CRICKET OPENS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17170, 13 October 1923, Page 9

CRICKET OPENS.

AN OVERCAST DAY. OUTFIELD SLOW. The ■Canterbury Cricket Association's 1928-24 competitions commenced this afternoon in dull though fine weather with a cold easterly blowing. The wickets and outfield at Hagley Park were slow and not conducive to fast .scoring. There was a fair attendance of Enthusiasts at Hagley Park, where chief interest centred in the meeting of Sydenham -and West Christchurch. R.. F. Powell and J. L. Powell each passed the century for Rice art-on. against St Albans, and E. A. Gasson topped the century for Sydenham against Vi eat Christchurch. Results:— SYDENHAM V_ WEST CHRISTCHURCH. Sydenham won the toss and Patrick and Gasson opened the innings, Patrick taking strike to Findlay at 2.18 p.m. lie glided the second ball to leg for 3. Two singles tn Gasson and one to Patrick made six off the over. Cocks bowled at the other end and the over realised a single. Off the third ball of Cock’s second over Patrick cut a ball into the hands of Haynes at third man but the fieldsman dropped the ball. The first ten wont up in Findlay s third over, the batsmen, then having five runs apiece. The first boundary came to Gasson with an uppish stroko past cover point. .-Scoring was slow and it took the batsmen thirty-five minutes to hoisttwenty. Hayes relieved Cocks with the score at 22, and his first over was a maiden to Gasson. With the total at 31 Blunt replaced Findlay and Gasson scored nine off the over, including two fours to leg. Cocks came on again in place of lfayes who had bowled only two overs. Four to leg off Blunt, brought Gasson s score to 40 and the total to 53. when Foster replaced Cocks. Gasson drove a hall hard and low back to Foster who had no chance of holding it. With the total at 55 Patrick drove a ball from Foster liard to Hayes at cover, but It was too high for the fieldsman to hold. Patrick, who had been verjt patient, now commenced to score more quickly anti notched 10 off one of Foster's overs, two drives reaching the boundary. Gasson passed his half-century with two off Cocks. Talbot relieved Foster at 87. The 100 went, up in exactly 100 minutes from starting time, Gasson being 5G and Patrick 43. Just afterwards Gasson touched an of! ball which struck Blunt, at first slip, on the Instep. Tt was a possible chance, but a very difficult, one. Patrick reached liis half-century with a late cut for two off The Pat rick-Gasson partnership was broken at 150, when Blunt bowled Patrick with a ball tbat turned in from the ofT. 360—1—70. Young joined Gasson and was not long in reaching doubles. Both batsmen scored steadily. Gasson obtained his century with n straight, drive to tlie boundary. The next ball be drove bard to Cocks at square leg. but the hot chance was not accepted. At 5 p.m. the total was 193 for one wicket. SYDENHAM. First Innings.

/ RICCARTON V. ST ALBANS. Kiccarton took first strike, Guine.v and Bam opening me innings. Thomas bowiou the first over, oil' which Guiuey scored one the first over, off which Gurney scored ouo run. The Rev W. A. Hay, a new member of the St Albans team, howled from the other end. Bain “broke his “ duck ” and brought ten up with a single oil’ Thomas. With the total at 27 Bain, who had never appeared very comfortable, was clean bowle-l by Thomas. 27—1—5. J. L. Powell was the man in. Guiney scored one off Hay, but next over he chopped one from Thomas on to the stumps. 28 —2 —3.7. It. F. Powell joined liis brother. After thre-i----quarters of an hour's play, and with 30 on the board, Norrie went on in place of Hay, and Sandman in place of Thomas. Sandman had nine knocked off his first, over and 40 was hoisted. Six runs and three byes in the next over (Nprrla.*si brought the half-century up. The wicket did not suit Sandman and off his third over nine runs were scored and 70 runs on the board. ' Eadie went on in place of Norrie. Twelve were knocked off his first over, including a six by R. F. Powell. Tn Eadie's second over ,T. L. Powell notched four boundaries and brought the century up. The century had taken eighty minutes to make. At this stage the Powell brothers were scoring freely, especially K.F. lie lifted Sandman over the boundary for six and next over treated Hay in a similar manner. Hay had seventeen knocked off him this ovei*. The runs continued to come freely and soon 150 was on Iho board.*ln one over ft. F. Powell knocked nineteen off Hav, including a eix. Bt Albans tried several changes of bowlers in an endeavour to break the partnership. Woods was given a turn with the hall, but J. 1.. Powell hit fourteen off him first over, including a six. After just two hours’ play the double century appeared on the board. J. L. Powell scoring a three off Woods. In the next over (Sandman's! R. F. Powell brought his century up with a four. Powell had been eightytire minutes at the wickets. With the total at 231 R. F. Powell made a weak shot and the ball went straight into Hickrnott's hands off Thomas. The partnership between the Powell brothers had added 206 to the total. 231—3—107. C. E. Evans joined J. L. Powell and brought 210 up With a. six off Woods. Martin took a turn at bowling. Off his second ball Powell, who bad scored 83, gave a chance in the slips, lint Hay dropped it. Just after Evans lifted Sandman high to the boundary. Smith made a good attempt to catch tlio bail but just missed. With the score at. 276 Evans was stumped by Brunton off M a vti n. RIOCA RTOX. First J linings. K. B. Bain, b Thomas .... 5 C. E. Guiney, b Thomas . .17 R- F. Powell, c Hickmott b Thomas . 107 ('. E. Evans, stpd Brunton b Martin . >23 «). Ti. Powell, not out .... 93 Total for four wickets . . 270 LINWOOD V. EAST CHRISTCHURCH. This match was played at Lancaster Park. The toss was won by East, and J. Clarkson and G. R. Gregory went in t- 1 2.25. R. Read howled l'or Ei 11 wood. Gregory scored off the first one. but the next halls were not ••affile handled. The only other score off the over was a single to C larkson. The latter got a couple off G. W. Russell's over. When Rcffd look his turn again Gregory drove one to cover point, and it was smartly fielded by Smith, who got the wicket, with liis throw before Clarkson was home. 4 1 3. E. Harris was Hie next batsman. The over was a maiden, and then Russell kept the batsmen quiet. Seven runs in the first, •ix overs was the tally at this stage. Gregory attempted to pull one of Read's deliveries and was clean howled. 9—2- 2. Elvey faced Read for the rest of the over, with no further score. Four byes off Puss ell brought the score past ten. Elvey opened his score witli a pair of twos off Bussell. After Read bowled a maiden over Howell went on jn Taissell's place. Elvey drove the first ball Vo the fence* for two—owing to the fact tlfiaf the pitch was set close to 'the stand it was decided that, m hit to the fence in front of t?he stand should count as two. Another two runs to Elvey were followed by n boundary for Harris at fine leg from one of Read's. Elvey Tipped up one from Howell, but he had another life, as Condliffo failed to hold the ball. The batsman, undeterred, swung heartily at the next ones and scored a four and a four by driving to tin* stand fence. P|ay began to brighten a little with rived an appeal for Jeg before. With a wrisfy stroke be turned a ball to the boupdarv s.t. fine leg and brought hie There wa e a chare'-- in bowling later when 8 Yates took Howell's plac° a single to Elrev. The fielding was shnrr and the bafrmeu did riot have many op port unities for easv runs—eight out ol Bead's first twelve ove-s. Tim end of Five* liveries alone 1 he pitch and the bowler fcime when he lifted ori© of Yates's do

