AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS

Taranaki Daily News, 21 February 1928, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS

DEFEAT OF WELLINGTON! MARGIN GF ONLY FOUR WICKETS. VISITORS LOSE SIX FOR FIFTY. By Telegraph.—Frees Assoclatioa Wellington, Last Night. With six wickets down for 92 runs, James (6) and McLeod (0) resumed Wellington's second innings against the Australians this morning in fine 'but hot Weather. Blackie and Grimmett 'bowled. James nearly put Blackie’s second ball into the hands of Kippax at fine leg. In Blackie’s second over McLeod knocked one softly up to Oldfield behind the sticks. 97—7—1. McGirr joined James, and in Blackie’s following over skied one high to Alexander, who let the ball slip through his hands after running for the catch. The batsmen ran two for the stroke and got an extra for an overthrow. This brought the hundred up for 89 minutes’ play. Blackie was employing the leg theory with only two men on the off, at slip and mid-off. Blackie was troubling McGirr, but they went along picking up an occasional single. At 126 McGirr left his wicket open while attempting to place Grimmett to leg. The ball whipped back sharply and shattered the stumps. 126—8 —26. Brice, who had failed to score in the first innings, came next, but went first ball, being eaught by Blackie in the slips off Grimmett. 126—9—0. Massey, the last man, joined James. With 43 Tims still required to save the innings defeat, ’both played with the greatest confidence and made a last wicket stand which produced 104 runs, the innings closing at 230 runs, when Massey was caught by Oldfield. Massey was given a chance. He hit one from Grimmett hard to Richardson close in at mid-on. The ball struck the Australian captain on the chest, ’but the chance was too hot to hold. Massey was then 35. Massey found the boundary on six occasions, ail of them ’being good strokes. James was- left not out with 48. The ease and confidence with which James and Massey played the 'bowling made one wonder why Foley, Lowry, Badcoek, Lamason, McLeod and Brice had been able to total only two runs among them. .The Australian fielding was first-class. The men 'backed each other up splendidly, there usually being a third man on hand in case the ’ball got through.

AUSTRALIA'S SECOND STRIKE. Requiring 62 runs to win, Oldfield and Grimmett started Australia’s second innings at 3.28 to the bowling of McGirr and Badeock. Lowry missed a chance of catching Grimmett at silly mid-on off Badeock’s second ball. Badeock was bowling the leg theory and had such a strong cordon clustered round the ’batsman’s legs that Umpire Bobcroft had to cross over to point in order to get a view of the crease. With the total at 13 Badcoek clean bowled Oldfield. 13—1—5. Alexander, the youthful South Australian left-hander, came next, and arrived to see Brice, who had taken the ball from McGirr, skittle Grimmett with an off break. 13—2—8. Oxenham, the Queenslander, came next. Bad-cock had five men clustered round the 'batsmen’s legs. One from Brice went so close to Alexander’s wicket that James let it go, three byes resulting. The last ball of Badoock’s sixth over was fatal to Alexander, who lashed out and snicked the leather to Foley, who took a smart catch at first slip. 27 —3—7. Kippax came next and opened by late cutting Brice for three, but Wellington were fighting hard, and a great shout went up when Oxenham went in identically the same way in which Alexander had fallen, Foley making another brilliant catch in the slips off Badcoek, who had now captured three wickets for 13 rune. 32—4—6.

Schneider lasted only two -balls, popping Badcoek into Dempster’s hands at silly-mid-on. 32 —s—o.5 —0. Badcoek had now taken four for 13 off seven overs. Woodfull arrived to see Kippax cut Brice for four and slam the Wellington captain to the pickets at long-off. Badcoek and Brice sent down good maidens in succession. Kippax got two for a snick through the slips off Badeock, and Woodfull placed Brice down the gully for three. Dempster then dropped Kippax at short fine leg after juggling with the ball. It did not matter greatly, however, as the New South Wales crack batsman fell l.’b.w. to the next ball. 50—6—15. Richardson, the Australian captain, followed, and )/. and Woodfull got the necessary runs between them, Australia thus winning by four ■wickets. The scores are:— WELLINGTON. First innings , 200 Second Innings.

Fall of wickets: One for 20, three for 21, four for 27, five for 71, six for 92, seven or 97, eight for 126, nine for 126, ten for 230. Bowling analysis.—Morton took three wickets for 24 runs; Blackie, three for 69; Oxenham, none lor 29; Grimmett, four for 94; Schneider, none for 8.

Total, for six wickets . ® 3 Bowling analysis. —McGirr took no wickets for 8 runs; Badeock four for 23; Brice, two for 41. PRESENTATION TO GRIMMETT. Wellington, Last Night. Wellington admirers of Grimmett, after to-day, presented 'him wi't'h a xrold wr<MJet walAb.

[COUNTRY V. THURSDAY FLAYERS. THURSDAY TEAM CHOSEN. The selectors have -chosen the following team to represent the Thursday competition players against the Country Association at Inglewood next Thursday, commencing at 1 p.m.: Mcßae, Easton, Garside (Waitara), Courts, Devereux, D. Allen, L. Sutherland, Powell, Parfitt (Inglewood). Michel, Kerr (Eltham). Mr. R. Coles, secretary of the Inglewood club, has been appointed manager of the Thursday team, and players selected are asked to notify him immediately as to whether they are available for tJie mat-ch or not, so that arrangements can be made to fill the positions of those not available. THIRD GRADE MATCH. METHODISTS BEAT OLD BOYS. Methodists defeated Old Boys by an innings and 21 runs. In their first Innings Old Boys were all out for 31 (Gayton 15, Thomas 11). Macdonald and Stephens shared the wickets evenly. Methodists made 120, the best scores being Boyle 47, Ramshaw 23, Valentine 17, Thomas, Smith and Gayton were the best of Old Boys’ bowlers. In their second strike Old Boys made 48 (Grace 13 not out, Smith 10). Macdonald took six wickets for 17 and Stephens four for 28.

C. S. Dempster, b Grimmett ..... 49 H. Foley, l.b.w, b Morton ........ 1 T. C. Lowry, b Morton 0 F. T. Badeock, b Blackie .......... 9 J R I jQ. mas on, b Blackie 0 II M. Lambert, st. Oldfield b Grim mett 35 K C. James, not out. 48 E. McLeod, c Oldfield b Blackie .... 1 H. M. McGirr, b Grimmett ....... 20 W Brice, c Blackie b Grimmett ... 0 H. B. Massey, c Oldfield b Morton 64 Extras * ........ 6 Total 230

AUSTRALIA. First innings 375 Second Innings. VV. A. Oldfield, b Badcock . D C. V. Grimmett, b Brice ......... n W. C. Alexander, c Foley b Badcock 4 R. K. Oxenham, e Foley b Badcock 8 A. F Kippax', l.b.w, b Brice 15 K. J. Schneider, c Dempster b Bad0 W. M. Woodfull, not out 12 V. V. Richardson, not out ..... — t) 3 —