CRICKET

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1926, Page 4

CRICKET

PLAY IN NORTH TARANAKI LAST SATURDAY'S MATCHES. (Ry “The New Man on the Terrace.”) FIXTURES AHEAD. ■Next Saturday.—North Taranaki juniors v. South Taranaki juniors. To-morrow; Saturday and Monday,— Town v. Country, at Wellington. December 21 and 22.—Minor Associations v. Wellington, at Wellington. Saturday and Monday.—New Plymouth ■ Boys’ High Sch • 1 v. Nelson college, at New Plymouth. First week in January.—Nomads v. South Taranaki, at Hawera; Nomads v. North Taranaki, at New Plymouth. North Taranaki cricketers were favoured with the best of conditions for their matches last Saturday, and for the first time this season really fast wickets were available. Despite this, however, the Old Boys A versus Urenui match on the Recreation Ground produced exceptionally low scoring, and three innings were completed in the one afternoon, country players found the fast bowling of Eggleton very formidable, and he was ably backed up by Kerr, Earl and Papps and vastly improved fielding. With the exception of Brown, Eggleton. Saxton and Wynyard the batting of Old Boys was weak, too many sacrificing their wickets in the endeavour to force the pace against the judiciously varied bowling of Easton, who should have commanded more respect. Everyone was pleased to see Handley Brown going so well, for there is no doubt about the quality of hie batting. Possessed of a splendid eye and broad shoulders he dealt severely with anything pitched on the on-side. Were he to develop his off strokes there would be a few better batsmen in the province. Saxton gave his best batting display of this season, while Wynyard, emerging from a retirement of some eight years opened his shoulders in bold style. His keeness in the field was also refreshing and he will prove a decided acquisition to the team. Of the Urenui batsmen W. Fuller and C. Wilson proved as etubbtn as ever, and W. Wilson executed some clever leg shots. Skelton and P. Fuller shaped best of the remainder. What splendid sports are the members of this team! When they learn that Old Boys wished to finish the game so as to be able to witness the inter-college match next Saturday, they offered to go on after 6.30 p.m., even though the light was bad. Ae it happened the last wieket fell right on 6.30, but their action was none the less appreciated by their opponents. MATCH AT HIGH SCHOOL. Tl>e wicket and outfield at the High School were very fast, and so the boys did fairly well to get their strong opponents out for 235. No lees than seven New Plymouth batsmen reached double figures, pride of place going to Kingston whose 65 were gained by sweet shots all round the wieket. Nasmith was going well when he was run out, but the most pleasing effort of the side was the 38 obtained by the “colt” of the team, Allen. School tried six bowlers, with honours fairly even. Petty, who bowled so well in the Hawke Cup match, was very disappointing, his one wicket costing 67 runs. It was a pity that instead of bowling his usual fast pace he tried medium to slow, and too many were pitched on the leg side. He Jias a splendid future as a fast bowler, and should concentrate on maintaining a good length with his fast ball on the off stump. He has the physiqiie and determination necessary to succeed. The School fielding, though fairly safe and neat, lacks the snap it had in the days of Lash, and Palmers and Brown. At the close of play School had 63 on the sheet for 2 wickets, but they have the hardest part to do to get the rune. Beck, J. Ewart, and K. Eookes alt batted carefully, but with a little more enterprise in their batting the boys would do better still. Western Park again showed what a much improved side they are by gaining a useful lead over Old Boys B at Western Park. Batting first Old Boys compiled a useful 1&7, but as C. Lash made 74 of this number the batting of the rest needs little comment. Lash played hie usual solid game and there is no doubt he is right back to his best form. A place must be found for him in the next Hawke Cnp matc-h. Of the Western Park trundlers Quiekfall and Edie proved the most troublesome, the latter’s ball which elean bowled Eash being one “out of the box.” With the bat Western Park again, gave a pleasing display, no less than eight men scoring double figures. Dykes and Haughton, shaped best, the former indulging In some spectacular hitting. Jones quickly hit. up 27 in his usual dashing style. Fowler with five wickets for 58 was the only bowler to trouble the batsmen, all the others lacking sting. This pitch, which will be the only senior gsime in New Plymouth next Saturday, should again provide good cricket and an interesting finish. TOWN COUNTRY MATCH. W. Nicoll is to be commended for his timely letter to the Association drawing attention to the lamentable lack of organisation in connection with the recent .own and Country match. It makes sorry reading, when one thinks of the lavish hospitality that has always been accorded town teams visiting the country. Let us hope that in the future more eare will be exercised over these matters. Old Boys A are losing the services of J. Earl this week, as this player Jias accepted a position on the teaching staff of Christ's College. He has been a very useful man in his team, having performed creditably with both hat and ball, and has represented North Taranaki. This season he has been on the Executive of the Northern Association He carries away with him the best wishes of the cricketers of the district, with whom he has kept constantly in toneh throughout the season until last Thursday ‘trough the medium of his contributions to the columns of the Ikiilv News under the nom-de-plinue of the Man on the Terrace. • Next Saturday and Monday New Piv-

