CRICKET MATCH DRAWN

Taranaki Daily News, 28 December 1929, Page 5

CRICKET MATCH DRAWN

TARANAKI V. VICTORIA COLLEGE

CLOSE FINISH SPOILT BY RAIN

SPLENDID INNINGS BY BARKER

Taranaki and Victoria University College concluded a drawn, game at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, yesterday. Taranaki made 151 and 144, to which the visitors replied with 155 and 74 for three wickets. Play was abandoned bn account of drizzling rain, ; which fell the whole day with heavier showers at intervals, making conditions extremely unpleasant for. players and spectators alike. The outfield was very slow and the wicket soft, and inclined to play low. , , ... A feature of the play was the exceptionally .fine innings of Barker for 77. Going in when Taranaki had lost four wickets, for. three runs, he was largely, responsible for carrying, the score to 125. His innings, though by no means chanceless, was forceful and sound. He showed a partiality for off driving and, square-cutting, both of which strokes were executed with vigour , and. precision.

LITTLE BETWEEN THE TEAMS ■ POSSIBILITY OF CLOSE; FINISH.. MATCH MARRED BY WEATHER. . It. was a ..great pity 'that 2 rain fell, causing the abandonment of the match, for the two teams were very even, on the scoring, and with a fine afternoon it would have been anybody’s’ game right up to the time for drawing stumps. The rain adjournment during the afternoon caused a delay in the conclusion of Taranaki’s second innings, but even as it was, had rain not set in again there was quite a chance that Victoria College could have won the match, as 140 runs in an hour and a half against a wet ball was not out of the question. On the other hand it was quite possible that if the Taranaki bowling had been attacked all the wickets might . have fallen for less than 140. Such is the glorious uncertainty of cricket that is one of its chief charms. - " ,

Apart from Barker’s fine display at a critical period," the feature of Taranaki’s second innings was the success of Ewart. Not -only did he play a sound innings, but h® also bowled really well. His 27 overs produced only 49 runs, a very creditable performance for a slow bowler.

For the visitors Leys, of AH Black fame, and K. Kirkcaldie, bore the brunt of the attack. Leys in particular kept a fine length and took full advantage of his reach. Bailey, the Caldwells, Robinson and H. Osborn all produced some pretty strokes, but none of them got really going except Bailey. The fielding on both sides was good, the home team in particular showing up well. Barker and P. Caldwell, the covers, were outstanding, and G. Caldwell’s two extras in Taranaki’s second strike deserves mention because of their fewness. The state of the ground was against quick returns and accuracy, but all the catches dropped were difficult ones. Kirkcaldie’s dismissal of Barker and Barker’s of Caldwell were fine efforts. THE PLAY DESCRIBED. On resuming play yesterday morning Bailey (39) and G. Caldwell (7) faced Petty, who sent down a maiden from the north-end. Ewart took up the attack at the other end, and also sent down a maiden. Bailey opened with a glide to leg off the fast bowler, three coming off the over. The batsmen were very quiet, Ewart sending down three overs for one run. After three overs Petty was replaced by Sturrock, and Caldwell brought 120 up with a brace past point. Bailey ran a good single to cover, and Ewart’s next ball .he put through slips for a couple. Excellent fielding by Barker stopped a good cover shot from Bailey, and Petty stopped a hot shot at point. At 120 Crawford relieved Sturrock, Caldwell placing his first ball to finp leg. The fifth ball, however, Bailey snicked into slips, where Petty took a spectacular catch, after bouncing the ball twice. Bailey’s 47 had been a splendid effort, characterised by very sound shots all round the wicket, and invaluable to his side. He occupied the crease for three hours. 128 —8 —47.

Kirkcaldie opened prettily. Ewart continued to have the batsmen in trouble, sending down three successive maiden overs. Crawford then bowled Caldwell with a trimmer, bail high. 129—9—13.

Carey was last man and played out the over from Crawford. Each batsman notched a single off Ewart. At 132 Sturrock replaced Ewart and sent down a maiden to Carey. The latter evoked applause by putting Crawford for a brace and running a good single. A good x couple through slips was spoiled by°a short run.- Barker replaced Sturrock and proved expensive, eight coming off the over, all to Kirkcaldie’s credit. Excitement rose and every run was applauded. At 150 Ewart took the ball, and amidst great cheering the visitors passed Taranaki’s score with a pull to the leg boundary. A single to Carey, and the innings closed when Kirkcaldie. lifted Ewart to the on, where Sturrock .took a good catch. This gave Victoria a leacf of three runs on the first innings. Victoria had'occupied the crease for five hours and 40 minutes. TARANAKI’S DISASTROUS START.? Taranaki opened their, second innings with St. Giddy and Sarten. Leya opened from the north end and the third ball was disastrous, Giddy, being bowled by a trimmer. 0 —1 —Q. Kirkcaldie took the ball and Sarten spooned the first delivery up for P. Caldwell to take an easy catch at point. 0 —2 —0. Barker was the newcomer, and put Kirkcaldie up dangerously near point. He then opened Taranaki’s account with a single, and ran a good single to short leg. Petty snicked Kirkcaldie to slips, where R. Osborn took a pretty catch low down at third man. 3 —3—2. N. Gibson opened with a lucky escape from being stumped, and carefully played the next ball to Leys at second slip. 3 —4 —0. Sturrock followed, and showed some promise. He opened with a single to fine leg. Barker opened out and drove Kirkcaldie for two, the bowler just failing to hold a hard chance. Sturrock gained applause by clouting Kirkcaldie°past cover, bringing 10 up. Good fielding by P. Caldwell stopped some

