BATSMEN MAKE BOWLERS' AVERAGES LOOK SICK

NZ Truth, Issue 1305, 18 December 1930, Page 16

BATSMEN MAKE BOWLERS' AVERAGES LOOK SICK

GETS GREAT OVATION

Mark Bilby, of Kilbirnie, Steps Out To Bowling

JAMES ALSO LAYS ON WOOD

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special "Wellington Eepresentative.) By far the brightest batting display of the season was witnessed at Kilbirnie Reserve on Saturday when young Mark Bilby stood up to the bowling of Blundell, Goodwin and Co., of Wellington seniors.

IN a knock that lasted just over the hour, Bilby ran up 95 runs. With a wonderful sense of anticipation, he timed each ball perfectly, and during his Stay at the crease he never gave one chance. In fact, his straight, low driving was a feature of the game. Bilby played the ball .nicely to leg, and when he came out of his crease to meet the ball he generally sent it through the field for four. . Blundell undoubtedly was the best bowler for Wellington, but Bilby played him ' with the greatest of confidence. He was decidedly unlucky not to reach his century, but he drove a ball hard back to Blundell waist high, and the latter, who has a safe pair of hands, held it. With a few more batsmen of Bilby's type, Kilbirnie wbuld have no difficulty m taking the championship. Ch r i stopherson, Kilbirnie captain, can count himself very fortunate that he reached the big total of 96. Chris, has some nice shots m ,his locker, and vhe is not afraid to tackle the bowling when t h c opportunity offers. Early In his strike 'h« had a life when an opportunity to stump him went begging. He was yards out of his crease, but the 'keeper, Wagstaffe, failed to hold the ball. Again* when he was m the seventies, two. . excellent opportunities occurred to run him out, but Airey, aspirant to Plunket Shield honors, from a few yards out, returned the ball into the slips Instead of to the wicket-keeper's hands. Chrlstopherson shows nice judgment m placing short runs and also m running between the wickets. He piled on quite a. tew m this manner on Saturday. Kilbirnie, with 398 to their credit, for eight wickets, have set • Wellington a pretty formidable task on the second day. .Apart from Blundell, none of "the other bowlers was successful. Batsmen, however, found It difficult to - score off O'Brien. Cousins wasn't a success and .was taken off. In the field, howfever, he took a beautiful catch — one hand, which sent Chrlstopherson to the pavilion. BlundelPs average was good during one part of the game — 3 for 56 from 16 overs,, four of which were maidens, but he was kept on practically, all day. . At a later stage it was 3 for 120, Bilby's made it four and then some of the tail-enders improved it. He finished up with 6 for 168 from 39 overs. Wellington fielding will have to brighten lip a little if they wishi to get anywhere

this year. There were several holes m it on Saturday. Jennings, m the slips, must be kicking himself. He cropped Christopherson early m the piece. For the first time this season club games were played on the Basin Reserve, and it wasn't too bright an opening, either. Old Boys met Institute, the former having flrst strike. A cramped opening, poor bowling" and atrocious fielding- marked the opening. Fortune opened up the bowling for Institute, but apart from being able to rock them down, he .was not dangerous and every loose ball Ronaldson and Parsloe, the opening batsmen, knocked good and hard. Dempster wisely took him off, but m the field Fortune was little better, and several boundaries which, went past him should have been stopped for singles. Against Old Boys, Institute bowling was impotent. Foley had quite a spell with the ball, and his four wickets cost 111 runs. Henderson did not come on till near the finish, but he took two wickets for 26. A score of 441 for nine wickets is a fairly hefty total for any side to compile, but Old Boys could' not have done it against good bowling. Their rate of scoring was slow till James went m, and the versatile Ken again got to work with the long handle, slamming the loose bowling all over the paddock. . Midland put up a mediocre display against Varsity, L.. G. Clarke, seventh' wicket down, being the chief scorer with 65 not out. „ „ , The rest gave a very mediocre display, A. Doneghue's 28 being the next best. For Varsity, Macallan came out of it with the best average, bagging four wickets for 47 runs. Harrison took three for 52 and McLeod two for 42. Out at the Hutt, the batting honor went to Hamilton, of the Petone eleven, who met the locals on their own ground. Petone's first three batsmen i wejit very cheaply, and but for the bright knock of Hamilton they 1 . would not have finished the day with the fine total of 308. Hamilton put heart into the side. rtl It was interesting to see young Cleaves name down as 12th man m the Institute seniors on Saturday. He is a youngster who is showing great promise this season, and with Dempster to coach him along, he should be ready for the higher | grade next year.