DISTRICT CRICKET.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1195, 10 December 1917, Page 3

DISTRICT CRICKET.

GRAY'S RECORD SCORE

Giving an exhilarating display of forceful batsmanship, J. Gray, captain of the Sydenham team, set up, last Saturday, a new record of 343 not out, for individual scoring in competition cricket in Canterbury—just nine runs better than the old record, established by 11. B. Lusk in the season before last. If Gray had put on another dozen runs before he declared the innings closed, he would have eclipsed the New Zealand record which J. N. Crawford set up in batting for the Australian team of 1914 against South Canterbury.

Gray was very aggressive all through his innings, going for the bowling witli smart footwork and good timing of the ball, and hitting it hard and often. Altogether, he was at the wickets for only three hours and three-quarters, and so he made his runs at the rate of, approximately, one and a-half per minute. Tie hit nine sixes, 52 fours, one. three, nine twos, and (iO singles. It would be strange if in such a big and vigorouslymade score there were not some chances, and the fact that Gray gave five chances • —three on the first Saturday and two on the second —was only a mild blemish on his performance. Not one of the chances was an easv one by any means.

B. H. Booth, scoring 85—including one six and nine fours—without giving a chance, and making most of his runs witli nice strokes along the carpet, helped Gray to put on the big total of 2SI for the second wicket. After Merriwaii and Allardyce had been dismissed, Gray and Winsor put on an unbroken 215 runs for the fifth wicket, in the very fast time of fi3 minutes, leaving the total at 590 for four wickets. Winsor hit three sixes and 13 fours in his 8;! not out. He gave two chances —one at 06', to Bunion, and the other at 73, to Oowlishaw. Gray had made his record score with a bat lent to him by W. H. Winsor. During the interval between Sydenham's innings and Christ's College second effort, Winsor presented him with the bat, ami a silver plate, suitably inscribed, in commemoration of the occasion, for it. In its second innings, Christ's College, with two players absent, made only BG, in which R. 0. Blunt got 37 not. out. J. McEwin took five of the wickets for 33 runs. A Tale of Read's Bowling. While Gray was entertaining the spectators on the Christ's College Ground, R. Bead, on the adjoining reserve, was fast reducing any hopes which St. Albans had of averting a three-points defeat by Linwood. In its first innings, played on the previous Saturday, Linwood had set. a main of 365. St. Albans had scarcely opened, on a fast wicket, last Saturday, when Bead began to play havoc, with the batting. His first three overs were maidens. With the first, two deliveries in the second of these he bowled Gordon and Johns. The next ball almost grazed the stumps, with Webster at the batting crease. The last ball of the over bowled Webster neck and crop. So Bend then had three for none. Meanwhile, J. Hay, waiting for loose ones, was hitting a four off each over from Thomas. Austin scratched at Read's bowling for a, while, but then he started to get runs. Hay got three fours off Thomas's fifth over, making seven boundary hits—his only scoring strokes at that time—off the Linwood skipper, who then gave way to E. Perrin, and did not bowl again daring the afternoon.

After 22 runs hail been hit oft' him by Austin and Hay, Rend changed cuds. and started afresh with two wiekotn in two maiden overs. The tint of those wickets wos that of Hay, v.-ho hail made 46—10 fours, a three, a two. and a single—with good, ehanecloss baltins\ Then Tate, who had taken Read's place at the northern crease, bowled Austin, who had scored 24. Later. Hatch, Oiiiney, and Twyiieh~.ni put a little life into the tail, but the story was finished at 128, Bead having five for 31. and Tate —who mixed his bowling with effect — live-for 43. After a short vest, the St. Albans procession started anew, but with Read claiming a majority of the wickets. This time it was .lohns who prosed the brightest exception to fhe batting rule, that steady batsman getting 44 not out. T. W. Reese got 23 before he fell a victim to Read. Hay, Tvvyncham, and Guinoy got into double figures again. The last-named got 10 in each innings, with bob! but brief efforts. In his second essay he hit a fine six from Rend, over the pavilion. Guiney was the only batsman who went right out to Read's bowling. In this innings, Rend got seven for 37, making his total for the match 12 for 08. He got a lot of pace off the pitch, swung the ball a good deal, and put plenty of "devil" into his bowling. At timer; his bowling Was "soft." but that was often a trap for the unwary. Read's tally for the four competition matches played to the present date by Linwood is the very line one of 47 wickets for 337 runs—an average of 7.17 runs per wicket. Not Very Brilliant Scoring.

