DISTRICT CRICKET.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 1898, 15 March 1920, Page 2

DISTRICT CRICKET.

AN INTERESTING FINISH. EICCAETON WINS PREMIERSHIP. Though tho district cricket season of 1919-20 in Christchurch has not been quite as interesting as was anticipated just before it opened, it certainly closed brightly on Saturday last. That day was not the actual end of the season, but it was the last for the inter-club competitions. And for an attractive finale there were a couple of dramatic rallies and some breezy batting in the first grade matches. The club competitions have been closed a little earlier than usual, because the Canterbury Cricket Association rightly has decided that there shall be no matches on March 27, on which date Lancaster Park, the home of manly outdoor sports in Christchurch, is to be reopened officially. When the final series was started, Riccarton was four points in the lead for the first grade premiership, with Sydenham second, i'rom that fact arose the inter-relation of two occurrences which, last Saturday, exemplified the delightful uncertainty of cricket. At the end of the first day's play-in the final games. Sydenham had got its opponent, St. Albans, into an exceedingly awkward position, but Riccarton had'not finished compiling a big first innings score against Fast Christchurch. In consequence of that, some of Sydenham's supporters were inclined to resent the association's decision not to play cricket on March 27. They were sanguine that their club would get a three-points win against St. Albans,-and that Riccarton would not f # ore better than a two-points win against East, so that the margin between the leading two clubs would be Tedueed to three points. If the season were continued, Riccarton and Sydenham would meet in the next series, and a three-points win to the latter team would bring them level. Man proposes, but—King Cricket has other views sometimes. As it happened, Riccarton only just did scrape home against East Christchurch for a twojoints win. A sad error of judgment; nearlv cost Riccarton the two points, at that! But the other "leg" of Sydenham's "double" was a wooden one, so far as Sydenham was concerned. It happened that IX McTC. Sandman was in the mood to get runs, and on a good wicket he and an ex-Boys' High School lad held the Sydenham attack up so we'll that Sydenham was very glad to \ n . content with two points, instead of its anticipated three. And so Riccarton wins the competition by its same old four points, awl Sydenham's supporters know that even if the season were extended to the end of the month their (HUD could not possibly get better than its present second place. Tie final positions of the teams are as follow: — 3points 2-points matches, matches. W. D. L. W. D. L. Pis! PVcarton .... 3 1 4 SvdenVm •• ..3 1 2 Vrst Christchurch 2 I—s 8 1 'nwood .... 2 St. Albans .... East Christchurchj 1 These final matches in the first grade competition have been notable, also, for the number of centuries scored in cot 121 for Sydenham against St. Albans, C. E. Guiney reached 117 in playing for Riccarton against East Christchurch. and W. Haves scored 100 not out for Linwood against West Christchurch. Last Saturdav. D. C. m-ls 124 not out for Riccarton against E-.st. I>. McK. Sandman rattled up 104 f' r St. Albans against Sydenham, and Hayes continued his innings against West until he had made his total 208 — tie highest individual score in first prade club cricket this season. Hayes's Rapid Scoring. Pj't for Hayes. Linwood would have Tvfiile a verv indifferent showing against West. On only three occasions this ft p.son lias Hayes shown form at all near Ids pre-War prowess, nis scores before Christmas were 0. 