CRICKET NOTES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7509, 6 February 1903, Page 7

CRICKET NOTES.

(By "Mid-ofi.")

The presence of Barraud and T. Eyre has immensely strengthened the Palmerston batting, and in this department the wearers of the manycolored caps are as strong as, if not stronger than, any of the local teams. The.:bowling is istill on the weak side^ but the undoubted ba.tine strength may safely carry the team through the cup fixtures. o„I esl er, day ' l n compiling a score of 260, Palmerston occupied the wickets for a little over three hours IIZr C 0&t the ra*e of about 80 an hour. Harden and GoldlnS\ai« scored 51 for the first wicket, but the most productive partnership was that between T. Eyre and Barraud, who pus on 84 for the third wicket.

Several of the batsmen reached double figures, Barraud being top-notch-er with 79, 'the result of free and forceful cricket. In his score of 35 ■^olidingham hit only two singles. He was playing confidently and scoring quickly when thrown out. Harden, T. Eyre, Cooke, Sim, and Merriman also treated the bowling disrespectfully, and were the cause of several of the fieldsmen showing latent and unsuspected sprinting powers The bowlers received no help from the wicket, and were freely punished although change after change was rung on. Under the circumstances McMurray'is . figures of .five wickets, for lo runs apiece reads very well Alhambra only had half-an-hour's batting, stumps being drawn, on Malcolm s appeal against the light, a few minutes before the time fixed originally. Two wickets were lost lor 32 runs,- Pickering claiming 22 of that number. While batting carefully, with the evident intention of playing out time, Pickering was very severe on isoft stuff.

Alhambras will resume batting next week with eight wickets to catch Palmerston's first innings total. It is a heavy task, but the Alhambras will probably make a big light. -

The Stars-Old Boys match should result in an easy victory for the latter t earn, as with only one wicket down in their second innings they hold a lead of over a hundred runs". The Stars, batting a couple of substitutes, collapsed badly, Scott (5 for 13) being largely responsible. Oakley never fails to reach double figures. In the first innings of the Old Boys he was top scorer with 21, and in the second he is 14 not out.. He is also a good field, and is assuredly worth a trial in the next representative team.

A feature of the Old Boys' second innings was the batting of F. E. Watson. Time was when Watson was one of the best of Palmers ton's batsmen and his batting yesterday showed traces of his old form.

The fielding r[ the Stars suffered badly by comparison with that of the Old Boys.

Alhambra II will most likely defeat the Old Boys II with an innings to spare. Indications point to Alhambra II as the probable winners of the junior championship.