CRICKET NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 306, 30 November 1927, Page 10

CRICKET NOTES

THE OLD ORDER CONTINUES. PALMERSTON’S TAIL WAGS WELL. HIGH SCHOOL TROUNCE BOWLING. (By “Slip”) It was a pleasant change to experience something approacniiig summer conditions on Saturday and the improved light as the direct result of the bright, clear sky overhead enabled cricketers to indulge in tlieir game till 7.15 o’clock. It was a distinct change from tit© conditions which had ruled tho previous week when those who were not actually engaged in the field huddled for shelter from the blasts of the south-westerly, and players and spectators appreciated tho contrast. The person or persons responsible for the planning of the grand stand in the original instance apparently did not study tho question of weather conditions, for the prevailing wind being from the south-west blows directly into tho stand. While it would be distinctly preferable to have the western ond glassed in, the small boy element might prove a distinct danger and, apparently, the only recourse would be to hoard it up for certain distance. The suggestion might well be placed before tile city fathers. The day’s play presented some strango contrasts, particularly in the Palmerston-Old Boys gamo in which the fortunes fluctuated in the early portion of the innings. Last week “Slip” had stated that, strong as was this eleven, it possessed a tail, but those members showed that they could at least rise to the occasion when it was necessitated by carrying a total of 137 for seven wickets to 209 before the final wicket fell. With two batsmen such as McViear and Mullins dismissed for the poor figure of 14 runs, matters did not appear to he at all promising for Palmerston. Galliclian and Norris, however attained respectable figures, compiling 37 and 47 respectively, and with -Trevena and Kells coming to light in the closing stages, what had promised to bo an indifferent strike was raised to one of quite respectable dimensions. Kells, when lacing other than Hope’s deliveries, laid on the wood, hut Trevena showed his best form for a long time past, some of his strokes being indeed good. Save for Trevena' and Kells, there was an all-round shrinkage in the batting averages of tho Palmerston team, the former advancing from 36.00 to 89.00, his two not outs of 31 and 53 largely assisting to that end Kells in liis one strike against High School just managed to open his account and liis 37 on Saturday now gives him the respectable average of 19.00. The assistance given , by. not outs towards improving batting averages is marked when it is considered that Trevena now heads the batting returns for Palmerston with an average of 89.00 from the innings of 31, 5 and 53, wlieras Galliclian lias had two strikes of 107 and 37, hut both times out, which gives him an average of 72.00, while Norris, who has iiad three strikes for 13, 165, and 47, likewise three times out, enjoys an average of 75.00.

While Palmerston had been faced with a ticklish position in tho early stages of their innings, the carrying of the total to 259 gave them a rosy chance of success, but just how big a hurdle the attaining ot that figure was to present to Old Boys only the entry ot their strike was to disclose. It was fully anticipated that Eglinton, who had been showing excellent form with the bat, would prove capable of contributing a good total, but lie never had time to get going for Galliclian sont him back to rho pavilion with his first delivery. Rude as the shock was to Old Boys, still worse was to follow when Diederich only went to the crease to be immediately sent back by the same trundler and two wickets were down with the score sheet still a blank. . The close of the play for the day. found the side with 42 runs on the board for the loss of six wickets. Young, the other opening batsman, being still plodding away with 14 to liis credit, while J. Gallicltan had placed nine against his name.

