CRICKET NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 17247, 18 January 1913, Page 7

CRICKET NOTES

With the final day’s play of the first game between two of the strongest teams In the competition In I.C.C. and Appleby one only expected that fine weather would be in evidence for the real test of strength on Wednesday last. And those who were sanguino of success from a weather view point vverc not disappointed in the least. There Avae a cross Avind for Rugby Park, but otherwise conditions were as perfect as one could hope for. Tiie linisli proved the most exciting that a Mercantile Shield game has given us for a long time past, and many hold that never previously has cricket locally worked the public up to such a standard of enthusiasm. The grandstand Avas packed and at every odd position round tiie western and southern boundaries groups of spectators Avere located and all Avorked up to a feverish pitch at the finish. The Applebyites carried out a determined effort to get tiie runs, and If time had not Intervened A’ictory would have been theirs. There Avere only 8 runs required Avhen 6.30 was signalled, and still three Avlckets in hand. In making sucli comments It must not be construed that tiie writer wishes to detract from I.C.C.'s A'ictory. Far from 1U Fortune certainly Avas theirs to a certain extent: but Its part and parcel of tli e game itself. Their duty was to stay the tide of victory from turning against them and only by fair means did they carry out their intentions lo tiie best of their ability. For tho last hour's play tiie fielding v.as excellent, but In the excitement blunders Avere made, which meant loss to I.C.C. and to no one else. From the stand there Avas some "barrack," but It was mostly good natured. What Avas otlierivtse was only partisan, and being such hardly warrants mention. Requiring 4G runs and having three wickets to get them with and overhaul I.C.C.’s first innings score of IG2, Appleby gave their supporters hope. Sutherland and Groves were together at the death. Only six Avere Avanted, and both batsmen Avere shaping confidently. Then Sutherland made a foolisli call. Kemnltz received a smart return, and the final opportunity had vanished. I.C.C.’s second innings Avas not marked by anything especially remarkable from their'point of vletv. Putting on 116 runs, Appleby. Avlth 70 minutes' play left, found it necessary to hit hard and often to have a chance. And that was the Intention of the opening batsmen, but when Poole filled the gap made by the falling of the second wicket 3G runs Avere up. and still a lot required. Batlershy. who had opened the innings witli Wesney, was tiie most prolific scorer uji to date, getting into the thirties by the kind of play that was vigorous enough, and of incalculable value without being too risky. At 33 Battersby was out to. an I.b.AV. decision. The ball that was responsible plainly puzzled him. Scandrett came In and made six in confident style, and returned —run out. Poole seeing that lie must act and act quickly had his eve to business and mainly by bis efforts now tiie score tapped the seventies. Time was going on, GroA’e- and Cockroft had come and gone again in a brief space. They took the liberty only once to step out to drive and tiie I.C.C. wicket-keeper made certain of never permitting it again. Ninety up, and Poole aggressive. Butcher's stumps had been scattered and Ward hurried to the crease. The minutes were precious uoav and no opportunity to score was lost. C)n Poole (he work fell to draw the game out of tiie fire. I,ate cuts, leg hits and boundaries. witli a single here and there ;;ave tiie supporters hope. Poole was out to (io or die. The Inst over came with 15 wanted to draw. Pooie had the bowling. A four, a two. a two and a single camo from tils bat. but Appleby’s fighting effort was just nipped, in the bud. There was .tremendous applause, tiie bulk of which the Appleby captain shared in, on, the teams leaving tire field. Not withstanding that he avi; s taking risks Poole's scoring strokes were perfect and It was a. treat to witness him at work. His leg side work has always, been his forte, hut almost everywhere he placed the bowlers on Wednesday. But it was bis rate of scoring that marvelled more than all other. A player who participated in both contests informed the writer that Poole's exhibition on -'Wednesday reminded him of the stand made by the Applebyite against Rangitikel, in the HaAvke Cup game at Christchurch in the 1910 season. It Avas on tho occasion of the second innings and Southland required somewhere between SO and 90 runs to secure tiie cup. There Avas very little time available if the light were to be considered. Poole Avas confident from the first and Avhanged the Rangitikel bowlers all over the field. In less than 30 minutes he had run to the forties, in a masterly innings and was then unbeaten. Battersby is paving his Avay for representative consideration and with another 33 this week his a verge is going up. But it is the consistency of his totals that makes him valuable, and worth half-a-dozen of the brilliant liatsinto oblivion for a month perhaps, oblivion for a rnontli perhaps. The two latest performances of Groves are the best that have ever come from the Applebyite during his period of senior cricket. Using his great reach against I.C.C. he got in several splendid drives, one in particular on Wednesday striking tiie man who views from afar. Groves got all his poAver behind the bat on tills occasion and tiie ball travelled straight to the boundary, never once rising from the carpet. The main attack in I.C.C.'s batting Wits not up to the mark against Appleby. Jas. Gilbertson's exhibition was tlie best of tiie lot in tiie second innings total of I 1G tliis time, but Dolg. Phillips, Portobello, Tapley and Jno. Gilbertson came along rvitli totals that took the side out of tiie mire, so to say. Twohill (5 for 28) obtained an average that speaks for itself. He was troubling all of Hie batsmen all the time, while Doig, and the Gilbertson Bros, were being punished to some purpose and only keen fielding saved them from a bigger hole being knocked in their averages. Why Portoliello ivas not given a bowl, considering bis success tho first flay, takes a little explaining away. While tiie above game Avas proceeding away on the far wlckol, Bluff and Y.M.C.A. wore also fighting grimly for victory, although it w.a.s not until the end came that Hie spectators became apprised that hero also there had been a tight struggle. There were only the players themselves to witness it, but for them the situation was full of excitement. It Avas generally anticipated (hat Bluff helped by Bannerman, would tie able to get aiiead on the .second innings without difficulty, but the question Avas whether they would get their opponents out in lime. However, all such theories went away, for tho port team’s second innings total was hut one more than the first, and three men Avore responsible for most of it. Had either Bannerman or Hamil-ton-failed their chances would have been sottied. H must, however, lie mentioned that Bluff were two men short, Aviiieh leaves a big gap in a batting side, especially AVhcn runs arc needed. Xor only in batting wore Hamilton ami Bannerman to tiie front, but they had lo bear tho brunt of the bowling as well. Going in first they speedily got to work, and paster! the bowling unmercifully, sending the ball right out of (ho ground on several occasions. How ’forcible they were may be gauged from the fact that in ills score of 38, Hamilton hit eight boundaries, six in succession, •.one Bannerman out of his 51 got nin*

