CRICKET,

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18723, 29 November 1922, Page 10

CRICKET,

By Sup. We were fortunate in being able to play at all on Saturday, when one takes into consideration the amount of rain that had fallen during the week and in the early hours of Saturday morning. On the North Ground the wicket on which the Albion and Dunedin, teams wore to try conclusions looked anything but inviting, and .ho opinion was freely expressed that it was unfit to play on. Messrs Beal and Hamel, the umpires appointed to control the game, declared a postponement until 3 o’clock. There was no sign of further rain, and, umdnr the influence of a warm sun and a gendo breeze, the wicket dried quickly, and at 3.20 the umpires were able to declare the pitch sufficiently dry to make a start. , , Albion opened with Shepherd and Burney. The former quickly, demonstrated that the wicket was not going to (rouble him, to any great extent, for be began in his usual brilliant manner by laying on the wood all round, and had compiled 4o be ore Casey bowled him. There is no doubt that the Albion skipner is a fine batsman under ideal and adverse circumstances. Clive Smith also showed pood form, and IMa' o " hit cleanly and hard for his score. Loov (a left-hand bowler of whose delivery at times there is room for doubt) assisted y making double 'figures, and the innings closed for 127. Terrance and Casey bowled steadily for Dunedin, and the latter s last, deliveries did not trouble the batsmen at all. for they came straight on ti'° m 111 somowhat rough surface without semblance of the earners that were predicted bc f the match started. , Dunedin’s innings cam only be describe 1 as sensational and a fiasco. The compositipn of the team—strengthened if anyHniij. is almost identical with that which won the senior championship last season_ in the last stride, as it were, and here, against bowlers of very ordinary merit, it sent a tnrm through the onlookers by losing six ot us best batsmen for no runs— surely an unheard of performance in senior cricket on. the North Ground, and a record that the members of the Dunedin team will. I Gunk, hold for some considerable time. Ibe total reached 45, giving Albion a lead of 82 on the first innings. The AUiion team is to be very heartily congratulated for its fine effort, and interest in the contest on Saturday next will be y" r y,Af, en ‘ Shepherd's performance with the ball uaremarkable. In his first over he bow ed Strang, and no runs were scored. men Cook took a hand from. the other end, and went one better than his captain by seen ing two wickets in his first over I for n runs. Taking up his end again Shepherd caused a mild sensation bv bowling Catto and Baker and getting M Kay .ea-'ght. tbus performing the “hat trick ” With 19 balls the Albion bowlers had “bagged six Dunedin wickets for no runs! Casey rattled up 25 quickly (the only double score and more than half of Dunedin’s total). mcluding ■ two hits out of the ground for six Shepherd's average was six wickets lor n runs; Cook, four for 30 . The Grange team seems to be in a winning position against Carisbrook, as it has 204 on the slate in its first innings, as against Cansbrook’s 10 for two (both rui out). The batting of the Grange men was very solid, for the bowling ot the Alloo brothers, Douglas, Harraway and DicKinson was not to be treated lightly. i really think the best performance of the afternoon was Koast’s. for he showed a dogged defence and displayed a lot ot patience—a'fact not too much in evidence by Otago batsmen, and frequently telling against an Otago team’s success m our contests with'other provinces. Knight, who' registered the highest score of the afternoon, also displayed commendable reserve, but when he lays the wood on there is no mistaking his intention—they are intended to reach the boundary. Galland. M’Mullan, C. Chadwick, L Chadwick, and M‘Death (not out) all reached respectable figures. I was particularly sorry to see if. C, Alloo lose his wicket by a run-out, but it must be remembered that the return by Knight from well out was a very smart performance. ■ , I mot quite a number of ex-players and old Otago representatives at Carisbrook on Saturday afternoon, including J. Hope (now president of the Carisbrook Club, and particularly proud of the honour conferred upon him by the younger members of a club of which he was a few years back a distinguished bowler). A. H. Fisher, A. Downes, H. G. Sledeberg, G. G. Austin. W. G. Macdonald, G. Harraway, and others. ' Another gentleman whom I was pleased to meet once again was Mr Fred Hinner, at one time a member of Carisbrook Club Mr Harper represented Otago and skipped the team for some years. He was a most attractive and finished batsman in his day, having received his early training in the Homeland. He has been residing in London for about 14 years, and bis present intention is to settle in Timaru. I questioned him as to the whereabouts of J. c. Lawton, the one-time Otago coach, and whom Mr Harper was instrumental (owing to his generosity in providing the wherewithal) in bringing out to the dominion, but he informed me that he had not once encountered him. Lawton, however, is still acting as coach to a school in the Old Country. There will bo vacant dates at Christmas and New Year. Cannot the O.C.A. , arrange a fixture so that players can be/kept in form for the impending big fixtures? My attention has been, drawn to the fact that the long grass on the Cumberland street side of the North Ground has, after many laquests in this column that it should be attended to, at last been cut The best thanks ’of cricketers and spectators are extended to whoever was the means of carrying out this reasonable request, and a hope is expressed that it, will be kept in its present satisfactory state by running the scythe over it once a fortnight, or oftener if necessary. The improved appearance of Carisbrook came in for warm praise from those who have watched the decadence of this beautiful area during the past few years. Groundsman Alex. Ross Has been a very busy man since the closing of the football season, and his. work reflects the greatest credit on his ability as an experienced caretaker. He has a wicket set apart for the big* matches with a fine sole of grans, and in his own time I venture the assertion he will prepare a wicket the likes of which we have not had on Carisbrook for many a long day. The pitch on which the Grange and Carisbrook' played on Saturday was as sound as a bell underneath, testifying a plentiful use of the roller. The surface naturally was greasv after so much rain, but the important fact remains that a solid and hard foundation had been created by the use of a heavy roller. The outfield was very even and the orass closely shaven right up to, the boundary fence. It was very gratifying to one who has visiled Carisbrook for 35 years to see the marked improvement made in so short a. period, am] I have no hesitation in saying that this beautiful little ground is coming into its own again in the experienced hands of the groundsman now in charge. The Otago Rugby Union is to bo complimented on the judgment used in making its selection of a new groundsman for Carisbrook.

