THE MATCH AT CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6569, 6 December 1882, Page 5

THE MATCH AT CHRISTCHURCH.

THE AUCKLAND TEAM LOSE BY 27 RUNS. CHRbiTCHL-RCii, Tuesday. The Auckland matjh has come to an eud, and as all earnest cricketers who studied the ga.lie predicted from the start, it was a close battle. The game was fought to the bitter ■iud. Not so close as the historical encounter of 1573, for ever enshrined iu the hearts of the followers of the noble game in Canterbury, it was yet a memorable aud sternly fought game, well worthy to stand second in the aunals of Canterbury cricket to that famous fight. " If we are to be beaten, it shall not be by much," was the feeliug of both sides, aad v.'hen Barton's wicket fell in the second of Auckland, it was felt that his comrades at any rate could not win with much to spare, (jloomier and gloomier grew the faces of their adherents, ot whom there were not a few, for many Canterbury men had backed the visitors ; aud presently, a< Wildiug's liery deliveries sent back man attir man, it was felt that all hope had de] .tried. Just as the last five Canterbury men to day put in bat 23 runs, so the lirst live Aucklanders contributed exactly the same to the total, and thus set matters mure tli m iqual ; but O'Brien and 'IVstro, v lio Irvi neither done much iu the iirst innings, came to the rescue and pla\ed, the one a solid defensive, and the otlier an aggressive game, which put a different aspect on the matter. The Ijettin.', which with the fall of Blair s wieket had risen to 6 to 1 on Canterbury, grew less ami less demonstrative as the two men piled up the runs, ami ev. a a;r-.r (J Brien ha.i walked his way to the pavilion I iarduer s piujky play put fresh liope.i into ti.e Oosom ot Ilia friends, and kept the excitemeat still simmering. But it was to be. Tne fates tlu.T> time had decreed against the phi'.ky Northar.iers, a::' - , found in Frith a r»-r»-iy instrument to do their bidding. Ti;c hist men all fell victims to the left-hander, and so the match, which for weeks has beeu looked lorward to with iuteiest, and iiad caused more anxiety aud excitement than any game we have had jince the lirst meeting of a Canterbury team ">vith the Australians, ended iu Canterbury's favour with the narrow margin o: 2, runs to spare. As Robinson s;'id .it the farewell gathering in tho paiiio'i, "The Auckland men were beaten, but no one could say they were di.-graeed.' The most conspicuous about the visitors v.\.i the line capraincy <-t Kobinsoii. lie kept coj! throughout and ;.isgO'>.l judgment at a very critical tiir.e was rendered the more conspicuous by '.he want of •••!;;:! si.oivu on tile opposite side. The lidding on either 'si.ie was not over good until to-d iy, but this afternoon the local men snow. 1 ; ::iuch improvement, and brought oil some excellent catchc.s. Young Kov.ke. at tin; wickets, proved to be the right man m the rigiit

piaee. It is not necessary to say mue'ii about toe remainder of Canterbury's sec.':! innings. For once, a punctual start v.a; mule. -'S toon as Robin.ion had finished hi- ov-'". he fell back on Giil and Laukham. Agun Watson played the former into the thii d man without adding to his score, and vers the fielders were to see his ba.-k. ilarman, Barnes, and Fnth made a l'.:i".ntab'.e display, and it was not t.ii luller came oil that anything like a stand was nude. Oilivier drove Gill hard t > the railings for 4, aud had time t.i s.uir • a lonj hop from the othnr bowler lor -j. before he spooned up. The total was then only 180, which, leaving the Aucklanders 149 to get, made the match still anyone s game. 1 his time Asliby set Wilding to help l-ritn with the bowling, and the opening oi the dual innings was eagerly watched. The second bill rose sharply irom the pitch, and Barton snicked it into Fowke's hands—an unmistakable catch, which acted like a wet blanket. Worse was behind, for Ariieil had

only scored a single when Frith him ley before. Robinson played a live'y and was stealing all the runs lie to:'. i'i when lie, too, fell u victim to the left hairier, trying to play a break-back to leg, Then Vutos, who started in good form, was caught at the wickets ; and Blair, before he was fair set, was beautifully caught by Willing of I b'.s own bowlin". With tliCce iiw v. L'iicts down for *23 runs the game was all ly.-tur'l-street to a China Orange upon the i/iii y men. O'Brien opened the proceeding;, by a fine leg hit off Wilding, and Testro followed his example. The latter played uttci* tin; Barton fafhon, and kept striking the fast bowling behind the wickets, and 00 appeared before the altered circumstances were realised. O'Brien's frequent leg hits convinced Ashby that it was time for a change, and taking the -north end himself he sent Fuller into Frith's

