Championship Matches.

NZ Truth, Issue 123, 26 October 1907, Page 3

Championship Matches.

Glorious -weather was m evidence for the resumption of the senior championship fixtures last Saturday, and, the gee-gee sprints at Trentham notwithstanding, there was a goodly attendance at the Basin Her serve. The wickets were m favor of batsmen, but the results of the afternoon went to show superiority, of ball over bat. When stumps were drawn for the day the scores m the several games stood as follows :—Newtown 90, Gas Company 96 for 5 wickets, Phoenix 56, Petone 133 for 3 wickets, Wellington 120, Old Boys 54 for 3 wickets. Phoenix put up* a rotten performance against Petone. • They batted on an easy wicket and showed some play that would have been a disgrace to third-classeres. Cobcroft and Brice simply got all over the Phoenix team. These two trundlers, unchanged, did the trick for the suburbanites m a bit over an hour. Cobcroft had the Phoenix men scratching from the jump. MeLellan was the only one to really lay the wood on to Cobby, and his innings was short and merry. McKay, the not out, couldn't be tempted by Cobby to step out to his innocent-looking fe stuff. Cates, the Petone "stoomper," was m great nick, and gave an exhibition that Arnold Williams would have been proud of. Burton senior and, junior were both his meat. Burton pere didn't appreciate his dismissal, and declares he never lifted a hoof from the soil. He is like plenty more, though, that don't know exactly what happens at the'pyschological moment when they are reaching half-way up the pitch after the elusive leather. | Its possibly a good thing that j batsmen can't be their own umpires, there would be no such thing as being stumped, or out l.b.w. j Cate's work was real good, -and I j was watching him with interest. To my mind, though, he appears to have J one fault, and that is holding the | ball a bit too long after the stroke j is finished with an idea, possibly of waiting for the batsmen to lift the foot inside the crease. This may be all right'if a batsman is scratching about trying to gain his enuilibrium, as 'until, this is over the stroke cannot be said to be finished. It is, apparently habit, but its not too good a one. Cates is quite quick enough without that habit. The slowness with \rtiich batsmen went out to the wicket was generally remarked upon. Not to put too fine a point on it, it was funereal, and took a deal of interest out of the game. Both sides were offenders m this respect. The amount of shifting about of the Phoenix team m the field was rather amazing. If a ball was mishit to a vacant patch and a run resulted a fielder was, placed there, and when the orthodox cut or drive came off the man that should have stopped it had a new position at what might be called lull-back, or some other toeball position, and that game is as dead as Ceasar's ghost I just at. present. j Hickey had bad luck m spraining one of his fingers whilst fielding substitute for Petone, and no doubt tended to disadvantage his bowling and fielding. There was an all-round improvement, m the Petone team. A couple of chances were missed which should have been taken, but on the whole jit was a good display of fielding. "Wanted : A Skipper"- is a nice short ad. Brice bowled with some of his old dash, and got a couple of his wick-j ets with clinking balls. He batted i unbeaten with much vigor, and was J a different man altogether to his i other two performances. MeLellan gave him a life, a hot chance. j "Cobby" had bad luck when going j well and strong. He hooked at a! ball' which got up between his wrists and m swinging round deposi-r ted it on to his wickets. Patrick was also unfortunate at being caught and given out to a ball that hit his leg. By the way, it is possible that this will be his last performance for abbatoirtown for some weeks, as there's a possibility of his going to Christchurch for a time. For Petone's sake it's to be hoped this is incorrect. Moore, for Phoenix, got all the \s«ickets that fell, and he must admit he was dead lucky. Patrick's batting was rather disappointing, although he did get 3JO, and didn't look like getting out at any time, but there wasn't any power behind his hits. Still he took no risks and played for keeps. The running between the wickets was a decided improvement, and runs # were not lost as on other occasions. Newtown had first knock against the Gas workers on No. 3> wicket. The former combination is mostly composed of young players, and they pulled together much.better than I have . seen them do for some time past. Their fielding was capital, and the batting fairly good. In the latter department more improvement can be expected Payne (26) who top-scored was missed at the outset of his innings by Waugh at square-leg from an easy catch. Grateful for this let-off, he hit out freely. He put one or two up m dangerous proximity to the fieldsmen, and was eventually sent fountainwards to a fine catch effected byGourlay innning back m the slips. Percy. Smith and G. Day (17 each) scored freely for their runs, whilst Allan Day adopted • patient tactics. The Newtown wickets were divided among four \ bowlers, Hull bagging three, McKav and Gourlay a couple a-piece, and Hill one,, two. of the Newtowners being run out.

