CRICKET

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7301, 3 December 1910, Page 10

CRICKET

Matches in the fourth round oi the local senior competition which were commenced on Saturday last will be brought to a conclusion to-day. Of the games at thn Basin Reserve it looks as if East | ii will obtain a three-point win over Bouth, as they have a lead of 83 runs on the. first innings, an advantage, against a side not particularly brilliant In batting which must prove a serious handicap to their opponents. Victoria •College have ail their work cut out to ho successful against Central B. xho latter, with one wicket down for 87 runs, aro only *lO runs behind the Collegians' first innings score, bo that unless Saunders and Monaghan con ao Komplish something sensational with the ball today a two-point defeat at is practicallv certain to he debited against College. North appear to have the upper hand in their mutch against Central B, while East A should not have any anxiety as to the result of their .contest with Hutt. The only issue on which there Is any doubt i« whether the city team: will win by two or throe points.

The redeeming feature of last Saturday's cricket was that in each match there was a respectable score. There 'has been such a paucity of decent batting performances this season that followers of the game were beginning to despair.' The efforts of Blacklock, Naughton, Wills, and Midland carao"like a ray 'of silnslune on winter’s worst day, and revived tho drooping spirits of the enthusiasts. But more is needed to reinstate tho game in public favour. There are still too many failures ■amongst our senior batsmen, and tho ■sooner some of them realise that tho bat is made to hit tho trail with, then, and not till then, may onlookers expect ■to witness something worthy of their ■attention.

South made a miserable mess of their innings against East B. They seemed absolutely incompetent. East B were extremely: lucky when they induced ''Snowy" Halos to play for them. Ho has so .far been to the team what a tonio is' to the man who has lost his appetite; There is now formidable opposition' in the bowling department of the side and, if Hales continues as ho has commenced, another trip os a Wellington representative should come his ■way at Christmas time. If all the veterans resuscitated this season had been as successful as Hales there would have been some justification for their presence in the field.

But for the fact that it would cause & bye in the senior championship South might jiipt as well drop out of the competition: 'Two man made double figures for them on Saturday on a batsman's ■wicket. ■‘ liickaon secured 15 not: out, and Walters, 12, but the latter gave a. chance which should have been accepted. Wagstaff. who made over a century in a ■recent junior match, was given a chance, but he failed to justify his inclusion at tis initial attempt. Still it is rather harsh to judge him on his first effort. The catch with which ho disposed of Wills compensated a lot for his batting failure. : : Burton, Patrick, and Norris all failed to do anything, being included amongst- the scalps that went to Hales (eight out.of; ten). .There was some excuse for the first-named of the trio, as bo was suffering from a twisted knee and was not at all comfortable. His injury was also a serious handicap to him in the field and unless aware of it an onlooker could not, have helped saying harsh words about his fielding.'

Hales captured eight wickets for 33 runs. The batsmen knew very little abont his bowling from the commeimjment, and it was more .by good i luck than anything else that some of them made as many runs as they did.

"Sammy” .Wills was tjie hero of the innings of Bast B. He hit merrily, hard and often, and, despite a couple of nasty knocks from the ball, kept going vigorously until ; he had made 83, when a splendid catch by Wagstalf right on the 'boundary sent hia back. Wills was missed in the outfield when just over 10, but tills did not render him less sportive. His innings, as welcome as the ■flowers in spring, included a five, .five •fours, and ten hits for three. In addition to his bowling feat Hales also had a. day out with the bat, making 28, and while he was partnered with Wills the fieldsmen were far from idle.

Wilson wals splendidly caught by Patrick off his own bowling, the return being ,a hotl dne.’ Crombie again failed to repeat the form shown by him in the earlier matches, while, the dismissal •uf O’Shea for one run —ho was caught .by Schmoll behind the wickets off a ball ■which just touched his bat—brought him down from - tho high eminence of top place in the averages to one more in Keeping with his abilities as a batsman.

Outstanding batting brilliancy was not a ■, , feature of the first innings of Victoria •College against Central A. Staiuton and Panning were disposed of cheaply—tho aormer mini out, the latter caught by Bruce at mid-on before many runs were ■scored. Monaghan was the first batsman to stick up the bowling, and his 27 runs ■wore the result of pretty cricket. The utroke which accounted for his dismissal might, with a little luck, have easily ■produced three or four runs. The ball was shooting away high iin ‘ tho ‘ slips when Hawthorn, put up his hands and stopped its, progress, though ho failed to hold the leather. Fortunately for his ■aide ho was backed up *by Little, who had no difficulty in taking the ball as it fell at the bpek of, Hawthorn,. . ..

Sanndcrs played a brief innings for a dozen, sending the ball into tho spectators’ area just before ho was dismissed Bruce proved too much for him, his second delivery scattering; the professional’s stumps. Dempsey's innings was crisp, and he looked good for more runs, •when a smart piece of fielding by Blamiros, the wicket-keeper, enabled him to throw tho wicket down before tho •batsman got to the crease. Niven’s contribution of 21 was .nicely compiled..

