CRICKET NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIX, Issue 11537, 25 March 1898, Page 2

CRICKET NOTES.

CBt Scoring Board in “ Cantef.bup.i Times.”] As was anticipated last week, the Sydenham and Addington Thirteen seem in a fair way to suffer another one-innings defeat at the hands of the Midland Eleven. The Suburbans had to face a score of 321, and their first innings produced only 150 runs; indeed, but for a good stand made by the last wicket, they would hardly have reached the century. The Midland fieldsmen made the best of every opportunity,, but neither Pearce nor D. Keese, who were entrusted with the bulk of the bowling, was really difficult, Reese in particular being very plain. Nevertheless, he captured six wickets for 91 runs, while Pearce, who bowled very fast and bumped a great deal, secured five wickets at a cost of only 48 runs. "Wright, who went in tenth wicket, was chief contributor with 41, and with Freeman put on 49 runs for the last wicket. Wright, who has never before shone to particular advantage in Senior Cup cricket, came well to the front on Saturday, and batted in a refreshingly vigorous style. He was especially severe on Reese’s slows, and he was also particularly hard on anything on the on-side. Cay gill, who was responsible for 32, gave a really good display of sound, defensive cricket; he was in a certain degree lucky in that several of his strokes off bumpy ones from Pearce, which were rather uppish, happened to be out of the fieldsmen’s reach. As usual with him, his driving was crisp and clean. Walmsley’s innings, although of short duration, produced 19 runs. He hit very hard, and was let off on one occasion in the field, but was finally well caught at long-leg by Bates. Freeman pottered about a long time for 16, and Ritchie, the only other double-figure scorer, batted very steadily for 13. Being in a minority of 171, the Suburbans followed on, and up to the call of time the innings had been a run of disaster, as when stumps were drawn five wickets were donn for the very small total of 15. This result was due in the main to the good bowling of C. W. Garrard backed up by excellent work in the field.

The game between the United Thirteen and Lancaster Park Thirteen, which, at the conclusion of play on the previous Saturday was vastly in favour of the United, was continued at Lancaster Park, and resulted, somewhat unexpectedly, in a victory for the Lancastrians. This was brought about in a great degree by the feeble display of batting given by the tailend of the United team in their second innings, and also to the disgracefully loose fielding of the team in the Lancastrians’ second innings. The United, who were 7S runs ahead on the first innings, and had in their second lost four wickets for 43, continued batting, and with Smith, the not out batsmen, who had 20 to his credit, absent, most of the remaining players of the team made a wretchedly poor stand, the innings closing for 94 runs. Harman and Fish alone made double figures. The former in particular batted in really nice style, while Fish indulged in hard hitting. Manning was the most effective of the Lancaster Park bowlers, and the fielding was well up to the mark. The Lancastrians had the somewhat large total of 172 to get to win, but they accomplished the task rather easily, losing only five wickets in getting the runs, but this was due in a great measure to the causes stated above. The bowling of the United, too, was far below the standard of Senior Cup cricket, some of the bowlers sending down nothing but half-pitched balls, and these the batsmen naturally relished. Kitto was perhaps the best, but since Williams left the team its bowling has been of a very moderate character. Atkinson was top scorer with 58. Although he did not commence very well, when he settled down he gave a capital display, and showed that he is a greatlyimproved batsman. His cutting was excellent, and he made some very nice strokes on the on-side. He was batting in rare style,-and seemed well set when he gave a

of his innings—which was accepted. Labatt, who went in first, was not out when the required runs were obtained, his score then standing at 48. He adopted his usual stonewalling tactics, and his innings, although useful in the extreme, was not of a very invigorating character from a spectator’s point of view. Murley batted vigorously for 34, and G. Tabart, one of the junior players of the club, hit up 15 very quickly, but neither Cooke nor Perkins stayed long.

