SATURDAY'S CRICKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19851, 23 January 1928, Page 12

SATURDAY'S CRICKET.

AUCKLAND ASSOCIATION. COMMENTS ON THE PLAY. J. E. MILLS SCORES CENTURY. A GOOD FIRST-WICKET STAND. Chief interest in the senior matches of the Auckland Cricket Association on Saturday last centred round tho game between Eden and Ponsonby at Eden Park. The closeness of the scoring in the first innings of each side gave rise to speculation as to what the second day's play would bring forth. Eden was not seriously troubled by tho Ponsonby attack, and, when the score had reached 194 for two wickets, Gillespie took a sporting risk by declaring the innings closed, leaving Ponsonby the task of getting 216 runs in two hours. Langridge and Sneddon started so well for Ponsonby that about six o'clock it looked possible for the side to obtain the runs. When the pair had put on 97, however, Snedden went out leg before, thus ending nn attractive partnership. Some wickets then fell cheaply, and Ponsonby was fortunate in escaping an innings defeat. The real surprise of the afternoon was provided by Parnell, who scored a first innings victory over North Shore. linited Suburbs ami University had a fairly keen tussle on No. 2 ground at Eden Park, while on the adjoining ground Y.M.C.A. easily accounted for Grafton by well over »ii innings. Taking No Risks. Having a lead on the first innings of 21 runs tho Eden batsmen set out to bold this advantage against Ponsonby on Saturday. Neither Mills nor Postles, the opeuing pair, were prepared to take any risks, and, consequently, runs did not come very freely for the first hour. Even after this stage the rate of scoring diJ not materially increase. The wicket and outfield were all in favour of fast scoring, the turf making it an ideal day for the batsmen. It was not until 101 runs had been made that Mills and Postle3 were separated, the latter then being easily stumped by going out to a slow ball on the off from Smith. He compiled a careful 41, but his innings was marred by a couple of chances, one to Warneford at mid-off off Langridge and one to that bowler off one of his own deliveries. Mills carried on in his usual artistic style, punishing severely anything loose with excellent all-round shots. He was still unbeaten when the innings was declared closed, having made 114 not out after about three hour's batting. He hit 16 fours.

Cooper did not open in such good form as usual, but lost his wicket in trying to force the pace after contributing 27. He gave one chance. Brooke-Smith was only in for a few overs and caused amusement by doing an acrobatic turn in making his first stroke. He fell right over, but was fortunate enough to just miss the wickets with his body. Some Dropped Catches. The Ponsonby bowling, although not loose, was never very troublesome, but it was in fielding that the team could have improved considerably. Following a fine exhibition of catching on the previous Saturday, three chances were dropped. Langridge, usually a very safe catch, dropped a couple off his own bowling. One, however, was on his left hand and was a particularly hard drive from Cooper. The ground fielding, too, was patchy. Gillespie the Eden captain, took a risk in declaring the innings closed and leaving Ponsonby 216 to make in just under two hours, but in the end hi 3 judgment E roved sound When N. C. Sr.edden and angridge wero associated and going so well it looked possible for Ponsonby to ■win the match. Snedden displayed all his old-time ability in rattling up an exhilarating 55. He played beautifully free cricket, scoring all round the wicket ■with the greatest of ease. The batsman -was very unfortunate in being given out Ibvv to a ball he hit hard. He made his runs quickly, as can be judged by the eight boundary strokes in hia total. Langridge compiled 57 in the best form he has shown to date in club cricket in Auckland. He was much freer than usual and scored with sound strokes and good placements. G. L. Weir was the most successful bowler for Eden, taking four wickets at a cost of 36 runs. • The Bowling Attacked. With hve wickets down for 121 runs in reply to University's 183, United Suburbs had an even chance of oDtaining sufficient runs tc> give the side a lead on the first innings. Wetherill, who had scored 10, not out, on the first day, lost Leikis at 135, but then McLaren and Wetherill attacked the bowling, and had passed University's total before they were separated. Later on Williams hit up 32, and the innings finally closed for 257. Neither Wetherill nor McLaren appeared' to be troubled by the University attack, and both men found the boundary fairly frequently. f In getting his 46 Wetherill hit seven fours, while his partner hit a six and seven fours in compiling 55. Gee was the best of the University bowlers. He maintained a good length for the mos" part, and this had the effect of keeping the runs down. A few loose ones, nowever, increased his average, though he finished up with six for 71. He obtained all six wickets single-handed, as he clean bowled five men, and caught and bowled the other. . With the interest out of the game University's second innings was not taken very seriously. Garrard altered the order of 'the batting, and most of the batsmen went in with the idea of seeing how many fours they could register. McDougall, Schnaucr and Garrard reached the thirties, and Bannister made 20. Of the 175 runs scored, 110 were made by boundary hits, there being three sixes and twenty-three fours. A feature of the innings was the fine ■wickct-keepirig of Wetherill. There was only one extra, and that was a wide. Wetherill stumped one man and caught another. Poor Eatting Exhibition. On the first day Y.M.C.A. disposed of Grafton for 73 runs, and then hit up 220 for the loss of four wickets. This placed the side in a very strong position. Miller and Peoppel, with 67 not out and 4 not out respectively, carried the total to 273 before Peoppel was howled by Snedden, after compiling 29. Miller lost his wicket in similar manner seven funs later. He had scored 92, and looked certain to reach the coveted three figures, Miller hit a six and thirteen fburs. This was easily his best effort of the season, and now he has recovered from his illness ho should make some*more big scores. Y.M.O.A.'s innings was declared closed at 298 for eight wickets, and its bowlers did not then experience much difficulty in getting rid of Grafton a second time for a total of 132. This gave Y.M.C.A. a handsome victory by an innings and 93 runs. Goodwin top-scored for Grafton with 31 rot out. • Horspool scored 25, including n six, but there was some poor batting exhibited by some of the of hers. Lyon and Elliott bowled well for the ■winners, the latter getting the fine average of three foi 17 in five overs. Lyon secured three for 33 in eight overs. Although Parncll surprised even its own followers by dofeating North Shore on the latter team's ground, the cricket at Devonon Saturday was somewhat dull. Hiorth Shore, with two wickets down and needing 133 for a first innings lead, eeemed a iI V6 8 mortgage on victory. Then .Anthony and Aitkea took a hand in inat-

tera. Before long » team of forcing batsmen was playing painful cricket and North Shore did not look like winning. It is true the wicket was a little tricky. Early in the innings Aitken struck a spot and the batsmen were at a loss to tell what the ball was going to do next. He dismissed Player and D. Webb with balls that kept very low, but others nipped up from the wicket very sharply. At times he was a little on the short side, but the batsmen could not take the risk of hooking. As for Anthony, he flighted the ball beautifully and deserved bettor figures. North Shore s batting was very laboured. Dacre disappointed the spectators by playing a ball on to his wicket before he had scored, but in scoring 19 Walters gave the most consistent exhibition of the innings. In its second innings, Parnell realised that a first innings victory was assured if North Shore was left with insufficient time to retrieve its lost fortunes. Consequently the batting was almost of the stonewall variety, although Anthony played bright cricket in running up 49. Hay batted for over an hour to score 21, but toward the end of the innings Aitken brightened the game by some hard hitting. Two fine sixers at Saunders' expense were most refreshing. Saunders took six wickets for 96, but very rarely did the batsmen use their feet to nis bowling. He bowled with judgment, even if he was a little erratic at times Player could not strike' the spot which Aitken nsed to such devastating effect,, but He kept a good length and required careful watching. A certain amount of • slackness was noticeable in North Shore's ground fielding.