Championship Matches.

NZ Truth, Issue 130, 14 December 1907, Page 2

Championship Matches.

(By Scout).: Weather and turf conditions were again perfect for the resumption of senior contests last Saturday. The acceptable rainfall overnight took a lot of fire out of the wicket, which played easily for the batsmen. Petone notched a four point win, while Wellington and Midland had to be content with a two-point victory apiece. The scores were :—Wellington 306 for 9 Wickets (innings declared closed), Newtown 232 and 50 for 6 wickets ; Petone 205 and 23 for 3 wickets, Gasworks 78 and 146 ; Old Boys' 162 and 119 for 3 wickets, Midland 303 for 8 wickets (innings declared closed). Midland—Old Boys' game was interesting, with 1 wickets gone for 99 speculation was rife as to whether Midlands could top the 162 set them by Old Boys. The wickets had been well watered oh Friday night, and on top of this was a nice ■ drop of rain about midnight. This was thought would give Old Boys a big chance with their bowlers, but Murphy and Tab Wynya;rd got to work after feeling round for a couple of overs, it was then seen that the wicket was a batsmans, and the necessary runs were hit off pretty soon* and about 4:50 the innings was closed with total : 303 for eight wickets. : Murphy (13) was' the first to go m trying to pull Monaghan to leg, mistiming the Lall it went skyward and was m the bag of stumper Blacklock. He wns missed at short stop, the ball cannoned off Blabkie m amongst the" slips where it was juggled with by a couple of th«xn and finally dropped. Wynyard (39) was in' good nick : arid after the "fifst couple of overs belted all the bowlers badly. "-It-was ■ a solid anilines to watch until he put-one -up to long on where it was held by; Itiison. Bruce (28)-after a riervoUsrlookin£j start shaped like" a tradesman, and put up a nice innings; some of his drives were just the thing, crisp and" nippy, the result of good timing. He should be a snag before tire season closes, especially if he gets a bit more confidence at the start. The surprise packet let loose on the Boys was. Jos. Manson,(s6) who was pulled out of the juniors to fill Barron's place, latter battling /with a dose of measles. When Jos knocked off hitting at where he had been, m the first few overs he presently found the right spot and then things were ortly*anyhow, and the Boys had some exercise. It was a, great innings and r took thY crowd's fancy. ■ ' Patrick (62 not out): was - a real good innings, and with Mansori put 0n.124 for the Bth wicket. Patrick has some nice strokes, and the way he timed a lot of the bowling made it look as though there was no power m his hitsj but he was getting -threes, fours and flves; Tucker and Monaghan were' expensive, thanks mainly to bad fielding; Six bowlers were tried- m disposing of Midland: ■■-■- Up till Midland topped Old Boys' score the fielding was fairly good, and nothing much to grumble about, but after this it went to pieces &nd was bad to worse. As the season goes on if they (the Old Boys) don't show up • better ..than flhey iare doing m. this department, they are not going to be on top at the final flutter. When Old Boys started their second innings it was of the playing for keeps order, and the first li was a deuce of a time appearing. Tucker started slowly also, but apparently got tired of that game, so got going at top and it was a real good innings, one of his.best displays. H* was dropped by Quee on the »9vmit' ary from a long, high drive to the on. , Everybody reckoned it was all over with Ken when it was seen Billy was standing under, -the ball, but this usually safe catch dropped it, and wouldn't be saying a word to himself m appropriate lingo. At call of time the Boys had lost 3 wickets for. 119, Tucker 63 not out, J. P. Blacklock 19* not out. C. P. Blacklock stonewalled m Bannermanic style for 80. minutes, his contribution on the slate when he went pavilionwards being a dozen. Petone had no difficulty m beating Gas Co. and obtaining the maximum number of points. G-as Co., with 50 runs on for 5 wickets, went m with the two not outs (Ashbolt and McKay) with the idea of saving the follow-on, but its hopes were-quickly blasted, as Ashbolt was clean bowled by wily "Cobby's" second ball. Topp followed and scored 3 off the first ball he received, but then lost McKay who made one glorious hit to square for six, but the next ball from Cobcroft settled him. Mac should know by this time that it is impossible to hit every ball, especially when facing a bowler of Cobcroft's type. Church and Topp added a few be^ for the latter succumbed to a "trimmer." Hill ran himself out, and as Dick Burke was away having a feed, thinking, perhaps, he would not be required, the innings closed for 78, thus making Gasworkers 127 behind. Following-on, the start was none too brilliant, as after making 3 Ashbnlt called Waters for a foolish run, and was consequently sent back t» the pavilion. ... Gourlay came next and, for him, his cricket was exceedingly quiet, but it did not last long, and, as usual with him, he got out m attempting- to score off too good a ball.