No howling figures of note were established. Laws was .the only one of the five trundlers tried who failed to account for a wicket, 27 runs hoing knocked off him. Mason was given, a chance earlier than in tho previous match, and although he took three wickets for 32, it was only by the aid of tho last two ■wickets that ho improved his figures. Mitchell got Burns and . Monaghan at a cost of 12 runs, and Bruce captured '.two wickets': for 24 runs.

Central made an excellent start in their Innings, establishing the.best first wicket performance of the soadon. This was largely duo to a splendid innings by Naughton, their captain, whoso 66 (not out) was the result of excellent cricket. Ho started' very cautiously, playing Saunders with evident respect’ but when ho let himself go ho punished the bowling in fine style, his off-driving being particularly effective. Birch played quietly for his 23. .which was mostly composed of singles.

The feature of the innings of Wellington .North against Central B was J. i*. Blacklock’s fine score of ill. Admitting that he should have been rim out early, this mistake did not detract from his subsequent ! display, 'which was up to his best cricketing standard. During the hour and a hair ho was at tho wickets ho did not give a chance—apart from the] one previously mentioned—watched the bowling carefully,'and sorted judiciously which balls to have a "go" at. So well was he ploying, it appeared that century honours were probable, when tho end come unexpectedly a good; catch by Wilkinson at deep-leg sending the batsman back. Blaeklock lehould bo in the team which goes north]

to endeavour to bring home tho Plum fret Shield.

Everything else done by tho side was ovor-shadowed by. Blacklock’s display, though there was little to warrant the bringing out of the band. Wynyard made 20, thirteen of which were singles, while Manson (11) and Sheridan (14) each enabled Blaoklock to mount up his score. Stephenson, with three wickets for to, was tho most successful bowler.

Tire telegraph showed four wickets down for 32 when Central B vacated tho creases for tliß duv. Wilkinson and Portcoua started well enough, compiling 21 and 16 respectively, but Patterson and Sisson each wont chc,'ip Iy. Gourlay, who used to play for Gas Company, made his reappearance and made 6 (not out). He captured one wicket for T 3 runs.

The reason Mr C. Richardson retired from the position of selector to tho Wellington Cricket Association, was that bo would not have tho opportunity of seeing much cricket in as ho will bo frequently absent from Wellington on business. This will also interfere with his play for tho North Club, and is probably tho forerunner of his final retirement from the game, Kichardson has done yeomau service for tho province in tho past, and is looked upon ns one ot Wellington’s best cricket sports.

Tho representative team to play Auckland at Christmas for' the ■ Plunket Shield will Be selected this evening. Those responsible for its personnel are to bo congratulated upou their decision, to announce tho team early, as it will give tho men selected a chance of' making a special preparation for tho trip. The proposal also to have a trial match on tho 10th against a B team is a good idea as, in addition to giving the representatives practice it will enable the selectors to got under their eye men. who will have to bo drawn upon for subsequent representotive games. The selectors appear to have commenced upon proper lines. Let us hope they will continue on them.

According to the "Referee" the outstanding feature of the batting in? the match between New South Wales ; and South Africa was the brilliancy of W. Bardsley and V. Trumper as the firstwicket pair in each Innings of New South Wales. In the first innings the left-hander played the dominating part in a truly delightful burst-of run-getting which, at the end of 70 minutes, had 123 runs on the books, 70 of those’ from the left-hander, who .scored at the rate of more than one run per ball he received. At the other end Trumper was watchful, but’ skilful'"and great. ' And the pair glided swiftly and silently between wickets as though showing their cousins from Africa that runs in plenty had been missed by themselves. '

In the second innings they put on 121 for the first wicket by cricket'even more beautiful. Here Trumper was the leader. The runs had .to be made, and they made every’single that could he gathered in. though at times they came up to the strike again puffing and perspiring when a rest for a moment or two would have been better. In this second innings the South Africans were treated 'to a taste of Trumper the incomparable—a taste of that which the English'people so often enjoyed in 1903. This innings to the crowd was as a; draught from an old vintage. I have so often described Trumpet's greatest batting in Sydney that it is hardly necessary to dwell on this ef-; fort, beyond remarking that it was an absolute revival. Wherever • captain Shewell left a'gap, there Trumper put the hall. Two and three times in an over the bowler and the captain would look at one another and the men would, be shifted, until the field, which started: as an orthodox Australian, placing, became a tangle. There was nothing wiid, no vicious hitting by either batsmen.- It was a case of playing hard and beating the fields by' elegant and . accurate 1 strokes or gently tapping the ball and gliding to the other end.. We have seen other teams trying to contend against this sort of batting. Our South African friends, new, to it, may, rest .happy in. knowing that they stuck to the task with the grit of true fighters, even though they were more or less puzzled and perplexed.

