CRICKET

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 10, 10 December 1936, Page 27

CRICKET

MANAWATU ASSOCIATION. BOXING DAY FIXTURE. Th© fortnightly meeting of the ATana'tvatu Cricket Association was held on Tuesday, when Mr A. M. Ongley presided. Others present were: Messrs E. J. Worry, E. Tottman. AV. H. Wilson, J. Gallichan, G. Griggs, E. D. Weir, and R. A. Brace (secretary). An apology for absence was received from Mr J. R. Hardie. A letter was received from TI. L. j oung’s Club asking that two new players be registered in place of two who had left the locality. The registrations were effected.

The secretary of the United Cricket Club forwarded a letter requesting that j, S. Cutler (junior A), AV. Fenton (junior A) and A. Fisher (junior B) be registered.—Granted. The Midland Cricket Club, Wellington, replied to a letter proposing that a Manawatu team should play a return game at AVellington on December 19. The letter intimated that the Wellington competitions were being played on that date and proposing that Manawatu suggest a date in January.—The secretary stated that he had "written advising Midland that a new date would be suggested later. The Wanganui Cricket Association sought a match with a junior A team at Palmerston North on Boxing Day. The chairman wondered if the Cricket AVeek would affect many junior players. He suggested that the match should be accepted in the meantime and that 'Wanganui could be advised later if Manawatu could not get a team. This was agreed to. The match with . Horowhenua, the decision in regard to which was held over from th© last meeting, was accepted for December 19, provided inclement weather does not interfere with the continuation of the club competitions next Saturday. Mr Olliver moved that the junior A and senior B competitions be suspended on December 19. and Air Gallichan seconded the motion, which was carlied. It was decided that a representative game between senior B and junior A tennis he played on that day. The junior B club competitions will be continued on December 19. Accounts totalling £33 16s 7d were passed for payment. At the request of Mr AA’eir, permission was given for a junior team to take part in the Christmas cricket week at Napier. The sum of £5 was granted _ for the expenses of the trip. Air AVcir requested that any junior players wishing to play at Napier advise Air AVerry at the earliest opportunity. NOTES ON THE GAME. (By “Point.”) Saturday found the senior A batsmen in the ascendancy and both United and Palmerston rattled up tall scores, the former team being 5 down for 336 and Palmerston having still 5 wickqts intact with 391 on the board. At the Sportsground both Olliver and Cutler played chanceless innings against Y.M.C.A. Olliver opened with Spiers, who was content to allow his partner

to do nearly all the scoring, remaining with him until the century was passed. Olliver cocked one up to AVeir off Spelman when 92, but Cutler had by then assumed the offensive and was within an ace of his century when he played on one from Spelman. Alost of Cutler's tally was recorded on a pitch that was becoming rapidly very greasy and his 98 was a creditable effort. United had Penman (42) and Ross (20) hitting freely around the wicket when stumps were drawn.

N. Gallichan must have gone into three figures against City Council, but the tailemlers could not stay long enough to give him a real chance and he carried his bat for 86 of the 245 attributed to Old Boys. One of the features of Gallichnn’s innings was his forbearance. Playing with greater restraint than usual, he was content to await chances and when they came he connected to good effect. AVhite \uu more vigorous, his 51 including nine fours, scored all around the wicket. The shortage of bowlers in senior cricket this season is becoming more noticeable each week and upon a few devolves the task of trundling all through the afternoon. It says much for the_ stamina and effectiveness of C. Ale Vicar (City Council) and Spohnnn (Y.M.C.A.) that they were the only bowlers to keep the batsmen thinking at. the sportsground on Saturday. AlcVicar took 6 for 68, the result of 25 overs, fly© of which were maidens; i while Spelman (3 for 65) was also tireless, his 38 overs including 14 maidens. In putting on 391 runs for five wickets against High School, Palmerston had the highest batting total in Saturday’s play. It might appear that School were deficient, but the position was rather that Palmerston’s batsmen struck form and had a day of runmaking. The strongest of the School bowlers was Downes, who captured the five wickets, and lie sent down some very good deliveries. The School’s fielding might have shown an improvement, though, it was not bad by any means.

