CANTERBURY v. WELLINGTON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6072, 8 January 1898, Page 6

CANTERBURY v. WELLINGTON.

[From Our Correspondent.] 1 WELLINGTON, Jan. 7. The match Canterbury v. Wellington - was begun to-day, in fine weather. Clark 1 won; the toss and weut in. H. C. Ridley . and his brother failed to stay long/and mainly through Cobcroft's efforts the score, was taken to just over 40wheri A. Ridley was out lbw. Reese came in, and, with Cob- , croit, made a great stand. Both men took Ij no liberties and played a patient game. Fifteen minutes before lunch the total was 140 for two wickets, but in those fifteen ' minutes both Reese and Wildingwere dismissed. Reese played a go&d innings ahd never gaveachance. His driving,inparticu--1 lar, was fine. After luncheon a series of " disasters befell ' Canterbury. Cobcroft was 1 nicely taken in the slips for 76. He played \ a splendid defensive game, and scored off ' only the loose ones. His score was made -* up chiefly by hits to leg. He did very ' little driving or cutting. After his depar- ° ture no one seemed able to play the bowl- : mg, and it was not until Bates came in 1 that anything like a stand was made. He 1 speedily showed that there was nothing in 1 the bowling to account forthe collapse of ! the Canterbury batsmen. In a few ■ minutes he put on 29 by really brilliant * hitting. His score included one six and '■ five boundaries. Holdsworth was tbe most 1 successful bowler, being very destructive. 1 After lunch, when Wellington went in, 1 Canterbury started well, getting three men ' out for 40, Williams, the hero of the ■ -last X match, getting only 13. . Hold--1 ship theh came in, and gave a chance 1 before he had made double figures.. 1 Unfortunately for Canterbury, this chance 1 was not takeu; and then with -Richardson he proceeded to make a welcome 1 stand for Wellington. -Ten after 10 went up, and it was only just before time 1 that a separation was effected.- 'Richardson, the ex-Sydney representative, never gave a ' chance during his . stay at the 1 wickets, and he had hard luck in being caught off a. bumpy one. He got his runs 1 in a style quite different from anything seen here before. To a good length ball he 1 stepped right, back on his wicket, and thus ' making it fairly short, he would drag it to the on. Holdship, bar the one chance, played clean and good cricket, his leg hitting being especially good. At the present moment the scores of the two sides are practically even, and Wellington has still six wickets to fall, but Canterbury's batting strength may yet pull them through. Bates was unfortunate enough to severely hurt one of tha fingers of his right hand. Sims also was indisposed, and his place in tho field was taken by Boxshall, the Park wicketkeeper. The following are the scores : — CANTERBURY. First; lulling?. Cobcroft, c Holdship b Holdsworth ... 75 H.Kidley, b Holdsworrh 11 A.Bidley, lbw b S.eveuson 8 Beese, b Tucker 44 Wilding, c Ashbolt b Tucker 1 Sims, bHoldswor.h 8 Clark, c Tucker b Holdsworth 1 Garrard, c Biohardson b Tucker ... -J Wboatley, c Holdsworth b Tucker ... 0 Fowke, c Ashbolt b "Holdsworth ... 3 Bates, not out 29 Extras 5 T0ta1..,. 187 Bowling Analysis— Ashbolt, f 4 balls, 31 runs, ;• S nwi'dens; Holdsworth, 153 balls, 74 runs, 10 1 maideue, 5 wickets ; Stevenson, 90 balls, 22 runs, 4 maidens, 1 wicket ; Eichardson, 48 balls, 22 runs, 2 maidens ; Holdship, 18 balls, 9 runs ; Tucker, 54 • balls, •24' runs, 3 maidens, 4 wickets. Holdsworth :' bowled two no-balls. WELLINGTON.First Innings. 1 Eichardson, c Bates b Cobcroft ... 77 Weybourne, c Fowke b Bates 10 Williams, o Fowke b Beese ... ... 13 Tucker, stumped Fowke b Beese ... 10 Holdship, uot out ... ... 70 Extras ... : ... ... 8 Total for four wickets ... ... 188