to the fence. There is no doubt that had not the time bogey been continually before him Bannerman would have made more, as when Hamilton had gone he was tiie only fast scoring man left, and lie had perforce to hit out at every ball. It was hard luck for him, as it turned out, for the match was won with nearly an hour to spare. Dykes and Dickson bowled exceedingly well for the losers, the former making sad havoc among the Bluff tail. He was bowling with the wind, which helped his pace, and also enabled him to come across the wicket in a most disconcerting way. His average of 6 for i 5 is reminiscent of some of his performances last season. Dickson, though he was costly, bowled far better than his figures would, load one to believe: the wind too was helping him as the ball swerved awkwardly. With only 85 to get and plenty of time in which to do it, Y.M.C.A. began tbelr task. Donaldson was confident, and fully justified his being put in first. He reached double figures before Crawford got him at mid-off. Then came disaster; Bannerman with on© of his fast expresses clean beat A. Hamilton, while Hayman put his leg in front to Crocket. —two of the best men gone cheaply. Dickson and ,T. Hamilton altered matters. The former got on to Crocket s loose stuff, and drove him everywhere. Off went Crocket, on came Hamilton, but runs still came off Dickson's bat. At last J. Hamilton, who had been playing patiently chopped one high In the slips to Bannerman —29 to get with five wickets to fall. It should ( have been easy, but Bannerman and Hajnilton were now on their mettle. Five nils later Dickson was caught. Dykes, Richards and Hinton came and went. Steans was steady,and the score began to creep up, 75 was reached. Then Steans drove one back to Hamilton; there was a groan of dismay from the fieldsmen, for the Bluff skipper slipped and dropped it. The next ball was played safely, but its successor did the trick, and Bluff left tiie field lucky winners. Y.M.C.A. were also one man short otherwise the result might have been different. Mr J. Huntly. an Otago and ex-South-land representative, was in Invercargill during tiie week and attended Wednesday's exciting content between his old club and Appleby. Mr Huntly left for Stewart Island on Thursday last on a holiday visit. There will he no senior matches next week as a team picked from the town clubs will travel to Wyndham to meet an Eastern district eleven. Tiie town players will he selected to-day, and anyone not able to keep the engagement should notify the selectors with ail possible expedition.