mouth High School meet Nelson College at New Plymouth, and though there will not be the crowd nor the pent-up excitement as on the occasion of big inter-college football matches, yet the game will be followed with great interest by a very large section of the sporting community of Taranaki. So far the Schools have met twice, each gaining a victory. Little is known about the strength of the visitors except that they have six of their last year's eleven, while School have the same number. The strength of the local boys is in their bowling. In Petty, fast, and H. Fookes left hand medium, they possess two first-class school bowlers. If the former will send them down at his fastest, and the latter concentrates on a good length, their natural quickness off the pitch will gain them wickets. Much depends upon these two and the alacrity and sureness displayed in the field. The batting is fairly solid,, and taken ail-round the eleven can be relied upon to put up a great fight. Let us hope for a good game aud may the better team win. The action of the Sportsground committee in top-dressing the Recreation Ground with sand is already bearing fruit. The ground is now in magnificent order, and cricketers who use the ground are grateful for the manner in which their interests are being considered. To Messrs. A. Humphries, J. McLeod, Johnson, and Horton especially is credit due for their fine work. It is said too that the chairman of the Rugby Union worked himself up into a fine frenzy over the result of the Hawke Cup match—and it is good to know.

Following is the position of the teams in the North Taranaki competitions to date:— SENIOR GRADE M.P. 3-pt 2-pt T 1 Wins. “Wins. Dn L’t Pt.

ATTACK ON THE M.C.C. CAPTAIN IN INDIA. (From Our Own Correspondent.) London, Nov. 4. A vitriolic attack has been made on A. E. R. Gilligan, the captain of the M.C.C. team at present playing in India. He has been accused in bitter language of playing for safety and introducing what are pleased to be described as Australian methods. Twice in the three matches at Karachi it seemed to people here at home as if Gilligan were in a strong enough position to enforce the follow on, whereas on each occasion he elected to send ■ his own side in again. We in England are scarcely able to judge the action of the English captain, but he is such a thorough sportsman that if he thought there was a chance of win he would take it. In these circumstances suspicions have been aroused. Who was the author of the attack? Possibly too there was some good reason for Gilligan’s decisions. We know that the weather was terrifically hot, and it is quite likely that the M.C.C. captain judged, rightly or wrongly, that his bowlers under the conditions had no chance of getting the opposition out a second time and so winning. Colour is lent to this suggestion by the cable which has been received by the authorities at Lords making an urgent request for another bowler to be sent out to joint the team. As a matter of fact Mercer, the Glamorgan player, is already on his way, and it is expected that he will arrive in time for the more important games of the tour.

High School ,. 3 1 2 7 New Plymouth 3 1 1 1 5 Old boys A 4 1 1 2 5 Western Park 8 — 2 1 4 Old Boys B .. 3 — 1 2 2 Urcnui ...... 4 -< —. 4 —— JUNIOR GRADE NORTHERN DIVISION. M.P. 3-pt 2-pt T’l Wins. Wins. Dn L’t Pt. Waitara 9 5 3 — 1 21 Technical School 8 <3 1 — 1 20 Old Bovt> .... 9 1 3 1 4 10 Council B 8 2 1 1 4 9 High School B 8 1 1 — 8 5 Band 8 8 . First round matches still to be played: Technical School V. Band; School I v. Council B. WESTERN DIVISION. Matches 3-pt 2-pt tt Prd.Win8.WinfiLoss.Pt. Council A .... 9 4 3 2 is Okato 9 4 2 3 16 High School A 8 2 4 14 Western Park 8 2 2 4 10 Avenue Road 9 2 — 7 6 New Plymouth 9 — 1 8 2 First round match still to be played: High School A v Western Park. COUNTRY ASSOCIATION. Matches T’l Played. Won. Dn L. Pt. Tikorangi .... 6 6 - — 12 Tarurutangi .. 5 3 — 2 '6 Brixton .... 9 3 - 3 6 Egmont Village 5 1 — 4 2 Bell Block 0 1 — 5 2