CRICKET.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1161, 31 October 1917, Page 6

CRICKET.

CITY AND SUBURBAN. After deliberation, it was decided to play all matches last Saturday, notwithstanding the rain that had fallen the previous day, with the result that it proved a great day for bowlers, many of whom made very good averages. The trj.ky wicket precluded any big scores, and the slow nature of the outfield made 'fours" harder to obtain, as once the ball struck the grass it showed a decided reluctance to speed to the boundary. The effect of the rain was very noticeable at Sydenham, where one First Grade match, between Railway and Green's, was played. Railway were quietly disposed isi for the total of 47 runs, jn which Brosnahan and Hooper obtained the best individual scores of 14 each. Green's looked as*if the were going to make I)uii«h very lively for their opponents. C. Ifayr.es and French, the first men in, soon making 41 between them, just six below The total score of Railway. Ilaynes lost his wicket when he had put on .'fl and French had 10. The latter was bowled before he increased his score. Then Brosnahan settled down to the bowling in earnest, and where it had been 41 for one wicket it soon mounted up to 41 for seven. Jones was ennght off Brosnahan "s bowling, and L. Ilaynes fell a victim to the same bowler immediately after. The first ball lie sent, down to the next man, Robertson, disposed of him, fir he was smartly caught by ykolton. French, who had been in from the start, drove a ball hard, and it was held on to by Warren iu the slips. This was not the only good catch of the day. as the fielding was decidedly good. Jackson lost his wicket to Brosnahan, and the hitter's first ball to Matthews disposed of that player. The innings continued to be a procession, and Brosnahan finished with the excellent average of eight for 14. At Woolston the wicket was fast as a new concrete pitch lias been laid down there, but the outfield was slow. Woolston went in first, but despite the inclusion of new blood in the team were disposed of for 91 in the first, innings, and they lost two for fourteen in the »eeond. Lawson and Bennett, the first men in were canght out, ami every time a change of bowlers was made, the result was soon seen in the fall of other wickets. Harvey, who had shown some style while batting for Woolston, soon made himself felt when he commenced bowling, and four of Druids' wickets fell before his bowling for nine runs. The total for the innings fell short of Woolston's score, the side being all out for .W. Of this total Rix .made 2;) and Ihiggan 10. Woolston did not make an auspicious start in the second innings, and the result of the match is by no means a foregone conclusion. A peculiar position occurred in the second grade match Green's v.Ward's, in which Ward's got as many in their first innings—98—as Green's did in their two innings. The players naturally considered that Ward's had won by ten wickets, but the secretary of the association, Mr 11. Rogers, who was on the

ground, pointed out that the result was a draw, each team having made 98. After members of both sides had thought over it they saw the logic of the argument and a bat was taken out of the bags, which had been packed, and the plovers halted in their preparations to watch a Ward's player make a tremendous "swipe" at a very wide ball and register one run amidst the ironical applause of his team mates. Thus it came lo pass that it was put on record that Ward's won the match by ten wickets, and one run.