JUNIOR NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 21604, 16 January 1932, Page 16

JUNIOR NOTES

(By

“Keeper.”)

Beautiful weather conditions prevailed for the resumption of club competitions on Saturday afternoon. The recently promoted Union team gave a disappointing exhibition in their match with Appleby. The bright feature of the game was the good scoring of the Appleby' team. The bowling of the Union men provided a paradise for the Appleby’ batsmen who “declared” w’hen they’ had amassed 240 runs for the loss of seven wickets. Jordan 68 not out, Tansley 45, Walter Lilley 28, Marchant 23, Agnew IS, Watson 15, Logan 13 and Boole 10 materially contributed towards Appleby's huge score. Most of the Union batsmen made heavy weather of the Appleby bowling, which although fairly accurate was not deadly. Evidently' the strain of their first match in the A section caused the Union men to be over cautious. A regrettable feature of the ApplebyUnion game was that Jordan was not permitted to continue his innings until he reached the century. He was batting brilliantly, scoring off practically’ every ball, and seemed certain to reach the hundred, when he was instructed to retire.

Watson, 30, and Haberfield 13, showed most enterprise with the bat for the Union team.

Union will require to show a vast im proveinent on Saturday’s form if they’ wish to extend any of the other teams in the “A” section.

Old Boys opened their innings in groping style against Invercargill. Smith, Mitchell and Henderson, batsmen from whom runs were confidently’ expected, failed hopelessly. A gratifying feature of the game, however, was the good form shown by Bews, whose batting had virtually collapsed earlier in the season. Playing his first game in this section the ex-High School boy’, Mackie, played a sparkling innings, and secured a useful 16 with a variety’ of scoring shots. Hawke also developed much-needed stubbornness, and not only helped to avert a threatened collapse, but did his bit in lift ing the score along to sizeable dimensions. Eighty-two runs were supplied during a disastrous innings. No doubt the Invercargill bowlers were flattered when they had dismissed three of the leading batsmen in Old Boys ranks with round scores showing on the board. There was little excuse for the failure of Old Boys. Conditions for run-getting were good and they’ should have done a lot better than they actually did. The Invercargill men fared even worse than Ohl Boys. Scoring very’ slowly they compiled 67 runs in a most doleful innings.

Bowling for Old Boys Henderson secured five wickets for 16 runs and Smith three for 18.

For Invercargill, B. Agnew secured five wickets for 41 runs, while Currie assisted with two for seven.

The fielding on the Park was sound, although lacking in brilliance. One or two difficult catches were accepted, and the inability of batsmen to get going served to disguise existing weaknesses. The B section again provided some exciting games. Collegiate’s defeat of Marist by’ an innings and 18 runs was the only uninspiring match in this section. Old Boys succeeded in defeating Tisbury by’ 34 runs on the first innings. For the winners Henderson 31, Carswell 13 and Coakley 10, gave the best displays with the bat. Marist compiled 221 runs against the bowling of the celebrated opposition. Grace 48 retired, McSwiggan 40 retired, Ward 30, Murphy' 28, Forde 20, Cockroft 12 and Shepherd 10 ably assisted the Marist team in compiling a useful score. A feature of this game was the splendid'exhibition of batting given by P. Grace. He is one of the most promising boys playing in the third grade section. He failed to strike form earlier in the season. Marathon scoring would scarcely describe his performance in securing 2S runs in one over. In the second innings Old Boys amalgamated side revealed a complete reversal of form and secured 45 runs in an innings which was full of thrills. The inability of the defeated team to cope with the Marist attack allowed the bowlers to register some good performances. Shepherd took 6 wickets for 8 runs, Dawson four for 6 and four for 10. For Old Boys Gutzwitz three wickets for 17 and Cunningham four for 53 were the only' bowlers to secure averages worthy of mention.

Tisbury’s most enterprising batsmen proved to be Wixon, Mclntosh, and Corkin, who scored 14, 13, and 11 respectively. Old Boys compiled 79 runs in their short but merry innings. Tisbury replied with a very scratchy innings which yielded only 45 runs.

The failure of the Tisbury batsmen allowed Old Boys’ trundlers to secure really good averages. Henderson took four wickets for two runs; Coakley three for 16, and six for 20, Wilson three for 22, and two for 12.

For Tisbury Mclntosh took 6 for 37, H. Corkin four for 30 and Wixon two for 16. Railway continued on their winning way, defeating Bluff by 44 runs in a most interesting game.

Taking first strike Railway compiled 170 runs in an innings full of sparkling cricket.

