CRICKET.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 883, 8 December 1916, Page 2

CRICKET.

Thc third series of matches in the Canterbury Cricket Association's competitions started on November 25, and inter-; rupted, (irstlv by rain on the afternoon of j that day, and, secondly, by the Hose Pete ; last Saturday, will be continued to-mor-1 row. In the first grade, Boys' High School, playing against West Christchurch, at Uagley Park, has scored 167 for five wickets. Riccarton, playing against Wast Christchurch on the adjoining wicket at ITagley Park, has made 116 for four wickets. At Lancaster Park, Linwood is only four runs ahead of St. Albans, on the first innings, having scored 116 to 112. Sydenham has a first innings lead of 11 runs—lo3 to 92 against Christ's College, at Sydenham Park. The Christ's College team will play the Otago Boys' High School eleven on Thursday and' Friday of next week, at Dunedin. A match between Timaru and (Jinstchtirch old bovs of the Christchurch Boys High School will be played at Timaru on Anniversary Day. R, Bardsley, brother of the famous "Warren, smacked up 109 not out. in a toti! of 146 for five wickets for Sydney University against Western Suburbs the other dav. Some hitting! Bardsley is joining the Dental Corps, but the Sydney papers forget to mention whether or not there was much pulling in his lively innings: No competition cricket, was played in Wellington last Saturday. The reason for this was the holding of the patriotic gala. Matches in Auckland. With three matches plaved, Parnell is leading in the Auckland Cricket Association 's first-grade competition, but it is only one point ahead of Ponsonby, which has also won three matches. University is third, five points behind Ponsonby, and the three other teams are all below par, under the Auckland system of deducting points for losses It was only by the narrowest of margins that Ponsonbv failed to get level with Parnell last Saturdav, for'when time was called Ponsonby needed only one run more to turn its twopoints'win against Fden into a threepoint one. That was a decidedlv interesting match. On the first dav, Eden had scored 184 and Ponsonby 47 for four wickets. One of the not out men was F. P. ("Dick") Mason, but he did not attend in time to continue his innings, although the Fden skipper allowed Ponsonby 15 minutes' grace, and so he lost his turn. Ponsonbv's luck seemed right out when S. G. Smith was disposed of cheaply, and two move wickets fell soon afterwards. When there were only two wickets in hand, last year's premier team still needed ]lis runs. However, McMath, B. veteran with a knack of "coming to light." in emergencies, kept his wicket up while Worker knocked off runs, and thev took the score from 70 to 154. The last wicket stood the strain, and Ponsonl.v finished with I*7. Worker having 90 not out. Fden started what was thought to be a fill-in second innings, and presently four of its players left the ground. It

•was a bad mistake, for N. C. Snedden and j 8. G. Smith, bowling well on a fiery wicket, dismissed the seven Eden batsmen who were left for 28 runs (Hemus 10 not OYitV Snedden takinrr three for 12 and Smith three for 14. Ponsonby wanted 26 runs for a three-point*! win. and 16 minutes to get them. Whr-u time was called the score was 25 for two wickets. Parnell scored a three -points win against North Shore, the ."cores being 119 and 93 for one wicket to North Shore's 85 and 124. In Parnell's second innings, A. Anthony scored 41 not out and Breese 45 not out. Parnell'h most successful bowler was Simpson, whose specialty was good length: he got five for 33. In ParDoll's first innings. Rankin took five for 41. Scoring 174 and (',l for two wickets, University got, an outright win over Grafton. 133 and 97. Graham got 51 for 'Varsity, while Caradus took four of the Grafton wickets for 41 runs. In 'Varsity's first innings, Baker took six wickets for 47 runs. Dunedin Games. In only one case in Dunedin last Saturday did a first-grade team score more than 150 runs in an innings. That exception to the rule was Grange, which

scored 170 for eight wickets against Morriington, and then declared the innings closed. Galland, with 39, and Malcolm with 38 were the top scorers. Dickel, with four for 40, was Mornington's most successful bowler. When Mornington went in to bat, it was found that to all intents and purposes Caradus was half the team, for he made 7ti not out in a total of 141. Downes emerged from his shell to take four for 17, and Henderson got five for 06. Carisbrook suffered defeat at the hands of St.. Hilda. Batting first, the latter scored 73 (J. Barron 30), to which Carisbrook did not make a reply better than T>7. The veteran Fisher was Carisbrook's "man with the big stick," for he took six wickets for 30 runs, and then top-scored for his side with 26 runs. Cricket is one game in which "they can come back"—sometimes! By the way, St. Kilda found two bowlers sufficient for the task of getting rid of Carisbrook. McCartci) taking five for 26 and Livingstone three for 26.

Thc Ota go Boys' High School team trotted from pavilion to wickets and back again in good style in its match with Dunedin. Casey and Mnckersey attended to keeping the school players busy changing pads, (lie former collecting six wickets for 30 runs, and Casey annexing three for eight. Master "Extras" topscored with 11 in a total of 52. Dunedin totalled lIS (Stiglick 32, Casey 27 not out). I'Ya took four of the Dunedin wickets for .". I runs.

