CRICKET.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9168, 17 March 1910, Page 6

CRICKET.

!THE AUSTRALIANS IN PALMERSTON. LOCAL MEN GO TO THE WICKETS FIRST. FAIL TO REACH THE CENTURY. I WIIITTY'S FINE BOWLING. Considering the fact that the Australian touring team is one of the beet that has ever visited this country, and that it could probably beat any other team which could bo chosen in the States, there was not a large attendance of the public at the Sports Ground yesterday. Of course, it was a very fair cricket crowd, but considering the important nature of the game the Association was quite justified in expecting a much larger gathering, The very threatening nature of the weather may have had something to do with restricting the attendance, for all the afternoon it threatened to rain in a most tantalising manner, and it was quite a miracle that there was no shower during the progress of the match. Manawatu men were palpably suffering from nerves, and this accounted in a great measure for their rather poor showing. The fact that they had to stand up to the man who had been so successful against the prido of All England only a few months back was Bumcient excuse for the epidemic- which spread with alarming pace amongst the best of the local batsmen. Whitty was bowling on a wicket that was not altogether in his favour. The brilliant young left-hander becomes more dangerous on a faster wicket, when his mediumpaced deliveries come away from the turf with a terrifying shoot. Notwithstanding the fact that the wicket yesterdav was heavy, and the ball inclined to hang, he was'getting'some wonderful work on. Mitchell faced him first, and only got three balls. They all tangled him. breaking in from all round the wicket with a vicious shoot; The third, coining from the leg, got between his pads and his bat, and he retired. From that on the procession to anyone not gifted with a 6ensc of humour was a pitiful affair, and the 6ix best batsmen had compiled the magnificent total of 20! Then came Cobbe. Cobbe is noted for the fact that he has nothing to speak of in the way of "nerves." He showed great confidence' from the start, and that was his salvation, and the salvation of his side. liis very creditable score was a welcome relief, and, assisted by Holland and Bartlett. he raised the fallen hopes of Manawatu, and saved his side from utter shame. Whitty did not have so much terror for the tail of the local team as he inspired in the first unfortunate half dozen; and Cobbe managed to spoil what promised to be a fine average. At one time he had three wickets for no runs; then his average read five for five; with the fall of the seventh wicket it was six for 11, but that was his last capture, and Jie ended with six for 36. It was then Emery's turn to get to work, and his fast stuff completely tied up the local tail. The Australians opened carefully, 1 reserving their best batsmen for a better light. Faccy and Dodds, the two Tasmanians, were the first to open, the former treating Ongley very disrespectfully. Greer's fast stuff in the failing light accounted for both men, and Bartlett tempted Whitty, who gave an easy,catch to Wells. The visitors gave a fine exhibition of fielding, although at times they did not seem over-anxious to save runs. Emery and Bardsley, in the slips, took everything offered in the way of catches, one or two of them being particularly smart. The local men were also good in tho field, Goldspring being prominent in run-stopping, while Eyre behind the stumps showed something of his old form. The splendid cricket ground was a revelation to the visitors. Mr McKenzie, the team's manager, said it was one of tho finest he had seen in New Zealand, and he was amazed to find so perfect a ground in a place of Palmerston's size. Conditions generally favoured the bowlers. especially the light, which was very bad at times, and which compelled cessation of play at 5.30. j

THE PLAY. Bardsley won the toss, and sent Manawatu to the wickets. Mitchell and Ongley opened . the batting, the former to Whitty. He had a brief life, the third ball just snicking his bails before he had opened his scoring account. 0 —1 —0. Trevena followed, and played out the over. Emery sent down a very short ball to Ongley, who promptly swiped it for 3, amid applause. Trevena played out the over again without scoring, and then Ongley once more faced Whitty, who sent down a maiden. Trevena opened his account with a single off Emery's next over, and that brought him face to face once more with Whitty, who took his middle stump with the third ball. 4 2 1. Goldspring filled the vacancy. Ongley got a two and a single, but in Whitty's next over Emery snapped him beautifully in the slips. 7—3—6. Whitty's average now stood at 3 wickets, 3 maidens, no runs. McLean' followed, and registered the first score off Whitty by getting him to leg for 2. Goldspring brought 10 up by sneaking a single from Emery, and McLean notched » a brace off the same bowler. Goldspring got a single from 'Whitty, but with Emery's next ball he met his fate, a fast ball snicking off his bails. 13—4—2. Mason filled the vacancy, and opened his account off Emery's first delivery to him, getting him away for three. "His life was as brief as his previous club mate's, however, for in trying to drive Whitty he mis-hit, and Emery brought off a beautiful catch in the slips. 16— 5 —3. O'Connor followed, and got a lucky two off Whitty's last ball. McLean faced Emery, who appealed unsuccessfully for leg-before off his first ball; the next the Manawatu skipper spooned the head of the nearest ' field for one, and a leg-bye off Emery's next brought 20 up. In Whitty's next over O'Connor was tempted to try at a ball well off the wickets, and ho spooned i it to Bardsley in the slips. 20—6—2. * Whitty's average was now 5 for 5. Cobbe was the next man, and on arrival narrowly escaped being stumped. He ran out to Whitty and missed, but Dodds also missed the ball behind the wickets. McLean got Emery away with a straight drive for a single, and Cobbe followed with another lucky single. The next, ball was a no-ball, luckily for McLean, for it scattered his stumps. Off Whitty's next Cobbe registered the first four by snicking him through the slips—a feat which caused considerable elation in the grandstand. He followed with a risky single, and immediately addecT two similar runs. He then got cleverly by cutting Emery; McLean followed with still another single. Whitty was tangling McLean up, and at last took his off-stump with a beautiful ball. 33 —7 —B. Whitty's average was now six wickpts for 11. Holland was next in the procession, and a bye fo,r three signalled his appearance. He opened his account with a lucky two. Cobbe added another single, and then brought 40 up and registered the first double-figure score of the day by getting through the slips for four. Holland drove "Whitty for three amid applause, and Cobbe followed with another lucky single in the slips. Holland then hit the first boundary of the day, and the half century appeared after an hour's play. Cobbe still scoring singles, added a couple, and Holland opened his shoulders again to Emery for angther four. Then another late cut by Cobbe for four and a leg glide for still another four by the player brought 60 up, and put the Feilding man past 20. Emery, however, had his revenge with a very fast one, j beating Holland all the way, and scattering his stumps. 64 —B—l3.8 —13. Holland's J score was made up of two fours, a, three, and a two. Bartlett followed,