accepted the catcli. 44—3—23. I.ilburne faced Yates and made two with a boundary but was run out just afterwards. With an on drive he. put on© up close to Armitage. The fieldsman failed to get up in time to make a catoli, but. with a quick return he got the ball to the wicketkeeper before I/Üburne was in. 46—4—2. To signalise liis entry Blank scored three off Yates with a, nice pull to square leg. Harris was quiet; lie had been in an hour for eight runs. Russell relieved Read in the bowling—a maiden. Harris got hie leg in front during Yates's next over. 51—5—8. Flood did not score during the over, and when he faced Russell he wap clean bowled on the sixth ball. 62—6—0. Coupland was associated with Blank. Runp cam© very slowly. Read went, on to bowl at the north end in Yates's place. The over produced a single and two leg byes. Coupland skied the second hall from Russell and was caught by Armitage. mid-off. 60 —7 3. Stringer was bowled first ball. ■6‘>—S O. Egan was run out by Howell 62 D—o. Blank and Bugg carried on for some time. Bugg had a life through Armitage failing to hold a catch, but he went- out two balls later lbw to Yates, the innings closing at 4.40 pun. EAST CHRISTCHURCH. First Innings.

Bowling analysis:—R. Read 19 overs, 11 maidens, 17 runs, 1 wicket: G. Russell, 13 overs. 7 maidens, 12 runs, 3 wickets; IV. Howell. 4 overs, no maidens. 18 mins, no wickets; S. Yates, 8.4 overs, 1 maiden, 1-4 runs, 3 wickets. B GRADE SENIORS. RICCARTON v. LINWOOD. Kiccarton batted first against Linwood and made 133 (Killick 34. Taylor 15, Gorrie J.Y). Perrin took four wickets for 47. Condliffo three for 43 ami King two for 13. Linwood replied with 41 for three (Grose 11, Baker not out 10, Condliffe 3 1). ST ALBA NS v. WEST. St Albans batted first against. West and made 262 for two wickets (North 127. CarleYon not out 121). CITY AND SUBURBAN. The City and Suburban Association's competition commenced, t-o-day. SENIOR GRADE. GREENS A v. ST ALBANS. St. Albans took first strike against Greens A and have lost five wickets for ST ALBANS.

Total for three wicket* • .69 JUNIOR GRADE. St John's batted first and made 84 for the loss of two wickets. C. James 3o City Council batted first, and playing seven men, made 36 (Giddens 13). D.I.C. made 25 for one wicket.

W. T?. Patrick. 1> Blunt ... w TO E. Gaeson. not. out 3 01 Extras , . I *. ! . i 1 Total for on© wicket ... 193

•T. Clarkson, run out Ip Harris, lbw 1> Tates . . . . f A. Hilburne, run out ..... 2 •T. F. Flood, b Hussell ( IT. 1'. Stringer, h TUissell . . . . n P F.ernn. run out M. B\i?k. lhw b Yatos . . Total . . . .73

"First. Innings. O'. Dobbs, run out . . . • .11 A Cullen, b Lawson ..... D \V. .Jackson, b Lawson .... 0 K. Winter, b Robertson .... 8 .1. Carrington. 6 Robertson b Smytkc 5 Total for five wickets . . .43 WOOLSTOX v. UPPER “RICCARTON. Upper Riccarton batted first against Woolston and made 41. for four wickets. UPPER RICCARTON. First Innings. M't'loskie. b Kennedy . - .1 Carr, b Stammers ..... 0 H. Holmes, run out ..... 0 D. Murray, b Peacock • . .3 R. Peters, not out ..... 4 Matthews, not out 28 Total for four wickets . . .41 8UXNYSLDE v. GREEN’S R. Green s B batted first and made 69 for three wickets. GREEN S R. First Innings. T. TLUysliort, b Porter . . . 0 W. Lagan, o and b Batten . . .24 E. Keenan, lbw b Porter .... 0 C. Prebble. not out , * 26 A. Pitt, not out . 15