CRICKET

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 4, 4 December 1931, Page 12

CRICKET

COUNTRY’S POOR SHOWING. BEATEN BY 10 WICKETS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Dec. 3. In perfect weather, the Town # v. Country cricket match was resumed at the Basin Reserve this morning. James declared the Town team’s innings closed at the overnight score of 316 for seven wickets, and Country commenced their second innings at 11.5 a.m. The Town eleven secured an easy win by 10 wickets. The Country team’s batting order was changed for. the second innings, and this, with the state of the game, accounted for a cautious beginning. The conditions admirably suited the batsmen, but during the first hour play was rather tedious and costly to the visitors; three wickets were lost in that time. Two of the wickets fell as a result of appeals to the umpires. During the second hour’s play steady progress was made, but the visitors were again unfortunate in losing more wickets, one as a result of a snick to the wicket-keeper, and the other l.b.w. At the luncheon adjournment the score was 101 for five wickets, the compilation of this score having occupied 115 minutes. The Country team still required 57 runs to avert defeat by an innings. Beck, who batted solidly in the first innings, was elevated to the position of opening batsman in place of Cameron, and he and Neale took strike to Crook and Duncan. In Crook’s first over misficlding by Duncan and Griffiths in the covers gave Beck two, but Duncan’s first over .was a maiden. Facing Crook, who was bowling outside the off stump, Beck played some nice shots through the slips, but he was more restrained against Duncan, who was bowling better than yesterday. A snick off Crook, which sailed through the slips to the fence, gave Beck the first boundary of the innings and brought up double figures after 15 minutes’ play. Aft the scoring was still being done off Crook, and a single off him gave Beck 10. The first run to be scored off Duncan came from a single to third man by Beck in his fifth over. The first wicket fell after 25 minutes’ play, when Crook bowled Neale, who had been uncertain from the start. The over was scoreless. 15—1—4. Hayward followed shortly afterwards. Beck again steered Crook through the slips to the fence, and brought 20 up. Hayward played a ball to mid-on and started for a run, but an underhand return to the wicket-keeper by Biggar caught Beck out of his crease. He had shaped very confidently, and although he was a trifle slow in backing up ho could be counted unfortunate. 20—2—16. Cameron came in and faced McGirr, who had relieved Crook. Six runs came off McGirr’s first over, and Cameron turned the first ball of his second over, a full toss, to leg foxfour. McGirr continued to send an occasional delivery down on the leg side, and Cameron got some of them away nicely to help his score along. Duncan’s first nine overs, which included six maidens, cost only 5 runs, but in his next both Hayward and Cameron drove him to the fence and a single brought nine off the over. McGirr’s first three overs cost six runs. Hayward lifted Duncan to mid-off clear of Dempster, who attempted to get under it from cover-point. In the same over he was given out 1.b.w., and was replaced by Cutler. 51 —3 —16. The half-century had taken just under an hour to reach. Cameron was then 14. With the total at 51, Griffiths was brought on in place of McGirr, who was shifted to the northern end, from which he sent down his first maiden over. In McGiir’s next over Cameron brought 60 up by turning McGirr to fine leg for two. Cutler reached double figures in the next over from Griffiths bv square-cutting the slow bowler to tlie fence. Cameron and Cutler advanced the score steadily, and 70 was reached after 85 minutes’ play; but the partnership was broken soon afterwards, James taking a catch behind the wickets off McGirr, and sending Cameron back. The retiring batsman s score included two fours.—74—4—/U. T. P. Reaney filled the vacancy and opened his account with a couple ofr McGirr, whose bowling appeared to lack the sting of his first few overs. Cutler came near to being run out wlien Griffiths made a smart return to McGirr, but the bo,wler failed to gather in the ball. With the score at 84 Duncan was brought on again in place of whoso one wicket had cost 30 runs on 11 overs, one of which -was a maiden. Tire change was made a double one, as Crook was brought on at the southern end to relieve Griffiths, whose seven overs had cost 13 runs and included two maidens. The desired result was obtained when Reaney was dismissed l.b.w'. for the second time in the match. Duncan was the bowler, and was bowling over the wicket to the left-hander, 92 —s—B. Lowry joined Cutler and opened with two singles. The pair made no attempt to force the pace against Crook, who was still bowling mainly off the wicket, and Duncan, who was maintaining a steady length. The century was reached in the last over before'lunch, and the adjournment was taken with the score at 101 f or five wickets. The afternoon’s play opened sensationally. Griffith’s third delivery in the first over was a full toss, and Lowry made a swing at it, missed, and had his bails sent flying. 105 —6 —5._ The early dismissal, of Lowry materially reduced the visitors’ chances of leaving Town a good total to reach in, the second innings. O’Brien joined Cutler, who was moving along steadily, a drive to the- fence off Griffiths giving him 30. He failed to last much longer, snicking a ball from Griffiths to Crook in the slips. He had given a very solid display, and his total included six fours. Griffiths had taken two for 23 off ten overs, including three maidens, 120 —7—39. H. Reaney was the newcomer, and with the score at 124 Dempster was brought on to bowl in the place of Griffiths. Two singles came off the over. James had apparently decided to give bis batsmen a turn at the bowling crease, and Christophersen took over from Duncan, who had taken two for 36 off eighteen overs. The batsmen relished the opportunity of making some easy runs, and 10 were knocked off Dempster’s second over. In Christophersen’s next over, which