nice cover shots, and then hit to fine'leg. Another hit to leg off Leys saw Sturrock run out in attempting a second run. 19 —s—lo.5 —10. * > Saxton started with a single to'third man, and overthrows gave him another; brace. At 23 Osborn replaced- Kirkcaldie, whose three wickets Fad cost 14’ runs, and off his second ball Barker was missed at point. He promptly celebrated his let-off by a beautiful cover drive to the fence. After one over Kirkcaldie came back to the crease, Barker bringing' up the 30 in half an hour, Barker°had another . escape when he jumped out and missed Kirkcaldie, but the next ball went past point for a brace. Saxton exploited his stroke to third man with success, but was nearly caught off H. Osborn, who had replaced Leys at the north end. Barker was very good in running between the wickets, losing no chances at all of running short singles. Luncheon was taken with both men batting steadily, Barker being 23 and Saxton 9, the unfinished partnership having added 26. FATAL LUNCHEON INTERVAL. After luncheon Saxton ran into double figures with a shot past point. Barker straight drove Osborn beautifully for four. Leys took the crease at the other end and sent down a maiden to Saxton. In Osborn’s next over Saxton was clean bowled. 51—6—10. The partnership had added an invaluable 32 at a critical stage. Ewart was next. He opened with two twos off Leys. Barker continued attractively, putting Osborn to leg for two and one, the over yielding five. Barker then cut the fast bowler to the fence past point. Ewart hoisted the 70 in an hour and Barker pasted Osborn to the off boundary. At 79 Kirkcaldie took the ball. Ewart scored with a nice on drive and Barker cut the next for a single past point. Barker again made a pretty square cut /to the fence off Leys’ first ball, bringing the total to 89. Barker made a hard, straight drive for two, bringing up his own halfcentury in 80 minutes. A perfect cut to the fence and a single to leg brought the century within view. At 99. Caldwell took the ball from Leys, the 100 coming up in as many minutes. Barker immediately was almost run out, and missed, behind the stumps off successive balls. Undismay? ed, however, he continued confidently, driving and cutting strongly. _ Ewart was much more restrained, being content to leave the scoring to his partner and notching an occasional single. At 66 Barker cocked one up to Caldwell, the bowler just failing to reach the ball. Ewart reached 20 by driving Kirkcaldie to the pickets, and Barker 70 by clouting a six to the leg off Caldwell. At 122 Leys returned to the crease, Barker cutting the last ball for a brace. In attempting to drive Caldwell Barker put the ball up to point, where Kirkcaldie took a brilliant catch low down on the wrong side. 125 —7—77.. Barker had played a splendid uphill innings, seeintr the score rise from 3 to 125 for the loss of two wickets. He occupied the crease for a shade under two hours and his partnership with Ewart realised 74 in 70 minutes. S. Betts came in and opened with a single to cover. At 3.20 p.m. heavy rain came on and play was adjourned with the score at 129 for seven wickets. Ewart and Betts went out to the crease again at 4 p.m. with instructions to hit, as it was the Taranaki skipper’s intention to declare the. inings closed at 4.15 and give the visitors a chance. Leys bowled from the southern end. Ewart at once hit out, getting four off the first over. Kirkcaldie went on at the north end, Betts running a single to cover. Ewart drove the bowler past mid-off. In trying to force the pace Betts had his off'stump knocked out. 13.6 —B—3.8 —3. Maloney came next and played out a maiden from Leys. Ewart opened out and attempted to hit Kirkcaldie, but was caught by the bowler. 136 —9 —31. He had played a splendid second fiddle to Barker, and his dismissal was clearly the outcome of trying to force the P Crawford was last and opened with a lucky single through slips. In Kirkcaldie’s next over he put another over slips to the ropes. Maloney square cut a short- ball from Leys, but the next clean bowled him, bringing the innings to a close for 144. This left Victoria 141 to get to win in an hour and a half. \ FIGHT AGAINST TIME. The tourists went to the wickets to open their second venture at 4.35 p.m., Robinson facing Petty. Ewart took the ball, Osborn driving him to cover for a single. Both batsmen were very cautious, refusing to run for good cover shots. The wet ground made good fielding very difficult. Drizzling rain again came on and scoring was confined to singles, 10 appearing in 15 minutes. Betts did some good fielding at third man, saving the four. Robinson opened out, scored a four and a two, and was then clean bowled by Ewart. 22—1—13. Caldwell was next and saw Osborn put 25 up with two leg shots. A couple of singles and a brace to Osborn brought up 30 in half an hour. Caldwell opened out and scored five off the slow trundler. Sarten took the ball from Petty 1 and Caldwell drove him for a run four. Osborn ran Into the twenties with a square cut to the ropes, 50 coming up in 40 minutes. At 53 Gibson took the ball from Ewart and started '•with a couple

of full' tosseSj but off the fifth- ball Barker held a very pretty catch-lou down at cover. 55 —2—28. Leys■ came in. and opened with brace, bringing 60 up in 45. minutes; ■ Leys swung ;Gibson twice to the leg boundary, bringing up 70, and then repeated the stroke, the over producing 13. The rain , was getting worse and worse and both bowlers and fieldsmen slipped-