CITY AND SUBURBAN. NOTES AND COMMENTS. Consequent on the Rose I'olc, las* Saturday was mi "off'' day as Car as <!it\ and Suburban <-ri'-hot was concerned, < > 111 \ one fixture hoi rig played. This was the conclusion of the senior game, Rangers v. Belfast., which had been postponed from the preceding fortnight. The ultiniute result, which placed Hangers ahead by l(>:; runs, was not unexpected, the winners being recognised as easily the strongest combina linn of the two. la consequence, there wn* little keenness shown in the contest. It was relieved only by a free batting display by Hooper, which produced (>.". In oilier respects, the game was a do Mlltory our. distrllgiiished only by MIC lowness of the scoring. The winners played short, a condition v>' things which has prevailed in the previous

matches this season. Forsythe and iOgau were again absentees. Desultory Fielding. But where Saturday's game suffered most was in the fielding. Uppish strokes ! by the batsmen were not to any great ' extent discouraged by the field, minier- j ous chances being missed. Returns to ; the wicket were, as a rule, either wild-; ly or leisurely given, in consequence, j when Sellars' (Belfast) during his hi- ' nings, began a run-stealing policy, : he quickly had the fielding "rattled." ' His innings showed the effect of a . policy of brisk running between the wickets. His partner, on one occasion, hit for a single, and eventually in creased the result to six by faking advantage of wild overthrows. It is not meant to seriously contend that batsmen should altogether follow and copy Sellars's keenness at the wicket, as his play was in the nature of a "tip and a run" exhibition, but it showed the possibilities of disorganising the defence by a readiness to make the most of opportunities. The fielding of both teams failed in another respect, and that was in the placing of the men to suit the bowler or meet the pcculiari- , ties of style of the particular batsmen. A Peculiar Accident. Matson (27) was the only other Rangers batsman to get into double figures. A peculiar accident happened to East, which compelled his retirement after facing one delivery. The ball in question travelled up his bat, knocked one of his teeth out, and inflicted a painful injury, which compelled his retirement. ' But what placed the accident out of the ordinary was the effect it had on the ball, the leathern cover of which was slashed as though with a knife in deep impressions made by the batsman's teeth! Rangers' second innings realised 116. For Belfast, P. Brown disturbed the stumps on three occasions at the extremely moderate cost of five runs. Sellars 's average was the next best, with three wickets for 49 runs. Belfast ineffectually replied with 53 runs, to which total Sellars (29) was the only double-figure contributor. \n incident which was highly uncomplimentary, not to say discourteous to the umpire, followed the retirement ot Wilson who was dismissed on an appeal by the wicket keeper for a catch behind the wicket. There later appeared some doubt whether Wilson tipped the ball or not, the bowler, Hooper, quite confidently stating 1 that the batsman had not touched lit This was supported by others. In consequence, the Rangers' skipper endeavoured for some time to persuade vV Uson to continue the innings. This Wilson, who was prepared to abide by the umpire's decision, refused to do. While givin" the Rangers' captain every credit for a generous desire not to take an undue advantage over an opponent, he must see that whatever an umpire's decision is, it must be abided hr. " These gentlemen hnvc an ungrateful task at any time, without being placed in the ignominjonn position of having their rulings ignored. ' Black and Hooper were again the mainstay in the Rangers' trundling depart-

mont. the last named being the most successful, securing seven wickets for 28 runs-. He was erroneously stated on a previous occasion as being a fast bowler. ■Roth of these two bowlers toss up some very uneven deliveries. Black, particularly, at times fails lamentably in direction. He shows., too, a disposition to deteriorate if the batsman is in combative and vigorous mood. 7'he Grounds. An inspection of the grounds at Sydenham Park showed them to be still on the improve, although the outfield has suffered somewhat by the recent spell of dry weather. The question of taking over grounds in the South Park has for some lime been considered by the executive. Unfortunately, the depletion in membership occasioned by the war has resulted in a corresponding decrease in finance, a state of affairs which hardlv justifies the adding of further responsibilities. The matter, however, will be placed before the half yearly general meeting of members, which is to be held in the Y.M.G.A. on Wednesday next at 8 p.m. Owing to the Christmas holidays, cricket will be slightly interfered with. The executive lias decided not to set down competition fixtures on December 27 and .'{o respectively.

TO-MORROW'S GAMES. In the senior and second grade, the matches will be continued on Saturday, which were held over from the previous week owing to the Rose Fete. The only fresh draw is in the third grade. To-morrow's games, therefore, will be as follow: — Senior Gradq, Druids v. Rangers, Sydenham. Y.M.C.A. v. Belfast, Sydenham. Second Grade. Templeton v. Druids A., Templcton. St. Albans v. Druids 8., St. Albans. Boys' Gordon Hall v. Dunstable, Sydenham. Third Grade. Druids v. St. Paul's, Sydenham. Belfast v. Marists, Belfast. Boys' Cordon Hall, a bye. GOOGLIE.