REPRESENTATIVE CRICKET

Taranaki Daily News, 20 February 1933, Page 15

REPRESENTATIVE CRICKET

SOUTH TARANAKI TOO GOOD RANGITIKEI BEATEN BY 125 RUNS. VISITORS LACK BOWLING POWER. Lack of bowling strength proved the downfall of the Rangitikei eleven which visited Hawera on Saturday to play the representatives of South Taranaki cricket. They tried six changes without success Snd the only time the attack looked dangerous was when Duncan clean bowled W. Barker with a perfect length ball which swung across and came up fast to send the bails flying. South Taranaki declared at four wickets for 279 and Rangitikei made 154. Admittedly the wicket was discouraging; rough to begin with it soon cut up badly, which probably handicapped the visitors more than the home team. The outfield was dead early in the day but improved later. Pla> began at 11 o’clock. With W. Barker at the other end S. Betts took the first ball from Duncan, a medium-paced right-hander. The last ball of the over was pitched short and was pulled round by Barker for three. Walden bowled from the northern end, and before settling down put one short on the leg side which Barker pulled for three, and Betts did the same for a four which might easily have been six, and the ball was lost for some minutes. Runs came freely for a while with singles to Barker till with . 20 on the board Betts late-cut Walden for four. Duncan was swinging the ball across at a good pace but an occasional loose one was severely punished. A lucky snick through the slips gave Betts another four, and shortly he hit one to the boundary behind square leg. With 41 on the board after half an hour’s play Walden was replaced at the northern end by Sladden whose first two balls were pulled by Betts for four apiece.

BETTS’ RECORD OF FOURS.

A lucky snick came off the fourth ball of the over, giving Betts his ninth successive four. Up to this stage he had scored nothing else. Four byes off the last ball brought a total of 16 from the over. Barker was. driving crisply and 60 was soon called. Betts here spoiled his remarkable series of boundaries with a hard drive to cover which was well fielded and yielded one only. He scored two more before returning a low catch to Sladden, who took it easily low down left-handed. Reg. Eden filled the gap and the board read one for 67. At the northern end Gee replaced Sladden who went to the other end. Eden settled down quickly and runs came steadily, the century being reached after an hour and a quarter’s batting.

A perfect ball from Duncan, who had come on again the over before, clean bowled Barker when he had made 35. Eden was now batting aggressively and twice in succession pulled Duncan from the off on to the leg-side boundary. Walden went on at the south end and Eden lifted his first ball Into the bottom of the pavilion for six. At the luncheon adjournment the score was 143 for two wickets.

On resumption of play Eden and Dormer continued confidently and the bowling appeared to hold no terrors for either; they took the score to 180 before Dormer gave Duncan a well-taken chance in the slips. H. Barker, the incoming batsman, scored two quiet singles before opening out and from then on it was a race between the batsmen to score the runs Low bowled a consistent length and at the other end various changes were made but it was not until the partnership had yielded 73 that Barker skied one to Gee at midoff. Walker joined Eden and scored six before the latter completed his century with a four and a big six. INNINGS CLOSED FOR 4 WICKETS. The innings was then declared closed with four wickets down for 279. Eden batted brightly and ran energetically for his century, which was compiled in two and a half hours and included seventeen tours and two sixes. Duncan took the brunt of the bowling but could claim only one wicket for 71 runs after 22 overs. Sladden was most successful with two for 21 after 10 overs. Rangitikei went to the crease at 3.30 p.m. and when the tea adjournment was taken at 4 o’clock had lost their opening batsmen for 25 runs. I. H. Marshall was unlucky in being run out after a smart return by Thrush from cover. His brother, A. B. Marshall, attempted an awkward stroke off a rising ball and was caught by Wilson at cover point Gee and Hawwood soon became associated in a hard-hitting partnership which kept the field moving. Wilson’s slow right-hand leg breaks were treated with respect but both batsmen drove forcibly up the pitch. Haywood had a close call when he stepped but to one and W. Barker whipped off the bails just too late. Gee pulled a short one from Dormer for four. The batsmen were finding gaps In the field, running quick singles and twos. Haywood opened out to H. R. Penny and was well caught by Thrush on the boundary. Cameron was next but Walker hqld a low catch immediately to dismiss Gee. Walden joined Cameron and survived but a short time till he skied one from Dormer to Jones at mid-on. About two overs later D. A. Cameron, who had looked as though he might make runs, touched one which W. Barker held behind the stumps. Penny now had taken three wickets for 15 runs. PLAY FAST AND FURIOUS. H. Lambert went in and, unperturbed by the fate of his predecessors, made a good attempt to hit’ a six first ball; it fell just short. Two balls later he made certain of it and hit Penny for the best six of the day over the leg boundary. Penny nearly had his revenge next over when Lambert was almost stumped. Dormer took up the bowling from the north end but was hit twice for two by Lambert, who again opened out to Penny next over and was dropped by Thrush on the boundary. His companion’s example fired Sladden to hit, which he did —a magnificent six landed in the corner among the spectators and set the babies crying. H. Barker took Penny’s place at the pavilion end and Lambert poked his first short ball into Jones’ hands at point. He was popular with the crowd and was given a rousing reception on coming in. H. Low pulled Barker twice for four to leg, but then settled down to a steadier pace and play, which had been fast and furious for ten minutes, again resumed its habitual tranquility. Sladden drove sweetly past mid-off and then was clean bowled by a yorker from H. Barker, the first ball of an over. He had played a good solid innings for 18. THE END IN SIGHT. S. Powell joined Low and placed one between cover and mid-off for two. Wilson was bowling curly slows which puzzled Powell and he was lucky to get back in time after jumping out and missing one. Low pulled a short pitched ball from Barker for four and drove past midoff for another. Both batsmen scored off Barker with balls that were not on the wicket. Low lifted him powerfully down the pitch for four. Powell was mildly surprised when he stepped in front to one of Wilson’s slow

deliveries which came close round his legs to take the leg stump. The last man, A. Duncan, was smartly stumped by W. Barker off the first ball, leaving Low undefeated after an enterprising 28. With eight extras the side had made a total of 154. Details are:— SOUTH TARANAKI. S. Betts, c and b Sladden ............ 39 W. Barker, b Duncan 35 R, Eden, not out 109 W. Dormer, c Duncan, b Sladden ... 24 H. Barker, c Cameron, b Gee 39 J. Walker, not out 7 Extras: Byes 19, leg byes 6, no balls ! 26

RANGITIKEI. J. H. Marshall, rim out 2 A. B. Marshall, c Wilson, b H. Barker 8 E. C. Gee', c Walker, b Penny 33 W. Haywobd, c Thrush, b Penny ... 25 D. A. Cameron, c Barker, b Penny ... 6 W. Walden, c Jones, b Dormer 2 D. Sladden, b H. Barker 18 H. Lambert, c Jones, b H. Barker ... 19 H. Low, not out 28 S. Powell, b Wilson 5 A. Duncan, st. W. Barker, b Wilson 0 Extras: Byes 7, leg byes 1 8

Total (for four wickets declared) 279 Bowling. 0. M. W. R. 22 4 1 71 Walden . 18 3 0 79 Sladden . 10 1 2 42 12 2 1 36 8 3 20 Cameron . 1 — 6

Bowling. O. M. w. R. S Betts ... 4 3 2 H. Barker . 13 2 3 53 Wilson .... 10 — 2 31 11 1 1 29 7 — 3 31