CRICKET NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 304, 21 November 1934, Page 10

CRICKET NOTES

JUNIORS SHOW THE WAY. TWO CENTURIES REGISTERED. (By “Slip.”) Although faster wickets have been offering in Palmerston North on the past two Saturdays, a senior player has still to register a century. However, A. Cutler, who had compiled 65 at his previous essay, fell only four runs short on Saturday. Last season M. O’Keefe registered the initial century for the season in the second game of the series. While he is again Old Boys’ highest contributor this term with a 66, his form has not been consistent.

N. Gallichan appeared to be on the high road to his half-century at least, on Saturday, when he returned a ball to the bowler. While he found C. Mcicar’s slow break deliveries to his likink, his desire to force matters is invariably too evident. Y.M.C.A. threatened to set Palmerston a difficult task when they had 130 on the telegraph with only one wicket down, but after the dismissal of. Murchison and K. Hatch a different complexion came over the game. The wily tactics of A. M. Ongley proved too much for the less experienced batsmen, and the veteran’s bag of five wickets ivas liis most profitable effort for a season or two.

R. Hatch made his appearance with Palmerston for the first occasion on Saturday, and the fast bowler had a strenuous day. While he kept the batsmen quiet, his bag was restricted to a brace at a cost of 28 runs. One of the wickets was gained per medium of an lbw decision which sent his brother back to the pavilion and removed an obstacle from the path. While City Council returned their poorest total to date against Old Boys, there were six players who proved capable of entering double figures. The dismissal of Olliver for 18 was a reverse for the side, and for the second occasion it was left to Eyre to rank as the top scorer with 29. This member shows promise of regaining his old form, although he is apt to play across instead of maintaining a straight bat. Stephens, of Pahiatua, who has been granted permission by the New Zealand Council to play club competition cricket in Palmerston North, turned out with Old Boys on Saturday. In the past this member has played some splendid innings against Manawatu teams, but smart work by Olliver behind the stumps got rid of him cheaply on Saturday. There was an unusual similarity of figures in the City Council-Old Boys game, each side losing its first wicket at 12 and the second at 25. Each also lost a wicket at 74, whereas City Council had six down at that stage, Old Boys had only four. However, the issue is still uncertain.

Boundary scores were common in the United innings against Higli School, tho fast outfield and comparatively short boundaries assisting to that end. In compiling his 75 Cockery registered 13 foul's, whereas in A. Cutler’s 96 there were two less. Davis also had a merry knock, 46 of his 50 runs coming from boundaries—lo_ fours and one sixer. The partnership between Cutler and Cockery was productive of 141 runs.

There was a time when Penman trundled well, but it was not till Saturday that United gave him a turn with the ball when opposed to High School. He gained an immediate success by clean bowling two of the opposition and got a third lbw. It was at that stage that stumps were drawn, High Scliool having three wickets down for one run—a far from favourable reply to a 300 total by the opposing eleven.

When Norris and Robertson opened Palmerston’s innings in reply;-' to Y.M.C.A.’s total of 179, it was apparent that they were in scoring mood, for while they took no undue risks, they wont after the runs, their running between the wickets being brighter than some of the opposing batsmen had given; indeed there are countless runs lost each Saturday by poor backing up. It is a point in which local seniors are deficient.

At his three previous strikes, Norris, the Palmerston skipper, claimed one not out and was twice out to catches. He varied the proceedings on Saturday by playing a ball on to his wicket—one which lie might have left alone. He had placed 30 to his credit at the time and had looked like’carrying his total a long way further. Robertson signalled his entry upon the season’s activities by registering 73 against High School, but he failed to get going against City Council. However, with 31 to his credit at the drawing of stumps on Saturday, he might improve his average materially on the resumption. It was in the fourth match of the series last year that he returned a century. AMONG THE JUNIORS.

Last season Bowles (Y.M.C.A.) was unlucky enough to return totals of 99 and 96 —just being short of the century. On Saturday he ran up 177 at Terrace End Park and this figure must rank as one of the highest ever returned in a junior fixture. The juniors certainly showed the way to the seniors in respect to centuries, for in addition to Bowles’s effort Waller (Massey College! also topped the 100 mark, his contribution against Old Boys A being 114. There was an occasion last year when Y.M.C.A. compiled a total of 372—the highest total returned in an innings by a junior A team. Their total of 381 on Saturday now sets a new figure. Prior to Saturday, no junior A team had topped the 200 mark, but in addition to Y.M.C.A., Massey College also exceeded that figure, the latter eleven being only two runs short of their third hundred.

Combined Services did not appear to be in a very happy position when their first visit to the wickets was productive of only 109, and although Kia Toa managed to top that total the fact that the latter club hold an advantage of only 29 runs was directly attributable to the efforts of Gray with the ball for Services. This trundler emerged from the day’s activities with a bag of seven wickets at the cheap cost of 45 runs.

To date there have been 13 halfcenturies recorded in the junior B grade. Wright (Kiwi A) registered his second half-century on Saturday and he ranks as the only player to have repeated the performance to date. Two High School players, Hardie and O’Kane, wore credited with half-cen-turies on Saturday, the former compiling 70 and the latter 63. Last season O’Kane registered good figures, retiring on two occasions with totals of 124 and 105 against his name, while he reached the 60 mark twice. Bailey, the Kiwi A batsman, followed up his effort with the willow by accounting for the opposition to the tune of five wickets for 11 runs to mark an excellent afternoon’s work. Nansett (Old Boys), who has been most consistent, followed up his five for 28 of the preceding week with five for 11 on Saturday. Peculiarly enough, neither Kiwi A nor Old Bovs were able to force a four-point win despite the efforts of the two trundlers. High School, who meantime lead the field in the junior B competition, have moved to be strong in both batting and bowling. In the latter department, Thompson, Broad ? Lynch and Young have played prominent roles. The firstnamed pair have registered phenome-

nal bowling figures, Thompson having taken such bags as five for four, five for 12, five for 20 and six for 23, while Broad’s tallies include three for two, four for 37, and six for 25. Yet another member, Hardie, who came into prominence as rt result of his 70 with the willow, also played a part with tho ball by taking three wickets for 11 runs. TJnited ran true to form in the junior B series on Saturday when, after being faced with the danger of a fourpoint reverse, they improved to the extent that their opponents’ aims were frustrated. Two of the eleven, Robb and McGregor, bowled quite well, the former taking five wickets for 33 runs, and the latter three for 30, but greater confidence in the batting department is required.