CRICKET.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12504, 17 December 1918, Page 4

CRICKET.

CITY AND SUBURBAN NOTES. (By “COVER POINT.”) ’ Saturday saw the finish of tho third round of matches. 'The nor’-wester made play a bit unpleasant, and there wove no very brilliant scores put up. The old plea of a had wicket could not be advanced as an excuse, as the wickets were very fair and a long way bettor than those provided at tho beginning of tho season. One or two of the teams were short, partly owing to aftereffects of the influenza, and one absentee was the well-known memlior of Druids, Pat Egan, who had been advised to take things quietly for a while. G. Bengali/ of Green’s, w'as another absentee. He is slowly recovering. but is not yet able to take tho field. 1 may mention that an error occurred in my notes of last week when referring to .the losses sustained by Mr Jackson. From my notete it appeared as if Mr Jackson had lost two sous as well as a daughter, whereas I intended to say that ho had lost one sou and a daughter, whilst Mr Jackson and another son had been seriously ill and were recovering. I trust the mistake has not caused further sorrow to tho family and friends. I notice that Charlie Bellamy hAs deserted his old club and is now appearing in Sydenham district as custodian of the wickets. This is no surprise.. as last season I heard a whisper of a possible change.- and has a right to follow his own inclinations. In the case of another player in suburban cricket, I am informed that he was asked to desert his club this season, and an offer was made to pay his subscription both to the club be was playing for and also ■ to _ tho district club be was asked to join, but the player rightly refused. If the report is correct it is to bo regretted, as thero are ample players for tho clubs of both associations. I/ct each association look after the young players (which is more than either is doing to its fullest extent at present) and there will ho no dearth of good players for all time.

DRUIDS t. GREEN’S,

With the exception of three players, Druids gave a lamentable exhibition of batting in their second innings, as with one short thby could only total 86 all , out. It is about time the Druids’ Seniors settled down to serious cricket and put some ginger into then* play. There arc some good players in the team, but they appqar to have got into a habit of taking the game very much as a joke and now it is a case of a one-man score nearly every Saturday. Langford is the. only player who has baited anything like a Senior player. His 73 in the first innings was a treat and very nearly faultless, and on Saturday ho batted very well for 24. Warner is getting back to his old form again and u‘iU he a help to the team in both departments, as he puts down a very fair ball. Rix is not playing up to Iris usual stylo, either in_ batting or howling, and Gasson punished his~bowling on the first day. With 47 to moke to win. Green’s had an easy task, and Cunningham and Ayling soon knocked them off, both bathing splendidly. Ayling has struck form quickly, and played very attractively for his 26 not out, while Cunningham possesses great defence, as well us a good punishing stroke on any loose cnos. , ' WARD’S r. RAILWAY. Ward's second innings started disastrously, as three pickets were down for a modest 13, and it looked as if Railway were going to have an .easy iLoro to make to win. Harry, Mills and Watson, however, put a different appearance on the game, scoring 107 between them put of 137 for thb total. Harry and Mills got going first, and carried the score to 74 for four wickets before Harry left. Milk and Watson became associated, aud another 15 runs were added before the former played a weak stroke at ono of Brosnahnn’s straight ones, after a cautious and patient innings for 33. Watson made runs lively, and never lost an opportunity of scoring. His score of 38 included two sixes and six fours. Watson was caught off Williams with the score at 128 lor eight ■wickets, and the end came nine runs later, leaving Railway 157 to make to win.

Railway set out with the intention of taking no chances, and runs were made by cautious and patient efforts on the part of the batsmen. Williams departed from his usual aggressive style, and batted a long time for his 33, there being no less than eleven singles in bis total. Brosnahnn settled down for a time, and knocked up 29 very quietly, he and A. Clark adding 50 for the fifth Avicket, which fell at 103. With the exception of Grant, none of the others batted at all confidently, and the innings closed for 127. Smith, who played for Y.M-C.A- for many years, seems to have gone off both in batting and boAvliug, and it is strango to see him in the very tail of a team.