THE FEILDING-PALMERSTON MATCH.

Manawatu Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 7639, 3 February 1903, Page 2

THE FEILDING-PALMERSTON MATCH.

[By " Umpibe.]

A strong though friendly spirit of rivalry in all branches of ~ sport has existed between Feilding and -Palmerston from the day Avhen some of our present staid, grey-haired citizens themselves competed for the honours of the toAvn. But latterly the hatchet appears to have been "buried, and the good old contests in football and cricket have become almost a thing of the past. The i cricket match on Saturday, hoAvcver, appears to a certain extent "to haA**e revived the. old spirit, particularly as the local players, having sustained defeat on then- oAvn ground and in a match played to a finish, will be anxious to get a return fixture off at an early date to endeavour to recover their lost-laurels. The match in question commenced shortly before 11 o'clock, and the stumps were drawn at 6 p.m. The pitch was" fairly good, but owing to the previous Avet weather it cut up considerably at one. end. Feilding went first to "the Avickets, and this fact proved an advantage to them in the last stages of the match, as it left Palmerston to play a "forced" innings, and that in a bad light. Fannin, the Feilding crack bowler, who represented Wanganui against the Englishmen, trundled successfully right through the match. He has a very easy delivery and does not tire. On Saturday he and Stewart divided the honours, but Stewart came off with the better average. In the first innings SteAvart had < one point to the good, while in the second innings his average was 5-8 to Fannin's 8-0. Fannin also batted with success. His scores were 29 and 16, and his lines of units contained a fair sprinkling of fours. F. Smith, G. BartholomeAV and McLean Avere next in merit. Goldingham could not get set. He was disposed of in the first innings for 11, but a " duck " was his portion in his second essay. Palmerston sadly missed his usual score of double figures', Harden made a single four and Avas then boAvled by Fannin, but on goin^ out _ for the second time he knocked up 17 in ten minutes before again falling a victim to Fannin. _ T. Eyre played a careful game, particularly in the second innings. When he joined Harden, Palmerston had thirty-five minutes in Avhich to compile 100 runs, and it was tantalising to observe Eyre's cautious tactics when runs were wanted-; but, as the boAvling was " tight," he Avas justified in playing the game he did. With his last hit for four, he compiled 19. Barraud, the Wellington College boy, aroused enthusiasm by hitting out bravely. " Runs are required," were his instructions, and in four strokes he sent the tally up 16 notches. He then was bowled by Stewart. Barraud's bowling average was also good, standing at 5-2. T. Eyre Avas next with 6-2. Neither Cooke nor McMurray had any luck with the leather and were soon taken off. A heavy shoAver of rain forced an adjournment at 5.45 o'clock and, though play Avas resumed, rain continued until the conclusion of the game.