Bluff replied with 126 runs, and at one stage of the game it looked as if the Port side were going to equal the score of the Railway men. The Bluff batsmen lacked the enterprise demonstrated by their opponents, and although they secured a useful total, they were not displaying the same conlidencc as the Railway men. Faultless exhibitions of batting _ were given by Dawson 51, Bell 30, Williams 26, Meffan 21 and Taylor 18. For Bluff, useful double-figured totals went to the credit of Long 37, Nixey 25, Detins 15, and Walker 10. Bowling for Railway, Williams took four wickets for 21 runs, and Ramage four for 14. Trundlers who met with most success in the Bluff team were West two wickets for 27 runs, Crawford two for 12. Marist batted first against Collegiate and after an innings devoid of sparkle they' sent Collegiate to the wickets requiring 37 runs to pass the total supplied by the Marist team. In a processional innings not one of the batsmen reached double figures. Lawrence made an heroic effort in securing 9 runs. Dunlop 38, Thom 34, Ingram 30, supplied the major portion of Collegiate’s total. In the second innings Marist rallied, and secured 72, Halpin . supplying 38, of this number. The bowling of the Collegiate side was considerably enhanced by the display given by the Marist batsmen. Ihom took six wickets for 17 runs and four for 37, Ingram two for 11 and three for 5, Pav two for 3. The Marist attack was on a par with their batting. The best trundlers being Lynch two wickets for 57 rims, and McEwan one for 35.

It is difficult to account for the inglorious display given by' Marist. Although not a brilliant batting side, in previous matches their attack has been most effective. Let on Saturday the Collegiate batsmen slaughtered their bowling with impunity. Broad was greatly missed. The third grade competition did not produce cricket of a sparkling order as most teams experienced difficulty in fielding full sides.

Old Boys, with the assistance of primary school boys, critics, and onlookers, attacked the Marist team. However their efforts at the wickets were short-lived, the whole collection of would-be cricketers being dismissed for the grand total of 17 runs. Another innings’ defeat went to the credit of Appleby, who easily' accounted for Collegiate B. Appleby' registered 174, Childs 80 not out, Jordan 35, J. Calvert 18, Swan 16, Barrett 15, Maxi cd 1(1, Leary 10, being the chief contributors.

■O’Grady 45 not out compiled over half the runs obtained by Collegiate, Marshall assisted to the extent of 12.

In Collegiate’s first innings Eric Calvert gave a splendid performance in the field, taking five magnificent catches. Turning the leather for Appleby Jack Calvert took four wickets for 26 runs, Jim Calvert 7 for 20 and Swan three for 29. Jones, six wickets for 40 runs, was Collegiate’s most successful bowler. Borstal 56 and 96, defeated Herbert, Haynes 60 and 28 by 64 runs. Yates 20, Smith 12 and Woods 13 were the principal contributors to Herbert, Haynes’ totals. Tire wicket-takers were Y r ates five for 31 and six for 26, Smith four for 24 and Wcsney three for 13. The Christmas vacation seemed to have a detrimental effect on wood merchants, as I hey did not hit out with any freedom on Saturday. Most of the batsmen were scratching in the early stages of their innings and many were clean bowled w’.thout having a semblance of a chance of securing runs.

An umpire in one of the third grade matches on Saturday caused a sensation bycalling “short run” when a batsman had hit a single. The sound of the contact between bat and ball evidently disturbed the slumbers of the umpire, who on realizing his responsibility' gave this incongruous decision.

The material supplied by most clubs to "their third grade teams is in shocking condition. The boys are asked to play with half bats, and gloves that have been handed down since the time of the “Glorious Revolution.”

Junior teams in Invercargill receive as much consideration from the executive as Napoleon did when at St. Helena. The wickets provided for the teams playing at the Showgrounds are a disgrace. The one assigned to the Marist team last Saturday resembled a corrugated roof top-dress-ed with animal refuse.

Some players have failed to send in their averages. Attention to this matter would be appreciated. It is hoped to run full details of averages next week.

Hilarity on the cricket field Is uncalled for, still more so, the amorous disposition exhibited by certain players during the interval between overs in the Old Boys v. Marist match on Saturday.

Among the “new bloods” seen out last Saturday, the most promising display was given by R. Henderson (Old Boys B). He is a powerful bat, possessed of good de fence, and seems certain to reach a higher standard of cricket before the close of the present season.

Another recruit to the cricket arena, who shows distinct promise with the bat, was B Grace, who filed out to assist Old Boys, thirds in their encounter with Marist.

Metcalfe and Sievwright, two members of the ex-Waikiwi team, have joined the ranks of the Invercargill Club.

Collins, another ex-Waikiwi player, decided on the junior B section and is now playing for Collegiate. The services of these players will be appreciated by the weaker clubs, and will no doubt add interest to the competitions.