CRICKET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18510, 22 March 1922, Page 8

CRICKET.

Br Slip. Rain fell throughout last week a.ml made the wickets very soft, but right up to 1 p.m. on Saturday there was a chance that matches would be continued. At. that hour however, it again commenced to rain steadily, and in n very short time it was obvious that play for the day wa.s out of the question, and all matches were abandonee!. It is difficult at the moment of writing to obtain reliable informal ion as to the position of the clubs in regard to ‘ho unfinished matches, but a meeting of the O.C.A. is to bo bold immediately when the tangle will no doubt be straightened out. 'I here is one more round of matches to be played before the season closes. Grange will meet Carisbrook, Dunedin will meet Carisbrook-University, and Albion will meet Mornington. The winner of the championship cannot, yet. bo selected with any degree of certainty, but Albion are still in the lead with 13 points. Grange having 11 points, and Dunedin 9 points. Dunedin and Mornington are endeavouring to conclude their unfinished match of earlier .n the season, but weather conditions have been such that only one hour’s play has been possible this week, and in that time Dunedin lost five wickets for 75 runs. Rain is still falling, and there is little chance of a final result being reached this week unless more favourable conditions prevail within the next 24- hours, A fitting termination to the season’s activities would bo a North Knd v. South End match, played on the North Ground, in aid of the funds of the Otago Cricket Association. Grange and Albion wouid meet the combined forces of Dunedin. Carisbrook. Carisbrook-University. and Mornington. A two-days’ match of this .description would evoke keen interest in the north end of the city, and the well-known liberality of the North Ground habitues would ensure a financial success, much more so. feel sure, than if the match took place on C’arisbrook or Caledonian Ground and a char;? made for admission. The Otago Cricket Association is short of funds, and here is a chance to raise a good round sum and relieve somewhat, the financial pressure. Advertising on a small scale would be the only expense, so that beyond the few shii lings required for this purpose the whole of the proceeds would be profit. Early in the season- a correspondent asked ter tlio rcpublication of the account of a match played between Canterbury and Otago as far back as January 23 and 24, 1891, and 1 have taken from the hte J. \\ H. Bonnerman’s “History of Otago Representative Ci'icket” the following brief summary : “This match was a triumph for Otago, and was the most sensational match ever played in New Zealand. Canterbury made 101 runs in their fifst innings, against the bowling of Downes and Lawton, and Otago replied with the same number (Beck, 32). Canterbury totalled 120 in their second (Lawton six for 30), leaving Otago 121 to get to win. But a rot set in and the wickets fell thus: 1 for 5,2 for 8, 3 for 11, 4 for 20. 5 tor 28, 6 for 32, 7 for 36. and then Bell was out for a. fine little innings of 25—8 for 58. Stephenson joined Baker, who immediately hit Wilding for two 4 s and two 2’s from one over, and then drove Halley for 3. Cuff i enlaced Wilding and Raker cut him for a single, drove Halley for 2. and put him to leg for 1. and a short run gave another single. A pretty cut for 3 by Stephenson—3o up, and Otago supporters frantic. Cuff replaced Hallev. Baker cut Cutt beautifully for 3. which brought the ‘house’ down. Harman replaced Cuff, and 5 byes were run, and a brilliant square-log hit by Baker went like a flash to the boundary—9o up. Ho followed this up with a fine drive for 2, and a leg hit for the same number —8 mna off the over and things becoming serious for Canterbury. Stephenson drove De Maus, but was caught on the boundary—96—-9—4, and Croxford, last man. in. Singles brought 100 up, and Labatt replaced Harman. Some singles to each batsman, then two byes, and a splendid leg hit by Baker went hard to the boundary—ll2 up, and 9 to win. Wilding went on. Croxford pulled a full toss for 3, and Baker snicked a single (116 up) : 1 to Baker and a slight fumble by Ridley gave a couple, which, followed by a single, made a tie amidst the wildest excitement. Cuff went on, but a desperately run single to Croxford settled matter, and Otago had won a great game by one wicket. Baker and Croxford were carried from the field shoulder high amidst frantic enthusiasm, and no praise could possibly be too high for them.” The Otago team was constituted as follows:—C. Beck, A. Downes, J, C. Lawton, F. Harper (captain). W. Parker. A. G. Bell, W. Collar, J. Baker. A. 11. Fisher, F. O. Stephenson. J. Croxford. Art amusing incident—for the spectators—occurred during the cricket match Single v. Married Men. played on the Feotherston Recreation Ground during a recent weekend. Following a particular!v brilliant hit. to boundary, a member of the “Singles” gave vent to his feeling by performing a naka. A dog, mistaking his actions, promptly attacked him. and, getting a firm hold of the young man’s trousers at the hip, neatly removed these garments.