Waters and Dredge became associated, and they were botk playing so confidently- that- the hopes of the G-asworkers began- to rise, but all good things have aa end, and m. a silly way ex-Captain Dredge went pavilionwards. Waters cut a ball to cover ami called Dredge, only to send him back,, the .fieldsman throwing recklessly the ball went some considerable way foefon'd ih.e ■wicket ;'. Dredge, who woke up when t"ho ' ball was almost m Smjtkp's hand, called Waters, with the, , result tkat lie was easily run :out.' . . _ /, Waters did not survive him long as he, like T©pp, m the first innings, received one of "Cobby's" "out of tlie-' box-''' balls and was t>6wle,d after bJVttiag carefully f.or about an %q\iy for 20 runs. Waugh" arid Hodge both were easy victims to Cobcroft, and Mckay, by featless cricket, '•' tried to pull the .fat". out; of tlie lire. .'McKay, ■with'4B runs to. his credit, was smartly Stumped. by Cate. ; . .The. decision aiight have been given m the batsman's/ favor, but everyone, of course, is not m the position to/sec the exact circumstances. , 'Miic's innings ' was ,; a very bright one. He cleanly demonstrated to his comrades tkat it; was possible' to score, runs ofi t Cotscroft. and m his freely: and forcibly compiled 4.8 were included hits, for ijhree, s's, all at the expense ; of the slow bowler. . V Church played good cricket for 19 fceforf being 'bowled by Brice and when be left the game was a' over .bar shouting. / The innings closed for 146, leaving Petone 20 '.runs to win, which the Saln;.rfeanit*s obtained after losing 3 wickfets. .' . ./. Now town again tasted defeat, this time at;, th© bands' of-.the Wellingtons, but were lucky enough to escape "feha fmlr point: margin, time alono pcev*n.t'iu&- it. Walliogten esniaienced^ operations to wise off the remaining l«7 runs to. top N«w,tfiwn's first innings of 232, aad vw^uag %• tite occasion m good styl* flni&ksd up with the good total ,'af S&6"r,unß fo.r 9 wickets ; Captain Rickardson then declared the iajiings closed m the hope of •dispesine oi Nawiitwft before time being ©Riled/ and although not successful the older club's efforts made Newtown's supporters- feel rather uneasy as at 6.25 6 wickets had ..fallen for a paltry 35, but Q. 3>ay and Alpe managed' to. play out time. NaugKton, who top-scored for Wellington, was . a bit sfeafcy at the commeh.cemi(n,t, but soon settled down, and than knocked the bowling about 'with fraesLom. Some of • his drives and leg strokes were beauties. •Richardson played his usual game, serviceable to his side but one can:not get,, enthusiastic over his batting. .... Hickson did not appear to be at borne at all. and after compiling 16 was caught, behind- the wickets. Pislier could not go wrong, several chances off hiia Toeing missed. While at the wickets, however, he gave New town plenty -of leather hunting. . . ■ As to .-New-town's, second venture at the batting crease the least said about it" the better, One or two of the batsmen si mpi y gave their wickets ' away. . Eiiiamery tox. instance; walk-ins out o.v -his crease several yards to-: try/ and meet on the full a -half volley froai Hales. He. miss^ Bd.-.thet'lj-allraKtl -Cudliffe stumped him, PliniHier, m the meantime, watching the operation some yards down the pitch. : The fielding of the Newtown was about the worst exhibition given m senior cricket for many a' day, catch after catch beiag declined by the fielflsmen. Had, say half of tke catches been accepted, Newtown would have had a fair chance of heading WeUington on the first innings. -■' •• Payne -is . show ing signs of that awful malady "swollen head," and to hoar him on .the field one would be inolinerl to believe he was the tooa.l agent for some phonograph establishment. Less talking and more attention to the game will be to feis own as well as to Newtown's advantage.