AMONG THE JUNIORS* (By ‘'Full Toss.”) Success In anything is only gained by competition, and tho keener tho competition tiie greater is the honour and success achieved. Included in tiie ranks of the jjunior grade of cricketers are many who promise to become really first-cities players; but if tiie province is to rea'p the full benefit of these it will bo necessary for the local Association in tho future to cater more for tiie juniors than it has done in the past. At present there Is no trophy awarded foi temporary possession, nor is there any inducement offered for one player to put forth his best efforts lo triumph over li’is fellows. Were an interprevincial male!) to he arranged with Otago or some other province at the end of each season, interest iu junior circles would at once be aroused, for A\hat gi eater honour could a player w.sh than that he should be one of eleven chosen from out all teams in tiie competition to represent his province, and if victory should come to his side to know that such victory was gained partly through his efforts? Cricket In the junior grade is not as keen as it might be. Me have tiie material in Southland w’ho. given every encouragement, should develop into’players that any province might well fell proud to have produced, but unless something is done Southland cricket will not rise above mediocrity. Failing an luterprovincial match, it should he possible for the Association to arrange a match witii the Eastei n District. Tiie weather on Wednesday was not all that could he de-ired, a heavy wind blowing which did not make tilings too pleasant. Nevertheless some good games resulted, and close finishes were fought, out between V.M.C.A. (a) and Appleby, and Southern and Y.M.C.A. (b). Most interest’ of course centred in tho former fixture. and there ivas quite a respectable number of onlookers present throughout the play. By their win Appleby have gained a substantial lead, and one not likely to be headed before the competition closes. Tiie most notable feature of Y.M.C.A.’s innings was tiie batting of Raines, who scored 27 in good style, before being beaten by a good length ball from Davies. Tiie Raines - Richards partnership accounted for over forty runs. Richards batted well, but lie put one through Hie slips that was not very far out of the reach of one of the fieldsmen. Martin was tiie only other V.M.C.A. batsman to reach double figures. bis total being 23. He batted fairly well, hut one or two uppish strokes marred an otherwise good innings. Dingwall for Appleby although lie did not gain tiie best average nevertheless, if we except C. Davies, perhaps bow’led a better ball than any other of Appleby's trundlers. and "Full Toss” tvould like to have seen him kept on longer. C. Davies, witli tiie Avind to help him. troubled the V.M.C.A. batsmen greatly, who at all times did not seem at ease against ids howling. His average worked out at 5 wickets for IS runs, which is indeed creditable. Appleby's total of 10G was readied mainly through the efforts of Dingwall 38, Cochrane 33, and Jordan IG. Tiie two first-named hatted fairly Avell though many of their .strokes were unorthodox, and Cochrane displayed a dislike for anything on tiie off. and was missed on two occasions. Jordan batted carefully for IG. Martin 3 wickets for 10, and Richards 1 for 30 were the Y.M.C.A.’s successful bowlers. Martin kept a good length, and was always on the wicket. Richards sent clown some loose stuff, hut it came off all right; three of ills victims being caught and another stumped. The defeat of ilie Y.M.C.A. (b) team can be partly attributed to bad generalship. 'When a bowler is proving 100 expensive tiie most advisable tiling to do is to give him a rest, yet one of V.M.C.A.’s bowlers who bowled nine overs secured only two wickets for 51 runs. Had this bowler been taken off sooner the match might have ended differently. Wairongoa didn't make much of a showing against 1.C.C., and Hie latter had little difficulty in annexing a three point win. Out of tiie Wairongoa first Innings total of 4C, Woods alone made any showing, and lie contributed a forcible eleven. In their second innings Wairongoa had six down for nine, but Woods again came lo the rescue, and aided by MeCallum saw 32 hoisted. in tlii> bowling department Ballantyne. who was not a brilliant player when at tlie High School, came out of his shell and bagged C for IS, hut his one wicket in the second innings cost 17 runs all knocked off three overs. Taken all through it was a low scoring game, and the I.C.C. men in their first innings, witli the exception of Brooke, Smith and Vincent, did quite as poorly witli the tint as their opponents. The first two put on 35 for Hie first wicket. the third wicket brought the score to 53. and tiie whole side was out for 05. ’Nnff said. Things wore a better appearance when they went in again, however, and Stokes, Maegregor, Vickery and Smith nil batted well. Tiie bowling of Vincent and Maegregor in the first and second innings respectively was very good. Macgregor, especially, emerging with excellent figures. On his day h*

<By "Cover Point.’’) The following table shows the position of the teams in the Mercantile Shield competition:— PlyiUYon.Lost.Unfin. Pts. Applebv .. .. 4 :i l — 8 i.C.C ■! 3—18 Blurt .. .. 4 2 116 Y.M.C.A 4 X 3 — 3 Waikiwi . . . . 4 —, 4 — —