place. Testro evinced a relish for the latter'B slows, and cut him very hard ropeat«dly, but the fielding being good, no rapid addition to the scores followed. O'Brien drew loud acclamation by sending Ashby to leg far down the corner of the ground, a hit which, if run out, would have been worth well nigh 7. He tried hard to repeat the dose, but seemed a little puzzled by the pace, and his favourite stroke did not come off. GO and 70 appeared, and the Canterbury men woke up to the fact that it was time the men were separated. They fielded up to the hilt, and Fri th's smart returns from short-leg especially were applauded to the echo. Several times the wickets were thrown from the field, but the men were always in their ground. Fuller not effecting any separation, Barnes ue\t trie:!, aud each m m scored one ofl'liim. Frith relieved Ashby, bowling with the wind behind i.is ack, a change which the spectators were pleased to show their approval of. Wilding resumed the ball once more oppo.-itu Frith, and once again, for the fourth time in the match, tiie long desired wicket fell at once. O'Brien was beautifully caught in the slips <>li" his lirst ball,* and retired with •)!> to his credit, ehieily the result of line leg hitting. His free piay, backed by Testics good defence, had raised the score to S.>, and made a material difference in the game. Gardner started by snicking Wilding over Ashby's head, and driving ; ;ith bard for 4, bat at 00 Testro's innings was brought to a close l.y Frith. Ruth he and O'Brien were received on their return with cheers. Gardner still continued his lively play, and brought 100 up with a lively snick io the fence, but he could not restrain hiius-df, ami tried to hit Frith once too often. Lanlcham. upon whom the hopes of tne Auckland chiefly depended, started steadily, but the vein of luck hail run out. Frith w;'s not to be denied, and though Dufaur and Gill played steadier, and scored !) runs for the last wicket, a well-judged eitcli by Ashby brought the innings to a conclusion, while' 27 were still wanting to achieve success for Auckland.

'I'ne victory of the local men was the y:i;n for clamorous applause, the crowd round tile n.. n and the pavilion as tiny lett the iiuhl. A good deal of amusement, was caused afterwards by the. ladies in the stand calling up the succcislu! champions of either and decorating them with flowers. Before the Auck landers left the ground some champagne was broached, and a speech or two made, in which the hope was expressed that an arrangement might be efleeted to secure a suoecssiou of interprovincial matches. The visitors leave for Wellington to-night. There was a large attendance to day, and the game was watched with a degree of interest and knowledge of the game seldom equalled amongst a miscellaneous gathering. The following was the score :—

CAN I'KIIIUTRV.—MTOxn Inninc.S. J. Watson, c I.ankliam, b Gill A. M. Ollirier, n out l-> T. D -'firman. c Areell, b I.ankliam .. 1 E JUrnos, b Lankliam .. .. .. •• •• \V\ Frith, b I nukhaui .. .. •• •• •• G K. F. A. Fuller, c I'arton. b Oi l 1 Leg byes (0), byes (.'»). wiilc.s (1) 10 Total*. JJOWLISI: AN I.Y-I*. Bills. Kiins. Wickets. Gill .. lf.:» in Mi 4 Lnnkhnm .. 17:1 li) 00 4 iiobinson .. 04 :> -2 2 Avneil .. 1 ll» 0 liarton 1»> 0 0 Du'aur.. .. 12 1 7 0 liarton bowled one wide. AUC KL A N1)—S Jco No IN N' iM: s. ilobiason, b Frith .. .. .. .. .. I'arton, c Fowke. b Wilding .. .. .. .. u Hhtir, e and b Wilding .. .. .. .. Arneil, lbw, b Kr.th .. .. .. .. .. 1 Yates, c Fowke, b Wilding 7 Testro, b Frith .. .. .. . • -• ..27 O'lirieu, c Ashby, b Wilding .. .. .. ..I'll Gardner, b Frith L>u/iur, c Ashby, b Frith 7 Laukham, b Frith .. •• . • •• Gill, i*ut out .. .. 3 Kxtras ~ .. .. .. .. •• ..10 Total 121 liowiiNG Analysis, Kail*. Runs. .\l»iden-\ Wickets. Wilding .. KM oO 11 4 Frith .. J. r »l 4'S lt> 0 As'.bv .. S2 12 1 wide 0 Fuller .. 0 2 O Harness t> O - 0