Cricket

Hutt News, Volume 13, Issue 41, 3 April 1940, Page 5

Cricket

The .1939-40 season closed on Saturday, two matches only, being played by. the local club. The second eleven cqmpleted the' championship final with Petone, to whom congratulations will be extended by all cricketers on their winning of this game and the. championship. Some seasons ago Petone was relegated, unjustly in- the opinion of many; from senior status, and with no senior team to attract players the club has had a difficult task to maintain its existence. The loss -of the Petone Oval was a further blow, but most of the players remained true to the club and, held together by some of the old stalwarts, have won through to take second grade honours for this season. There is sufficient population in the .Valley to maintain two senior clubs, and it is hoped that Petone have began their march towards regaining senior status. Hutt made a great effort on the second day to gain an outright win after being well behind on the first innings. Riddolls was again in very fine bowling form and took six of the first seven wickets which fell at a qost of 25 runs. With seven Hutt wickets down for 47 the game I appeared all over, but at that stage | and Wright came to light with a wonderful partnership of l!5(i, which allowed the Hutt skipper to declare his innings closed and make an attempt to dispose of . Petone cheaply in the second innings. Both Fraser and Wright were not out with T<\ and lit respectively and both gave excellent displays at a most difficult time. Petone found Wright a real menace all day, for when they batted again he captured five wickets for 15 runs. In all he bowled only seven overs, three of which were maidens. Insufficient time did not permit Hutt to change a loss on the first innings into an outright win. Nevertheless their effort was a good one and provided a good finish to the season. In the other match played, the married played the single members 6f the club. The benedicts found their opponents more than a handful and had to bow to their superiority. Although no championhips have been gaind by the club, this season, all teams have maintained prominent positions in the various grades, and with so many promising young players showing rapid improvement, the local club is assured of a high standard of play all round for so«ie time to come.