Old Boys’ prospects of up setting the winning career of Palmerston appear to be very remoto and it would seem that, unless something unexpected arises, Old Boys will have to submit to a four point reverse which will enable their opponents to emerge from .the opening round holding a five point lead. What danger had threatened Palmerston had promised to come from Old Boys, but now that the side has lost the help of Hope they will be undoubtedly a weaker force. HIGH SCHOOL v. R.S.A. The showing put up by Hign School against K.&.a. came somewhat us a surprise, although it was luiiy expected. that the sciiooiboyo wouiu show a marked improvement in their batting as the season advanced. Opposing Palmerston in the opening maten, the H.S.A., attack had been severely trounced, but against Old Boys it had improved considerably, even if the batting had not done so and, as they had enlisted the aid of some of their old members on Saturday, it was reasonable to expect a further improvement. However, the attack did not offer any great obstacle to the schoolboys and, with 380 for the loss of eight wickets, High School have registered the highest score for the season locally. Two of the High School boys promised to join the elect throng of century makers, but De Vanticr was distinctly unfortunate to be run out when lie had reached 86, while Mackenzie liad placed 81 to his credit when he snicked a ball into keeper Day’s hands. The short boundary assisted the batsmen materially to hurry along their totals. De Vantier finding the pickets on eight occasions, while Mackenzie contributed 12 fours. Rose does not display the same amount of patience as some of his fellow batsmen, but he at least enjoys a merry knock. His 30 of Saturday was compiled as follows:—4, 4,6, 1. 4. 4,1, 4,2. JUNIOR GRADE. The junior competition is proving close and interesting , High. School benig tile present leaders with 12 points, All Saints having Hi and Old Boys 10. All Saints bad tho satisfaction of accounting for Hign School in the opening game, but then sustained a reverse at the hands of P and T, who have not proved capable of annexing further points. On Saturday High Scnool gained a three point win over Itongotea, while All Saints had to be content with a draw against R.S.A. On two occasions to date Rongotea have entered upon their matches with indifferent fortune, yet, following their being down on the first innings, have made a good recovery at their second visit to the wickets. Such has, however, invariably come too late and a three points victory on the first innings has passed to their opponents. It is perhaps the irony of fate that such should be so when the sufferers wero

keenly anxious that the junior games be restricted to one day’s play.

THIRD GRADE

In the third grade series, Albion continue their unbeaten career and are now 6J points ahead of their fellow school club, Gordon, with P and T one point further removed. The two leading elevens opposed one another on Saturday, Albion compiling 202 to which Gordon responded with 114 for lour wickets, time preventing the game being fought out to a conclusion, otherwise Gordon might well _ have halted the wining career of Albion. I here were some, excellent scores retnrned in this grade on Saturday, Sorenson knocking up 136 (not out) for Albion, Blandford 103 for P and T, Harrowfield 100 for Phoenix, Sandham Jo for AH Saints and S. Galliehan 63 tor RS A. If these young, players continue along tho same lines there is some hope for the future, there undoubtedly being a dearth of first class senior batsmen at the present time. HOPE’S GOOD RECORD.

Hope, the Old Boys skipper who departed for Nelson on Monday, came originally from Hutt bearing a reputation as a footballer and cricketer of promise and, during the few yoais lie ilas been stationed in this centre, he has fulfilled that promise in meritorious fashion. As a member of the Old Boys Rugby first fifteen, he first gained inclusion in the Manawatu representatives in that capacity. He, however, found the call of sport making encroachments on his spare hours for study and he dropped out of the active ranks in the winter season in order to devote himself more fully to the summer pastime in which he was duo to rise to greater heights. A trundler ot more than average pace, lie proved to be a great help to the Old Boj’s Cricket Club in this department and m interclub cricket in the 1925-26 season lie emerged with a bag of 46 wickets at a total cost of 380 runs—an average of

8.26 runs per wicket—while in the three representative matches in which he participated he took 16 wickets for 140 runs—an average of 8.75. Although he could not be termed a strong batsmen, ho is a forceful player and has proved capable of returning some very fair contributions, lie on one occasion attaining the century mark. His strength has however, invariably lain with the ball and it was such which gained for him inclusion in the New Zealand team which visited Australia in the 1926-27 season, his best performance having been recorded against Goulburn When he took two wickets for 26 runs and made 23 with the bat. On his return to his native shores ho participated in three inter-club games when he bagged 13 wickets at a cost of 204 runs—aii average of 15.69 —but an operation for appendicitis which had been pending for some considerable time had at last to be faced and lie was temporarily lost to the game. Hope entered upon the present season by taking seven wickets for 34 runs and in the succeeding match five wickets for 19 runs, while Saturday saw him bring his activities to a close locally when he accounted for six opponents at a cost of 84 runs out of a total of 259 runs recorded by The trundler played a heavy part during the course of the afternoon, sending down no less than 33 overs. A feature of his play was that each of the batsmen who suffered dismissal by him was clean bowled and, had he gained better support from his fieldsmen, hisf'bag might well have been greater, two players at least enjoying escapes from snicks off the fast deliveries. In one instance a bail trimmer broke one of the bails clean in half, so great was the force with which the ball was hurled. By liis departure Manawatu has lost a player it can ill afford, but Nelson will benefit thereby and, under the direction of a professional coach such as he will enjoy in the South Island, there is -every reason to expect that Hope will attain still greater heights.