Save for occasional intervals, the game in which West Christefrurch secured a two-points win against East Christchurch was not one to arouse enthusiasm, and although Saturday's wicket was suitable for batsmen scoring proceeded somewhat slowly. Donaldson's 64 —half of which was secured the previous weak—was aenioved by fairly vig.ivous hitting. Thi - batsman shapes we'll, and shows evidence of careful coaching. Incidentally, lie is the only batsman in first grade cricket thin yea.' who in three inr.ings or more has made double figures in eae'i inning.-, I. s scores being 2!), 25, 12, 21, and (.4 respectively. Possibly the best batting display of the afternoon in this game was t!-r.t given by !t. Dutleis. Vigorous driving was a feature, but he showed little partiality for leg or round-thc-wkket strokes. For a time lie was partnered by Zimmerman, and this stage was certainly an interesting one, for Zimmerman shaped in ;l confident and aggressive manner.

There \v:is one bright feature of East's second batting venture, and that was a display l>v S. Smith and ;l. Lawrence. Smith '>. is little style and many faults, but a quick eye. Added to rlii:', he possesses plenty of confidence, ilis iunings, which realised Ifi, was interesting, fherefore, mainly for the reason that his methods did not partake of the tereotyped. TT. Lawrence played sturdily for his 45 not out, in which Bight fours were included. A. U. (think was ruled out Ibw from a bail which Srst touched his bat. 1). Reese secured three of the live West Christchurcli wicket? at moderate !'Ost. lie was not bowling utj to the form of the previous Saturday, however. Eiccarton's Win. The most notable feature about the match between Boys' High School and Kiecarton was R. J. Nixon's excellent bowling average, six for 20, The fast bowler made good use of the wind. Slow scoring was the rule, of the game, but there was one six, hit by Graham

off Luttrell. Graham batted steadily and consistently, getting his 05 in about an hour. Crawford also batted in pood style. In Riccarton's second innings, which stood at 242 for seven when time was called, seven of the eight batsmen secured double figures, the best honours going to R. IT. North, with 50. High School's bowling in this innings was not particularly strong. The present positions of the teams are shown by the following table:— 3-points 2-points matches, matches. W. D. L. \V. D. L. Ptsl Linwood .. .. 1 Sydenham .. ..3 Riccarton .... W. Christchurch I—ll—ls Christ's College .. E. Christchurch Hoys' High School ——2—lll St. Albans .. THE DAY'S HONOURS. FISRT GRADE BATTING. J. Gray (Sydenham) 343* R. H. Booth (Sydenham 8;". \Y. H. Winsor (Sydenham) .. .. 83* L. T. Donaldson (W. Christchurch) 64 \V. Graham (Boys' High School) .. 55 H. Butters (West Christchurch) .. 53 R. H. North (Riccarton) 50 SECOND GRADE BATTING. E. Kitzegerald (Wc-a Christchurch) 75 Bell (Riccarton) 71 Wilson (West Christchurch) .. .. 64 A. J. McClurc (Technical College) 57 Talbot (Christ's College B) .. .. 50 THIRD GRADE BATTING. B. X. Thomas (Christ's College B) 109* Spaan (Technical College A) .. .. 86 R. C. Hamilton (Christ's College B) 67* Palmer (Technical College A) .. 63* Poulton (Sydenham) 62 ♦Not out. FIRST GRADE BOWLING. R. J. Nixon (Riccarton) six for 20. R. Read (Linwood) live for 31 and seven for 37. J. McEwin (Sydenham) live for 33. G. Tate (Linwood) live for 43. D. Reese (West Christchurch) three for 30. SECOND GRADE BOWLING. Kelly (Christ's College A) four for 11. Cunningham (Sydenham) three for 15. S. W. Hickmott (St. Albans A) six for 35. S. Yates (Technical College A) four for THIRD GRADE BOWLING. Thomas (Christ's College B) five for 13. D. McKcnzie (Riccarton) six for 18. Richmond (Christ's College B) three for 11. Calvert (Technical College A) six for 38. Haines (Boys' High School) five for 35. W. King (St. Albans) four for 33. Ashton (St. Bcde's) eight for 67. Simes (Boys' High School) three for 30. PRIMARY SCHOOLS' CHAMPIONSHIP.