17, 1, 5, 5, and 6. At y,>j Year he got going for Canterbury B against Hawke's Bay and made a coi>turv. Tn hjs next club match he got mother "duck." He followed that with P. fine 70 not out against Riccarton. but f«*l away again to <i, 0 and 5. His ~„vf performance was his 20S. Tn mak i- g that he scored quickly. His first V-ndred took only 72 minutes. Lasl fir-turdav he made his runs almost a; . iikly," his second hundred oco.ipyins Jity mere than 75 minutes. Yet hi rrrve only two chances —ono ot 175 v-' I'n Marshall. «>.t mid-on, missed bin < "V D. Reese's bowling, and the other ♦ 'it taken bv Dwyer, at long-off, ofi V L. Young's bowling, which dismissed h ; ni a* 2<< s . Haves gave a fine display T', leg-shots were excellent, his off .'■'.ying was powerful. He did some ■ n-)d when opportunity offered 1 .'-.*■ most of his runs were obtained t< 1 ' nml to tii" off in front of the wicket V - hit three sixes and 29 fours—l.l 4ii 1 undary hits. Haves had opened the innings witl / Grant, but when the first dov's plaj e 'ed the score was 144 for fou , • !<ots—four runs more than Wes Christchurch's first innings total —am Hives had 100 of runs. His wa <l-<* eighth wb-okt to fall and he ha< f orcl then 208 out of 302. The firs P'fin to make a decent stand with hin was <"'. W. Russell, who scored 44 ii rood stvle before he was caught behiiu (he wi-kels bv the veteran C. Roxshall Russell hit five fours and an excellen s : \-, the latter a hefty on-drive off T) V S. Foster. Hayes and Russell ha< taken the steam out of the West Christ church bowling, and P. Lye. playing hi first game in the senior ranks this sea son. helped himself to a very confident! obtained 50 before Reese bowled hire Linwood reached 395, its best score thi reason, and it won by 247 runs on th first innings. While West Christchurch was at th wickets for its second innings, Severn of the Linwood men seemed to be mor interested in the effort of Hast Christ church to play out time against Riccai ton than they wen' in their own mate] and their fielding was not as brisk a usual. Tn accordance with its nsnj procedure, West Christchurch shape bettor i'i its second innings, and ol tained 199 runs at a cost of five wickel before stumps were drawn. M. L. I'ag< ex-captain of Boys' High School, to scorl-d with 50.' He played a nic innings: his leg-hitting was particular! good. He hit 11 fours. Blunt got 5 in his usual attractive style, but w_f not quite as sound as he generally i At 19, he was dropped by Thomas, i the slips, off A. Grant's bowling, and : 50 he hit another catch, an easy on also off A. Grant, into the hands < FotsijHi, at mid-on. But Forsyth a lowed it to slip through. Ho w; bowled by a yorker from Russell, wl just previously had got Page with straight ball on the leg-pin. O. I Young got 43 not out; he hit a six o the last ball of the day.

F. S. Grant, who had captured five f wickets for four runs in West's first •* innings, found the wicket useless to £ him this time, and had no success. Russell had the best analysis, finishing with three for 30. At one time Russell had three wickets for 10 runs. A Great Recovery. On the previous Saturday St Albans had practically collapsed against Sydenham, having lost seven wickets for 35 runs. However, mainly through the instrumentality of D. McK. Sandman and 0. G. Crawford, who established a partnership which yielded 134 runs, St. Albans made a decided recovery, although its total score fell 40 runs short of Sydenham's. Sandman's display was a characteristic one of forceful batting, although for periods he slowed down in his scoring rate, lie reached his century in 07 minutes. Two chances were given. Bellamy missed stumping him in his thirties, and 5 MeEwin dropped a hot chance when ( he had reached 62. It was in walking ( out to a ball from MeEwin' that Sandman lost his wicket, but he had previously made a fair proportion of his runs by dealing with the bowling in this manner. His well-known square cut was much in evidence throughout, the power which he gave to this stroke making the fieldsmen's task a difficult one. C. G. Crawford's methods afforded a distinct contrast. He played neat and solid cricket, and was quite prepared to leave the forceful tactics to Sandman. His footwork