Kellewaj', who was here with’the Au&! tralian team last year, and who favourably impressed the critics, is "making good” this season on the other side, says the" Referee" : Next to Trnmper and Bardsley, the batting of, C. Kelleway in both innings was the best fori the home: team. This tall, erect, sinewy, younsf Cornstalk will go far in International cricket. Like Bardsley he built up his batting on a solid defence, and is still building. Ho is a reliable and improv;* ing bowler, and h brilliant fieldsman, for his work in this match was as clean" as anything seen here in the slips andat point from one man. Kelleway has a temperament that could not be surpassed, for big cricket. His : all-round *• play fit) this match has given forth but one opinion in Sydney—that a new player hasarisen to fight for Australia and “tho l ashes.” It is incontrovertible, '

11 is clear that in batting, on form 1 this season, Australia, is a good: dealf superior to South Africa; that is. let us’ say, on Australian wickets (says "Not* Out”). Is South African bowling snpe-. rior to Australian? I think not; and yet the googlie pair, R. O. Schwarz and) G. A. Faulkner, are brilliant bowlers,* They are able to turn the ball on these; ■wickets: therefore, one problem is solved. No right-hander hgs been able to break from tho off on, Australian wickets so much ns Schwarz since T. R.’ McKibbin went out of big cricket. He; is slower than .McKibbin was; anti on the whole perhaps more,accurate, but I should say that lie is not so fast off the pitch as McKibbin was. McKibbin had; a more dangerous fast ball than Schwarz; In making a comparison between these two men,' Schwarz is compared with the! man who was more dangerous on thd best Australian wickets untouched byrain, than any other colonial bowler of his time. But as Schwarz bowled only one break (from the off), he was not nearly so troublesome to the best Sydney batsmen as might have been expected when it was proved that he .could make tho ball turn. W. Bardsley was not in trouble with him as CJem. Hill appears to have been. : But Schwarz is undoubtedly heady and persistent. Ho tries found the wicket and over the wicket, and batsmen nervous or undecided are likely to fall l.b.w. or to the wicketkeeper.- His delivery and general movements are graceful. Wo have .several "Bosie” bowlers in Sydney, but most of these labour or bait somewhat in delivering the off-break. :■;■

G. A. Faulkner,, in tho Australian sense, is more thoroughly a "Bosie" bowler than Schwar*, for he sends down both breaks. The leg-break is Ms usual ball, but he varies it with a straight one,, and one which comes hack from the off. As a result of this variety. Faulkner’s length suffers to some extent. S. It. Emery, known in the city through his visit hero last season, is thus written of in "The Arrow" regarding his play against tho -South Africans: —S. H. Emery for the greater part did not show any form. And yet on Saturday afternoon for about ha'f an hour his bowling won of the very first quality and a treat. What a wonderful bowler ho would be were he able to control his length. I am inclined to tho idea that much bettor results would, be got from Emory’s bowling were ho taken • off. if after ’two overs he could not strike hie length, rested, and tried again. When be does strike it. he is a greet bowler. The Eedfern man. while batting, ought to give up -tho nlayful dancing up the wicket after making a stroke. • It does no good, and only, makes the batsman at the other end uncertain as to his movements. - '

The Fast A-Hutt match wen at the Lower Hutt on- a perfect wicket. Hutt won the toss end hnt i ed, and lost t’-p first 3 wickets for about a dozen ■ runs. Then, dame tho Brice-Simpson partnershin and during this stand the East fielding was extremely bad—it could hardly have been worse—and it would jia- a 1 hard matter: to single out’ ono

fieldsman who neither dropped nor failed to reach a catch. By the same token, Simpson’s luck was extreme, as he seemed to “pot” catches within and out of reach. He had no fear, but seemed to know that nobody would (or could) catch him. so ho “lashed" out merrily. Finally ho was unfortunate enough to knock his own wicket down with tho bat. Had this not happened, he probably, would have batted much longer.

Brice played a lively innings, but gave no chances. E. Gudd, who got a dozen, not out; was likewise extremely lucky, and apparently he would also have had to knock his wicket over it ho bad. wished to get out.

East bowling was fair, but totally unsupported by tho field.

With 121 runs against them East began its innings with Tucker and Midlauc. Both batted well, and they soon tho scorers busy. With his total at 20 Tucker touched a ball that, got up and was caught in slips.

Midlane, who had 81 not out at the close, batted extremely well. His inings was worth seeing.

East A will probably get in a three noint win. when the game in continued to-dav. Hickey and Gibbs both bowled well for East, and tho former should have had a few more wickets to his credit had all tho chances been taken. Hornby kept wickets in good style. A fino piece of work <ls6posed of Hickson. CRICKET UP-TO-DATE.

O cricketers all! Respond -with three cheers And give them so loudly that everyone Tho Governor made a grand stand at the wicket ■ " And showed you the beauty of Vice-Regal cricket; , , , Old Harrovian play both stylish and Quito' 66 properly’ liall-marked with X.L.N.C. , . So long ’t will remain in song and in Bnhanofng his name to New Zealand’s A sixty ’ ’gainst the Encounter proved his driving force: Naught against tho College! well, the Governor's “dux” of course! ■ —H.H.B.