Country Defeat Town

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 286, 2 December 1938, Page 6

Country Defeat Town

Margin of Four Wickets PRAISE FOR PRITCHARD Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night. After one of the feeblest batting displays ever seen in the annual Town v. Country cricket match Country beat Town at the Basin Reserve, Wellington, to-day by four wickets. The game lasted less than two days, as Country made the winning hit at 4.40 p.m. this afternoon. In a match which was played in fine weather 36 wickets fell for 540 runs, giving the batsmen the poor average of 15 a man. If the batting was weak, full credit must be given to the bowlers. T. L. Pritchard, of Palmerston North, a fastmedium right-hander, strengthened hid claim to be considered the best bowler in the Dominion, following up his six wickets for 62 yesterday with five for 52 to-day, thus taking 11 wickets for 114 runs in the match at an average of 10.36 a wicket.

When the Town team resumed its second innings this morning, Downed clean bowled Rice with the first ball of the day and this started a remarkable rot as nine wickets fell for 65. Here McKeown, the last man, joined Ongjsy, and the pair redeemed the innings somewhat by putting on 52 runs far the last wicket, the total reaching 117. The outstanding batsman in the Town side was J. A. Ongley, son of the sole selector of the Country team, Mr. A. M. Ongley, of Palmerston North. The University player, who only came to Wellington at the beginning of this season, scored 36 not out in the first innings and followed this up with 57 not out to-day, thus scoring 93 runs in the match without losing his wicket. He made his runs like a batsman in form.

Poorly as the Town batsmen had performed, the Country team did little better in this department, as with only 109 runs required to win six wickets fell for 67 runs. Norris, the Country captainn, and Connor then got together and won the match for Country by putting on 43 runs for the seventh wicket. Norris, who also proved himself a firstclass wicketkeeper, scored 57 not out in finished style and should be well in the running for the Wellington Plunket Shield team.

The Town fielding was not up to the mark, the slip catching being faulty, Rice and Hepburn being the principal offenders.

Total 117 Fall of wickets: One for 4, two for 18, three for 24, four for 28, live for 28, six for 31, Seven for 45, eight for 57, nine for 65, ten for 117. Bowling Analysis.

COUNTRY. First Innings 161 Second Innings. C. McVicar, c Sheffield, b Parsloe 5 G. A. Robertson, lbw, b O’Neill .. 13 S Betts, c Ell, b O’Neill 11 M. Thomas, c Whyte, b McKeown i W. E. Norris, not out 57 J. W. Thorpe, c Kemp, b McKeown i) J. Murchison, run out 5 L. Connor, not out 15 Extras .. (j Total for six wickets 110 Fall of wickets: One for 12, two fot 25, three for 27, four for 38, five for 41, six for 67.

Scores:— TOWN. First Innings T tT ti Second Innings. J. E. Sheffield, c Thomas, b Pritch152 H. F. Eice, b Downes T VV. Hepburn, c Norris, b Pritchard 8 J. Ell, b Downes 1 E. J. Kemp, b Pritchard 4 J. A. Ongley, not out J. E. Capstick, c Murchison, b 57 C. K. Parsloe, b Pritchard iS E. O'Neill, b Betts 6 G. L. Whyte, b Betts U J. McKeown, b Gallichan ID Extras , (j

0. M. R. W. Pritchard .. .. 10 1 52 5 Downes .. . 1 24 Murchison .. .. 4 1 16 0 Betts . .. 0 19 o Gallichan .. 0.7 0 0 1

Parsloe . Bowling Analysis O. M. R. 34 W. 1 O'Neill . 1 18 2 McKeown .. .. 8 0 32 2 Rice .. • 0 6 0 Ell .. . 0 4 0 Whyte . 0 10 0