CRICKET.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 936, 9 February 1917, Page 2

CRICKET.

NOTES OF THE WEEK. The seventh series of matches in the Canterbury Cricket Association's first grade competition is to be finished tomorrow. After the one-sided scoring in all four games last Sal unlay interest will probably centre on the match between Riecarton and West Christchure.h, and that interest, no doubt, will express itself chiefly in speculation as to the value of West's reply to Riccarton's first innings score. The players in this match paid more attention to the rain last Saturday than the members of other teams engaged at Uagley Park did, and so the time available for the match has been restricted. Riecarton is in the happy position of having scored 223 runs at a. loss of onlv four wickets. IT. R. Whitta (101) and M. O. Sinclair (.TO) are the not out men. On the adjoining wicket at Ilagley Park St. Albans, with a score of 24fi up against Boys' High School's 77, is moving toward a three-points win. Christ's College, playing on its own ground, probably does not entertain very kindly feelings toward its score of 97, opposed to East Christchnrch's 138 for three wickets, but it has the satisfaction of knowing that it has <.vot rid of three of East's most dependable batsmen. At Lancaster Bark, Linwood, opposing a tally of 120 for five wickets to the shorthanded Sydenham team's poor score of 26, is looking to a substantial increase in its championship points. Matches Elsewhere. Wet weather prevented cricket from being played iri: Auckland and Wellington last Saturday. Two first-grade matches were played in Dunediti. The principal feature of a match between Carisbrook and Mornhi£iton was a great bowling performance by A. 11. Fisher, the old Otago representative, who, in six overs took nine Morniii£>ton wickets for 12 runs. As ..'l2 runs came off six overs from Ramsden, and extras yielded IS, the Mornington score reached (>2, of which P. Haig made .12. It was 79 runs behind Carisbrook's score. Fisher was top-scorer for Carisbrook, with 48. The other game was between St.. Kilda and Dnned'm. St. Kilda got 159 runs, Kerr's ;i9 being the best individual effort. Casey got six wickets for 50 runs. In Duncdin's innings, Casey missed the century by only two runs. Duncdin's total was 191.

A Promising Cricketer's Death. j The late Sergeant R. E. Leeming, who [died of disease in the Connaught Hospital, Aldershot, after finishing his period of training, was; one of the most promising of the youngejr cricketers in Christ'church. He was a good, steady.baferrVan, la useful change bowler, and an excellent fieldsman. Last season he. played'.in both the St. Albans junior A team and 'the,senior team. In the juniors he played three innings for an aggregate of ISO runs, giving him an. average of CO. His' .highest innings for the season was !)7. He also took seven wickets at an average cost of 16.(1 runs. For the senior's he played ■lO innings (once not outl for a total of runs, an average of 21.78. His.best •score in the first grade last season was 76. Young Leeming was a lad of sterling character, and was very popular. An indication of the esteem in .which he was held by men who came into contact with him is given by a letter which the officers and men of E Battery, N.?.F.A., have .pent to his parents. It runs as follows: ;"On behalf of the officers, noTi-oonnnis-.sioned officers,' and men of the E Battery, N.Z.F.A.. I beg to tender their jneartfelt sympathy with you and the 'members of your family in the loss you •have sustained by the death of your son. Sergeant R. E. Leeming. I am sure (hat, :I am voicing the opinion of all who came in contact with him, both in civil life and during his military carper, when, T ;sa,y their loss is not only a collectiye,.but also a personal one. It will perhatis be of some consolation fo know that though he lost his life away from the actual firing line, he at least had done his duty here, and to the last as a. soldier and gentleman by giving up his life to the service of his countrv."

CITY AND SUBURBAN.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. "The grand uncertainty of the game"—that is an expression often applied with approbatory meaning to cricket. But unfortunately, not only the actual playing, but cricket itself and also the clubs, arc passing through a stage of uncertainty. It is never wise to be unduly pessimistic, but it is impossible to avoid seeing black clouds on the cricket, horizon, and it. would therefore be foolish to ignore their existence and fail to take preventive measures. Present Indications. Briefly, there are indications that.the game will again be thrown into the hotchpot which distinguished it prior to the commencement of the present season, when the number of clubs were reduced, but eventually consolidated. This state of affairs, of course, was existent owing to conditions arising through the war, and one which, far from being a matter of regrat was one of congratulation. It meant that the bulk of the eligible manhood under the association's auspices had responded to the call of the greatest game of all. There was thus, as previously described, a tightening in and a reorganisation, which promised that, those who had perforce to remain here, would keep the game going " until the boys came home."

