SATURDAY'S CRICKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20421, 25 November 1929, Page 14

SATURDAY'S CRICKET.

<K SUKPIMSING feature.

POOR BATTING DISPLAYS.

PONSONBY AND Y.M.C.A. FAIL

UNIVERSITY TAKES FOUR POINTS

The most surprising feature about Saturday's senior chnmpionship games was the '••failure of tho majority of batsmen under conditions which wero all in their favour. Nothing else but bad batting lost tho match.- for Ponsonby against. Eden. To lie dismissed for tho poor score of 122 was indeed a most disappointing exhibition on the..part of Ponsonby. Y.M.C,A., too, should have done better against Parnell. Some enterprising batting was displayed by Parnell in its second innings, and by .Grafton and United Suburbs.

By losing threo wickets for two runs on tho first day, Ponsonby still had bright prospects of a win on tho first innings. Livelier (one, not out) was joined by Sneddon, and tho pair carried tho total to 42 when tho latter, who appeared to' snick the ball, was the victim of a legbefore decision to Butler. Montcith and Fletcher added 51 runs for the fifth ;wicket and both appeared well set. But then a completo change came over the game Lawrio was given a turn at tho bowling crease and clean bowled Montcith. Seven runs later Fletcher went in a similar manner, and .with the addition of two more runs Taylor was also bowled by tho same trunfller. Two bad run-outs saw Burton and Lendrum loso their wickets, find anthough Hunt, with an injured hand, , endeavoured to hold his wicket intact for his captain, S. G. Smith, tho position ,was hopeless, and Hunt was bowled with the score at 122. Fletcher's Solid Innings.

Fletcher (58) played a very solid innings for Ponsonby and kept the attack at bay until he hit across one. Ho scored well on the leg side, and with a powerful and well-timed off drive. Burton was unlucky in being run out when he appeared in a scoring mood. Lawrio proved the destructive factor for Eden, his pace off tho wicket and spin from'the off making the batsmen treat him with great respect. In ten overs, four of which were maidens, ho took threo .wickets for nine runs. Rov bowled well for Ponsonby in Eden's second innings in taking two wickets for 16 runs in eight overs. McCarthy again proved a hard batsman to dislodge and made 21 not out. W. B. Smith was unusually subdued and was in a long time for 13 not out. G. L. Weir and Gillespie again failed to get a start. When the Y.M.C.A. batsmen ESutherland and I. W. Cooper, last Saturday's not out men, faced the bowling of the Parnell pair, Goodsir and Wenslev, prospects locked bright for the leaders. Runs mounted slowly, the batsmen taking a time to settle down. Sutherland improved his score from 23 to 39 when a change in pace deceived him, and he was caught and bowled by McCoy. L. Elliott played safely, but Cooper continued to score steadily. At 35 he fell to Wensley's off theory and was caught in the slips. When Elliott was clean bowled for 10

the total read 92 for 5. Lyon was not at all comfortable facing McCoy. Innes was dismissed leg before to McCoy, and Lyon went in a similar manner to Wensley. Except for a stand by N. Panther and 3i. Riddolls, the remaining batsmen failed badly.

Coach Gels Good Average. The hard wickst suited Wensley, whose avarage was five wickets for 37 runs ; He bowled 25 overs, including eight maidens. Wensley soon summed up a batsman's .weakness and bowled and placed his field accordingly. " In Parnell's second innings McCoy gave a sterling exhibition of forceful batting, and his scoro of 78 included four sixes and six fours. He scored twenty in ono over off Riddolls. Aitken also made 34 quickly. On-a fast, true wicket that was all in favour of tho batsmen, Grafton had no difficulty in passing United Suburbs' total of, 146. The innings was declared closed .with seven wickets down for 282, scored in . rapid time, but Grafton had little chance of dismissing its opponents again , and had to be content with a win on the first innings by 136 runs. A very sound display, marked frequently by forceful driving and leg shots, was given by Sale. He and T. R. Sheen carried the score for the first wicket to 77 .when Sheen stepped in front to a straight one from Martin. E. Horspool then helped Sale to add 76 for the second .wicket. He batted with all his old-time vigour for 47. and was particularly strong in front of the wicket. C. F. W. AUcott and Walters wero both dismissed without scoring! and after Sale's dismissal, N. H. E. Hcckin also went cheaply. '[ However, Grafton proved that it has a batting tail capable of wagging. R. F. W. Whelan, the former Eden player, made a promising-debut for his new club by' l scoring 32 in good style, and, with McCormack. S. S. Wilson brought the innings to a close with some hurricane hitting, his 40 not out. including seven fours and. a six. Once ho sights tho ball, Wilson is a fine forcing batsman and ho should obtain a lot of runs before tho Season closes.

» Bowlers' Unenviable Task. The United Suburbs bowlers had ail unenviable task. Bass made pace off the .wicket at times but he could not command a steady length. Kerr was the most successful bowler, but his three wickets wero costly. Neither Martin nor Williams presented many difficulties. Grafton's hopes of a four-point victory vanished when Wetherill and Kerr opened United Suburbs' second innings by scoring freely all round the wicket. Both wero strong on the leg side and reaped a harvest of runs from short-pitched deliveries. Before being bowled by Horspool for 59, "Wetherill hit seven fours and two sixes. Kerr . reached 69 before stumps wero 'drawn, and Lonergan was undefeated for 23.

With hopes of converting a first-innings deficit info a four-point win, North Shore dismissed University's two remaining batsTrirjn for the addition of 28 runs, and went to the crease prepared to get runs rjuirkly. Prater and Saunders faced the attack of 3\lathieson and Srneeton, the latter batsin an, succumbing to a leg-before decision when tho total was three. The liveliest batting shown by North Shore was witnessed when Goidsworthy joined Ifrater. The.colt forced the pace, lifting Mathieson among the houses on one occasion. Prater, also collected several nice fours .with well-judged leg shots. The partnership was broken at 55, Goidsworthy being caught off a high shot to third man. Consistent Bowling. Tho remaining batsmen failed to cope "with the howling of the opening pair, and although Player and Kelly shaped fairly confidently, they could not keejj thoir .wickets intact for long. At the fall of the 10th wicket North Shore's total stood at 126. leaving University 77 runs to get for a four-point win. It was a very trilling lead, and that it was nut more was duo to the consistent bowling of Malhieson and Srneeton. The former took five wickets for 48 funs, while the latter secured an average of five for 63. University's second innings was opened iby Bush and Lunn, who were quiet for a period. C'oates found Lunn in front with a straight one and Schnauer came to join Bush. Tho pair quickly sized up the,; attack and ran the score up to 39 Wore Bush also fell a victim to Coates.^ Defeat stared tho North Shore side in the face when Srneeton and Schnauer added 21 runs for the third wicket. Garrard changed his batting order and sent Mathieson in to gain tho roquired 17 runs. "Wit,h powerful shots through the covers the latter, aided by Schnauer, soon wiped oft the required runs twelve minutes before time. Schnauer batled well for his 50 juiis, the majority being gained by forcing strokes. Ooates socured two for 46 runs and Sooit ojio for 22.