WITH THE CANTERBURY CRICKET TEAM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6065, 31 December 1897, Page 1

WITH THE CANTERBURY CRICKET TEAM.

[COKRE JPOXDENT " CANTERBURY TIMES."] AUCKLAND, Dec. 27. So rarely does Canterbury put its full strength into the field, even when playing home matches, that many feared only a poor team would be got together to journey to the North Island. Fortunately such was not the case. It is true the team could have been strengthened, but still it is one that may well be expected to worthily uphold the honour of the province. The team had a fair passage to Wellington. The sea wag choppy in the straits and only a fewmembersappearedatthebreakfast table. Reese in particular was very ill, and it was decided to send him to Napier overland. Wilding and Wigley also preferred to adopt the same route. The team, while in J Wellington, was greatly indebted to Mr Luckie. Through his instrumentality the visitors wore made the guests of the Junior Club. They visited the House of Parliament and were shown over the building by Mr Meredith. On the Monday morning all went down and practised at the Easin Reserve, where wickets had been provided for that purpose. Then the men 'rushed back to the Flora to find that the steamer's departure had been; put off until late in the evening. After more delay the steamer left for Napier. •This time the weather was beautiful, but the men were hardly in the best condition to start playing Hawke's Bay immediately after their arrival. It was rather unfortunate that Clark lost the toss. The wicket was perfect, and faster than anything ever played on before by the visitors. The most provoking part about the ground, however, was its smallness. It is oval in shape, and an ordinary drive sent the ball right out of the ground. It was soon evident that slow bowlers were worse than useless on such a ground. The batsmen hit them over the rails, and gave the fieldsmen no possible chance of catching them. Lusk played a really fine innings for his side, making 119 out of a total of 239. He did not start very well, and made three very flukey strokes in Reese's second over, but the chances were all dropped. Afterwards he hit the slow bowlers over the fence time after time. Pearce was the only bowler who appeared -to trouble hinv and it was from him hef Veceivad his qiiietus. In addition to the chances already named, Lusk gave two catcheS s v.behind the wicket. His batting wa3 free and vigorous, and he was in only two hours for his runs. Perhaps he adapted his play to the size of the ground, but many of his drives, fell just over the boundary, and would, in a reason-ably-sized ground have been caught. He made many neat glides to leg, a stroke which, on the fast ground, paid well. Marshall's innings, though not to long, was a better display of cricket than Lusk's. His cutting was remarkably clean and sweet, the ball travelling like a shot to the boundary. Lewis played a useful innings. He was streaky at first, and never gave one the impression that he was thoroughly at home to the bowling. Nelson was never easy when facing Pearce, but he hit Wilding about in rare style and quickly rattled up his runs. Large as the total of Hawke's Bay. was, their batting was not up to Interprovincial standard. It .was no easy matter for a team just off the boat to get rid of- their opponents for a small score. Pearce bowled in his very best form, his -pace and_ length nonplussing the opposing batsmen. But for him Canterbury wcmld have fared badly. The Canterbury men felt confident of passing their opponents' score, and great was their disappointment the next morning to find rain threatening. An early start was made, but after ninety minutes' play rain fell and play was stopped for the day. During that time they had put up 61 for Wigley's wicket. Reading the match after it is over, there is little doubt that Cobcroft a.nd Wigley should have forced the play while the wicket was good. Cobcroft was very much off colour, being in half an hour for 1 run. His characteristic big strokes were conspicuous by .their absence. Wigley played in his orthodox careful style, and would take no risks whatever. He cut very hard, aud mainly through his efforts the score reached 47. So much rain fell during the afternoon and night that it was feared the match would have to be abandoned. Fortunately the weather cleared in the early morning, and a start was made at the proper time. The visitors had an unenviable task before them. They were ISO runs behind and the wicket was wet and heavy. Clark decided to put his hitters in first, and right well did they do their diity. They hit out manfully while the wicket was fairly easy, and a hundred runs were put on m a very short time. But then the sun began to tell a tale, and the last five men were speedily disposed of. Ridley, by forcing the play, did invaluable service for his side. He gave two chances, one a very hard one. He drove in fine style, and quickly put any chance of a follow-on out of the question. Reese' was batting nicely when he failed to get on to one from Lusk. Pearce played carefully, and was unlucky to get out lbw. If Canterbury found the wicket difficult, the local men were more at sea. Their second innings was a procession from beginning to end. Pearce established a funk, the batsmen being frightened to face him. Reese, too, bowled excellently. He kept a fine length and his leg break completely paralysed the batsmen. Marshall, who was the only one to make any stand, was deceived by cne from him and then clean bowled. With 78 to win there was little doubt that Canterbury would pull the match off. Wigley was soon bowled, bwt Reese and Coberoft quickly got into double figures. Cobcroft was twice missed at long leg, and Reese sent one back to the bowler. Ridley again came to the rescue, and speedily knocked off the remaining runs, Canterbury winning by five wickets. The ground fielding of the visitors was very good, but there were too many chances missed in the field. On the first day the men had some excuse, but in Hawke's Bay's second innings no less than six chances were missed. The Canterbury men have every reason to be proud of their victory. They played a fine uphill game, and deserved their win. It is difficult to say who deserves the most praise, Ridley for his batting or Pearce and Reese for their bowling. It was Ridley's batting in the morning that gave his side a chance ] of winning, and it was the bowling of Pearce and Reese in the afternoon that made the possibility a reality. Wigley, of the visitors, and Marshall, of the local men, would both have been given out lbw early in their first innings "if an appeal had been made. Both the wicket-keepers were knocked about, Fowke receiving a blow on the thumb, while Martin, of Hawke's Bay, sustained a nasty blow on the forehead. It was unfortunate that rain should have spoilt the match. There had been no rain at Napier Son over three months, and it looked on the Thursday as if there would be no more for another three months. During its stay at Napier the team was entertained very hospitably, every possible attention being paid to it. The Anglian met with fine weather all the way to Auckland, but did not reach there till late in the afternoon.