CRICKET.

Northland Age, Volume V, Issue 16, 7 December 1908, Page 5

CRICKET.

Victoria Valley v. Mangonui. This match, played at Cooper’s Beach on Saturday, provided a most exciting finish, Mangonui managing to avert defeat fifteen minutes before the call of time with five wickets in hand. Victoria Valley batted first and with five wickets down for 17 looked hopelessly beaten when H. H. White went to the wicket and saved the rot. He scored 87 in good form, though one or two chances were refused by those fielding and H. H. Thompson played a useful innings for 13, the Valley notchiug 93 runs before they were all dismissed. Mangonui’s first innings was too bad to be true. Matthews was clean bowled by Panther at 8, Lambly was immediately afterwards completely beaten by E. White, Wilton put one up to leg at his first ball, and J. Penney fell to a good one from E. White. Four down for eight runs. L. Penney was caught and bowled by E. White at It. E. and S. Wrathall made some stand against the bowling, securing eleven runs each, but the end came for a paltry 48. E. White was very deadly with the ball securing six wickets at a cost of only 15 runs, a splendid average of 2*5. In their second innings Victoria Valley lost seven wickets for 30 runs, and when A. White joined L. Wallace, who was doing most of the scoring, it looked as though the Valley were again hopelessly out of it. A. White put his first ball right into A. Irvine’s hands at point but it was not taken with the result that a partnership was formed between the pair which produced 51 rims. The batsmen played careful cricket but they were greatly helped by the slack fielding of the Mangonui team. A catch from L. Wallace, difficult yet possible, was mulled and at 61 A. White gave three chances in succession off Wilton, all of which should have been taken. Eventually Wilton clean bowled White, but E. Switzer played a desperately steady bat and with 6 helped L. Wallace to add 17 for the ninth wicket. The Valley captain was the last man in and eight runs were added before Wilton got him with a beauty at 106. The features of the innings were L. Wallace’s really sterling performance in making 43 not out, A. White’s useful though fluky yet carefully played 18, and the wretched fielding of the Mangouui eleven, who seemed to take a fiendish delight in missing catches. With 151 to tie and with but two hours and twenty minutes to play it looked as though Mangonui would be beaten on the first innings. However P. Lambly and L. Matthews got going and twenty minutes play saw fifty on the board. At 71 Lambly was caught and Wilton succumbed at his second ball to E. White. Then L. Penney joined Matthews aad the score was carried to 128 before the former put one up to A. White. E. Wrathall scored 4 and was run out in trying a risky run when runs were urgently and quickly needed, 4 for 140. Irvine joined Matthews but the Mangonui captain was bowled by E. White without further addition to the score, his total being 57 secured by first rate cricket during which he only gave one fair chance. Irvine and J. Penney between them gathered the necessary runs to win, play ceasing with Mangonui at 154, notched in two hours and five minutes, for five wickets. Mangomii managed to win but wretched fielding nearly lost them the game, the catches missed costing at least a hundred of the runs scored against them. The recovery of the winning team in the second innings was not unlooked for but in E. White Victoria Valley have a most troublesome bowler, one of those who with a little fortune may be relied on to surprise the best of batting sides. Mangonui are a strong batting side, well supplied with change bowlers and good ones at that, but they lack a wicket-keeper and at times their fielding is deplorable. Victoria Valley’s wicket-keeper, J. Dawson, deserves kindly comment and a place in any local team for smart work in his department. The usual dinner after the match was held at Mrs. Berghan’s hotel, the fare being excellent and the two sides fraternising completely. The full scares were:— Victoeia Valley.—First Innings. E. White, cJ. Penney, bS. Wrathall 3 A. White, b J. Penney .. .. 3 E. Panther, bJ. Penney .. .. 6 L. Wallace, bS. Wrathall .. .. 2 A. Wallace, run out * 0 H. H. White, bS. Wrathall.. .. 37 B. White, cJ. Penney, bS. Wrathall 4 H. H. Thompson, bS. Wrathall .. 13 J. Dawson, c Logan, bS. Wrathall 3 E. Switzer, b Matthews .. .. 6 G. Wallace, not out 6 Sundries 10 Total 93 Bowling Analyses.—J. Penney 2 wkts. for 26 runs, S. Wrathall 6 for 30, L. Matthews 1 for 21, E. Wrathall 0 for 6. Mangonui.—First Innings. L. Matthews, b Panther ~ .. 1 P. Lambly, b E. White .. .. 7 L. Penney, c and b E. White .. 2 W. Wilton, cA. White, bE. White 0 J. Penney, b E. White .. .. 0 L. Martin, bE. Panther .. . 2 E. Wrathall, bE. White . 11 S. Wrathall, cL. Wallace, b Panther 11 A. Irvine, c L. Wallace, b Panther.. 4 A. Logan, b E. White .. .. 1 J. Houston, not out 1 Sundries .. .. .. .. 8 Total .. 48 Bowling Analyses.—E. White 6 wkts. for 15 runs, E. Panther 4 for 25,