; But there'is n tendency, a spirit which is beginning to spread, to accept the present onler of things as an excuse for a lack of enthusiasm. It is becoming increasingly apparent witli each succeeding Saturday—apart from the obvious fact thai teams generally ore not, practising—that, interest by the players in many instances, is diminishing. As an example, hast Saturday in the senior grade, Belfast, which the previous Saturday had been compelled to utilise the services of several third grade players, had to default to Druids. In the remaining senior fixture, the personnel of bolli teams had undergone considerable change, many of the best players being absent, while one of the elevens was considerably under strength. Woolston, the team mentioned in the latter connection, is, in fact, having a hard and extremely lean time. Its club membership is practically equal with its team strength, so that-it is trading on a margin of tho narrowest. The ballot, too, has claimed several premier players in the senior grade, players, however, who in

most cases had been previously rejected on medical grounds. The Ground Trouble. • The ground trouble is one which is likely to cause difficulty. The association has been compelled to abandon its project to establish grounds in the South Park owing to the difficulty of linn nee. It is not only a question of rental —the main trouble would be the upkeep and preparation. As to rental, the District Cricket Ilagley Grounds Committee lias approached the Domains Board asking for a further 25. per ceiit, decrease in the tent and the latter body is considering the question. It Mill be seen therefore, that the anxiety for the future is general. The Woolston Club's ground has not yet been put. in the condition when the association will pass it for senior cricket. Apparently, the club's finances will not permit of this being done, but the position strictly is that, this club is at present playing on grounds provided by its competitors. The association has recognised the latter fact, and has asked Woolston to contribute .£.'! for its use of the grounds at Sydenham. This amount represents practically the whole of the deficiency which the association has to find between the amount expended in upkeep and the rental received from the respective clubs. Woolston, however, whilst prepared to pay something, objects to the manner upon which the amount is based. In this it is within its rights, for it is lard to understand why the executive should call on Woolston alone, as the fact that Belfast, is in the same position as Woolston and does not use its home ground, has apparently been overlooked. Whilst, on the subject of the Sydenham grounds, it must be admitted that they are capable of considerable improvement. Some comment on this fact was made by players in the Y.M.C.A.Woolston match on Saturday, but on tin ' casion much of the trouble was largely owing to rain falling on a wicket which earlier in the week had been soaked in anticipation of dry and hot weather.

It will lie spe;i, therefore, that the grounds trouble is solely concerned with finance, for in all cases where the condition of the wickets is not up to standard, shortage of *uods is the contributing cause. Therefore, it behoves the association and clubs to endeavour to obtain further concessions in the direction of rentals. Club;; pay £1 rent for each ground at Sydenham, a sum which is much too large in view of the fact that payment gives practically no proprietary rights. A deputation to the City Council would be the best method perhaps of eliciting a sympathetic response to the request for consideration. Apathy the Enemy. But at present the apathy in (he ranks is the matter which calls for the moist pressing and immediate concern. As previously pointed out in these those remaining in the country owe a duty to the boys in khaki—the game must be kept going and the only- method is by enthusiasm and personal example. ' If thk spirit was' a predominating one, there would be no cause for anxiety as to the future of the game. . ; . ; Uninteresting Conditions.

A wicket which was dead and which quickly became cut up, and also a greasf ball which was seldom under proper control by batsmen, bo\fWrs, or the field, made for decidedly uninteresting conditions in the seniot game between Y.M.C.A. and Wools'toji. ; Added to those disadvantages was the fact that Woolston was much below strength, absentees including its main attacking represenjta> tives, M. Bugg, Wigley, and Lawson. ' It was not, therefore, surprising that ', a mediocre display resulted, in which Y.M.G;A. notched the winning points by six wickets. • '

