CRICKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13157, 21 April 1906, Page 8

CRICKET.

NOTES OX CUP HATCHES. Ceicsetees after io-daj's play will put their flannels away and turn their attest ion to winter pastimes. However, much depends upon, the result.® of to-day's matches a to whether tb~ senior grade championship will be won right out by City or whether three or four teams will hare to bo bracketed. To win th«» championship City have to make S3 rim?, with six wickets to fail. This does not appear a difficult task, but the pitches hare been very difficult of late, and should Grafton have the good fortune to strike a wicket similar to that on the first day of this match it would not surprise rue if City were beaten. Parnell have their match with Eden well in hand, and Ponsonby should make a good finish with North Shore.

HERE AND THERE. The Wanderers' Cricket Club had a very successful trip to Omaha during Easier. On Saturday a cricket march was plaved against Omaha, the Wanderers winning*by 30 runs. B. C. Baxter was top scorer with 26 runs, whilst J. Dunning was top scorer for Omaha. H. Hobson, W. Somerville and C. Resteaux were the best of the bowlers. In the evening the visitors were entertained at a smoke concert. On Monday a return match was played arid the locals scored a well deserved win by 70 run;. G. .Smith making 71 runs in fine style. W. Somervell was top-scorer for the visitors. In the evening the Wanderers were given a dance.

Playing for the past scholars against the present scholars of the Grammar School cu Monday, A. E. Sioruan gave a very lively display, knocking up 111 runs under the hour."

The second grade district championship has been won by the Eden A team with eight wins and two losses. The Eden 11.-eleven A team will play a match to-day against a combined team from the Auckland Cricket. League. The Council employees engaged in laving drains in the Domain Cricket Ground are making good progress. In the match between Papakura and Birkenhead at P.apakura on Good Friday Bennett and McCormick put up a good performance for the local team by scoring 63 runs in 25 minutes, without the assistance of boundaries.

I cannot allow this occasion to go by without congratulating S. P. Jones upon the admirable work he has done amongst the schoolboys of Auckland. This is his second season as coach, and anyone who has seen the boys who are under him bat must realise that the Auckland Cricket Association was fortunate, in obtaining such an efficient coach. I witnessed the match, Combined Schools v. r mixed senior grade team, played oh the Domain last Saturday, and also the match. Grammar School Old Boys v. Present, played on Easter Monday, and was struck with the progress the lads "had made. I can safely say that almost without exception they exhibited wonderfully sound defensive strokes, which would have done credit to many of our senior batsmen. In judging these boys one must take into consideration that many of them two years ago had but little knowledge of defence. There were no exceptional scores made by the boys on Saturday or Monday, but it* must be remembered that many of them are not much bigger than the bat. The next step that Jones will take will be to teach them to place the ball, and I am sure that in two or three years' time many of them will make their presence felt in senio.. cricket.