THE AUCKLAND CRICKETERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6567, 4 December 1882, Page 6

THE AUCKLAND CRICKETERS.

MATCH AT CHRISTCHURCH. I I BY TELEGRAPH. —PKESS ASSOCIATION'.] C imir.Tcunp.CH, Sunday. The opinion generally held by all, except a few excitable or over-confident individuals, that a close match would be the result of the game between the Auckland and Christchurch elevens, has so far been amply justified. Th* local men started well for a big score, but a lucky change of ends enabled Lankham to get upon the spot, and the Canterbury score stopped at a moderate total. Barton being disposed of early, the Aucklanders' hopes of a big innings were dissipated too, aHd as the game stands there is not a pin to choose between the two sidijs. The weather yesterday was warm, with a slight wind and cloudy sky, and there were between 3000 and 4000 people present. A cood wicket was prepared, and the fielding j ground being very fast Ashby won the toss he naturally sent his men in. Ollivier and Watson were sent in, Lankham taking up the bowling from the north end with the wind, and Gill facing him at the South. Ollivier was speedily bowled, and Reeves succeeded. The two set themselves to play with care, and as neither bowler was at hia best, they soon got set, and began to hit the loose ones with effect. Watson got 3 fours in succession, and then drove Gill for 5 into the corner of the ground. Beeves effected a fine square-leg hit for 4, and a lot of singles were run. The bowling should have been changed, but Robinson seemed unwilling to take his cracks off, except at the last extremity. Gill especially was badly hit about. The local men are quite accustomed to bowling of his sort, and though he put on all the pace he could, it was useless. 50 went up for an hour's play, and at CO Robinson at length went on himself. Reeves hit him for 9 in the first over, sending his curly slows to leg for 4, 2, and 3 in successive hits. Arneil took the ball from Lankham, and Reeves immediately drove him to the boundary, whereupon they adjourned to lunch. The score was then 82 for X wicket. With the resumption of play such a change came over the game as to compel one to go back to the famous match of 1573 for a parallel. Lankham went on at the south end against the wind, and Gill pounded away again from the north with the wind at his back. Watson hesitated about running for a hit to cover, and was run out by a hair's breadth. Hartland played round his first ball, Ashby snicked a lucky four and fell a victim to Lankham, and Reeves immediately shared his fate. Lankham was now indeed bowling well, with excellent pitch and good break, and the batsmen seemed quite incapable of dealing with him. Wilding, who now came in, played in the same careful style as he did at Ashburton, and had anybody stayed with him would undoubtedly have materially increased the score. Fowke, who has a reputation as a steady careful bat, feebly poked up his first ball to short leg, and Barnes just helped Wilding to bring 100 up, when he too scooped a ball into Barton's hands. Harman cut his first ball from Lankham for 4, and for a few overs played well enough to improve hope 3 of another stand. Wilding got several singles by judicious play to leg, and Harman stepping out to Gill, drove liim through the railings. Lankham was too much for him, however, and knocked his leg stump flying with a curly breakback. The scoro was then eight wickets for 123. Frith played two or three balls carefully, and then Wilding trying to poke a ball to leg, got too far over it and Bent it spinning in the air. No one could quite reach it, but the men had started for the runs, and Arneil had a pot shot at the wicket. He missed it, and added four to the score. Wilding drove Gill finely to the off, but Frith hitting sharp round at a leg ball, knocked his bails off, and Fuller getting his leg iu front of the wicket, the innings, which had bade fair to run into the third century closed for 130. Lankham's bowling after lunch was a curiosity. He sent down 5S balls for 11 runs and six wickets. Gill, however, bowled no better than before, except that he got two wickets to set"off against the runs scored off him. Thus nine wickets fell for 44 runs. A fresh wicket was prepared for the Auckland men, and they went in to bat with spirits much enlivened, nor was their start calculated to diminish their confidence. Fuller scarcely ever bowled worse in his life. Barton scored S off his first over, and continued to hit, chiefly to leg, at such a rate that 20 went up in less minutes. Unfortunately forhis side, Bartonlost his caution, and hitting hard a rather worse ball than usual off Fuller dragged it into his wickets. He made 21 out of 26. Robinson then began to score freely, and after he had hit Fuller to square-leg for 4, the latter was removed to make way for Barnes. The latter was a little loose at first, and the Auckland captain knocked bim about, but he had his revenge, by clean bowling Robinson with a beauty which just chipped the off bail. This steadied Barnes down, and he began very straightly, nnd stuck Arneil up repeatedly. Meanwhil, had been bowling with his accustomed straightness at the other end, and the batsmen confined their attention to keeping him out of their wickets. Arneil, indeed, drove him once hard, but shortly after he was tricked by a slow, and played it softly back to Frith. Arneil played steadily, but betrayed an inclination to play balls into the air instead ef low down. With his departure the Northerners lost hopes of a big score, and it became pretty evident they would not do much more than reach their opponents' total. Blair made some good strokes, especially one to leg, and a drive to the off, both but Testro was caught without scoring, and Blair was immediately bowled by a breakback from Frith, which he tried to drag to leg. Blair made 21, the chief point about his batting being the use he made of his height in smothering awkward length balls. Yates and O'Brien made a bit of a stand, and a change in the bowling was afterwards made, Wilding being put on. O'Brien was caught off his first ball, and Yates and Gardner are still in. Yates was suffering from lameness, but he batted rather well. The Canterbury fielding was bad at the start, one or two mulling the ball in a rather distressing way. Ollivier, however, fielded with his old brilliancy, and Wilding was extremely good at point. The score is now 91 for six wickets, and never was a more even game. It rained heavily during the night, and is now raining again, which will make a great difference in the wicket tomorrow, and will be rather in Auckland's favour. The following is the score :—

