SUBURBAN CRICKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19858, 31 January 1928, Page 13

SUBURBAN CRICKET.

COMMENTS ON THE PLAY. HARBOUR BOARD STILL LEADS. Keen followers of the Auckland Suburban Cricket Association's club competition matches were disappointed at Ellerslie's failure to beat Harbour Board A, as success for Ellerslie would have made the competition much more open. On present form, it will take a particularly good bowling team to beat the leaders, whose batting has been a leature of the first round. Early in the competition Glen Edeh gave Harbour Board a close game and the former team's bowlers are liable to effect a surprise. Harbour Board B, which has also to meet the senior toams, performed well in the first round, the colts being unlucky to be beaten. However, cricket has its uncertain phases, and in the next three games ono of the lower teams raay bring about Harbour Board's downfall. In the principal, game, Ellerslie continued its last week's score of no wickets for 26. The opening pair Gedye and Lawrence started off well to reduce the margin. Lawrence faced the bowling of Mann, who had both batsmen continually on the defensive. Lawrence was first to go, Badeley taking a good catch behind the wickets. Yates at once started to attack the bowling. Bowlers in Command. It looked certain that Ellerslie would obtajn the necessary runs, but Harbour Board's fielding was keen, which, aided by consistent bowling, made runs come slowly. The dismissal of Gedyo for 39, followed a few minutes later by Yates, who made 49, was a triumph for Harbour Board's bowlers. Both played careful cricket. Yates' innings was particularly impressive and the wicket-keeper did his best to avert a defeat. Disaster followed the appearance of R. and H. Burton, both of whom fell victims to l.b.w. decisions. Elliott returned to the pavilion without scoring. It. was then that Ellerslie's chances of wiuning had gone and M«nn and Martin continued to bowl v.-efl. A good partnership between Watts and lvneebone was a little encouraging, the former hitting out freely. His pull shots were admirably placed and his carpet drives were splendidly executed. Included in his score of 43 were two sixes and four fours. .Kneeboue scored 24 when Turner clean bowled the left-hander. The remaining batsmen made a poor showing, and the innings closed for 198. Martin Bats Well. Harbour Hoard took no chances and decided to bat again, eventually closing 20 minutes before time with four wickets down for 144. Martin's batting for 52 not out was a featuie of the innings. His display was easily the best given this season. Few batsmen have a more pleasing style than Martin, and his successful innings has been long overdue. Sterling batted well for 43, and some of his forward strokes were well placed. Encouraged by his successful innings last week, Hopkins was given an early chance to show his ability as a batsman, and he played careful cricket for 24 not out. Mann three wickets for 54 runs and Martin two for 16, shared the bowling honours. Dunning also kept the batsmen quiet, and lie bowled bettor than his average, two for 39, indicates. , With 370 for seven wickets, Ponsonby, in declaring, set Harbour Board B a difficult task to avoid a first inning's defeat. The colts, however, failed badly, and in their first innings only 95 runs were registered- Candy (33; was the only batsman to show any confidence, ind he scored freely with some fine shots through cover point. Brighton (10), Mitchell (12) and Stewart (12 not out) were the only others to secure double figures. " Mackie was only given six overs, and his average, four wickets for 10 runs, was an excellent performance. Mackie has a most deceptive delivery, but he maintains a good length, and breaks from either sidle of the wicket. Stallworthy and Cain also bowled steadily. The former was particularly successful in the second innings. Liddle Scores Quickly. Liddle made a fine stand in Harbour Board's second innings, and his 44 not out was compiled very rapidly. When Liddle was 30, however, Fletcher dropped an easv catch in the slips, off Mackie. Mitchell made 25, and "some of his uppish strokes were very lucky. An unusual incident happened wheu Richardson's wicket fell. The batsman touched a rising ball from Mackie f.nd in its flight it hit Robertshaw hard on the head. Ihe ball travelled 10 yards into Innes' hands at fine slip. It was the last over of the day, and Ponsonby secured a well-deserved three-point win. Easily the most exciting and closely contested game was witnessed between Glen Eden and Green Lane, when the latter socured a surprising win bv 18 runs. In the first day's play Glen Eden secured a first innings' lead of 36 runs. Green Lane, however, did much better in its second innings and compiled 205 by free cricket. Glen Eden was left 170 to win, but some of its bat .men failed badly. Game ol Lost Chances. It was a game of lost chances, and had Glen Edon treated the game more seriously it might have won on the first innings Green Lane, in its second innings compiled 205. E. Watts, in scoring 73, gave his best display this season. His placements off Kerr's bowling were well executed, and he showed great strength in his pull shots. Included in his score were 10 fours, H. Watts, 20 not out, also batted well, making some good- straight drives. Wroath (23) showed splendid defence. ?ifid scored well on the leg side. In Glen Eden's second innings E. McNeil (50) and D. McNeil (32) played fine cricket. The pair were associated in a great effort to avoid defeat. The former gave a particularly fine display, showing a sound knowledge in scoring though the slips. Spearpoint (33) was again a consistent performer, and he did some big hitting. Extra time was claimed by Glen Eden. Two minutes before the extra time expired, Glen Eden failed to reach Green Lane's total by 18 runs. Gn?" 11 Lane again showed up well in the field, and some of its work was of a high standard. Seccombe was particularly good, while the Watts brothers ably assisted in keeping down the runs.