CRICKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13086, 27 January 1906, Page 7

CRICKET.

CRICKET FIXTURES. THE MELBOURNE TEAM'S TOUR. February 9. 10, 12 (Friday, Saturday, Monday)Against Auckland. * February 14, 15 (Thursday and Friday): Against Wanganui. February 17 and 19 (Saturday and Monday): Against Miinawatu. February 23, 24, 26 (Friday, Saturday, Monday)Against Wellington. March 2, 3. 5 (Friday, Saturday, Monday): Against Canterbury. Mari'li 7. 8 (Wednesday and Thursday); Against Southland. March 16, 17. 19 (Friday, Saturday, Monday): Against O'.ngo. March 21, 22 [Wednesday and Thursday): Against South Canterbury. March 23, 24, 26 (Friday, "Saturday, Monday): Against New Zealand. DISTRICT CUP MATCH NOTES. The first series of matches in the second round of the district championship competitions was commenced last Saturday, and will be concluded to-day. Parnell, playing against Grafton, put on the excellent score (if 411 for the loss of seven wickets. Eden disposed of Ponsonby for 109, and passed that iotal by 17 for the loss of six wickets before the conclusion of the day's play. Eden thus appear to have a good chance of winning. City batted first at North Shore, and were all out for 156. -North Shore were leaving two vacancies for Husscy and Haddon, and thus only batted nine men. Their last wicket fell five minutes before the call of time, when the total stood at 100. City were somewhat fortunate in getting rid of the last man, for had they failed to do so in that, last five minutes they would have had to ect rid of Hussey and Haddon today. Three records were broken in the ParnellGrafton match. Parnell's total of 411 is the biggest yet scored in Auckland in an afternoon. It took four hours to compile, which is at the rate of about 103 runs an hour. Considering that the actual playing time would be only about three hours and a-ha!f, it was exceptionally fast scoring. ■ The batsman who in large measure was responsible for Parnell's total was E. V. Sale. He scored 284, thereby easily beating the previous best individual record score of 213, made by George Mills for North Shore against the Gordon team. D. Hay's score of 200 ranks next. Sale was at the wickets about three hours and 45 minutes. He had scored 100 when Parnell's total was 150. His second hundred was made in much quicker time than the first. During his innings he exhibited a largo variety of scoring strokes, the best being perhaps the forward drive. Sale also showed a marked appreciation for leg glances and square cuts. He. however, has a very weak on-drive, and balls pitched on the leg stump he also plays badly. He gave several chances, most of which were very difficult. His first chance was given to the wicketkecper before he had made 20. He hit 46 fours, two sixes, one five, 21 twos, and four threes.

The third record established in the match was the 299 runs put up by Salo and Robinsou for the seventh wicket. The batting of the last-mentioned was somewhat slow, but considering that there were only 104 runs on the board when Robinson came in his innings was a highly creditable one. J. Gavin was the only Ponsonby batsman that made anything like a stand against Eden's bowling. He hit out freely until he was nicely taught by Clarke for 38. L. Prime, who has been scoring so consistently for North Shore this season, was again on Saturday the chief contributor to their total." He made 49, included in which were eight fours and a five. A. A. Stewart, an Australian, who has just lately joined the Parnell Club, was at the wickets a long time for six runs. Although he played some nice strokes, the ball invariably went straight to a fieldsman, thus showing that his placing is faulty. His best stroke is the cut, which he executes with an exceptional amount of wrist work. Barr-Brown, the City trundier, has not been bowling with much success this season, but on Saturday he had a day out, and captured six of the Shore batsmen at a cost of 23 runs. McCormick (54) played a solid, defensive innings. His pulling at times was good. Woodward compiled 32 on Saturday for North Shore, and his score was made up of eight boundaries. H. Caro, the promoted junior, who made 50 against Grafton, followed it up with a bcore of 40 against North Shore. His driving strokes were again well timed. McNeill captured three of the City batsmen's wickets for 41 runs. He was at times swerving a lot. Cummings and Mason both seemed in a scoring mood, but the former was caught .by Robinson when he had reached 14. Mason was given out leg before to Rhoddis when he was 13. City's fielding was quite a feature of the match at North Shore. It was due considerably to this that Shore's total was not larger. . Out of the three wickets captured dv Rhoddis for Eden on Saturday two were got lbw. 1 am afraid some of the Ponsonby batsmen did not like tho decisions, but there is no reason to doubt the judgment of the apparently uninterested individual who was umpiring. Sloman took three wickets for 92 runs, and secured the average for Grafton. Considering the large total Parnell made it was & very fair average. His off break, which so often proves fatal to batsmen, did not work at all on. Saturday. Fewster's slow leg breaks have in the last couple of matches proved too much for Eden's opponents. The majority of the batsmen have been taken between two minds, and the consequence has been the loss of the wicket. His figures on Saturday were four wick for 22 runs. I. Mills has evidently not lost his form of a few seasons ago. On Saturday he scored 46 without losing his wicket. THE EDEN CLUB'S CARNIVAL. The Management Committee of the Eden District Cricket Club have arranged a carnival to be held on the Kingslaud Cricket Ground from February 5 to 10. The object is to raise enough money to secure the freehold of the cricket ground at Kingsland, which they now hold on lease with a purchasing clause. The amount required to "obtain the freehold of the ground is £2000. The carnival is to be held on extensive lines, and includes an art union, worth £200. The efforts of the club to secure this ground deserve the support of not only cricketers, but tho general public. Auckland has been greatly handicapped by the want of sufficient grounds for cricket, football, and athletic sports generally, and the Domain has in the past had to suffice for the wants of all. It is, therefore, in tho best interests of outdoor sports that this ground should be purchased, and controlled solely by a sporting club. The arrangements for the carnival arc receiving careful consideration, and there is no reason to doubt that the whole fair will be a decided success. CANTERBURY V. SOUTH CANTERBURY. [BY TELKURAPH. — PIIKSS ASSOCIATION*.] CHBI9TCHUKCH, Friday. The cricket match, Canterbury v. South Canterbury, was concluded to-day. The weather was wet, and the play ceased at three, o'clock, when the stumps were drawn. The scores are: South Canterbury, first innings 59, second inings, 55 for six wickets; Canterbury, first innings, 359, J. D. Lawrence making 129 (not out).