CRICKET SEASON

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1934, Page 9

CRICKET SEASON

COUNTRY COMPETITION. TARURUTANGI STRIKE FORM. The Country cricket competition this season promises to again provide an interesting contest. The limiting of the division to four teams should make for more even play, while the younger players who last year formed the Tikorangi and Brixton B teams will also find themselves better catered . for in a junior competition, in which Mangorei and Tarurutangi have also entered. Tikorangi and Brixton clubs are to be complimented on their progressive move in entering two teams last season to give their younger players a chance, and those players have shown keenness and sportsmanship in meeting stronger teams each Saturday, even though they realised that -it meant defeat. The junior competition will be followed with interest.

Tarurutangi, as last year, started off well. Last year’s champions are fielding the same team with the exception of W. Sadler, who is now at New Plymouth. The Giddy quartette has struck form early and is going to be dangerous with both bat and ball. The Giddys dismissed Brixton for 68 runs. Norm. Giddy took six wickets for 7 runs and Eric threp for 30. Spence Giddy sent down 12 overs, eight being maidens. L. Bishop captured the other wicket. Last year in the opening match Norm Giddy captured five Urenui wickets for 7 runs. Brixton’s batsmen were very unenterprising, though it must be conceded that they could not take many liberties with the bowling. Norm Giddy, however, was erratic and should not have had such an average.

Spence and Stan Giddy between them passed Brixton’s score without ever looking like being out. Brixton tried nine bowlers, but lacked variety. J. Sampson recalled his two opening batsmen, Stan Giddy also being recalled unbeaten in the opening match last year. Norm Giddy was also recalled after he had notched 27 in order to give the rest of the team batting practice, Tarurutangi hitting up 119 in an hour and a-half. A. Giddy two for 24 bowled well, as did J. Sampson, who came on late and took two wickets for one run.

Urenui and Tikorangi Draw. R. Wilson’s splendid double of five wickets for 39 runs and 25 not out was largely responsible for Urenui being able to hold Tikorangi to a draw on Saturday. The young Urenui player last year opened with five wickets for 67 runs against a heavy scoring Tarurutanf team. This match was started late owing to rain, and as a consequence of the draw each team scores one point, so that Tarurutangi has secured an early championship lead, being the only team to notch two points. O. Foreman, Tikorangi’s opening batsman, the veteran P. G. Sarten, S. Cole, V. Foreman and J. Sarten all struck form with the bat. Apart from R. Wilson, fast bowler W. Sheard was the only other bowler to take wickets, he capturing two for 34. He has not yet struck top form. H. Morgan, who was going well when run out, and N. Mabey, who promises to be a useful bat, assisted R. Wilson to bring Urenui’s total to 88 for six wickets—still 53 runs behind Tikorangi’s tally of 141 for eight wickets declared. Tikorangi tried seven bowlers, E. Foreman and J. Sarten doing best. S. Cole, who performed consistently with the ball last season, failed to take a wicket.