THE CANTERBURY MATCH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 46

THE CANTERBURY MATCH.

The match between the Melbourne- Cricicefc' Club and Canterbury was commenced on Friday last in beautiful weather. The attendance was good, as o.n account of the relief of Ladysmith a general holiday was 1 observecUin the afternoon. Cobcroft. the Canterbury captain, won the >.os«, and ssnt his ODponents into the field, but the Canterbury batsmen peemed too much impressed by the reputation of the men bowling acaiust them, and their display was far from brilliant. They were at the wickets altosethei about two hours and a-half, Fowke and .Robertson making an unexpected stand for the la-t wicket. Wigley (top scorer for Canterbury) was rather lucky at the opening of his innings, but afterwards made some good strokes. The wicket on which the Canterbury men batted was not of the best, but this was not in itself sufficient to account for the smallness of the score. Cave and Trumble -bowled practically unchanged through the innings, Graham only taking one over. The visitors played a much brisker game on going in to bat. The Canterbury bowlers got plenty of work on, but lacked the precision of their rivals, avid anything* loose was severely punished. Graham and Trumble gave a beautiful exhibition of batting. The former played in his ~best form. He "would take no risks, but punished severely anything loose. His play all round the wicket was good ; whether in driving," cutting, or placing to leg 'he was equally proficient. Trumble did not show the same all-round form. His great height enabled him to drive good length balls, and anything shorter he pulled. Frybroke the spell of bad luck he has had, and put up a fair score, chiefly by means of some good cutting. The fielding on both sides was good. • The match was continued on Saturday in magnificent weathei. The wiekeb was good, and the attendance at Lancaster Park large. Graham (101) and Russell (5), the not-oufc "batsmen of the previous evening, continued the batting, the Melbourne score then being 195 for three wickets. Cobcroft and Robertson opened the bowling. Graham at once commenced scoring rapidly, and chiefly through '-is tfforts the second century appeared on the hoard, followed quickly by 210 :uid 220. Four runs, later Russell (vas easily caught by A. Ridley off Robertson. 224 — H—l3.H — 13. Ait ken. ihen part-npi-ed Graham, who plscitly after gave a chance in the long field, but Sims failed to hold U. With 240 on the board, Clark and D. Reese went on to bowl. The change, however, did not biing about any immediate result. Graham still continued to do most of the scoring, and "boundary hits were very frequent. With the total at 279 Graham was at last caught by Sims off D. Reese right on. the edge of the gratis. His scoie was 169, and throughout his long innings he gave but one chance. His exhibition of batting v"as the bept over seen on Lancaster Park, his hitting bring well-timed and hard, his sho'ces cri-sp and clean, aiid placing especially accurate. This morning, too, lie scored at a terrific rate, piitting on 63 runs in less -than half an hour, although the bowling was not especially easy. The board then showed 279 — 5—169.5 — 169. Ross was next man in, anil almost immediately Aitken was forced -to retire hurt, receiving a Mow on the elbow from a hard drive by his partner. When Jacobs came in the rate of scoring dooliaod*

Irat . etill 300 -was posled after 50 minutes' play. Three runs later Ross was dismissed by~a fine' one-handed catch by A. Ridley off Robertson. . 303 — 6—13.'6 — 13.' Jennings helped Jacobs to carry the score to 322, when the latter was caught behind the wicket. The new-comer, Trwin, was caught by Cobcroft off Barry an over or two later. 331 — B—2.8 — 2. Cave hit. one- back to Robertson, and the innings closed for 336 just at the luncheon adjourn- ( ment. Robertson bowled extremely well, recognising the defensive strength of the batsmen, and tempting them persistently. The Melbourne team took the field punctu- j ally at 2.30, Cobcroft and A. Ridley being • Canterbury's batsmen. The former hit Cave's third ball beautifully to the boundary. Trumble of course bowled from the other end, and Ridley gave a sharp . chance at forward cover off the fourth ball. Singles followed to both batsmen, and Cobcroft brought 10 up by a late cut for 3. Next over Trumble clean bowled the Canterbury , captain. 11 — I—3.1 — 3. Reege was next man ' in, and slow play was relieved by Ridley lifting Trumble to the on for 4, and following the stroke with a leg glide to the boundary, bringing 20 up. Reese 'opened his ac- | count with 2 off Cave. Ridley again hit ' Trumble to the boundary, but the next over ■, •lost Reese, who failed to stop one of Cave's yorkers. 26 — 2—2.2 — 2. Sims joined Ridley, and, as usual, took no liberties. Byes and two singles to the new-comer brought 30 up, . and 40 followed from careful play, the bowl- i ing' being " difficult and -at times puzzling, j Ridley gave Cave a hot chance off his own bowling, which was not accepted, and the batsman reached 20 with a nice leg glide for ' 4, all run out. The fielding was shorp and . clean, arid it was only by good placing that ' runs could, be "made. Sims, however, cut Cave for 3, ,and 50 was posted. The batsmen showed "more confidence now, and Irwin replaced - Cave at the northern end and Frytook Trumble' s end. Ridley continued to do most of the scoring, though Sims was not altogether idle, and 60 and 70 were posted > before the close of an hour's play. Russell damaged his hand stopping a hot drive from ; Ridley, and Reese fielded as a substitute. The ' score" mounted steadily, but at 83 Sims was caught close at mid-on by Graham off Fry. 83 — 3—19.3 — 19. Orchard, who came next, at once cut Fry for 4. Ridley soon reached 50 with a leg hit off the same bowler. Ross missed an easy chance of stumping Orchard, and Ridley was nearly run out for a sharp dun a moment later; but the former batsman had a short life, for he put an easy catch into . slip's hands, where the ball was safely held. 95 — 4—5,4 — 5, Cave now resumed bowling, and Ridley drove his first ball to the boundary. , In the next over 3 to Wigley brought 100 up, ' after an hour and 40 minutes' play, the rate of scoring being distinctly slower since Sims left. At 110 Trumble again came on, j Ridley dragging him to leg for 4, but two j balls later the batsman was out leg before to ( the crack Melbourne bowler. 116 — 5—65.5 — 65. He played a free innings considering the nature of the attack, his strokes being welltimed and clean. Barry was next in, but left without scoring, putting his leg in front of a straight one. 118—6—0. H. C. Ridley j stayed long enough to make two singles, | •being bowled by Txumble, and Clark was . caught first, ball by Jacobs. 130— S— 0. One j run later Wigley returned a soft one toTrumble. 131—9—17. ,Fowke and Robert- > son were- together for the last wicket, but just at 5 o'clock the Matter returned one to Trumble, and the innings, closed for 135, Canterbury being defeated by an innings and 108' runs. The following are complete

