CRICKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14223, 20 November 1909, Page 9

CRICKET.

DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIPS. TO-DAY'S FIXTURES. The following are the senior and secondgrade fixtures for to-day: — SENIOR GRADE. Eden v. Ponsonby, at Eden Park: Umpires, Messrs. S. Bond and A. Pritchard. . Grafton v. Parnell, at the Domain: Umpires, Messrs. C. McKinney and It. McVeagh. Shore v. University, at North Shore: Lmplres, Messrs. R. A. Kent and P. H. Wilson. SECOND GRADE. Eden A v. University, at Eden Park: Umpires, Messrs G. Harman and A. Morgan. Eden B v. Ponsonby, at Victoria Park; Umpires, Messrs. J. Arneil and J. Cdllett. . Grafton v. Shore, at the Domain: Umpires, Messrs. H. Johnßton and T. N. reek. . Parnell v. Waitematn, at the Domain : Umpires, Messrs. R. Frater and W. Lusty. NOTES AND COMMENTS. The third round of the Auckland Cricket Association's district championships will be concluded to-day. The results of to-day's matches will show a more marked difference in the positions of the senior teams. The Eden-Ponsonby match, which will be resumed at Eden Park, appears to be a gift for Eden. The total of 208 for seven wickets is sufficiently largo to justify the team in declaring the innings closed on resumption of play. Ponsonby, however,

Dossesses some forcing bats, notably Hemus, who makes his first appearance in chamnionshio matches this season, and Kavanagh, of hockey famo, and they may make matters interesting before stumps are drawn.

The Grafton-Parnell match has reached an interesting- stage. The former team is leading by 27 runs, and has three wickets to fall before the first innings is completed. The match is neither ' won nor lost yot, and an exciting finish may bo witnessed at the Domain to-day. Grafton, however, should win. North Shore should score an easy win over University to-day, the probability bein? that they will record a three-point win. Thev have 103 runs to the good, and only two wickets down in tho second innings.

BEST PERFORMANCES OF THE WEEK. The best batting and bowling performances of last Saturday's play in the district grade championships are as follows: —

SENIOR GRADE. BATTING. G. B. Cummings of Eden, against Ponsonby, 69. A. E. Kelt of Eden, against Ponsonby, 66. F. R Mason of Grafton, against Parnell, six for BOWLING. A. M. Howden of North Shore, against University, took six wickets for 28 runs. F. R. Mason, of Grafton, against rarnell, six for 37. F. Taylor of University, against North Shore, four for 23. P. W. Gullett of Grafton, against Parnell, four for 25. A. Hadden of North Shore, against University, three for 22.