AlcAlinu and Hornibrook bore tlie brunt of the attack for Y.AI.C’.A. senior B against City. The latter suffered somewhat from boundary hits, eleven being scored against him and his final average was 3 for 71. AlcAlinn, whose average was 6 for 48, had a run of success against the tnil-enders and in the last five of 16 overs Took one wicket per over, besides which two of tlie overs were maindens. Hornibrook also performed well with the bat, being 53 not out when the day’s play ended

Lang and Perrin made a very good opening for City against Y'.AI.C.A., even apart from their solid partnership of 87 runs. They played sound cricket for an opening pair and took a lot of dislodging. Perrin made a return to cricket after an absence of a number of years. He played formerly for the R.S.A. Club and showed on Saturday that he has not forgotten how to wield the willpw. Baigent was another whose batting total was very acceptable for City. His 56 was not flawless, because he was dropped twice and his luck seemed to hold for the day. Burgess brought off a good catch to dismiss Shaw, who was going well for Y.AI.C.A. The fieldsmen were standing in a biting wind with a cold rain chilling their hands and fingers, but Burgess made a clean catch when the

batsman skied one to a more or less mid-wicket position. Burgess is a good fieldsman and is regarded as a valued member of tlie City team.

R. Brown proved to lie the stalwart of the Kia Toa butting in their match with Old Boys when he put on 59. He went out to bat with the wicket rapidly becoming most difficult for the attack and the bowlers finding it hard to retain a good foothold. Brown did not attempt anything in the way of fine stroke play, but swung at any likely balls, and boundaries were frequent as a result. Bell kept his wicket up some time for 5 and the last man in, tleatley, also made good use of the favourable batting conditions for 26 not out. Old Boys might have changed the state of the score book considerably bad they elected to allow their opponents to bat' instead of going m themselves when they saw, at the beginning of play for the day, that a fall of rain was likely at a later stage. AA'ith 4 for 19, the “hat trick” included, Thompson was the leading bowler of the Old Boys-Ivia Toa encounter. Thompson is one of the usual howlers for Old Boys and his breaking halls on Saturday had a tale to tell in the short procession he instituted.

Aluch credit is due to AAL H. AA’ilson for his' 77, even though he was dropped five times. Two of the catches were “presentations.” The merit of tlie innings was that AVilson was batting with ail arm still bound up as the result of a strained muscle, and also with a cut hand. A Liny would have given the game best, but AA’ilson’s doggedness meant a contribution which was of very material assistance to his side.

Air J. Dunningham, AI.L.A., old Rugby footballer, and racehorse owner, intends to fly in the face of the Board of Control for Australian cricket, and, ignoring their opposition, invite an Empire cricket team to Sydney during the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Australia in 1938. Australia has a real fast bowler to counter Allen’s speed team in the Test matches. AVriting in the Australasian recently on play in the Victoria v. South Australia Sheffield Shield match, Jack AVorrall said: “Faster and better howling than that given by E. L. AlcCormick lias not been seen on the Ardbourne cricket ground since the days of Larwood. AA’e have a fast bowler at last, and all doubts are removed.” McCormick has since justified that opinion, at Brisbane.

How seriously Australia’s bowling mainstay is taking the present cricket campaign is shown in the decision of O’Reilly to equip himself with hoots made especially to resist the jar of hard grounds. O’Reilly, in the last Test series in Australia, howled 383 sixball overs. The prospect this time is that he may have to bowl as many eight-bailers, and. springy and tireless as he is, lie prefers not to risk foot trouble.

Up to the last completed senior club games, the following batsmen are heading the field for the Kia Ora bat given to the batsman scoring the most runs by means of fours and sixes during the season:—D. A. R. Aloloney 90, N. Gallichan 72, A. S. H. Cutler 52, J. Murchison 52, C. AlcAUcar 52. N. AVaters 52, AI. A. Ongley 50. K. Olliver 48. Last Saturday. N. Gallichan, A. S. H. Cutler and K. Olliver, with scores of 86, 98 and 92 respectively,

moved up considerably, and the position at the end of the present games should be very interesting. It is also interesting to note that K. Olliver and A. S. TI. Cutler both narrowly missed winning a bat given by nn interested follower of the team to tho first United batsman to score a century this season.