The finnl of the Primary Schools' Cricket Championship was played at Kagley Park ou Saturday morning, when West Christchurch School beat Waltham by i!2 runs in u keenly-contested game. West Christchurch will therefore hold the Caughlcy Challenge Shield and the Canterbury Cricket Association's banner for another year, mailing the third year in succession. The ruhners-up were leading in the first round, "out were beaten by West Christchurch in the second round. Following are tables showing the positions of teams: — "A" COMPETITION. Matches. Runs. P. \V. U For Agst. pts! West Christchurch 13 12 1 1757 013 12 Waltham .. .. 13 It 2 1280 UM 11 rvnrist Bros. .. 12 0 0 1015 079 (', Sydenham .. .. 12 (i (i 1002 iiSfi 6 "B" COMPETITION. Addlngton .... 11 7 4 IOOiS 70.1 7 St. Albans .... 11 6 5 000 557 G Kimwood .... 12 0 0 471 1(12 (i Woolston .. .. 13 5 8 500 011 .i Normal .. .. 12 210 150 018 2 Beckcnham .. .. 11 011 235 1387 0 A special word of praise should be given to Beckon ham, the "wooden spooners." This team, coming from the smallest school in the competition, was really not strong enough to compete, but the b.oys have consistently played as drawn, and have shown excellent snorting spirit in playing losing ganrrs. REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS. PLAYERS CHOSEN FOR FRACTTCE.

The selectors of the Canterbury representative team—Messrs I). Reese, A. \V. Thomas, and H. B. Whitta—have chosen the following 17 players to practice at Hurley Park daily this week, at 5 p.m., in view of the match between Otago'and Canterbury at Christmas time:—

I. Allardyce, R. C. Blunt, R. H. Booth. H. <.Forsyth, Or P. S. Foster, J. Cray, J. Hay, ,1. McEwin, R. H. North, E. G. Perrin, it. Rr;>d, 1). W. Rcrsc, A. \V. Thomas, T. \V. ToliiUl, H. C. Watson, Hairy Watson, H. B. Whitta. The team probably will bo definitely selected next Monday evening. D. Reese will not be a member, as hr lias definitely retired Irom representative cricket. ANNIVERSARY DAY MATCHES. INTER-ASSOCIATION GAME 3. On Monday next (Anniversary Dav), niatch.es will be played at Hagby Park between teams representing each grade of Vic Canterbury Cricket Association and the City and Suburban Association. Owing to several players not being available the Canterbury Association's first-grade team will not be fully representative, and the selection or it docs not form a guide to !iic probable composition of the team to meet Otago.

The Cantrtfniry Association's teams for Monday are as follow:—

First Grade.—Allardycc, Booth, Gray, McEwin (Sydenham), I)r Poster (West Christchurcli), Forsyth, Read, Thomas (binwood), Hay (St. Albans), North (RiccarInn). and Harry Watson (East Christchurch).

Second Grade.- Bettle, Hiclunott, captain (St. Albans), Evans, Kerr (Riccarton), i.owry, O. A. Johnstone (Christ's College), K. Perrin, F. Weston (Linwood), >.i;,yo (Sydenham), ,Dobbs (Technical), Killick (High School).' Emergencies: SherriiV (Sydenham) and Gorrie (Riccarton). Third Grade. —Sinclair, Wise, cents in (West Christchurcli District High School), F.lvy, King, Poulton (Sydenham), S. Palmer, T. Hearflcld, Spaan (Technical), Holmes, Simes (High School), R. N. Thomas (Christ's College). Emergencies: ,1. McKenzic (Riccarton). Booker (High School), and Ashton (St. Rede's). The City and Suburban Association's 'elections arc as follow:

Seniors.—R. Langford (captain), C. Rcllamy, W. Rates, E. Gasson, P. Hooper, P. Harvey, J. Jones, C. Rix, G. Robertson, 11. I'hrop, T. Warren. Emergencies: E. Andrews and W. Lawson.

Second Grade. —A. Wilson (captain), H. Carter, W. French, L. Hutciiings. J. Murray, \V. Seltars, C. Lyons, C. Hamilton-Eraser, !.. Richards, R. Woods. Emergencies: A. Dickson and Hilgrove. Third Grade. —H. Grose (captain), Herivcll, P. Andrews, A. McKay, Rees, Ditch,'ield, E. Colvillc, C. Shaw, P. Watts, W. King, Blumsky. Emergency: Walls. Any of the above unable to play arc requested to notify the association secretary without delay. The matches will commence at 10 a.m.