Third Day.

NZ Truth, Issue 80, 29 December 1906, Page 3

Third Day.

A Drawn Gome.

Tlie third and final stage of the game was l_egun on Thursday when Branston and Page, the not-outs ,of the ' previous evening, jaced Upham and Hawthorne. Branston was fated to quickly succumb to the fast bowler, who, with his second ball, got the • Englishman caup-ht by Mahoney m the slips. ' On Hayward joining Page the spectators were treated to a really fine display of batting. The Middlesex man was slow to get to business

hut once tinder: way he batted m taking style all round the wicket. If .there was one stroke more than another which caught the eye it was to the off, whilst his square cutting was nattily amd artistically executed. His punishing, powers were freely requisitioned, and whenever .he got on ta it the hall travelled to the boundary -at a great hat.

Page played everything with ease and grace, m fact his sound, attractive, and chanoeless innings .only closed when Upham bowled him off his pads. His partner gave a delightful exhibition m which wristy and forceful straight-drive strokes predominated. When he had 16 rims to ' his credit, Hayward gave Ha;wthorne an easy chance at deep slip, but the fieldsman failed to retain the .-. bull which came at him waist hiuh. '■

One of the 'best halls of the match just lifted his off-bail, Utiham being the bowler. He had one or two rather close shaves from being . run ou;fc , Monogftan m one instance losing tne opr>ortunitv from a quick return by Brice. During the Page-Hayw&rd partnership, the runs came at a great pace and the tens went up m quick succession. They put on 95 for the fifth wicket. Page* was batting 67 minutes for his runs, which included 9 'fours. Hayward had eight 4's to his credit. -

May was easily vanquished, being bowled off his >toes by Coberoft for a blob. Torrens, who had Johnson to fun for him, notched three singles a/rid than received his dismissal at the hands of wicketkeeper Williams off "Cobby "

Douglas, another member of the visitors' crippled brigade, and Fox took a lot of shifting for the last wicket (Ca"t. Wvnyard being an absentee) and 35 runs were 'added before Williams got the latter caught off Brice.

The Englishmen's second essay lasted 3hrs and 40mins. Upham bowled, very steadily. and Coberoft s trundline* was a great improvement on the rubbish he had sent down m the visitors' first innings. Douglas was bothered muchly but he banged ••Cobby", on the leg-side, occasionally Wellington wanted 253 runs to achieve victory, and the time at its disposal was limited to 2hrs and 40mins, exclusive tbf the 15 minutes for hhe afternoon tea adjournment. The task was practically a hopeless one, though it had been agreed that m the event of a close issue, the struggle should be prolonged for an extra half-an-hour. ' . • Hickson and Collins started on. the home team's mission, but a^ light drizzle set m when. 9 runs had been scored, and the players -. returned paviliocowards— a needless proceeding m the circumstances., After wasting about 35 minutes the game wa<3 resumed '; - ' Hickson again failed to make heading and was caught m the slips,, a fate which he .was -evidently.- shaping for from the outset. Coberoft had his' timbers floored by one ! from Branston which ,carae back,, as -the batsman put it, "a mile." "Cobby" was quite satisfied that a similar ball would take him any day m the week. .-'.',.-

After making 23 , out of 29 Collins had his oft stump dislodged by May. The youngster shaped well, and his favorite cut-stroke was charmingly executed. Williams, who replaced him. survived appeals for a catch and l.b.w. from the first two balls sent, down to him by May.

Arnold played very streakily at the outset, but was commencing - to

warni to work when Harrison trapped him with a full tossed one on the leg side. The batsman failed to get proper hold of it and Branston, at "short leg, effected an easy catch. The visitors were seemingly pleased to see the back of the century hero of the first innings. Matters were, now looking gloomy for the local men, as four good wickets were down for 53, and people were speculating on the prospect of the whole side being up-ended before stumps were drawn. Beeehey. ouickly tell a victim^ Branston knock-* ing his ler pin out of plumb..

Everything now depended upon Mahoney, wh 0 had been 'batting very patiently and soundly, and Ken Tucker, and right well did the pair rise to the occasion. All 1 the efforts of the visitors to dislodge them proved futile, though the bowling changes were rung on m quick succession. -

When stumps were drawn .the pair wenre still m possession of the wickets and had carried the score to 148. There was still 103 wanting to record a win, but Tucker and Mahoney were so well set that the prospect} of Wellington making up the leeway was a bright one. If the game had been fought out to. a finish the proceedings would probably have given rise to no inconsiderable excitement.

Mahoney played the correct game and restrained his usual inclination t-n hit. He kept tlie ball well down on 'the turf and never gave a possible chance. His defence was vpry sound and when opportunity offered he hit surely all round the; wicket. While at the batting' crease he . over;; 120 runs put on the slate. v, Tucker gave, one chance to Hayward m the slips when he had notched 43, and two or three times the ball from his bat went perilously near the cordon of slipsmen. Taken all round, however,, his display was a very fine one, his cutting being eseciallv sharp. Ken also did some "ood placing. May did not rock them m at anything like the pace he did on Wednesday. He was apparently tired from his exertions on that day. At times he got a lot of work on from the off. Branston sent down some snorters, but there was a noticeable lack of variety, of pace and pitch m the visiting trundlers' deliveries all thorough. - The fielding of the Englishmen was somewhat uneven as compared with their showing m the local team's first strike. Harrison, however, was a brilliant exception, and his run-saving feats evoked storms of applause at frequent intervals.