MID-WEEK CRICKET.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1179, 29 November 1924, Page 10

MID-WEEK CRICKET.

NOTES ON THE PLAY. (By “Slip.” The cricketers participating in the midweek fixtures were favoured by pleasant 'conditions on the opening day, but their good fortune did not continue on Wednesday when heavy rain caused an end to play shortly after five o’clock. The absence of a number of their prominent players, owing to examinations, left the school teams considerably weakened and Railway and Old Boys batting first against Gordon and Phoenix respectively punished the attack severely. Oncfley gave the Gordon bowlers reepue ,'finally by electing to retire with his total at 78, Holder went on with a view to registering his century but failed when but seven runs short of it. The Ongloy-Holder partnership looiitributed 158 for the second wicket—tho best for a long time. Wakelin showed a flash of his old form and was going strong when a nico acceptance by Hankin in the outfield Bent him back to the pavilion. Skinner went seeking boundaries and liud rattled up 23 when a “skier” brought his innings lo a close. The Railway youthful pair, Broughton and McDonald, are proving more than useful. On Wednesday the former had contributed 14 when Hankin pierced his defence, while tho latter wu6 unbeaten at the close of play with 19 to his credit. Both put plenty of power into their strokes. Spring,’who is now putting more work on tho ball, had the Railway batsmen thinking for a period. He captured throe wickets at a cost of 102. Although some of Gordon’s vorlt in the field was not quite • Al, four opponents wore nevertheless dismissed by catches. Kia Ora could only raise seven players to meet Albion, their innings averaging 11 runs per man. Scorgio headed the returns with 21, a quick return catching the sprinter short of the “tape.” Heard and Broad put up a dogged defence for the final wicket, but 13 was apparently the latter’s unlucky figure, for with the “devil’s number” to his credit lie was taken at the wickets by Jensen. Broad’s best scoring shots were his hits to leg, but otherwise his butting lacked enterprise. Heard lacks in enterprise in his running between tho wickets, which ho should also cultivate the art of backing; up. Jensen filled tho role of ’keeper for Albion, Norris having a spell in preparation for tho match versus Wanganui College. Albion did not open very promisingly, a smart catcli by Heard at point sending Rose back when he had scored a single. The Norris-MeDonald partnership promised to be a free scoring one, but with 14 on the board the latter gave Cutler a chance which was accepted. Norris continued merrily enough and had placed 32 to his credit when play ceased. Old Boys kept Phoenix busy throughout a period of 2i hours, their innings reaching the 250 mark. Fred Bennett promised to give tho ranks of tho century markers when ho was unfortunate enough to play ono on to his wicket with his total at 90. Wilson foil a victim to one of his team mutes who was fielding substitute. Catches are responsible for his dismissal more frequently than other methods. Anderson, who assists the Saturday juniors effectively, contributed a useful 46. Lloyd, a new comer promises to bo a valuable addition to Old Boys’ ranks. He returned a freely hit 37 (not out). A strange position arose in the Old Boys-Phoenix game. When the rain set in the Old Boys’ captain called his sido in which was accepted by “Slip” as a declaration in the absence of consultation between tlio captains. Later, to tho surprise of the players and spectators on the stand the fielding eido and tho not out batsmen returned' to the wicket, despite the downpour and the innings was played out. Surely a breach of. the ruled was made by the Old Boys’ captain, apart from the want of tact shown by those in power to allow the schoolboys, who were clad in ordinary garb and not cricketing flannels, to go out and get thoroughly drenched. Tho day when automatic scoring machines, or something; of the sort, are introduced will bo a blessing—not in disguise—for the cricket scribe who has to

attempt to decipher the bowling analysis as compiled by some scorers.

Anyone who saw the last two hours play in the mutch between English and Victorian .cricketers at Melbourne would not he easily 'convinced that the visitors are not a band icf very lino sports. Never (says a Sydney paper’s representative) was any game fought out in a bettor sporting spirit, A 1 ttlc finessing and the Victorians might so easily have had victory slip from their Igrasp, hut not a moment was cut to waste. The fieldsmen did not actually run as they changed over, but they did not loaf. Their virile skipper, Gilligan. set a fine example of energy, but then ho is a man who plays the game for the game’s sake, and a lass after a. hard fight brings no more than a momentary pang, so little felt that lie was able to lead Ids men in the applause for Hartkopf and Hendry which they had'so richly earned. On top of his excellent innings, Roy Kilner, the Yorkshire professional, opened the fowling against Victoria recently with Gilligan. and took Mayne’s wicket with his first "ball. While wait ing for Hendry to come in someone in the grandstand called to Kilne'r. When lie reached the fence a £1 note was thrown to him by a Yorkshjreman 'in the crowd, in appreciation of his performance.