Dunedin cricketers will regret to learn that S. Callaway, the one-time brilliant New Zealand howler, is still a patient in tho Christchurch Hospital, in which institution he has been confined during the past six months. He represented Canterbury and Otago on many occasions, and was (he mainstay of the now defunct Opoho Club. Dunedin enthusiasts wish him a speedy recovery

The English team showed its tooth to some purpose against a formidable Now South Wales eleven, and at one time looked to bo in a winning position, haying a big load on the first innings. Now South Wales, however, again proved what groat fighters they are in a tight fix, and in (he second venture dismissed the visitors for a small total, and themselves amassed the required number of runs (283) for five wickets. MacLaren’s team has now demonstrated that it is a strong combination, and supporters of the game in Otago look forward in anticipation of a first-class exhibition of all-round cricket by our visitors. The captain (Mr A. C. M'Laron) is just the man to get the utmost out of his team. Complimentary reference was made on the North Ground on Saturday to the dress of the Curisbrook and Grange junior teams.' Both were dressed immaculately iu white, and the result was very pleasing. This matter is specially recorded, as it is hot always that one gets a chance of drawing attention to (his very satisfactory state of affairs in regard to'the dress of junior players. One incident in this match was the very fine catch by Hitchcock that dismissed J. Ramsdon. The third round of matches was concluded on Saturday in Christchurch. Linwood (202) defeated East Christchurch (67 and 106) by au innings and 29 rims, and are leading in the competition with 7 points. In East, Christchurch’s second innings R. E. Gregory (50) and E. Rrosnahan (27) were the double .figure scorers. R. Read (five wickets). G. Russell tone). S. Yates (three) did the'bowling for Linwood. West Christchurch and Sydenham had an exciting finish. Sydenham, with a first innings deficit of 119, made a fine recovery in the second innings, Patrick and Wart each scoring a century, and putting on 176 for the fourth wicket. Svdenham declared at 10 past 5, leaving West Christchurch 136 to get in an hour and weight minutes. Chiefly through the efforts of Blunt, who made’ 70 in three-quarters o! an hour, the

runs were hit off with three minutes to spare. West Christchurch tried seven bowlers in an attempt to break up the Pntrick-Watt partnership. W. Hayes securing'two wickets and A. L. Hudson and V. Hamilton one each. J. M'Ewin (one wicket) and WV Cunningham (three) obtained the wickets that fell in West’s second innings, whilst two batsmen (It. D. Worker and H. W. Macfarhuie) were run out. Riccarton won on the first innings from St. Albans, Riccarton. 197 and 52 for no wickets, St, Albans 102 and 202. If. W oods (39) L. K. Brnnton (54), P. Martin (11), \ w Thomas (22), D. 3Vt. Sandman (26), D. W Reese (27) for St, Albans, and E. K. Civ<Till (26). K- Rain (25 and 32. not out), .T L Powell (14), F. R Powell (51). D. f. Gorrie (32), A C. Fuller (14 not out) and C E. Evans (0 and 16. not out), foi Ric-arton were the successful batsmen. C. T Rix (four wickets), F. Powell (five), for Riccarton. and D. Sandman (tour ] A. W. Tliomas (three), H. T. Stringer (one). L). W. Reeso (two), for St. Albans, got the opposition.