Victoria Valley.—Second Innings. E. 'White, l.b.wybS. Wrathall .. 8 G. Wallace, c Houston, bJ. Penney 7 L. Wallaoe, not out .. .. .. 43 E. Panther, bB. Wrathall .. .. 5 J. Dawson, bJ. Penney .. .. 0 A. Wallaoe, b .T. Peniiey ‘ . .. 0 H. H. White, 1. M, Wrathall.. .. 5 B. White, b B,lWrathall .. .. 0 A. White, b Wilton .. 18 R. Switzer, bL. Penney .. .. 6 H. H, Thompson, b Wilton .. .. 4 Sundries .. .. .. .. 10 Total 106 Bowling Analyses.—J. Penney 3 wkts. for 24 runs, S. Wrathall 4 for 24, R. Wrathall 0 tor. 9, L, Matthews 0 for 10, W. Wilton 2 for 22, L, Penney 1 for 7. Mangonot.—Second Innings. P. Lambly, 08. White, E. White .. 40 L. Matthews, bE. White .. .. 37 W. Wilton, b E. White .. .. 0 L. Penney, cA. White, b B. White 24 R. Wrathall, run out., ~ .. 4 A. Irvine, not out .. .. .. 5 J. Penney, not out .. .. .. 9 Sundries 15 Total for 5 wiokets .. .. 154 Bowling Analyses.—E. White 3 wkts, for 41 runs, E. Panther 0 for 33, L. Wallace 0 for 31, R, Switzer 0 for 16, H. H. White 0 for 12, B. White 1 for 6. TWO INCIDENTS. Two somewhat peculiar items occurred during the match. In Victoria Valley’s second innings E. White was givqn “ out ” (by the umpire, Mr. Lutener, for Mangonui) l.b.w. from a delivery of S. Wrathall who was bowling round the wicket at the time. There was some little dissatisfaction expressed and an inclination to dispute the umpire’s decision on the part of the Victoria Valley’s captain, but as the ball appeared to pitch on to the batsman’s foot it appoars to us probable that the umpire’s decision was correct. In regard to this we may say that when bowling round the wieket no bowler can hope for a l.b.w. appeal to be upheld unless the ball actually pitch on to the batsman and only in that event would we be prepared to uphold a verdict against of “ out.” But we would remind all cricketers that while on the field of play an umpire’s decision should never be challenged though it is open to discussion and comment afterwards, A funny mishap caused the fall of Percy Lambly’s wicket in Mangonui’s second innings. Lambly struck a ball which came off his hat on to his shoulder and was then taken just behind the wicket. Without appealing he walked out but on consideration, after the next batsman had taken his place, Lambly expressed doubt as to whether or no he was “ out.” It seems to'be a debateable point and one which must arise very rarely and though we favour the belief that it was a fair catch we are not certain of this and would be glad to hear from any cricketer who can recall a similar incident.