CRICKET.

Otago Witness, Issue 3330, 9 January 1918, Page 39

CRICKET.

FIRST GRADE. The match Grange v. St. Kilda was played at the Caledonian Ground, and resulted in an easy win for the Grange. St. Kilda scored 92, and. Grange following, ran up 171 for eight wickets. ' SECOND GRADE. -Playing on the ISTorth Ground, Grange defeated Christian Brothers by 74 runs. Albion defeated Momington hy 78 runs. Albion defeated Mornington by <7B runs. THIRD GRADE. Albion won by default from Momington. Overseas defeated Christian Brothers in a two innings' match by 180 runs to 44. CANTER BIT* Y v. WELLINGTON. CHRTSTCHURCH, December 31. After an interval of nearly three years Canterbury and Wellington met this afternoon on the cricket field. Unfortunately, light rain commenced to fall, and a cold wind from the sou*h-wost brought more rain with it, and piny had to be stopped at 5 p.m. January 1. The' mntch was resumed this morning in magnificent weather, and there was a good attendance. The wicket was in capital order to-day, though there was enough

moisture in it to give the bowlers consider able assistance.

January 2.

That Wellington's first innings, had been no indication of the team's real batting strength was made abundantly clear to-day, and the general verdict was that Canterbury were very lucky to got them out for 122' in the first strike. If there had been time to play to a conclusion the finish might have been very interesting, but Wellington had not time to get the runs required, the match ending in a draw. In Canterbury's second innings Allardyce played chanceless cricket for his 60, and ho punished all -the loose stuff with' fine strokes. Thomas's batting was 'the brightest of the innings, for he went for the bowling and made his runs in quick time by powerful strokes. Marris was the best bowler' on the Wellington side. His big leg-break frequently had the batsmen in trouble, and his three for 49 were, well earned. The Wellington fielding was an improvement on that in the first innings, and Condlift'e again demonstrated that he is in the front rank of wicket-keepers. In AVellington's second innings the first wicket partnership between Wilson and Hiddles'tone was worth going a long way to see. Hiddlcstone's was a really finished exhibition of masterly batting and without any appearance of recklessness. He put on the runs at a great rate. None of the bowling seemed to trouble Baker, who played a verv sound innings. Dind's display stamned him as being in the first flight of batsmen, and he would probably have been top scorer but for the fact that an injury to his leg prevented him from making anything but the easiest of runs. The Canterbury bowling was thoroughly 'tried, and was found wanting. Read appeared to be having a day off, and Thomas was the only one who bowled up_ to his form, his three for 43 being a.capital performance. The two slow bowlers found the wicket and the batting too good for them. . The weather was again perfect, and the wicket wore splendidly. There was again a capital attendance. Scores: Oasttebbxtrt. First Innings.

Total - 122 Bowline Analysis.—Bead, four wickptp for 43 runs. M'Ewin, four for 54; Blunt, one for 10. peoond Innings. Hid-31estono. c B«=n'"l. b Thomas 74 Wilson, c Bead, b Thomas 60

Lambert, run out 5 Baker, b Hoad 76 .Bind, not out ' G 3 Burton, Jbw, b Thomas 8 Coudliffo, not out 7 Extras 18 Total for fire wickets 812 Bowling Analysis.—Head, 1 wicket for 83 runs; M'Ewln, none for 73; Blunt, none for 55; Thomas, 3 for 43; Perrin, none lor 26; Gray, none for 13.

Hav, b Hiddlestone 14 North, c Lambert, b Hiddlestone ... •10 1 Allavrlyoe, b Hiddlestone 35 64 Bead, b Hiddlestone 14 2 Thomas, b Marris 11 Gray, st Oondliffe, b Marris .: 11 Forsyth, c and b Dind 3 8 Extras 41 Total 244 Bowling Analysis : Bricc, two w ckets for 64 runs; Hi'ddleBtono, four for 87; Marris three for 19; bind, one for 1; Qarrod, none for 22; Bennctt, none for 10. Second Innings. North, c Lambert, b Hiddle.sto ne "... 75 Hay, st. Condliffe, b Marris ... ... 19 Perrin, run out ... 2 Blunt, b Marris ... 32 Allardyoe, o Condliffe, b Hind ... 60 Bead, *o and b Marris ... 10 Booth, o Marris, b Hiddlestone 22 Thomas, not out ... 35 Grav, c Marris, b Hiddlestone ... 5 M'Ewin, b Hiddlestone ... 0 Forsyth, not out ... 8 Extras ... 25 Total for nine wickets (inning s leclared closed) ... 293 Bowline Analysis.—Hiddlestone, 4 w ickets for 84 runs; Marris', 8 for 49; Hind. 1 for 8: Br ce, none for 34; Bennett, none for 85; &a rrod, n one for 43; Lambert, none for 15. WKIjUK&TOS.—First Innir g?Hind, n Thomas, b Bead ' .. 1 Baker, b M'Ewin 5 17 Hiddh-stono, b Bead 4 1 24 Oondliffe, c Thomas, b Blunt 22 Brice. c Gray, b M'Ewin 18 Marcis, b Bead a 14 7 6