Championship Matches.

NZ Truth, Issue 128, 30 November 1907, Page 3

Championship Matches.

(By Scout) 3

Periect weather conditions .were aggtin m evidence on Saturday for the resumption of the senior competitions, which, however, produced nothing m the way of brilliancy, though the wicket and outfield were generally favorable for run-getting. . Midland, Old Boys, and Wellington severally notched . . two-point win, the scores panning ut as follows :— Midland 174, Petone 113 and 208 for six wickets ; Old Boys 242 for for wickets, at which stage the innfrugis was decDaaiefd closed. Phoenix 82 and 180 for eight wickets. Mid-land-Petone matoh ended m a sort of fiasco and a two-point win for the Mids. When it was seen that Midland had 1 no chance of getting m four points, it gave Petone a bit of practice till call of time,

Williams left early and deputed his duties to someone else, "then Claude Hickson, Murphy, and Quee, •did the howling, which was apparently relis-lred by the suburbanites ' who were' still going strong at the finish with Senior and Tommy Taylor piling on runs hard and fast.

A lot of people wore that Upham gave a chance on previous Saturday and again last Saturday, but tjbie umpires gave him the benefit ■of the doubt if there was, a doubt. If the story is true, then Pctoric had dueced hard luck : v not getting a win.

Hickson and Upham registered 77 runs during their partnership, which' was a valuable . one from Midlands standpoint. Curiously enough the aforesaid figures represented the number debited to Claude on. the slate.

Utham is a most valuable man to have m a team, quite apart from his 'bowJijog, Which appears to hatfe lost much of its former sting. The times that Ernie has come to the rescue of his side with the willow when things were at their Slackest has gone clean out of my count. The Midlanders catching and fielding was poor. Billy Quee came to ligjht^ m greait style by taking a fine catch on the boundary line, Jimmy •Barber being the victim. TMs "batsman had the lives of a cat.

v Cobby' is a fine judge of a run, none better m Wellington. He, however, erred badly by "calling Isherwood for an almost impossible tun, the appeal i being disastrous to the tall suburbanite.

On No. 2 wicket • the spectators were once more treated to a wearisome display of cricket, the end of it toeing Wellingfton'sr triumph over Gasworks on the first innings • by the respectable margtin- of 89 runs. The previous Saturday the Gas Co. did not make a brilliant start, as G'ourlay. m attempting to hit Hales, was clean bowled.

Ashbolt batted for close on an hour for seven runs, before he was caught by Richatodson xtS. Hickson,

It took Waters 2£ hours to compile his 32 runs, Fisher eventually catching him m the slips, oft "Bhowf". Hales. • The batsman, who iw-as not himself owing to the close attentions of the "flu" fiend, gave a sound and chanoeless display of defensive cricket.

Hoc- Wau^h, , and Dredge ran Into double figures. When Waugh was sent pavilionwards with 92 on the slate to the Gasworkers credit, the piocession 1 sent m m real earnest, six wickets going down for just that number of run,s. It was a terrible slump m the timber market.

A spectator was heard to remark that the Gas Company team much resembled the guinea pig. Evidently it was a good sample of a fuliblown kite on 'this particular occasion "Snowy" Hales 's bowling savored of real, goodiudgment. He kept an admirable length and was seldom fofl the wicket.

Fisher did not mean to have his average sßoilt moioh 1 , •■ah jhe' banged them m aS straight as a die. " In its second knock, . Wellington lost five wickets for 83 runs, but, as usual, when there is no possible chance of securing a f pur-point win cricket was not seriously played. Luckie, by way of a change, secured an essence of- genuine applause from the spectators. He captured three wickets for 22 runs, 'but th 1 © catch which dismissed. Dredge was simple startling m its results, both to the spectators and "Martin." It was af. brilliant, one-handed catch low dowii. The wearer of the wig and gown m his. effort, lost his equilibrium, greatly to Ms disgust, and the amusement of the crowd.

Finish of Old Boys-Phoenix match wound up rather sensationally, and it Was a 'ding-dong go for the last wic[ket. Crewes and Hickev supplied the [necessary vigor that made the interest. fl)t was a case of averting a one inning's defeat, and these two smiters saved the situation by hitting at everythinc: that came their w-av. and the risk put Old Boys m want of 21 to get m seven 1 minutes when Hickey lost his wicket. J. Blacklock and Wills faced Laws and Gitobes, Laws bowling oS theory to keep -down the runs. Both batsmen went at everything and it looked as though they were going to do the trick, but Biacklock drove a ball high to the on, where it -was secured, an-d only a two-point victory was credited Old Boys.

Tucker and TVlona^han continued Old Boys' innings, and took the scord from 198 to 242, when Hickey cleaned bowled Mona-ghan with a real "hummer."

The left-hander compiled 63 m fair style. He gave one or two chances on Saturday, one to Waters • right on the '"boundary feeing, declined.

Tucker carried his' bat for a wellplayed 2107.- Cribbes appeared to set "all over" him with one on Saturday, whfoh massed the sticks.

Ken is a hico bat to watch when he ,cc' • gcmi'R, an<d his popularitywas amply demonstrated when he •retired uftbeaten with a century to his credit.

Skipper Blacklock declared the innings closed about 3.15, with ?A'2, on the sheet, which left .Phoenix .100 to make to save the innings- defeat.-

With eight wickets only it© fall, it certainly looked a "good thing** for the ex-collegians. Dakin and Laws 'opened far Phoemx, and with only eight runs on Dakin tried to pull one of Tucker's out of the ground and was clean bowled. ■ ■ Gibbes got on the job., very quickly rattling up iris 33, and was very dinfor-tvmaire m being ran oat. Laws top-scored witJn 64. He batted very soundly-, and the runs came when badly needed. It is pleasing to see this player rega-miog some of ■his last yearns form.

Waters, H. Burton, and Little did not trouble the, scorers a great deal. McLennan scored a dozen and was nicely caught by Bi v ch m the long field. The scori was slow at times, the batsmen not 'risking 1 too much.

>- When Laws retired six wickets had fallen for 136, still twenty odd runs short of the number required to "save." Crewes joined H. Burton at 1 this stage, and the pair carried the score to 149. when Burton succumbed to a nice ball from Mason.

Hickey, the last man, came m, and these two livened tMii-gs. up a bit. [The excitement was great as the ptotal was reached, and the fieldsmen [.seemed to be troubled that way 9,1---50.

The batsmen were playing cautiously, ami at the same time running some short runs, which 'seemed to disorganise the Old Boys' fielding.

Hiokev was bowled by Monaghan when the score had reached 180, which left Old Boys 21 runs to get and a very short time to do it m.

J. P. "Blacldock and Wills went m to wipe off the runs, and banged at everything that came along. They managed to get 11, when J. P. B. skied one of Gifabes to Burton at mid-on, who ejected a, nice catch, and time was up.

The crowd was very much excited— cheering ,and jeering at intervals durn ins: the last hall hour. Mason bowled nice'lv for Old Boys m the second innings. This player is a nromoted junior and promises well. The catch by C. P. B at deep slip that disposed of Little was a real beauty, Blacklock havintr to jump a considerable height to reach it, but made no mistake.

Burton was fielding wretchedly during the shor.t^ time Old Boys were •batting.