sometimes, was a treat to watch. Crawford had seven runs to his - credit when the innings was resumed, s and he partnered 11. T. Stringer. The 1 latter lacked real aggressiveness, and gave a chance of a catch to J. Young. A few balls later, another opportunity was given to Young, which was accepted. Sandman joined Crawford at 2.43 p.m., and exactly an hour later Crawford hit one back to J. H. Bennett. Ho then had 65 runs; nine of his shots had been boundary strokes. Sandman, at this *tage, had 84 runs, and with S. W. Hickmott as his partner, changed his tactics and began to bat with caution. At 3.50 p.m. Sandman completed his century with a boundary stroke, and lost his wicket five minutes later. He had hit up 104 runs, this score including 13 fours and • two sixes. W. R. Patrick and J. Gray 1 were the trumllers whose bowling pro- : vided the opportunity for the sixes. J. MeEwin's bowling average was ■ somewhat spoilt on Saturday. On the first day he got one wicket for none, two for two, four for two, and finished up with six for 20. His final average — still, however, an extremely satisfactory one—was eight wickets for 90. Sydenham, in its second innings, played out time, and thus won on the first innings. J. Young, who on the first day scored 121, was shaping solidly when Sandman beat him. He then had 42 runs. I. Allardyce, who for part of the season has played in Wellington, was somewhat scratchy for , his 21 runs. Quite a feature was a ] partnership between M. O'Malley and I J. H. Bennett. Bennett had several ' "lives," but the two batsmen hit up 56 between them before the partnership was broken. The Oliver Twist Trait. The Oliver Twist trait was featured to a ludicrous, even painful, degree in Riccarton's attitude towards East Christchurch. Despite the fact that Riccarton had over 400 on the board—a robust total, no one will doubt —the captain again sent his batsmen to the wickets on Saturday, and attained his heart's desire by "declaring" at 3 p.m. with a score of 526, the highest compilation in district cricket this season. Whilst Riccarton is entitled to its meed I of praise for that achievement, there exists the feeling that the innings should have been terminated with the first day's play. The play just previous to the close of the innings was not cricket. Rather it approached to a burlesque. E. Ilaughey, for instance, sent down an over of what were little more than "under-armers," which the batsmen banged joyously to the boundary. Then again the umpire permitted nine balls in the concluding over, and stated later that he thought an extra ball "wouldn't matter." That is not cricket. D. C. Nixon, with 50, and M. O. Sinclair, with five, resumed on Saturday. Sinclair scored a single, and was caught at mid-on by Blank, off Howell. F. Gumsey then partnered Nixon, and carried the total to 526. Nixon gave several chances for his 124 not out. His cricket was unsteady; he "slogged" indiscriminately, and his strokes were invariably uppish. He hit 21 fours ami three sixes. Gumsey made 42 not out by intelligent cricket. E. Brosnalian and F. Woods went to tho wickets for ' East Christchurch, but the pair were , soon separated, the latter being caught, by A. C. Fuller, off Evans, when seven was the total. A. U. Blank did not enhance the score, and made way for W. Ditchfield, a "heady" youth, who i assisted Brosnalian to carry tho total to , 56, when Nixon penetrated the latter's . defence. P. Gregory made a good stand, t ,he and Ditchfield playing prudent i cricket. Their smart running between • the stumps added not a few runs to the • score, in the face of a well-set, alert field. Ditchfield lost his wicket when 1 he had made 36, and M. F. Pengelly ( added three runs before his dismissal by I K. Luttrell. K. Ilaughey and Gregory - advanced the tola! to 191, when Nixon i puzzled Gregory all the wav. Gregory's , 73 included 11 fours. K. R. Caygill | dislodged Haughey's wicket alter'that player had reached 73 runs, made in f business-like