SECOND GRADE. BATTING. - R. McLaughlin of Eden B, against Ponsonby, 76. M. Gray of Eden B, against Ponsonby, 67. L. Branson of Eden B, against Ponsonby, SO. A. Riddle of Waitemata, against Parnell, 51. BOWLING. R. Barnsdale of Parnell, against Waitemata, took six wickets for 51 runs. E. J. Schofleld of Parnell, against Waitemata, three for 5. Goulding of University, against Eden A, five for 67. , . . THIRD GRADE. BATTING. Gordon of Eden, against North Shore, 91. Alexander of Eden, against North Shore, 54. Meredith of Eden, against North Shore, 54. BOWLING. ' R. Doble of Parnell, against) Waitemata, took seven wickets for 39 runs. Clow of Waitemata, against Parnell, three for four. .•;> .. ■„.;,.. , ',:■ '."'•*■ - . «,;.;.;■■ ■•• ■■■ FOURTH GRADE. BOWLING. Alexander of Eden, against Waitemata, took eight wickets for 16 runs, and performed the hat trick. ______________ NOTES AND COMMENTS. Some comments have been made by batsmep this season in regard to the great difference in the senior wickets at the various grounds under the Auckland Cricket Association's • control. The wicket prepared bv caretaker Smith, at, Victoria Park, has been described as perfect. One of Auckland's leading bowlers assured me that the pitch prepared for tho University-Ponsonby match played as true at, the end of the afternoon as when the match commenced. The scores made on the wicket are proof of its quality, the century of Jacobsen, of University, and the aggregate of 369 for seven wickets, made last week by a secondgrade team, Eden B, being the most recent examples. The soil is Bulli. The wicket prepared at Eden Park last week added lustre to the fame of Geo Mills as a Despite the ground's long submersion, a splendid wicket was prepared, which was only second to Victoria Park wicket, in that it was not so durable, a fault which the advance of the season will remedy. As a one-day wicket, it was all that could be desired. Against these excellent wickets, may be quoted those at tho Domain and North Shore. The Domain senior wicket* have been severely criticised by batsmen, and tho low scoring of men who have done well on other grounds would 1 certainly seem to prove their contention. It may bo that owing to, the large number of pitches, the caretaker has not sufficient time at his disposal, and if ' such is the case, extra help should be procured. It is certainly foolish to spend hundreds of pounds on coaching, and then turn players, loose on indifferent pitches. At the North Shore ground, the caretaker has not vet struck form. He prepared some good wicketelast season. Norman Hales, who has just returned from America,, where he studied dentistry, scored a century in the match Wellington College v. Old Boys the other day, and then retired. Hales, who is a brother to Wellington's fast bowler of that name, promises to bo a decided acquisition to local cricket (savs a Wellington writer). The time is approaching for the decision of the first Plunkct Shield match, the Auck-land-Wellington fixture being set down to commence on December 27. Tho dates for the Canterbury match appear to be difficult to settle. The Southern association first asked for dates about Anniversary Day, January 29, then withdrew, and requested New Yeat dates. This request has also been withdrawn, and Canterbury now has a challenge in for a match to commence on January 7. This hardly suits the local association, and alternate dates have been suggested, January 3 or 29 being mentioned as suitable dates for the local association to commence the match. It is generally thought by local cricketers that if Wellington should carry off the shield, the Canterbury representatives would not visit Auckland this season.

D. Reese, the Canterbury selector, has decided to abandon the ordinary representative practices (says a Christchurch correspondent), for it has been found that club practices are almost entirely spoilt for a considerable portion of the season. Reese proposes to pick players from each club for practice, these players to practice at their own club nets, while ho himself will be present at practices. The selector. has been congratulated on discarding an c Idtime custom, which, though it had its good points, was detrimental fo club practices. Clem Hill has struck form again—a welcome thing on the eve of the season's fir-st interstate match (says the Adelaide Chronicle of November 13). Some of his strokes which yielded 61 against West Torrens last Saturday had all the crispness and power that are usually associated with the champion, and he has not quite forgotten that famous glancing leg hook either. His opportunity to the wicket-keeper when 13 was the result of a very poor swipe, but Bridgman can be excused for dropping a stiff return at 47. A wonder it did not break his wrist.

Cricket seems to have suddenly fallen on evil days in Palmerston North (says an exchange). Owing to a want of mutual aereement between the association and the Borough Council the ground' at present is more suited to pasturing stock than to rccurate cricket, and the elected delegates to the association appear to think that they have ] nothing . to do but wajch the secretary work. . Only one of them rolled up to 'the meeting called to arrange fixtures for; the coming season, and the result is that things are only middling. Added to these little misunderstandings the secretary has resigned in disgust, and the- enthusiasts are woni d«ring what the next move will be.

The New Zealand Cricket Council advised the Wellington Cricket Association, at their meeting on Tuesday evening that the dates for the Plunket Shield match, Wellington v. Auckland— 27, 28, 29, and 30— had been confirmed. The Canterbury Association had notified that,, should Wellington win the shield, the Canterbury ..Association desired that the usual interprovincial matoh against the Wellington Association, to be played on January 1, 3, and 4, .1910, should be a Plunket Shield match. The chairman considered that it would be rather hard on Wellington players (if they won the Auckland match) .to have to defend the shield two days after winning it. There was another point, whether Canterbury had any right to challenge Wellington before they had won the shield. However, members remarked that it was quite possibje for the challenge to be made by telegram as soon as the Auckland match was decided, and it would bo just as well for Wellington to " take their gruel," and make no objections. Committeemen expressed the opinion that it was not desirable to take an umpire, with the team to Auckland. The Selection Committee were recommended to have the team for the Auckland match selected as far as Dossible a fortnight before the date of the fixture; and players were advised to leave Wellington not later than midday on Friday. December 24, preferably on the Thursday night. ,vAnthony is still in Christchurch, and there is a possibility that he may. alter his determination to settle in Auckland.