AT the WICKETS

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12623, 7 December 1926, Page 11

AT the WICKETS

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Sunny skies, good light, and good wickets all tended to make the lot of the cricketers very pleasant on Saturv day. • • • There was a larger muster of spectators than usual on the Basin Reserve, and they got their money’s worth. • m • » ' Cricket’s uncertainty is one of the oharms of the game, and'this was exemplified on Saturday. Both games had their varying fortunes, and it is hard • to say which game showed it most. The Y.M.C.A. batsmen collapsed against ’Varsity, and the Institute made a great fight in the face of misfortune against Old Boys, d . . . • ... A GREAT PARTNERSHIP t No doubt the chief feature of the t play was the greet partnership between- ” H. Foley and D. Burt for the fifth e wicket against Old Boys. When four e wickets were down for' 22 runs, and e vtfith the Old Boys on their toes, one o would have been considered a real ope timist if one had suggested that a soore d of 339 would result. Foley, who got ,t 123, and D. Burt, who got 130, deservs- ed the hearty plaudits given on their r great performance. A partnership of d 252 is not recorded every day, and y there did not seem any semblance of it -fluke about it. Both .batsmen were re- !- niarkaby free from error, , and the only t, chanfie given was by Foley when he |r had gone past the century mhr*. The . runs took 3f hours, blit OS the first n hundred took nearly two hours, the balL ' a nee was scored at a pretty fast pace, to * ' * . • * ie Foley does not look a vigorous batsy man, but it was noticed that he has ie great timing powers, and some of his t shots, both off and on, travelled at a great pace to the boundary. He drove jj. well to the off, and his leg strokes were capitally executed. Eleven fours wore » noted in his score. * • » • Burt up to this match had a very ® bad run, but came into his own on Sa- . turday. Twelve fours, one five, and a . six mark power and accuracy in timing. Burt used his feet in going for the slow bowlers, put plenty of power be- . hind his drives, and kept the ball well ■“ on the carpet. He also square out and e drove past cover with precision. w • * * « l e Massey in getting 35 lost no time, i and showed some ability. Ie • * * • ’d Calvert did- hot repeat his recent “ sucoess against Hutt, being clean bowls' ed by Lambert when 15. is « • • • ls Banks, Bilby, and Prince, three usu- -- ally reliable batsmen, have had a , very ;e bad spin lately, and it is hoped that t, these young players will give the bowld ers something to think about soon, t * . a a >t James kept wickets very well, and aod counted for three of his opponents heir hind the sticks, it • a a a n SLOW BOWLING ATTACK Old Boys’ bowling got well knocked about during the long partnership, . especially the slow bowlers, Tucker and 1 Lambert, but these players got most of ” the wickets; their averages being four , e for 129, and four for 84, respectively. ’ It was very heartening to see the batsl" men moving into the ball and hitting r the slows hard, instead of pottering ■ about the crease, l- a a a a Lusk, who got one for 25, was not I * made so much use of as usual. y a a a a 0 The Old Boys, with a couple of exceptlons, cannot be congratulated on , their -fielding, it was generally on j the slow-side, and the- placing was j far from good. , Next Saturday should see some 7 more interesting pricket in this game, • as Old Hoys’haveaair their'Wickets inj tact, and require*-331 to win. ’ ’VARSITY FORGING AHEAD b University played like a winning . team right through in this game. 3 From the time Westbrook went leg before- to Hollinjgs, they had the f Y.M.C.A. batsmen scratching, and a t score of 137 is a tribute to the ext cellent bowling, especially as the wicket was in fine order. 3 .... s Y.M.C.A. have always been more or i less uncertain in their hatting, and this season are maintaining that reputation. The side has been strong in bowling generally, but that is the ’ way with cricket; no team ever seems j to be strong in both departments at , the same time. r • * . . , University are steadily . forging ahead, and are justifying theii* promotion to senior ranks. They show promise of becoming a very strong comJ bination in the future. > Y.M.C.A. did not display any enterprise, and took two and a-half 1 , hours to score their runs. No one " seemed, capable of going, for the bowl- ? .ihg and knocking 'the bowlers off their length. The majority of our j batsmen seem to have forgotten that 1 “the bat was made to strike the ball 1 with,” and have fallen under the spell of the notion that so long as , ope holds up his wickets the runs “ will come. There is a fair proportion ’ of hittable balls sent along by onr bowlers, and) failure to hit them shows , rank bad batting.