fashion with strokes all r round the stumps. P. Flood (36) and W. 1 Howell (3,1) played aggressive cricket. - With flood's dismissal, an interesting position arose. It wanted five minutes . to the call of time, when, if East were T still at the crease, Riccarton would bo , robbed of victory; a draw would have been the result. N. .Jones was absent, -. and T. MeClelland was left without a partner. L. Brosnalian was set down as -, a substitute, but it was found that he 1 had engaged in a third grade fixture g that afternoon, and was therefore in. .. eligible. The players were commencing . to quit the field when Last's scorer, W. , Newsome, volunteered to assist, and he went out to join MeClelland. Ho let ] the first two balls from Nixon pass for I byes, blocked tho third, the fourth was ~ scooped back In the bowler, and Riccars ton pulled the match out of the firo > with a minute to go. I I ■ v THE DAY'S HONOURS. s I•II.ST GRADE BATTING. 4 W. Hayes (Linwood) 208 ~ 11. C. Nixon (Riccarton) i:>l* " I). McK. Sandman (St. Albans) .. .. 1111 ;t I-:. Haughcv (East Cliristcliurch) .. .. 7:1 ?, C. G. Crawford (St. Albans) .. .. 65 ,f M. L. Page (West Cliristcliurch) .. s<i , P. Lye (Linwood) 50 '* H. C. Jiluot (West Christchurch) .. 51 |S SECOND GRADE BATTING. 0 Martin (Sydenham B) 120* a Bell (Riccarton B) S2 Andrews (East Christchurch A) .. .. 71 1 Watts (East Christchurch B) .... GO tt Gorrie (Riccarton B) 05 O'Loughlln (East Christchurch A) .. 01

Lamb (St. Albans) 59 a .Tack (Linwood A) 55 „ THIRD GRADE RATTING. ? Donaldson (East Christchurch B) .. 00* x * Not out. t FIRST GRADE BOWLING. i J, MeEwin (Sydenham) eight for 90. 11 D. C. Nixon (Riccarton) four for 51. f G. W." Russell (Linwood) three for 10. THE SCORE BOOK. J LINWOOD v. WEST CHRISTCHURCH. ° WEST CHRISTCHURCH. <-' First innings 148 a Second Innings. R. C. Blunt I) Russell 51 S M. L. Page b Russell 50 1 P. Dwyer Ibw b Russell 10 ", C. Boxslmll bA. Grant 1 , C. L. Young not out 41! I A. G. Cameron hj Read 8 Dr P. S. Foster not out 18 U Extras (byes 12) 12 1 Total for Ave wickets .. ..190 Bowling: R. Read, 10 overs, 0 maidens, 1 55 runs, 1 wicket; A. Grant, 9,3,12,1; F. R. Grant, 5,0,10,0; A. W. Thomas, 3,0,14,0; if G. W. Russell, 9,2,30,3. LINWOOD. First Innings. ' W. Hayes c Dwyer b Young .. ..208 A. Grant b Reese 13 H. Forsyth lbw b Reese 0 t--I*'. S. Grant c Cameron b Marshall .. II F. Smith c Dwyer b Blunt .... 9 c, A. W. Thomas b Reese 9 R. Read c Dwyer hj Reese 0 G. W. Russell c Roxshall b Blunt .. 41 I'. Lye b Reese 50 i ,(. Powell b Reese 19 t 11. M. Taylor not out 7 i Extras (byes 12, leg-byes 4) .. 10 J Total 395 Rowling: D. Reese, 22 overs, 3 maidens, 100 runs, 0 wickets; Dr P. S. Foster, F 5,0,48,0; R. D. Worker. 5,0,52,0; C. B. Mar- I shall, 14,0,00,1; R. C. Blunt, 9,0,07,2; G. L. 1 Young, 4,0,25,1; C. Hammond, 2,0,15,0. / RICCARTON v. EAST CHRISTCHURCH. \ I RICCARTON. 1 First Innings. G. Haines run out 20 \ E. Luttrell b MeClelland 41 \ C. Guiney c Flood b MeClelland ..117 J R. Powell lbw b Flood 11 ' C. E. Evans b Haughey 0 } E. R. Caygill c Ditchfield b Woods.. 82 \ G. Cox lbw b Woods 3 ' A. C. Fuller c Woods b Ditchfield.. 30 , M. O. Sinclair c Blank b Howell .. 0 ■' D. C. Nixon not out 124 * F. W. Gurnscy not out 42 Extras .(byes 47, leg-byes 3) .. 50 - I Innings declared closed .. 520 I Rowling: \V. Howell, 17 overs, 1 maiden, 1 99 runs, 1 wicket; E. Haughey, 19,1,117,1; R. Gregory, 2,0,8,0; E. Brosnahan, 1,0,10,0; .1 .1. Flood, 11,2.59,1; T. MeClelland, 11,2,59,1; ( M. F. Pengelly, 2,0,23,0; A. B. Blank, 1 1,0.31,0; F. Woods, 8,0,52,2; W. Ditchfield, 1 3,0,17,1. I EAST CHRISTCHURCH. .1 First Innings. A E. Brosnahan b Nixon 24 F. Woods c Fuller b Evans .... 5 1 A. R. Blank c Cox b Evans .... 0 < W. Ditchfield c Caygill b Luttrell .. 30 R. Gregory b Nixon 73 ( M. F. Pengelly b Luttrell 3 J E. Haughey b Caygill 73 1 .1. Flood b Nixon 30 : W. Howell c Guiney b Sinclair .. 31 T. McLelland not out 0 ' W. Newsome c and b Nixon .... 