COUNTY CRICKET.

Otago Witness, Issue 3818, 17 May 1927, Page 60

COUNTY CRICKET.

LONDON, May 10. Tn county cricket Surrey made 439 in their first. innings (Hobbs 112, Shepherd 120, Jeacocke 55, Peach 77, and Fender 53). Newman took five wickets for 123 runs. In the second innings Surrey made 281 for six wickets (Hobbs 104). l\>r the fourth time in his career Hobbs scored a century in both innings. Sandham made 58. Pothecary took four wickets for 47 runs. Hampshire made 370 runs in their first innings (Mead 55 and Newman 102). In the second innings they made 249 runs for five wickets (Newman, 102 not out). The match was drawn.

Sussex made 129 in their first innings and 248 in the second. In the first Notts innings Larwood took seven wickets for 36 runs. Notts made 244 in their first innings and 136 for two wickets in the second (Walker 50 not out). In the first innings Parks took three wickets for 15. Notts won by eight wickets. Cambridge made 231 in their first innings (Dawson 53) and 366 for five wickets in the second, which was declared closed (Duleepsinhji 254 not out). In the first innings Durston took four wickets for 45. Middlesex made 344 runs in their first innings and 123 for three wickets in the second. In the first innings Lowe took five wickets for 71. The match was drawn.

Playing for Glamorgan against Essex Bates made 105 z in the first innings and 111 in the second! D. Davies made 121 not out. Ryan took five wickets for 105 runs, and Arnott three for 15. For Essex Hipkin made 102. The match was drawn.

Playing for Worcester against Leicester Root took six wickets for 45. For Leicester Astill took six for 30 and Shipman three for 15. Leicester won.

Playing for Yorkshire against Gloucester, Holmes made 180, Sutcliffe 134, and Kilner 90 not out), Waddington took five wickets for 51. For Gloucester Hammond made 135. Yorkshire won.- ■ May 13. Somerset: First innings, 92 (Sibbles eight'wickets for 24). Second innings, 148

(Earle not out 67 ; M’Donald six Tickets for 56, Sibbles four for 50). Lancashire: First innings, 365 for seven wickets, declared (Hallows 164, Taylor 67) Lancashire won.

Cambridge : First innings, 408 for eight wickets, declared (Dawson 118, Killick 80). Second innings, 78 for three wickets. Sussex: First innings, 304 (Allom four for 53). Second innings, 373 for seven wickets, declared . (Tate 118, Isherwood not out 75). The match was drawn.

For Surrey against Gloucester Shepherd scored 277 (not out), Ducat 142. Shepherd took six wickets for 78. For Gloucester Dipper made 186, and Hammond in the first innings, 108, and in the second innings 128. The game was drawn. For Hampshire against Leicester Brown made 132. Kennedy took five wickets for 49. For Leicester Astill made 101 not out. The game was drawn. For Kent against Derby Woolley made 187. For Derby Worthington took five wickets for 70- Derby won. For Worcester against Notts Root took five wickets for 86. For Notts Larwood took five wickets for 42, and Staples four for 17. Notts won.

For Yorkshire against Glamorgan Holmes made 107. Robinson took six wickets for 37. M’Caulay, first innings four for 31, second innings seven for 40. Yorkshire won.

Never has a cricket season opened in England with such terrific scores. There have been no fewer than 43 centuries in a fortnight. Everybody appears to be making them. Hobbs, Newman, and Bates have already knocked up a century in each innings of one match. The smaller ball which was designed to aid the overworked bowler, appears to have reacted against him. On the contrary, the experts declare that the phenomenal scores are not due to the bowler or the ball, but to the drought. Sun-baked pitches throughout the country and warm rainless days have given perfect Australian wiqkets. In many cases individual scores of 150 are common. The highest are those of Shepherd (277) and Duleepsinhji (254).

SMALLER CRICKET BALL. LONDON, May 11.

In view of the heavy scoring following the introduction of the smaller ball, cricketers freely offer the opinion that the change helps the batsman. It is alleged that the difficulty of hitting the smaller object is not worth considering.