DISTRICT CRICKET.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1230, 21 January 1918, Page 3

DISTRICT CRICKET.

SOME HEAVY SCORING.

Only two first grade district cricket matches wore started in Christchureh last Saturday, but they provided quite enough run-getting for spectators, who like to see bowling being punished. The fielding sides had an unenviable time. Even the frequency with which the fieldsmen had to chase the ball could not keep them warm in the cold, damp south-westerly weather.

The scoring of three centuries in one team's innings is a very unusual thing In New Zen laud cricket, but that was the experience to which the inconsistent West Christchureh eleven treated East Christchureh. T)r P. S. Foster, Harold Watson, and W. 0. Rolland each scored his first century in Christchureh cricket. Poster's ISO was the second highest score in first grade cricket, this season, and his partnership with Watson provided the big total of 254 rims. The East Christchureh bowling, weakened by W. ITowell's absence in Wellington with the Canterbury representative team, had a most unhappy time, as the s ■■■'••> of 511 for einh' wickets ainnlv ..Urates. T' -■ ' •■■■ ■'- ' ■■ " ■ ■ !he v -lime: ■ -el oui i ' i>r anil Watson. Alrhoi'gh he got <i: lv two wickets at a cost of about 140 jiiiis—the bowling figure,:', h.V'3 not been checked yet—Harry Watson was the best of the East bowlers, but Connal, with three for about 56, got the best analysis. The Three Centuries. Dr Foster batted well all through his long innings, driving vigorously, cutting neatly and crisply, and playing some good shots on the leg side. He scored 100 runs in just that many minutes, and maintained that rate of scoring until, at ISO, he went well out of his crease to smack a ball from Connail, missed it, and was stumped by R. B. Ward. The only actual chance he gave was one at 111, to Ward, at the wickets—E. Williams had kept wickets in the early part of the game, but had left that position for the bowling crease. Later, he might have been run out-if the ball had been returned to the right end. Foster hit 20 fours and three sixes. Two of the sixes were off successive balls from Blank, and the other was off Harry Watson. Another of his drives landed in the top of the northern hedge, but the umpire allowed only a four for it. Foster's scores this season aro: 9, 25, 20, 24, 11, 30, 73, and ISO, giving him an average of 47.62. Harold Watson played stylish cricket in scoring his 117. He was good all round the wicket, but his cutting was a particularly attractive feature of his innings, his graceful, well-timed, wristy shots making the ball travel fast and low. When nearing the century ho seemed to tire a little, and then he lifted the ball now and again, but he had no "lives." There was one mishit of his, though, that fell between mid-off (Harry Watson) and the bowler (Williams), and was left by each man to Ihe other. Watson was then 94. He leached the century when he had been batting for 110 minutes. He is not by nature a heavy hitter, and when, at 117, he tried to smack a six off Connal, he was caught on the boundary by the other Watson. He hit 16 fours in his innings. Watson's figures in club cricket this season are: 45, 49 not out, 2, 16, 56, 15, 2, 45, and 117, giving him an average of 43.37. When Watson was dismissed the score was 269 for two wickets. At the fall of the fifth wicket it. was 291. But then W. O. Bolland, playing confidently, helped to shift the score along, and when Foster was sent back to the pavilion it was 353. Boag was caught by a clubmate, Zimmerman, fielding as a substitute at square-leg, at 422—7 14, and Butters was bowled by Harry Lawrence —trundling round-arms —at 436—8—2. By that time Rolland was going well and scoring at a good rate. By the time the stumps were drawn for the day Rolland had got 110 not out without giving a chance, and he well earned the applause which greeted his performance. Rolland is not a stylish batsman, but he is a hard man to dig out. His success is a demonstration of the value of practice; probably there is no cricketer in Christchureh who attends practice more consistently. Of the first grade players in ■Christchureh who have played four innings or more this season, Rolland is the only man who has scored double figures on every appearance. His scores nre: 26, 19, 10 not out, 25, 14, 28, and 110 not out, providing him with an average to date of 46.40. Interesting in Patches. With weak bowling and fielding lacking briskness, Riecarton was permitted to amass the large total of 368 against St. Albans in an innings which lasted practically the whole of the afternoon. Riecarton's display, in fact, proved uninteresting except in patches, when slow scoring tactics were changed. Most of the sting in the St. Albans bowling was taken out In the first wicket partnership between G. Haines and M. O. Sinclair. Both batsmen soon became on friendly terms with the trundling, Sinclair putting two balls over the fence. Sinclair possesses a nice and discriminating style, and placed the ball to the boundary on twelve occasions. His downfall came in trying to hit Bottle for a sixer, T. W. Reese bringing off and timing a splendid catch on the boundary, for the ball was influenced in its flight by the wind. A sixer then would have brought off Sinclair's still prospective century. Haines proved aggressive at times, and on one occasion a return to the bowler, T. W. Reese, resulted in that player being laid out for a spell. Both Sinclair and Haines gave chances.

The most confident and finished display was that given by E. T. Taylor, who made his first appearance for the season. It is understood that ho had not even had a practice game, but there was no indication of that in his display, in which there were no unBCfepted chances. Tie proved disrespectful to tlie trundling' on occasion. 11. 15. Whitta maniifestly was not up to his usual form. Tie gave one chance to the wicket-keeper in compiling 14, and then badly mistimed a delivery ii), Bettle's first over. A. E. Byrne's usual method of going out seems to be through being howled off his pads. He again succumbed in that fashion after compiling If). W. B. Fuller hit vigorously and somewhat luckily for his 42, for the bowling was at sixes and sevens, and the field not particularly Interested. E. R. Cnygill, on leave from camp, made liis first appearance this season, hut lack of practice was obvious. For an afternoon's batting, Only six extras, which included two leg byes, speak volumes for the wicketkeeping, although, of course, the howling was not. particularly good. But xwyneham's display was a meritorious one. Amongst the howlers, Bettle's slow deliveries claimed some respect, whilst E. Bradmore kept fairly well on the wicket. The best average was secured by I). W. Reese. A fast bowler ■was badly needed.

THE DAY'S HONOURS. FIRST GRADE RATTING. Dr. P. S. Foster (West Christchureh) 189 H. C. Watson (West Christchureh) 117 \V. O. Rolland (West Christchureh) 110* M. O. Sinclair (Riecarton) 95 E. T. Taylor (Riecarton) 85 O. Haines (Riecarton) 67 SECOND GRADE RATTING. F.vans (Riecarton) 164 Coomber (Sydenham) 116 Cunningham (Sydenham) .. .. 81* Rell (Riecarton) 72 Holland (Riecarton) 50 * Not out. SECOND GRADE ROWLING. K. Perrin (Linwood) three for 15. THIRD GRADE ROWLING. J. McKcnzic (Riecarton) six for 21.