CRICKET.

Southern Cross, Volume 22, Issue 35, 28 November 1914, Page 12

CRICKET.

(By "Short Stop")

SATURDAY MATCHES. THE OFFICIAL CHALLENGE CUP/. The weather was warm enough to make fielding pleasant, and the one rainfall.was brief and not heavy. A rather late start was made. If players wish to make the summer .game popular, they must show themselves in earnest, and come out to the field in good time and, in cricket costume. The Association has threatened to exact the five-shilling fee from latestarting teams ; but this time they are to be let off with, a caution,. It is to be hoped.that this will not be regarded as a weakness in the Executive.

Y.M.C.A. v. WAIKIWI. • First innings : Y.M.C.A., 65 ; Waikiwi, 121. The backward scorers had Macgregor -<27) and four ducks ; the leaders had four ducks, too, and J.Hamilton 65, Lopdell 28, Fraser 11. The extras were easy—7 ail. Macgregor was forceful on a slowenough, true wicket. Hamilton hit like a Jackson, and broke the back of the Y.M.C.A. bowling, allowing Lopdell to place full-face strokes between the fieldsmen. Fraser's 11 was promising. The game was keen from start to finish, the enthusiasm auguring well for the new "official" games. The Y.M.C.A. have two left-hand bow,ers, and should benefit before long from; that fact. Young Dykes should make good some of his promise.

I.C.C. v. APPLEBY. First innings : I.C.C, 118 ; Appleby, 67. The premiers' Saturday team batted first, and looked to be rattled by Poole's careful deliveries. The fielding was keen, Groves (junior) being especially noticeable for sustained interest in his work. However, Doogin 13, and Driscoll 14, gave some effect to their strokes, and Jim Gilbertson's 17 was very serviceable. He had the misfortune to get his wicket thrown away on a wrong-end call. The running between wickets was not brilliant. Biggins, Opoho Senior and Otag o Representative, showed that he will be an acquisition to the Province. Poole made him careful, though he played with confidence falling to a catch by young Groves on a mis-timed short-leg Wit. John Gilbertson batted with rare caution, and excelled himself for an opening game, selecting his scoring strokes, and never giving! ehances. His 46 was well and carefully compiled. With condition, it would have been 64 at least, for the bowlers tired perceptibly, and nothing but lung-weariness prevented their being punished. I.C.C. had two ducks. Their general average of batting was distinctly good. Fogo, a Christchurch youngster, will, under Handford's well-known lead, develop into a. useful fast-medium trundler. His mixing of pace is well judged. Kemnitz also got into double figures, and shaped up to some of his possibilities. Poole has lost none of his keenness with the. bat, with ball, or in the field. The veteran Tom Battersby opened* 1 out for Appleby, and made the leather fly with good carpet work, nothing 30 in quick time. It looked as if I.C.C. would have a rival century score, but except for Poole's good 24, the rest of the team lashed the air to "Kavanagh's criss-crosses (there were four ducks), the wicket suiting his high-flights and break-backs to a nicety. He got seven wickets for 39 out of the Appleby nine that batted. There was an all-round energy about this game. The batsmen were ready to coma in ;, there was nd poking ; the field was as keen as mustard. A good start for tha Saturday competitions !

WEDNESDAY GAMES,. 9 THE MERCANTILE SHIELD. Seasonable weather favoured the long-delayed opening of the mid-week tournament, and the warm sun added to the fervour of players, the games proving of more than usual interest in their contesting. The matches are in much the same state, with a sag for the under team on the easterly wicket, I.C.C. A andAppleby ; while Y.M.C.A. on the old grandstand face, have still a wicket to fall with a round dozen of singles to catch up. I.C.C. 106 ; Appleby 64 for 7 wickets. J. Hamilton 33, Doig 20, J as. Gillbertson 64, extras 7, did best for I.C.C. The batsmen to make double figures were all vigorous, and smart between wickets. Poole, Groves and Ward got two wickets apiece. Appleby's fielding was smart and sustained, Captain Battersby keeping his team at it. T. Groves made a good catch in the long field, dismissing Driscoll for a duck off Ward. Appleby's batting was evener than that of I.C.C, though Higgins and Driscoll were both captured cheaply. Darragh and A. Wesney- made a fair stand for 10 and 15 respectively. Cockroft was very uneasy at first, but settled to make eleven and to continue the making next week. Poole was caught after a single. Handford made eight in finished style. Thlis player will give our schoolboys the rudiments of the game, his w'ork for the Canterbury College teams being too well-known to need recounting. His strokes are ■ crisp, clean, and scientific. His presence will make itself felt among the youngsters. Doig bowled with excellent length, and personally cheering results, 6 for 36, taking all the Appleby wickets except the thrown down one. The Gilbertsons bowled carefully, and kept the runs from mounting. I.C.C fielding was of good quality, and will improve in places as time goes on. I.C.C B -105, Y.M.C.A. 93 for 9 wickets.

The Y.M.C.A. bowlers got Bannerman and Kavanagh for an 0 apiece, and Captain Tapley for 4. Then Kemmitz showed some of his Otago High School form, and with free cricket made 35, sending one back to Raines when he tired somewhat. Phillips gave Hashes of aforetime cricket, staying to make 14. He mis-hit Macgregor. to Bonthron, and then went out. The score boa»d didn't look very serious for Y.M. C.A. to paint over when Stalker stalked in. After a very, very careful opening he whanged every loose delivery to the boundary, one or two of the balls knocking at the caretaker's door. With eye in to the sweet end, which didn't come for Stalker, the Otago junior took out the bat that made 37 for Mm. Perhaps he will practise now. He certainly can hit.

Raines bowled well for Y.M.C.A., 5 for 29. The fielding was just fair, being strong in places and weak in spots. A. Hamilton opened with commendable freeness to Bannerman, and showed no sign of poking, his innings of fourteen being prettily compiled. Dixon equalled Archie in total ; one or tw-o of his hits were hefty. One would be surer of him if he were careful. Bonthron puzzled himself into swiping 11, and was then thrown out without a hope of making the popping crease. B. Hinton hit like a thresher-whale ; his 36 was a windfall to the young team. The extras were well kept down by Havman (Y.M.C.A.) and Kemnitz (I.C.C. B) was safe, besides smartly taking Harris, "the Liege fort," with a snap.

Bannerman bowled well for his two wickets, under conditions not to his liking. Tapley had bad luck for two. Kavanagh got six for 44, doing as he liked right across the out-of-reaefc. The above games are at interesting stages, and the cricket public can look forward to some fair-class cricket on Wednesday next.