ecores: — . , Canterbury. — First Innings. 'L. T. Gobcroft; *> Trumble .. .. 6 S. Orchard, b Trumble 1 D. Reese, c Fry, b Cave 0 A. E. Ridley, st Ross, b Cave .. 3 A. Sims, b Tiumble 10 R. W. Barry, c Aitken, b Trumble 6 W. H. Wigley, c Trumble, b,Cave. . 27 H. C. Ridley, b Trumble 2 C. R. Clark, b Cave 5 W. Robertson, c Aitken, b Trumble 13 J. N. Fowke, not out 10 Extras 10 Total ' 93 Bowling Analysis.— Cave, " 150 balls, 7 maidens, 48 runs, 4 wickets; Trumble, 149 balls, 10 maidens, 31 runs, 6 wickets ; Graham, 6 balls, 4 runs. Second Innings. L. T. Cobcroft, b Trumble . . . . 8 S. -Orchard, c M'llwraith, b Fry .. 6 D. Reese, b Cave .. .. .'. .. 2 A. E. Ridley, lbw, b Trumble .. 63

A. Sims, c Graham, b Fry .. .. 19 R. W. Barry, lbw, b Trumble .. 0 W. C. H. Wigley, c and b Trumble 17 C. R. Clark, c Jacobs, b Trumble.. 0 H. C. Ridley, b- Trumble .. .. 2 J. N. Fowke, not out 0 W. Robertson, c and b Trumble . . 0 Extras .. .. .. .. .. .. 18 Total 135 Bowling Analysis. — Cave, 108 balls, 4 maidens, 38 iuns, 1 wicket; .Trunible,T.Ol balls, 6 maidens, 35 runs, 7 wickets ; Irwin, 48 balls, 2 -maidens, 14 runs, 0 wickets; Fry, 54 balls, 2 maidens, 30 "runs, 2 wickets. Melbourne C.C. — First Innings. D. Mailer, b Robertson 6 H. Fry, cA. Ridley, b Robertson.. 28 H. Graham, c Sims, b D. Reese.. 169 H. Trumble, st Fowke, b Cobcroft 55 A. C. Russell, c A. Ridley, b Robertson 13 A. A. Aitken, retired hurt . . . . 10 C. H. E. Ross, c A. Ridley, b Robertson 13 E. R. Jacobs, c Fowke, b Robertson 16 P. G. Jennings, not out 12 H. Irwin, c Cobcroft, b Barry .. 2 J. W. Cave, c and b Robertson .. 4 Extras 8 Total 336 Bowling Analysis.— Robertson, 187 balls, 4 maidens, 132 runs, 6 wickets; Clark, 90 balls, 1 maiden, 69 runs, 0 wickets ; Cobcroft, 84 balls, 1 maiden, 6i runs, 1 wicket; Reese, 54 balls, 1 maiden, 36 runs, 1 wicket ; Barry, 48 balls, O'maidens, 18 runs, 1 wicket; Wigley, 6 balls, 0 maidens, 5 runs, 0 wickets ; Sims, 6 balls, 0 maidens, 4 runs, 0 wickets.