded in Manawatu cricket. The Wairarapa bowling vvas well collared ami the field though keen was tiring, when 540 went on the board. Within ten minutes of drawing stumps, however, Ongley who had been well sot was nicely held by Burt in the outfield, in an endeavour to lift the veteran Uttley to the boundary off his first over of soft stuff. The Mnnawatu skipper had taken full advantage of the tired bowling to score a useful 31, while his partnership with Baumber had yielded 75. Fletcher came out to join Baumber for the final knock before drawing stumps and the pair made it willing. Scoring freely all round the wicket the batsmen brought 280 up as Bournber lifted his second six over the boundary ami made his individual total 147. Frequent ripples of applause came from the stand as the pair continued to hammer the bowling until the lime for drawing stumps at 6 p.m, found 303 on the board for the loss of seven wickets. Scores: — MANAWATU. First Innings. L- Pace?*, hb.w., b Montgomerie .72 L. S. Wild, 1.b.w., 1) Montgomerie 22 A. McVicar, b Hoar 15 N. Gallichan, c Falloon, b Hoar .. 1-8 W. Norris,’ c Falloon, b Kenner .. 7 H. Baumber, not out .. I^7 J. Pogden, 1.b.w,, b Blamircs .... 36 A. M. Ongley, c Burt, b Uttley. .. 31 E. Fletcher, not out Extras 2 '

Total for so von wickets .. .. 303 The game will ho resumed this morning at 10.15 a.m. ■