WANGANUI UNLUCKY

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

WANGANUI UNLUCKY

TARANAKI SCRAPE HOME IN HAWKE CUP GAME (From "N.Z. Truth's" Taranaki Rep.) THE Hawke Cup elimination match betweefi "Wanganui and Taranaki, provided plenty of excitement. Tn a sensational finish the Taranaki tail wagged long enough to eliminate "Wanganui by one wicket. Wanganui started well. Darby and j Ward opened quietly and put on 38 for

the first wicket before the former, who plays a straight bat, was out for 14. Ward, onqe he had played himself m, loosened up, and his drives to long on boundary and leg turns were a treat. He jumped out smartly to kill slow bowling ( and when he was well held at mid-on by Kingstone off Barker for 63, the score read 3 for 112. Taranaki started badly, losing Barker, of Hawera Old Boys, who is usually a safe bat, the first over to McDougall, who was bowling a good length. Taranaki's fielding was great, Petty being at home behind the stumps with two stumping^ and a catch. Bad luck dogged the losers to the end. When Groombrldge went out and- 43 runs still were required, Kingstone promoted Petty, who was down to bat last, and with Kirwln he took the total to 176 for eight wickets, though at 155 Petty had two lives. Fowler appealed confidently for a catch behind the wicket^ off Spurdle, and the next over Grant dropped Petty m front of McDougall. The following over, Kirwln, who was hitting at everything, missed one from McDougall and his wickets were disarranged, but Umpire Braund walked up to the wicket, and after consultation with the fieldsmen and the other umpire, Blake, who appeared to participate, the batsman got the verdict. Any of these three incidents going their way would have spelled victory for Wanganui,. as Taranaki still wanted 30. As it was, these batsmen raised the total to 178. Two young players, Crawford and High School boy Morrison, added the necessary. • N :

thirty- two, and Eden looked to have more real difficulty m scoring off him than off either of the other two and for scoring purposes he was difficult to place. R. Frater's form has been a little patchy this season, and the ex-North Shore skipper has aroused a bit of speculation one way and another. But there wasn't much speculation needed when he and Miller made things bright for the V.M.C.A. m their match against Parnell. Frater showed little respect for McCoy's slows, and treated him to a pretty liberal pasting. Goodsir was getting a bit more care, and Frater was definitely too confident against Anthony, and hit one up for Hay to hold. Miller didn't seem to be troubling about the bowling, and his halfcentury innings seemed to be a collection of boundaries. His innings was as much good luck as good judgment, and his tactics could not be recommended as an example of sound play. For the rest, the Y.M. innings was poor and early m the game the score board read three for nine. Trevor Lyon showed no promise m an innings that yielded nine, and though brother Mervyn hung on for a good time, he only scored two m an innings that lacked possibilities. Goodsir, m accounting for four of the Y,M, wickets for something under forty, justified the respect shown him. Frater was the ohly one to score anything like freely off him. McCoy's got a way with him m those seml-googly, twisty slows of his, and those Who understand the way score easily off him. Those who don't have a thin time.