■'•"■ led in its first innings by :U3 runs, mid Wools-ton continued its second batting effort with two wickets down for 27 funs. 'Against Brqsnahan's bowling, however, which was surprisingly good, taking into consideration the state of the wicket, the Woolston batsmen invariably spent a brief, but extremely anxious, time whilst endeavouring to preserve intact the resting place of the bails. 'Die only exception was Samons, the ex-Glenmorc player, who poked about in abusy, and perhaps lucky, fashion for an innings which realised 69, out of the Woolston total of 07. Eventually the end came in an attempt to steal a run, his being the last wicket needed to fall. Although he had survived several little mishaps before the. end came, he deserves credit for thus rising to the occasion at a time when conditions were at their worst for his side. Poor Fielding. Y.M.C.A. faced the Woolston trundlers with 59 runs required to win, a task which took exactly half an hour to achieve, when with six wickets in hand it declared the innings closed. The major contributor to this result was Brosnahan, who hit up 22 runs and seemed on the best of terms with the bowlers. Of course, with the full strength of the Woolston bowling department absent, this team's attack lost most of its sting, but Black trundled fairly consistently throughout. lie failed, however, to obtain any support from the field, who gave a wretched and inept display. The conditions existing at the wickets were conducive to uppish strokes, but no advantage of this fact was taken bv the Woolston fieldsmen.

The other senior grade match did not eventuate, Belfast, who on the first day ended against Druids in an apparently hopeless position, discreetly entering a notice to default. Consistent Improvement. In the junior competition, Greens finished its match on the previous Saturday and is two points ahead of the next team, St. Albans. There is little doubt that on form, Greens should maintain its lead until the conclusion. It is one of tho few elevens which has shown a steady and consistent improvement throughout the season.

The present runners up, St. Albans, headed Druids Aby 4(5 runs. It concluded its innings on Saturday, leaving Druids the task of compiling loi) runs to win. This, however, proved too much for the Druids' batsmen, although for a time with 11. Smith (,'!8) and Britten (I!)) hitting freely, it looked within the bounds of the possible. But their successors failed to wield the willow with the same effect, and were dismissed in speedy fashion. Towards the end, the wicket showed considerable signs of wear, but nevertheless the Saints' trundlers met with fair success, Carter being responsible for securing three wickets at the. expense of four runs.

Third Grade. The second round in the third grade competition ended on Saturday, the result I eiiig:— Marists 12 jjoints, Boys Gordon Jlall and St. Paul's 10 points each,

ami Druids 8 points. Belfast, as indicated previously, Ims definitely with drawn.

Legitimate Bowling.

The bowling of Cocks, who on occasion trundles with effect for Y.M.C.A. lias boon questioned lately by players, on the grounds that he jerks the ball at, the time of delivery and that therefore a throw or no ball has been committed. But after a close study of the methods of Cocks, the writer is satisfied that the delivery is a legitimate one. Underarm Bowling. An argument which thonvs the mind back to early schoolboy days arose on a City and Suburban cricket ground last Saturday. Perhaps in these days, when most schoolboys try to bowl overarm when they are too young for that style of trundling, possibly the disputes that were wont to occur over underarm ''grubbers" are rarer than they used to be, but no doubt every player has recollections of youthful : arguments as to the fairness or otherwise of the said "grubbers." It was sometimes claimed, on mere schoolboy authority, that all bowling must pitch at least halfway up the wicket. That idea seems to linger in the minds of some of the City and Suburban Association's junior players. Last Saturday a member of a second-grade game was bowling underarm with some little success, but his opponents did not relish at all being defeated by such stuff. Then arose a contention as to whether the bowling was being pitched half-way up the wicket! The bowler himself reckoned that, he was pitching his deliveries beyond half-way, but his assertion was doubted by some of his opponents. It was even suggested, very gravely, that for future games there should be a white line across the wicket at half-way! It is certainly time that some players learned something of the laws of the game. There is no rule compelling the pitching of bowling beyond half-way up the wicket, and there never has been one. GOOGLIE.

SATURDAY'S MATCHES. All matches on Saturday will be played at Sydenham Park. Owing to the promotion of Druids B and Boys Cordon Hall into the second grade after the competition had commenced, the remaining teams will have to stand aside for a match each, so as to equalise the number of games played. For this reason three teams will have byes together to-morrow. The draw is as follows: SENIOR GRADE. Druids v. Marists, Boys Gordon Hall v. St. Paid 's. JUNIOR GRADE. Greens v. Boys Gordon Hall. Dunstable v.. Druids B. St. Albans, Druids A, and Templcton have byes. - THIRD GRADE. Druids v. Marists. Boys' Gordon Hall v, St. Paul's.