cost 11 runs, O’Brien brought 150 up as the result of a drive to the boundary at long-off. The runs were scored practically in even time, the scoring rate being much quicker at this stage than it was earlier in the innings. At 2.15 p.m. the score was 163 for seven wickets: O’Brien (in) 33, H. Reaney (in) 17; extras, 10. An easing up in the attack enabled O’Brien ancl H. Reaney to wipe off the arrears. Forcing play against temptting bowling brought in runs from nearly every delivery until Christophersen was credited with a maiden over. Ward and Lambert came on, and the score was kept moving until, at 194. O’Brien fell to an appeal for 1.b.w., being the third batsman to go by this route during the innings. O’Brien played forcing cricket in making 48. 194—8—48. Still another umpires’ decision followed soon afterwards, Montgomery being dismissed on an appeal for “run out.” 1969 —1. The Country team’s innings closed for 213, at 3 p.m., when Reaney was caught at square-leg by McGirr off Ward. Requiring only 56 runs for victory. Town commenced their second innings with Dempster" and Christophersen as the opening pair. They hit off the required 56 runs in 20 minutes. Dempster displaying brilliant form, hit up 45. while Christophersen scored 13. Details • TOWN. First innings, seven wickets for ... 316 (Innings declared closed.) Second Innings. Dempster, not out 45 Christophersen, not out 13 Total for no wickets 58 COUNTRY. First innings 158 Second Innings. Neale, b Crook 4 Beck, run. out 16 Hayward, 1.b.w., b Duncan ... 16 Cameron, c James, b McGirr ... 20 Cutler, c Crook, b Griffiths 39 T. Reaney., 1.b.w., b Duncan ... 8 Lowry, b Griffiths 3 O’Brien, 1.b.w., b Ward 48 H. Reaney, c McGirr, b Ward ... 40 Montgomery, run out 1 Newman, not out 5 Extras 13 Total 213 Fall of the wickets: One for 15; two for 20; three for 51; four for 74; five tor 82; six for 105; seven for 120; eight for 194 and nine for 196. Bowling analysis.—Crook, one for 25; Duncan, 2 for 36; McGirr, 1 for 30; Griffiths, 2 for 28; Dempster, none for 38; Christophersen, none for 16; Ward, 2 for 15; Lambert, none for 16. HAWKE CUP. Per Press Association. WANGANUI, Nov. 3. The Hawke Cup elimination match between Wanganui and Taranaki was commenced in ideal weather to-day. Batting first, Wanganui made 266 in their first innings (Wood 38, Sewell 37, C. Smith 33, Grant 32, Cheevers 29, H. AVilliams 25, McDougal 20). Naismith took seven wickets for 87. Taranaki have lost three wickets for 142, Betts having scored 94 not out at the drawing of stumps. INTER-CLUB MATCHES. TO-MORROW’S FIXTURES. The final games in the opening round of the senior cricket competition will be carried through to completion to-morrow and meantime there is some uncertainty as to whether Palmerston or United will hold the points advantage at the closo of the round. Theso two teams are opposing Old Boys and High School respectively and the outcome of the matches is uncertain. In the junior series Old Boys, the present loaders, will meet High School for the second occasion, their previous game having resulted in a draw In the intervening period Old Boys have won their four matches comfortably whereas High School have lost the championship points on two occasions. Another drawn battlo on that same afternoon resulted at the meeting of Y.M.C.A. and Palmerston and their second clash should be productive of yet another keen game. The fixtures for the junior and third grades to-morrow are as under:— Junior.—Kia Toa (in) v. City Council, Sportsground; High School (m) v. Old Boys, Sportsground; Palmerston (m) v. Y.M.C.A., Terrace End Park. Thirds.—Phoenix (m) v. Kia Ora, High School ground; Gordon (m) v. Albion, Terrace End Park; Primary Schools (m) v. Technical, Sportsground. Technical v. Primary Schools.—Dredge (captain), Bradley, Russell, Keen, Essex, Gardner, Kilgour, Watson, McLaren, Long, Barrett, Sievert, Facer.