CHRISTCHURCH NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2853, 18 November 1908, Page 61

CHRISTCHURCH NOTES.

(Fbom Our Own Corbespondent.> November 16. The week has been a very busy one in cricket circles, and trulj* jrloTious weather prevailed. On, Cup Day a, Canterbury eleven commenced a match with Fifteen Colts, includinsr E. Humphreys, th« professional, and. the game was concluded? on Friday. Every day last week cricket of one eoart or aaiother was being played, bu* Friday (" People's Day " at the big agricultural show) was the main day, several country associations ©ending representatives to play town elevens. In only jmo case was a town team beaten, and 1 some very fair form was- shown by a number of the players. Most interest, however, centred in the Colts* match, and there was a large number of spectators. Humphreys proved a tower o? Bteength to the 00145, and .got excellent bowling figures in each inning*. In tho first inminijrs he was priven llnv to Malono where he had scotm! 3, but in the f-riiul h" b-ttte<} most attractively fcr 53. and tl)^': kpi -roTj-'v ran himself onl to «-a\ -> Cnjill, who had att-emuted an iinpc=~iWG run. a:.d tL^uM

kJtfß paid the penalty. Humphreys got almost all his runs in front of the wicket by neat, clean efcrokes. He has a penchant for uovering his wiokets with his legs at even? ball, but is very sure in getting the fuH face of the bat on the ball. He made several big bits, one right out of the ground. Of medium stature and left hand, lie bowls high in the air. and the ball mips off the pitch fast, while he works an excellent break. He had nearly all the Eleven "tied up," his variation of pace being difficult to negotiate. Gaygall made 71 (not out) for the Corts in a alow, weary 6^yle, with a lot of defemoe. The Eleven made a miserable showing in the second innings, «md were defeated. District competitions were resumed on Saturday in ideal weather, ana the afternoon's play was notable mainly for a Hixrilttmt 217 (not out) made by Archie Ridley for Linwood agsrinst Ricoarton. He has previously made many good" scores, both for ilia club and his province, but" this breaks his record. Linwood batted first, and in three hours and a-ha-lf ran up the fine score of 402. A E. Ridley carried his bat r%ht through the innings for 217, made broMiantly yet neatly Cull Tound' the wicket, his cutting and gli- w ng fceino- a treat. Badfey got 31, Humphreys 32, F. Wiiding 20, Taylor 19, and Doell itbe footballer) 39 lor last man. The fieldlag was only fair, while the bowling was somewhat weak. Anthony and Fryer got ihe best averages. Riccartcm have lost Amthony (14, b Wilding) for 39 runs (A. lKorman 15 not out, CaygiH 9 not out). Linwood should have an easy win. St. Albans were aJI dismissed by West Cbmtchurcb under an hour for 93, the batsmen being in trouble all the tame with Malone and D. Reese. Allard scored 21, Bisho} 14, Ba-nrett 13. " Jackman 12, and Johason 11 (not out), but at no tune did? any of them appear likely to make a stand. Wood brings h'js batting average dowr with jn inmin.gs -of only 5 (b Reese). Malone -and Sieese bowled unchanged, and the fielding ■was distinctly good. The Westerners mode 205, thanks only to an excellent' stand by that promising colt, E. J. Norman, who made 90. He has a fin* free style, and'^will probably gain representative honours this aoason. G. T. Weston oontriibutod^->a valucble 38 when t-hey were most required, and Vernom got J5, Pefeke 11, and Chrystall 10. "jusk got ondy 2 and R-eese 1. Ford and iSamd-maoi were the most successful Txrwers. In. their ssoend in-nigs the Saints have lost gio wickets for 17. East Chrtstchurch batted first against Sydenham, emd compied the fair score of 197. R. B. Wand contributed 73 in a mosj; workmanlike manner, and Addisan made37, Rosb 