0 1 Extras (byes 29, leg-byes 1) ..30 \ Total 311 ! Bowling: M. O. Sinclair, 8 overs, 1 maid- ' en, 30 runs, 1 wicket; C. E. Evans, 9,0,50,2; i D. C. Nixon, 12,2,51,4; li. Luttrell, 11,0,70,2; 1 F. W. Gurnscy, 3,0,14,0; R. Powell, 3,0,8,0; C. Guiney, 2,0,20,1; E. R. Caygill, 2,0,20,0. SYDENHAM v. ST. ALBANS. SYDENHAM. ] First innings 207 ! Second Innings. ' J. Young b Sandman 42 ! I. Allardyce b Reese 21 C. Bellamy c Crawford b Sandman 7 W. Skclton c Stringer b Reese .. 7 J. 11. Bennett c and b Stringer .. .. 30 H. Watson lbw b Sandman .... 1 M. O'Malley cS. Watson b Gordon.. 27 1 ,1. MeEwin not out 1 W. B. Patrick c S. Watson b Gordon 8 Extras (byes 12, leg-byes 2) ..II ' Total for eight wickets ..158 1 Bowling: D. McK. Sandman, 13 overs, 0 ; maidens, 01 runs, 3 wickets; ,1. Tikao, . 4,3,9,0; C. Allard, 3,0.8,0; D. Reese, 0,1,22,2; H. T. Stringer, 5,0,19,1; L. A. Gordon, 4.2,0,22,2. ST. ALBANS. ] First Innings. ! D. W. Reese b Gray i \ C. Allard st Bellamy b MeEwin ..1 L. A. Gordon c Patrick b MeEwin .. 3 C. G. Crawford c and b Bennett .. 05 S. Watson hit wicket b MeEwin .. 0 E. T. Taylor b MeEwin 0 L. R. Brunton b MeEwin 11 J. Tikao c Gray b MeEwin .... 8 11. T. Stringer c Young b MeEwin .. 10 D. McK. Sandman st Bellamy b MeEwin 104 S. W. Hickmott not out 3 Extras (byes 13, leg-byes 2) .. 15 Total 221 Bowling: J. Gray, 17 overs, 4 maidens, 47 runs, 1 wicket; .1. MeEwin, 7.3,3,90 8; 11. Watson, 3,0,20,0; W. H. Patrick, 3,0,20,0; .1. H. Bennett, 5,0,17,1. SECOND GRADE. West Christchurch 2:17 and 82 beat Linwood A :>I)S and 98 by 13 runs. St. Albans 03 end 233 beat East Christchurch I! 70 and 111 by 44 runs. E'ist Cliristcliurch A 218 and 00 for no wickets beat Riccarton 188 and 119 by 00 runs on the first innings. Sydenham B 231 beat Riccarton I! 131 and 2:io by 1110 runs. 011 the first innings. THIRD GRADE. East Christchurch Ii 101 and 111 for two wickets beat Boys' High School 118 and 190 by 13 runs on the first innings. FOURTH GRADE. Christ's Ccllcge beat Sydenham by default BOYS' LEACUE. MUST GRADE. Roys' Gordon Hall beat Marists' by default A Section. Roys' High School A 85 and 00 beat Boys' High School Ii I.") ni.cl 21 by 70 runs. West Chrislchuich 111 beat Technical College 82 by 29 runs. SI. Andic-.v's 31 and 100 beat Normal 81 and 19 by four runs. Christ's College 81 and 28 for five wickets I cit Boys' G< rd.in I bill 33 and 89 by 48 runs 011 the first innings. 11 Section. Technical College B 1211 for four wickets beat Roys' High School Ii 48 and 19 by un innings and six wickets. Technical College A 85 beat Roys' High I School It :!7 and :!1 by an innings and 17 runs. CITY AND SUBURBAN. FIRST GRADE. Greens 108 and 03 for one wicket hi ill Crow nail 08 and 95 by nine wickets. SECOND GRADE. St. John's beat New Brighton by default. Tt-mpletoii 7li and 130 beat St. Albans 92 and 37 by 74 runs. Woolston beat Green's by default. THIRD GRADE. Roys* Gordon Hall 87 beat D.I.C. 55 by 32 runs. COMPETITION RESULTS. POSITION OF OTHER GRADES. Tho following are the results in competitions other than in the first grade: Second Grade—Sydenham ii 22, East ' Chrislchuicb it 10, St. Albans A 11, Linwood A 14, St. Albans II 12, Riccarton R 11, Boys' High School 11, Technical College 11, West ("hrislcliiirch 1) 10, East Christchurch A 10, Christ's College 0, West Cliristcliurch A 0, Riccarton A 0, Sydenham A 3, Linwood B (minus one) Third Grade -Kaiapol 22, Riccarton 18, East Christchurch B 18, East Christchurch A 15, Technical College 15. Roys' High School " 12, SI. Albans 11. Christ's College A 9, Sydenham 0, Linwood A 0, Christ's College B 5, Linwood II 0. Fourth Grade—Boys' High School A 20 (two lo plav, one match unreported), Sydenham 20 (two to plav, two matches unreported). Technical College 19 (two results unreported, one to play), Christ's College 19 * (one to plav), Riccarton 15 (two to play), Boys' High School B 7. Petersen Shield- -Riccarton 102} (with two fourth grade matches to play). East Christchurch 101, Sydenham 149, St. Albans 132, Linwood 83, West Christchurch 80.