SATURDAY'S CRICKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20171, 4 February 1929, Page 12

SATURDAY'S CRICKET.

FIRST ROUND.

MOST WINS TO PONSONBY.

EDEN'S FIVE DRAWN. GAMES.

The completion of the first round of tiiaiches on Saturday last leaves the L-'uickiand Cricket Association's senior championship competition in a very :nler"osiintr slate. Prior to Saturday 1 onsonby and University were level in the lead. !<ut the former's victory over University places the side once more at the head "of the tabic.. By reason of the fact that it has most victories to its «i edit Ponsonby deserves pride of place.

Eden's position is unique in that the team has had five drawn games out of '' seven,;and yet is only one point behind University which has had four suc-

cesses. There will not be time for a complete second round, and so the asso- — ciation- will no doubt follow the same • policv as it adopted last season, and .divide., the teams into two sections of four : each. Ponsonby, University and Kden are assured of places in the top half of the draw, but it is a question which team will be the fourth. Grafton, and North Shore all have ■-<' similar records so far as wins, losses .''■. arid,"drawn games are concerned, though ■' 'North. Shore is a point behind. Ihis will" probably rule the team out of the first division, and it will be a matter for the management committee to decide between Grafton and Y.M.C.A. as • - to which shall enter the select company. *.• >.V4 Bowley Much Missed. f Y'M.C.A. sadly missed Bowley on . Saturday, the coach being laid aside with influenza. His bowling would havs meant alt .the difference between a draw and a win. -When five of the United Suburbs , men had returned to tho pavilion with only 92 runs on the board, it looked any odds on Y.M.C.A. gaining a lead on the first innings, at least. Up to that point Kerr had -been the only batsman to give anv trouble. He hit very hard and scored 62 of the 85 runs which were on the board wdien he was dismissed by a brilliant one-handed catch by Elliott off his own bowliug. A useful partnership by Stotter and Smith held up the bowling while 66 runs were added for the sixth wicket. Both

batted very well,' displaying nice scor-

ing shots. They took what edge was left on the bowling completely off, with the result that Webster found it com- •. paratively easy to score freely. He finished up ■ with 81 not out, hitting twelve fours. Webster clearly demonstrated he has a good variety of scoring shots, 1 and he relished anything on the leg side. Leikis was -in a long time for 33. Previously a hitter he has developed into a confirmed stone-waller. Parnell's decision to continue batting robbed Eden of any chance of victory on

Saturday. "However, it was just as well . for Parnell it did continue as Eden would have passed its opponents' first ' jqniiwjs total. Eden's; innings commenced about , twenty minutes to three, and, as ' sttfipps were drawn at ten minutes past ,'uie. side scored its 273 runs in three .VhOttxSr, and a quarter. ,-H ,be*S Mills' Graceful Shots.

IKffls was in for that period for his 129 ■rdV'-Obt. It was a good sound innings, .'*ibS~&R-i)ander scoring steadily with his fiostorcary. graceful shots on both sides of the Wicket,. There was some bright batting when Gillespie was associated with Ill's captain, the pair giving a great exL'Wiion of running between the wickets. 4iille*pie .scored at a faster- rate than

L. Weir, who opened with Mills, seemed set for a. big score when he was caught at 22. Postles scored eleven slowJjg before he hit his wicket. A. F. .Weir's had luck pursued him. when he was ■ rurt out. Brooke-Smith batted very attractively'for 28 not out at the finish. "JJis displayed a liking for a pretty slip 7 stroke which is more or less a lost art with batsmen these days. -- -The absence of Dunning considerably weakened the University attack against

Porisonby, but the latter thoroughly deserve# its win as the batsmen held the nppeiv hand throughout. Nevertheless, 3iad"the University fielding been move certelin.Ponsonbv would have had a harder task to runke the runs. The not out ■ batsmen. McLeod (27) and Guiney (14), added- another 23 runs before the latter "caught behind. McLeod was dismiss without any addition to the score. The. retiring batsman was unfortunate to injure the forefinger of his right hand. This made it practically impossible for him to use the bat. Second Successive Century.

'Monleith opened in great style, hitting 'OSrvard for three fours in ope- over. He continued tn play some magnificent shots atl round the wicket, and was not disujiSsc'd' until he had just passed the een--tuKy#;; *This makes Monteith's second cenItrr'vHi succession in club cricket, the toni with Mr E. C. Healo's team having lirought him back to his best, form. 'J here Us.litilo doubt Monleith is unlucky to have struck form with no further representative matches in view. He gave one chance tfrl - Saturday off Garrard when m the ~ Smith (661 placed his .shots well, and, nlthongb. the University, / howlers, particularly Mathfson. attain pled to get the left-hander with leg theory, the, vctrran waV'fiot tO be caught. 111-luck still follows Sneddon, who failed to score, but Taylor and Warneford were going well when play ceased on account of rain. Mathcson, who sent down 26 Overs, boro the brunt of the attack.;; Ho made the ball bump disconcertingly at times, and especially iri ttTOinrfings, ma.de pace off the wicket.. Bush, ,\vhp was tried late in the innings, took'two Wickets for 17 runs, and it appeared ho could have been used to advantage earlier. ~ V "Webb's Average Improved.

Continuing their innings against Nnrlh Shore; Sfi'le and' Goodwin, who had made 02 and 45 not out respectively, fajled to carry .the Grafton total much further. In dismissing Sale, fJoodwin and Wvlie, YVcM> mado his average at one stage three \viekets /or livo runs. Bannister batted soundly for 24. • -

, luatcr and Gcrrnrd opened quietly for N'illJi. Shore, but, after an over or two. Hie, former scorer briskly, especially off haiigridge, who was bowling against tho wind. Ho placed well and halted forcefully, his scpro of 33 including six fours, levrard s innings was careful throughout., and lie scored much more slowlv than / J-rate*. Player and Bush, both of'whom scored slowly at the start, later opened pi ™ l , . pavo n delightful exhibition. i t,° , c bour >dary on 10 occa- • ■, and Bush gave everything that was wV i l A,thon ch tho light was !• was seldom either of them mis- £ m * A A \ S, :, okf '- Blaver was evenluTllv howiod hy Bannister, but Bush was coin? close wlieu rain brought play to a

North Shore found no difficult v in )nplts ' IVP ' y With ,h<? bowling. Its innings was of the hri e hte« SS eC,al, y exhibition of the