and broke his (Sack with a single. ( Cobbo got another four for an over- ! throw, and then ho had a brace of J two's. Bartlett cut Whitty for two, and > followed with a single off Emery. He ' opened his shoulders to the same bowler | and three resulted. Then came Cobbe's end by getting his leg in front to Emery. He had played a confident in- j nings, and his 32 included five 4's and j two 2's, mostly obtained by late cutting. I 7g—g—32. Wells followed, but cut Emery's first ball into Bardsley's hands, I and returned to the pavilion without ad- i ding to the score. 79 —10 —0. Eyre was next. Bartlett added a brace and a boundary off Whitty, bringing 85 up and putting himself into double figures. Eyre broke his duck with a two oft Emery, and then got tangled up with a fast one from the same bowler. 87— —2. Greer was the last man, and only had three balls from Emery when he snooned ono to Bardsley, and the innings closed for 87, after having occupied an hour and a half. Bartlett was the not out man with 12. AUSTRALIA AT THE WICKETS. Dodds and Facey opened to Bartlett and Ongley. Bartlett's first over yielded three, and Ongley's one. Facey was doing the scoring and had two two 6 and a three to his credit before Dodds got going. Both batsmen were re ' fully, and runs came slowly. Ult Ongley's second and third overs only two runs were scored, but Facey lifted the Feilding trundlor over the fence for two sixes in his fourth over, which yielded fifteen, and Greer went on in his place. The change was effective, the new bowler's fourth ball beating Facey. The departing batsman's 24 included two 6ixes and four twos.-36-l-24. Whitty was the next man. He scored a lucky one off Greer, but skied Bartlett's first delivery. and Wells held it.—37—2—L Kelleway was next, and a couple of singles off Bartlett followed. Greer's next yielded a single ; and two more came off Bartlett. Then Greer sent down the first maiden. Runs came slowly, Kclleway and Dodds dividing them evenly. Then Greer got Dodds with a beauty.—4B—6— 15 The Tasmanian's score was made up of singles, except a two. Emery joined Dodds, but the failing light caused play to cease for the day at 5.30.

THE SCORES. MANAWATU. —First Innings. F. Mitchell b Whitty ... 0 A. M. Ongley c Emery b Whitty ... 6 A. J. Trevena b Whitty 1 E. M. Goldspring b Emery 2 W. H. McLean b Whitty 8 E. L. Mason c Emery b Whitty ... 3 J. O'Connor c Bardsley b Whitty ... 2 R. Cobbe lbw b Emery 32 F. Holland b Emery 13 F. Wells c Bardsley b Emery 0 W. IL Bartlett not out 12 R. Eyre b Emery 2 G. Greer c Bardsley b Emery 0 Extras 6 Total 87 Bowling analysis. —Whitty, six for 36; Emery, six for 47. AUSTRALIA. —First Innings. Dodds b Greer 15 Facey b Greer 24 Whitty c Wells b Bartlett 1 Kclleway not out 8 Emery not out 0 Three wickets for ... ... ... 48 Bowling analysis.—Greer, two for 8; Bartlett, one for 19; Ongley, none for 21.

At the reception of the visitors yesterday there were present:—The Mayor, Mr D. Buick, M.P., Mr F. E. Watson, President of the Association, Mr S. Greer, selector, Mr 0. Cleland, hon. secretary, Mr W. H. McLean, skipper of the local team, and a number of others. At the Empire Hotel, where the teams lunched, Mr Watson made a speech of welcome, dwelling on the value of such visits to the cricket of the Dominion; Mr D. Buick, M.P., reminded the visitors that our game was football and not cricket, but their visit would improve the game; Mr Nash welcomed the team on behalf of the town, and said he hoped their verdict on the ground would bo the same as the others—that it was the best in the Dominion; and Mr Greer humorously remarked that, they did not know what was in store for them—they were meeting in the Manawatu thirteen "the cream of the Dominion." Mr Bardsley, who captained the visitors in the absence of Mr W. W. Armstrong, regretted that hitter's absence, and expressed the pleasure the team had in visiting New Zealand. Ho hoped to see this country one day competing in tho world's "great cricket.

Mr Armstrong, the captain of the Australian team, did not come to Palmerston yesterday, and he will not play at Now Plymouth. When in Dunedin no met with an accident when out walking- on the hills._ He slipped, arid in trying to right himself, he threw himself back, with the result that he snapped one of the muscles in the region of the heart. He stayed behind to receive medical treatment. He proposed leaving Christchurch last night for Wanganui.