21, A. Ward 20, and Arnold 12. Watson, M*LelLamd, and Bena*ett divided the wickets. Sydenham have lost five wiicketa for only 54 runs, and the Easterners should beat the Westerners' conquerors. Jones got 13, Hayes 12, and Ackroyd 10 (not out). Addison and Ward got all the wickets. i E. Humphreys, the professional, has been '*' given " to the Linwood team, which points to that team being considered the weakest in the competition. If his coaching abilities <a/Pc proportionate to his playing, he should ■be very valuable to Canterbury. A rule governing the Plunket Shield allows any man to play for his native province, and it is probable^- that " the only OLlivier," now on the West Coast, will be found in the Canterbury team that goes to Auckland at New Year with -a carpet bag for the coveted' trophy. Sims, who lias been playing regularly and with much sucoees for London County, is back again, and he, too, will no doubt be in the team. Bennett, the Sydenham" bowler, has re*urn.ed alter a chequered vis-it to the OsM Xa-iiid, and his services wdM be requisitioned. With a lar^e number of colts " knocking at the door" and several old representatives going well, D. Reese has accepted a difficult task as sole ©elector. Pattrick is quite tinder a cloud since he was made Syden!ha.m's skipper, and Lusk would appear to he having almost an off season. An excellent team can be put on paper. Saturday's senior bowling figures: —T. Malone (W. 0.), 13 overs, 3 maidens, 35 rums, 4 wickets; D. Reese (W.C.), 12 overs 1 qpiaiden, 54 runs, 5 wiokets; G. W. Ford (S.A.). 12 ovcire, 3 maidens, +0 nine, 4 ■wickets: D. Sandman (S.A.). 25 overs 3 maidens. 83 runs, 4 wickets; C. W. Allard (S.A.), ]6 overs,' 5 maidens, 44 runs, 2 wickets ;* Waiscm (S). 9 ovore. 1 meiden. ,43 rune, 3 wickets; H. M'Lelland (S.), 16 overs, 2 ma.id.sns, 53 runs, 3 wickets; J. Bennett {S.). 25 o^^<^^s. 7 ro^*clex2s, 56 ruins, 3 -w-i^rt^fcs - F. Fryer (R.). 20 overs, 78 runs, 4 wiokets: A A/nthcny <R.), 29 overs, 1 maidien, 138 runs, 4 wick«ots. In the Thcrd Grade, Jamieson made 215 (■not out) for St. Alba.ns B against Ricoarton A. T.he -total was 475, and two batsmen were absent! Some hijrh scoring «-as done in the lower grades en Saturday, as the following totals show: —47s, 159 for two wiokets 260, 305, 136 for four wickets, 428. 220, 167 for six •wickets, 189 for five wickets, 250 and 187 (one man short). One team made only 32, Imt there were no fewer than five men slsort. Only Jiree three-figure scores have been tftiaide in the senior competitions so far: — Bruges (Svdenham) 109, end the Ridley Brothers (Reg. 146 not out and Archie 217 not out). The two latter and their older brother (H. C) pJav for Linwood. and it onJv remains for Clifford to "come to ligrht" wiifcb a century to create something of a colonial record. And more un-likely things occur. The three brothers have represented Canterbury at one time ot another with credit to themselves and profit to the province. They are esse-nitiallv batsmen. When on his Homeward voyage, and before he left New Zealand waters, Jce Bennett received the unkind attentions of the sneak thi-ef. His cabin was entered and his ■Dortmanteau forced and ransacked of all : his valuables, inoludJawr some letters of in- j troduction on which he set naj-iicuiar store. No oh»e was found. Nevertheless, " Philosophical Joe" continued the journey and ihad a good look round, but " there's no place like New Zealand." Bennett played i ■with tlia Crystal Palace team, under the j jkipperfihip of W. G. Gcaoe, and had a i fairly successful season. Arthur Sims wae ■ a clubmate. On account of t.he alteration of dates for the Plunket Shdeld matches the d»te» for the Canterbury-Wellington match a* Christ■e/hurch will have to be aJteired. The latter match was arranged for January 1, 2, and 4.