Grant, in getting 28, showed the best form, but lack of power in driving is against Alex in getting long scores. His defence is good, and he is a useful man to have on the side. • • • • White got 35, hut was curiously uneven. This player has plenty of power, but does not let the bat go against the ball with enough venom. *■t • • Henderson got 25, but did not look like a stayer. Virtue was bowled early with one that hit the bottom of the stumps. . Rollings, five for 52, and Vietmeyer, five for 25, were too good for the batsmen on the day. Both bowled a capital length, and were considerably helped by the field. Vietmeyer bowls a ball that comes a Tittle from leg, and the batsmen all seemed to hit across the ball. Hollings varied his pace with judgment. University had to face fairly strong bowling, but soon settled down to their job of getting runs. • • .• * MoGavin was shaping exceedingly well before putting his leg in front when 25. ••, « • HOLLINGS AGAIN Hollings got 114 not out, and recorded his third successive century. This young player is not of the ballroom type as lie makes his runs in tiptop style, and is a class player. On Saturday he was a bit late during tho first couple of overs from Henderson, but after that he got on top of the bowling and pushed it hard in front of him. # -■ • « * He got to the century mark in an hour and forty minutes, and gave only one chance, which was dropped at point. Hollings got twelve fours, principally by straight drives and through cover. One drive past mid-on and a push past short-leg were a joy to . beheld as they are strokes seldom seen from local batsmen. • • « • The writer does not hesitate to affirm that Hollings is the best colt he has seen during the last few years, and if the form is maintained in Plunket Shield matches then a trip to England should be a certainty. Tripe got an even 50 not out, and made them well after .a somewhat uncertain start. He helped Hollings to add 140 for the second wicket this being the seoond partnership of over 109 by these two players in successive matches. Trixie plays well all round the wioket, and has good defence. 'He is another youngster who bids fair to attain “rep” honours. r • * The Y.M.C.A. bowling was well peppered by ’Varsity, but it was not poor by any means. Henderson got plenty of paoe on but did not get a length. Some time ago the writer ..pointed out that Henderson appeared to be a litt.e laboured in his action, and seemed so again on Saturday. <• • • Mention must he made of Hall’s work in the-' slips for ,’Varsity.- He took three catches, and the one that dismisse* Browne was a brilliant left-handed effort high up. 1 ••• . . • Mr*si. M. Ongley has selected a very strong team to represent - the Country against Town.on the 17th instant. The batting is sound, and the howlers should acquit themselves well. Much interest is manifested in Clarke, who did so well against Wanganui in the Hawke Cup match. He is a fast mcdium right-hander who _ swings from lfeg”aifcr6i]: his' day.'is' quite capable of bowling anyone out. He used to play for.’. Auckland. Bernau, according to the W anga nui ‘ ‘Chronicle, ’ ’ bowled Very ably against Taranaki, and in the second innings ia making a great effort with the bat. Dempster had a bad match in the oup fixture—lbw for one, and run out for two. • * • • With Lowry, Worker, Dempster, Orr, Naismith, Bernau, Gallichan, and Kingston, the Country team is well provided with batsmen. Clarke, Newman, Mitchell, and Bernau make quite a good quartette of bowlers, and will test the form of the Town players. • * • Bernau and Newman are well known to Wellingtonians. Clarke will be new to most, and Mitchell is a slow “twirly” bowler of good class. • m * • The following comprise the Country team: Lowry, Worker, Mitchell (Hawke’s Bay), Bernau, Dempster, Orr, (Wanganui), Kingston, Clarke, Naismith (Taranaki), Newman (Nelson), and Gallichan (Manawatn). Reserves*. Lash (Taranaki), and Cameron (Rangitikei). *•- • # • Kingston (Taranaki), who has been selected for the Country team against Town, is better known as a footballer. It will be remembered that he was i a full-back of the highest class, and represented Auckland, Taranaki, and New Zealand. He is a free hat, and an excellent keeper.