The match between the Lancaster Park and United Elevens was continued on a wicket which was as fast and true as those generally met with in the middle of summer. Under the circumstances, the batting of both teams was a trifle disappointing. The United had everything in their favour. They had commenced well under difficulties, and they had good reasons for being confident of a large score. But their last nine wickets realised only 128 runs. Certainly they experienced some ill-luck; Mendelson and Frankish, when scoring freely, were run out; Reeves put his leg in front of the wicket, Boddington was stumped off a ball which rebounded off Boxshall’s chest; Vincent was stumped in a manner which appears to have occasioned some dissatisfaction, and Cotterill contends that he hit the ball for which he was given out leg before wicket. At the same time the United owe their failure partly to shocking running between the wickets, and, all things considered, they have principally themselves to blame that their total was not larger. Mendelson and Reeves carried the score to 86 before the latter departed, but the next three wickets fell rapidly. Mendelson, as already stated, was run out principally through his own fault, but not before he had increased his total to 59 by capital cricket. R. D. Harman played streakily at first, but showed something like his best form towards the close of his useful innings. Prankish was playing very nicely when he was badly run out by T. D. Harman, who, with Cotterill, made runs when they were badly needed. Wilding was the most successful of the Lancastrian bowlers. He bowled much more steadily than on the previous Saturday, and secured five wickets for 75 runs. Bennett and- North were both comparatively plain on the easy wicket. The fielding was good. At about five o’clock the Lancaster Park commenced their task of endeavouring to obtain the 159 runs required to win. They began badly, as Cobcroft was immediately caught behind the wicket, and Orchard and Wilding did not remain long. H. C. Ridley, however, did much better than usual and made 12, which is quite a large score for him just now, and A. E. Ridley, who is not out, made a similar number. Frankish bowled really well, and he was capably supported by Sims and Williams, while the fielding showed some improvement. The match is in an interesting state, as the Lancastrians have to make 109 runs and. have six wickets to fall.

Only four individual scores of over 200 have been made in New Zealand.

T. W. Reese made four very good catches on Saturday in the Midland Eleven-Syden-ham and Addington Thirteen game. In both innings of the United Eleven in its match with the Lancaster Pars: Eleven R. Vincent was stumped by Boxshall. The Midland Club has won the President’s Cup, and both the Senior and Junior Cups seem certainties for the club. The score of 507 made by the Midland Junior Cup team against Lancaster Park establishes a record for Canterbury, the previous best being 481 in an Association match about 1879, when D. Ashby made 112.

There was a round of applause at Hagley Park on Saturday when C. Ridley, who has registered nothing in three successive innings, lately broke the spell by making a single. The Lancaster Park Thirteen deserve every credit for the manner in which they literally pulled their game with the United Thirteen out of the fire, as at the conclusion of the second day’s play it seemed any odds.on the United winning. The United Thirteen have gone through the season without scoring a win. So far as thq second innings of the Sydenham and Addington Thirteen has progressed in their match with the Midland Eleven, C. W. Garrard’s bowling average reads 8 overs, 3 runs, 6 maidens, 4 wickets, a very meritorious performance. L. Manning, of the Lancaster Park Thirteen, shows greatly improved form as a bowler. He bowls round the wicket, and although a fast bowler he varies his pace a great deal. Playing against the United Thirteen on Saturday, he sent down eleven overs, six of which were maidens, for 14 runs and six wickets.

I think F. H. Labatt, of the Lancaster Park Thirteen, who is on all occasions a very steady batsmen, outshone himself las regards steadiness on Saturday, ns his score of 48 against the United Thirteen contained no fewer than forty singles. The highest previous score made .in Junior Cup matches—3B6, by Lancaster Park against Christ’s College in 1893 —was passed in two matches on Saturday, the Midland Junior Cup team making 507 against Lancaster Park, while the United registered 393 against Christ’s College. K, W. Barry virtually made three “ centuries ” within a week. In the Junior Cup match Midland v. Lancaster Park on March 12 he made 157 not out; on the following Thursday, playing for the Hardware Club against the Farmers’ Co-opera-tlve team, he nut toother UQYretkfidl.

and continuing in the Junior Gup match, mentioned above, last Saturday he added 110 to his previous total, making it 267, and was still not out when the last wicket fell.

Barry’s 267 not out, compiled in the Junior Cup match between the Midland and Lancaster Park teams, is the second largest score on record in matches in the colony, Raphael’s 299, made some seasons ago against a Midland team, still remaining unsurpassed. Personally, I think there is no doubt but that Barry’s is the better performance, as the bowling pitted against him was tolerably good, whereas in Raphael’s case the bowling was that of a fourth eleven, and the latter player also gave innumerable chances, while Barry was let off on only three occasions.