As the Newtowners could only amass 90, and the Gasworkers have 6 m excess of that score with five wickets still m hand, a victory for the latter seems about as certain as anything on this mortal earth. Gourla-T (32) , gave a neat and natty exhibition for his runs, and the Gasworkcr's representative is probably one of the soundest "all-round-ers" m the township. He was out to a well-judged catch by George Day from a lofty hit to long-on. Waugh's compilation of 23 included some fine leg strokes. Ashbolt was shaping nicely when he fell a victim to a fine length ball by Ryan. On Saturday's showing one would say that the Gasworks' team is strong m all departments, and should take a lot of beating for the premiership. It would perhaps be all the stronger for a slow bowler of decent quality. Newtown tried a likely left-handed bowler from Johnsonville, named Mills. He should have been tried with the wind instead of against it. The Wellington and Old Boys met for the first time this season. The former wanning the toss, elected to bat, and put up 120 before being disposed of. Mahoney and Naughton were the first pair to face the bowling of Tucker and Dickson. Both'players started with confidence, but at 22 Naughton was clean bowled by Tucker for 15, just as he was beginning to show some of his old form. Mahoney batted nicely for 12 before Tucker got a beauty past him. Stan Hickson, as on the previous Saturday, treated the crowd to another splendid exhibition. He started m a very modest way by making seven ones, and then settled down to work m earnest, and rattled up 31 without a chance before Monaghan dismissed him. It was a good, allround performance, and the public evidently appreciated it by the manner m which it apnlauded him on retiring. Willis, a promoted junior (who took O'Sullivan's place on account of his absence through business) was very scratchy, but managed to make seven singles before Tucker beat him with a well-pitched ball. Richardson did not give much trouble, for after making a fourer, was out leg iblefore wicket to Monaghan. Quinn found Dickson too good for him, and retired with a duck. Nash, who did so well against the Midlands, again played a sound game for his 18 not out, which came when runs were,badly wanted. Waters did not stay long enough to show his batting powers, and retired after making a single, bowled by Dickson.. Luckie was batting freely when Blaekwood snapped him at the wickets,- off Tucker for 9. Fisher made a couple of good slogs and was then caught by Dickson off Tucker for 8. Hales, the last man. started m Ms usual style by making 3, and m trying to knock Monaghan out of the ground, was clean bowled. Tucker bowled up to his best form, and captured five wickets for 53 runs. Dickson and Monaghan also trundled well, and got the remaining wickets. The fielding of the Old Boys was really good, especially that of S. Jacobs, at point. The .Old Boys, who lost 3 wickets for 54, started with Beechey and Birch ; the former soon got to work and gave a brilliant exhibition for 40 not out, his cutting and driving being the best on the ground during the afternoon. Birch did not' give the bowlers much trouble, Hales dismissing him for a 0. Tucker, too, did not stay long, for after being badly missed m the slips at 5, Hales beat him next over with his score at 11. J. P. Blacklock got m front" of his wicket to Hales after making 2. Tom Hales- bagged all. three wickets at a cost of 24 runs. Luckie and Fisher bowled, but without result. As the game now stands it should be an exciting finish, but the Boys, if anything, seem to have a good winning chance.