CRICKET

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16202, 27 November 1926, Page 5

CRICKET

POVERTY BAY’S WIN WAIAPU WANTS PRACTICE The easy defeat of the Waiapn team in the preliminary game in the Hawke Cup challenge series, played at Waipiro on Thursday and yesterday, is chiefly attributable to the lack of practice, which the circumstances governing cricket on the Coast made almost impossible for some members of th© team. VVaiapu was represented by some men who had not had a game this season, but whose form last season was too good to allow of them being passed over. Given the necessary time to regain that form, the Waiapu cricketers will make Poverty Bay fight all the way to avoid defeat when the visit is returned at the New Year.

This at least is the impression gained by Mr. W. J. Scholium, who captained the Poverty Bay side in the elimination match. The Bay men, he said, had had more time to get ready for the match than had their opponents, and there was, of course, more polish about their play, but there was tb© material in the Waiapu to make a very sound combination. The Franklin brothers had impressed him as being most promising, their style with the bat indicating thorough coaching, while one of them had a knack with the ball as well.

Of the Poverty Bay side, it would be hard to pick any holes in their performances, remarked Mr. Scholium. The team sent to the Coast was a strong one, aud when the whole of the representative class of Poverty Bay cricketers became available, it would be a difficult task to make a selection. The Bay had some good bowlers, bpth fast and medium paced, and on the whole this season’s team should be the best put out for some years. f At Waipiro the best of the bowlers was Coombe, who mixed bis deliveries well, and kept the home batsmen thinking. In the first Waiapu innings Coombe bowled only one over, but in the second he conceded only 31 runs in 14 overs. Forster made an excellent impression, too, and the young bowlers, J. Robertson and G. Lockett, each proved successful. In the field, Povertv Bay was better served than the opposing side, and Thompson proved a source of trouble to the Vi aiapu batsmen, catching three out-. The holders of the Hawke Cup will doubtless receive from Poverty Bay a challenge for the trophy, and the Bay should be able to give even Wanganui a’ good fight, despite the recent reinforcement of the latter side.