Championship Matches.

NZ Truth, Issue 83, 19 January 1907, Page 2

Championship Matches.

Ideal weather was again m evidence when senior championship matches were resumed at the Basin Reserve on Saturday afternoon. The spectators \wre m strong force and barracked freely for their respective favorites. The win of Old Boys over Midland was a popular one. The pitches did not altogether play truly, No. 1 wicket, at the Northern "end, being very much cut up before Midland was finally up-ended.

The Gasworkers had no trouble m settling the hash of Newtown's. -representatives, as the two not-outs, Ash-bolt and Dredge, carried the score up to the winning point (128) without . being separated. They fairly collared, the bowling and put 51 and 58 to their credit respectively on the slate. Both men, however, were missed from snicks to wicketkeeper Day. while Dredge was also dropped m the slips.

. The Newtown bowlers failed to make as much use of the 'pitch as they should have done. It was a wicket ' on which old-timers like "Sheepy" >Deyden or Frank Dredge would have fairly revelled m, as the slow type of trundler could, or should, Wave easily made the ball turn or hang. '

As Gas Company has knocked New-< town endways twice this sfeason there can be no dispute as to which is the better team.

<ji the Wellington-Phoonix match, the latter, req/uiring 282 runs to win, opened on the previous Saturday with Laws and Oobcroft, and they remained at the wickets until stumps were drawn for 109, and before being separated they had put on the fine score of 146, Oobcroft being the first to go with 41 opposite his name made by sound cricket. . Laws carried his total to 122 and was then caught by Gore, off Richardson. This player gave a splendid exhibition of all-round cricket, his cutting and driving being a real .treat to' witness.

Waters made a few good strokes m his score of 20 before 'being caught and bowled by Richardson:

Burton, s&hr., was shaping m his old wristy style when Richardson got one past him for 15. .

McLennan made 16 very nicely and was then splendidly caught by Taylor at point, ofl Hicksoa. ,

Brice made a fine stroke on the off and m attempting a sixth run was. very foolishly run out.

Little, Burton, junr., Miller, Hiekey and Aitohisan scored 21 between them, extras totalling 26, bringing their score up %6 2&6, or 15 'behind the Wellington total. The match aIK through was interesting, and but for Brice running himself out, and the tail end falling to score, Wellington was lucky to win. Tommy Taylor's catch which sent McLennon to the righinabout was a clever one-handed one, and the spectators recognised its merits with a burst' of hand-claipping. Vie. Waters made one or two very forceful strokes. He ..was eventually "diddled out" by Richardson. Oobcroft made a mighty slam to square leg at the ball which brought about his downfall . ' ' Cabby . thought the leather would have travelled half-way down the plantation, 'but it didn't quite reach the boundary.

With' only three wickets down for 219 Phoenix appeared to have "Wellington clean under the whip, but the tail wagged devishly strong. 'No little interest was taken m the Midland v. Old' Boy's match, and the upending" of the champions' .in such easy fashion staggered the ■quidnuncs who opined that not more than a hundred runs at the most would separate the teams at the finish. , When play was interrupted oh the previous Saturday Old Boy's m their second strike had notched 117 runs for the loss of two wickets, Beeohey and C. P. Blacklock being the notout batsmen. Beechey added 13 to his previous contribution, which gave him ©8 on the score sheet, when Upham knocked his wicket out of plumb. Beeohey had hit hard, getting all 'his runs m front of the wicket. . , Blacklock shaped on the cautious side for his 20, Jacobs (18) was going along .confidently and solidly when he sent one back to Uphaan ; Dixon (12). gave indication of aggressiveness until Hickson nabbed him off Patrick. Collins (9) was not at home to the bowling, and succumbed to Barron before he had reached double figures, and "Fisher (16) laid the wood on freely, if recklessly, and with "Boss" Ames made a serviceable stand for the last wicket. ;. Wills earned the only blob of the innings, Barron playing havoc m his timber stack. . The ground fielding of the Midlanders was patchy, while the returning was of the wildest description, m some instances it bordered oh the farcical. Mr Extras was a good .friend/to the Old Boys, his contribution reaching the tidy score of Arnold Williams was. absent on holiday leave, and Atkinson was the stumper , pro tern ; : Davis' did not put m an appearance, and Midland was without the services of these players when batting a second time. Upham and Barron were the most successful trundlers, the latter s average reading 3 for 32 and Upham's 5 for 71. At one stags m the Old Boy's innings seven wickets were down for 178, which was exactflv the figures when the fifth wicket fell. The odds were against them getting within coo-€e of the third century, and tire Old Boys themselves were sanguine of half the wickets at

least, beinrr down before the tune limit vs<as reached.

As events shaped theinseh r es the whole side were disposed of foe 03. Dickson, the ex-college boy was the destroying angel. He bowled capitally, varying his pace and pitch with excellent jud.gjmcnt and brc a kins from the off hi disconcerting style. He wound up with 7 for 32.

There was a hurricane round of hand cl-appiing when Barren was clean bowled m Dickson's first over, and it was renewed with ten-fold force when Claude Hickson hit the same bowler stquare to leg and was cau°iit by "Dahn" Fisher. °

Hickson's stroke was a beauty, and m ordinary circumstances the ball would have travelled to the fountain. Unfortunately for the Midlander and his side, Fisher happened to be put m the right spot, and judging the flight of the ball admirably made a name for himself, to the delight o* hie comrades. Claude's cheap dismissal was the signal for great joy m the Old Boy's camp. He had amassed' 11.

Murphy (1) hit one back to Diekson, and Bruce, who batted so well m his first essay, was bowled neck and crop before he could start on another run-getting mission.

Patrick (31), Sissqn (25) and Upham (22) strove valiantly to stem the tide of disaster which was overwhelming the Midlanders, hut their efforts were m vain, and when the last wicket fell (Williams and Davis., w-ere absent, they, were still m a deficit of 210 runs.

Included m Patrick's strokes was a fine hit on the lee side which pro-, duced 6 at Dickson's expense. /

Old Boy's put up a fine perforrrianoe m upendine: Midland so cheaply. It was the worst defeat sustained by Midland for many a long day. -

The victory of the youneer Club only serves to show -the advantages to be derived from the introduction , of new blood. The colts in/t he Old Boy's ranks have proved their fitness for promotion, and it is to 1)?. hopeu for the sake of the game/in Wellington that other Clubs will pive their juniors ,a chance to display their prowess. Take the case of Bruoei oE the Midland team. Here was an instance of a. young player beiiv 1 kept m the background far too .loawr.

As things are how gqine;, Old Boys should annex the premiership, and- the writer subscribes the opinion that such "a result would 1 make for the betterment of local cricket. Midland v has not been out of the championship honors for the past 12 or 13 years, or thereabouts, and it is about time another club, came along and did the trick; Hitherto the issue has been confined to Wellington and Midland, the others nsVer had a "smell," so thf» "effacement of Midland by the ex-Collegians clearly indicates that votaries of th* summer nastime will have sometihine; more interesting to look forward : to m future seasons.