CRICKET NOTES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8681, 14 March 1914, Page 14

CRICKET NOTES

The wicket that Central and Petona played on last Saturday afternoon waa in a wretched condition. No doubt the association had good reason, for not making use of the good wicket on tho Petone recreation ground, and it is quite in order that a suburban team should be asked to play, from homo occasionally, but to ask teams to play. ,m wickets that have practicaly received little or no attention is not fair to oatsmen, and docs not tend to improve the play. . . . Should North succeed in gaining at three-point win from East B, and Central meet with tho same success in tho game against Petone, North and Petone will be placed on the same mark. The scores made by Central and Pc--tone in tho first innings were very, poor. Central has an array of batsmen* who should bo equal to a larger total than 69 runs in an innings. To bo disposed of for so small a eooro speaks well for the ability of the Petone trundlors, and little for tho wicket. McCardell made top score for Central, and his batting was more forceful than sound. Central went in on a stoggy wicket that was drying fast and wore unable to' withstand the onslaught of Bennett and Brice. Hickson (12) and McCardell (21) were responsible for almost half of Central’s total, the remaining nine wickets scoring 36 runs. . * Brice, for Petone, took five wicketa for 23 runs, Bennett four for 43, and Finlayson one for none. Brice’s fast deliveries humped considerably on account of the bad state cf the Wicket, and batsmen were not too confident when standing up to play the ball. Petone's batting career did not last much longer than that of Central, and the last wicket fell with the score at 79, an advance of 10 runs ahead of Central’s total. Brice (14), Smyrk (11), and Doneghue (17) were tho rungetters, and were responsible for 43 runs. Eight of Petone’s batsmen wor« sent back for 29 runs, off tho bat. Cate, the Petone “keep,” only allowed one ball to pass him during the innings, while *Pateraon for Central kept wickets well, and only seven extras were recorded. Saunders is rightly classed as the best bowler in Wellington. On Saturday he got a tremendous amount of work on the hall, and came out with an average of five wickets for 24 runs, Ryan was Central’s other trundler, and secured five wickets at a cost of 48 runs. Both teams fielded well, and if there was any exception Naughton foil Central is entitled to the honours. Doneghue hit a ball, off Ryan, into a butcher’s shop and damaged tho scales. Kinvig essayed to look for tha ball, which was thought to have landed on the roof of a building. Much amusement was caused when Kinvig was seen emerging from the bedroom window of a house in quest of tha ball. Old Boys, at tho present stage of their gam© with Hutt, are on tho road to gain a throe-point win. Tho wicket was somewhat heavy at the commencement of tho match, but improved groat-' ly during tho afternoon. Tumor, a recent arrival from thd South Island, played for Hutt for tho first time and shaped well with tho bat. With more practice ho should prove a very serviceable bowler. Mason, who has been absent front the Hutt team for several playing Saturdays, signalled his return by making top score. Patton (28) and Glennie (18) were Hutt’s other double-figure batsmen. Tucker, for Old Boys, was in great form with the ball, capturing eight wickets for S 3 runs. Old Boys have lost three wickets foil 122 runs, and have a lead of two over Hutt’s first innings total. Tucker knocked up 27 in quick time, and p. Hay is still unbeaten with 63 to his credit. Hay plays careful cricket and has to bo dug out of ; thaf wicket.