THE CLUB MATCHES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 90, 14 March 1935, Page 12

THE CLUB MATCHES.

MULINS’S GOOD EFFORT. There was not a great deal to enthuse over in Saturday’s senior matches, although one feature was LMulins’s return to batting form. This one-time Manawatu _ representative could always be counted on for a reasonably good total, but cf late years lie has drifted down in his club’s batting order. By way of variety he was promoted to the role of opening batsman on Saturday and lie showed Ins appreciation *by being unbeaten at stumps with 80 to his credit. As Palmerston have already topped Y.M.C.A.’s total and have still seven wickets in hand, there is a distinct possibility that the champions will find it possible to force a four-point win. United will then be the only combination to threaten their position at the head of the championship table. While they have not a great many players to call" on in an emergency, the Palmerston members are very loyal and it is largely due to this that they have built up such a splendid record. The bad times the Old Boys Club are experiencing are evidenced by the fact that their total of 192 against City Council is their best for tlie season. There was a time when the club’s totals ran quite frequently to the third hundred. ... i . The positon of the junior A grade competition lias become all the more interesting as a result of the defeat of Palmerston by "V.M.C.A. Combined Services, who have beaten Massey College, Y.M.C.A., and Kia Toa m the last three matches, are now on terms with Palmerston, with Massey College one point away, but with one exception anv team ill the competition is capaide of carrying the day against the other. Tt is by no means unusual for excellent bowling returns to be registered in the junior grades, and Saturday saw the usual record, Hansen (Kiwi B 1 and Ferry (Services) capturing eight wickets each at the respective costs of 48 and 51. Ferry made Ins debut locally in Wednesday cricket for Services, but bis inclusion in the Saturday team has done much to strengthen its attack. Harper (Massey College) had the wonderful figure of seven wickets for five runs against Old Boys, the effort coming as a reply to Nairn’s effort of six for 17 for the oppositon, while Brown (Kiwi A) took seven for 21 against Y.M.C.A. On two occasions previously this trundler has captured six wickets for an average of less than 2.00, but Saturdays was his biggest success in the series. Thompson, the High School junior B trundler, lias a lengthy list of good bowling figures to Ids credit for the current season, and Saturday saw him add another of six wickets for 22 runs against United. Earlier in tlie season be took six wickots on one occasion at the slightly greater cost of 33 runs, while in three instances he has captured five wickets. Marshall burst into the picture on Saturday when he took six wickets for 23 runs foi Combined Services against City Council, the first occasion on which Ins name has figured in the honours list.