Our own correspondent telegraphing on Saturday says :—'lhe Auckland team drove to the ground in a drag, and had a little practice. All felt a little tired after their late week's play. Again Robinson lost the toss, when particularly wishing to win. It was arranged to have a fresh wicket for each inrings, the first wicket being pitched and marked before tossing. Ollivier and Watson (left liand) were the first Canterbury men to appear. Gill commenced trundling from the railway end, as a stiff breeze was blowing across the ground at the time. Lankham attacked "from the other end, and after a few overs, aent down an undeniable one to Ollivier, -which sent him to the pavilion. Reeves, whom the Northeuers had met at Ashburton, and had got rid of for a single, filled the vacancy, and a splendid stand was made, ■ both men playing excellent cricket on a fine wicket, and, as was expected, the field got some leather-hunting. Robinson relieved and shortly afterwards Lankham was shunted for Arneil, but the change did not bring the required result. Luncheon now -ntervened, and Gill and Lankham chanced c*as. Watson was splendidly thrown out

by Blair from cover-point, and Lankham shortly after bowled Reeves. Ashby made a few, and was bowled by the same bowler. Gill yorked Hartland. Hsrman showed pretty cricket for a good cut or two. and fell to the same bowler. Lankham and Gill, taking into consideration the state of the'wicket, bowled well, the former especially so. The fielding of the Aucklanders was good, far better than it had been throughout the trip, the out fielding of the ground being a treat. The pavilion was filled with ladies. There were dressing rooms and lockers for the players, aud splendid shower baths. The innings closed for ISO. After a short interval Barton and Robinson, amidst applause, took their places, the former as usual taking the strike, Fuller, a slow highdelivery bo-.vler, opening fire from the pavilion end. When the Auckland team were here in 1573, he bowled fast. Barton, as usual, was soon busy, getting twelve off the first over. Robinson played a maiden from Frith, a left-hander. Runs came apaco, and Barton, having made 21 in his usual faultless style, cut outside a ball from Fuller, which kept low, and drew it on to his wicket. Arneil came in, and Robinson and Johnny began to score pretty fast, Barnes relieving Fuller. The Auckland captain, after making 24, was beaten by a breakback from Barnes, which knocked the off bail over 25 yards. Blair followed, and sent the leather travelling along the carpet in his well-known style. Arneil did not put the wood on to one well up from Frith, so he vas caught and bowled for a wellL'Ot 15. followed, aud as be had strained his thigh, Arneil ran for him. Blair now tried to put Frith to square-leg, but the ball broke, and took his lee stump, his score being 21, got principally by drives and cuts. Testro followed, but in hitting to leg again got too much under one that hung a little, and was caught. O'Brien very soon did the same thing with a 1 similar result. Gardner followed, and played out time, the game standing at 91 for six wickets, so an excellent match may be loosed for To-Dight the team go to a dinner. The greatest pieco of bad luck was the unfortunate way Barton was got out, this being the first really good wicket the team have had to play on.

CANTERBURY.—FIRST Innings. OUivier, b Lankham .. .. 0 Watson, inn out .. .. 3G Reeves, b Lankham .. .. .. .. .. 4S Hart land, b Gill 0 Asbby, b Lankham .. .. .. • G iViltiing, not out 20 Jowko, c Robinson, b Lankham 0 rS&rnea, c Ba: >on, b Gill (5 Harman, b Lankham .. .. ,. .. g Frith, lbw b Lankham 0 Fuller, lbw b Lankham.. .. .. .. .. 2 Extras .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4 Total 130 Bowling Analysis. IUUs. Runs. Maidens. Wickets. Gill 128 01 10 2 Lankham .. 120 39 14 7 Robinson - .. 520 13 — — Arneil 12 10 — — AUCKLAND.— First INNINGS* Barton, b Fuller 21 Robinson, b Barnes .. .. .. .. ..21 Arneil, c and b Frith If, Bliir, b Frith 21 Testro, c Frith, b Barnes 0 Yates, not out .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 O'Brien, c Asbby, b Wilding .. .. .. .. 4 Gardner, not out.. .. .. .. .. .. 0 Extra .. .. .. ] * 1 Total .. .. ..91