CRICKET.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17474, 27 February 1925, Page 8

CRICKET.

CANTERBURY BATS. BLUNT GOES I) BALL. The Victorian cricketers commenced the. third match, of their tour againso Canterbury at Lancaster Park to-day. The weather was tine with a strong nor’-wester blowing down the ground She wicket looked in good order, and the onttield was fast. There was a fair attendance of spectators when play com me need. The umpires were Messrs H. E. Lawrence and W. Brook. PATRICK WINS TOSS. Patrick won the toss—his fourth in succession this season, as he secured this advantage over the Auckland, Wellington and Otago skippers. M.ayne led the Victorians on to the field at noon, followed by Blunt and Gregory, Canterbury's opening batsmen. BIXNT A ‘ DUCK.” Play commenced at 12.3, Blunt taking strike to Wallace, the visitors’ fast bowler, who had the assistance of the wind. Blunt did not touch the first two balls, .and the third one broke through the defence and shattered his stumps. This was a disastrous start for the home team. o—l —o Crawford was next, and he placed Wallace’s sixth to third man for a single. Gregory scored similarly off the seventh, and then Crawford nearly played the last on to his wickets. Liddieutt bowled at the other end, and Gregory earned applause by gliding the fourth ball to the boundary.

and square-cutting the fifth one to the fence. The wicketkeeper stood well back for "Wallace, and there were three men in the slips, while point was also well round in the direction of the slips. Wallace’s second over was a maiden to Crawford. Gregory ran into double figures by snicking the sixth ball of Liddicutt’s second over finely between the wicketkeeper .and first slip. Crawford pulled Wallace to the on for a connle —all that came off this, his third over. Gregory late cut Liddicutt to the fence for a single and twenty went up on the hoard. Gregory had made eighteen out of twenty-one. Play had been in progress twenty-three minutes. Wallace appealed unsuccessfully for leg before against Gregory in his fourth over—a maiden. A single to Crawford was all that resulted from Liddicutt’s fourth over. A log-bye was run off the sixth hall of Wallace’s fifth over. Gregory Iat e cut the next —a no hall—for a single and then Crawford drove the fast bowler to long on for three. Liddicutt appealed loudly for leg before against Crawford, hut received a negative answer from Mr Brook. The hall hit the batsman inside the right knee, and it injured him to such an extent that play had to he suspended for a few minutes. Liddicutt’s loud cry of “ How’s that ” could be heard ‘‘miles” away, and the crowd laughed heartily. This over was a maiden. FIRST CHANGE OF BOWLING. The first bowling change was made, at twenty-seven, when Millar went on in place of Wallace. Gregory got a single off his second hall. At 1.30, luncheon adjournment, Can- ; terbury’s score was threo for 80. This made Gregory twenty. Crawford reached double figures next over by square cutting Liddicutt to the fence. This was bis first four. Gregory hit Millar to the square log boundary and placed him to the on for two and a single. The East Christchurch man was shaping very confidently. lIARTKOPF BOWLS. Liddicutt was taken off at fortytwo, Hartkopf erpacitilg him. The crowd were anxious to see the famous international in action. Gregory caused amusement by reaching over a long way for a short one well out on the off. He tipped the fifth ball and the umpire’s band went up in response to the appeals of the bowler and wicketkeeper. Gregory was goin gnicely and there were five boundaries in liis twenty-eight. 42—2 28. Talbot followed. Two for a drive into the outfield by Crawford were the only runs off Millar’s third over. There were three men right out on the boundary for Hartkopf—one to onlg on and two on the leg side. Talbot borke his duck with a single to leg off a full toss from Hartkopf. Three legbyes—one from an overthrow—made four off' the over. TALBOT CAUGHT. The half century went up when Talbot placed Millar to the on fiy a single. Play h.ad been in progress sixty-two minutes. Talbot drove Millar hard and low to mid off. where Liddicutt held the catch without having to move, o] —3—2. A. Cox. the Riccarton colt, was greeted with applause. He opened his accolnt with a single to the on off Hartkoff( and then, facing Millar, lie scored a two to fine leg and a couple of singles, one to the on and one to third man. Crawford also scored a single in this over. Cox blided Hartkoff prettily to leg for three. A leg bye folowed and then Cox drove th© slow bowler’s last to long on for a, single, giving him double figures. Crawford reached twenty by driving Millar straight along the ground to the pickets. Cox sent seventy up bv driving Hartkoff into the deep field fo«r two off the fifth ball, following with a couple to the on off the seventh and a single to leg off' the last. . HANSFORD BOWLS. Rqnsford, the well-known international left-hander, bowled at. seventythree, taking the bal from Millar. Cox got n sin gel off the third, and then Crawford drove through cover point’s legs to the fence and pulled the alst to the on fo rthree. Crawford hit Hartkoff to the leg boundary and then placed him to the on for a single. This was the last over before lunch, the score being eightysix for three wickets.

The bowk ling a nay Isis for the morning’s play was ; AValalce one lor eight.

Liddicutt none for twenty-four, lar one for twenty-four, Hartkoff oi.e for sixteen. Ransford none for eight. Play was resumed at 2.17. Wallace and Harkopf were the bowlers. Four singles were scored off Wallace’s openng over. Cox glided Harkopf to leg for three and Crawford got a similar number for a stroke on the off. Cox also scored a single off the last ball Ho was now in the twenties. Three to fine leg by Cox off Wallace sent the century up at 2.28. The innings had been 98 minutes in progress. The first bye was recorded at 2.29, a fast one from Wallace being only partially stopped by Fill's. Crawford readied 40 with a single in this over. ’Facing Harkopf he drove hTm nicely to the on boundary. At 2.35 p.m. the score was 111 for three wickets. Scores— CAXTER B U R Y. R. n. 1, Wallace R . . . 0 Ha rtkopf . . . .28 R. O. Talbot. 11, c Ridrlinut b Miller 2 C. O. Crawford. not out . . .45 Extras ..... S Total Cor Hire wickets . 11l NOTES. S. G. Lester, of the Olu Collegians Club, is twelfth non for the Canterbury team. J. L. Ellis, regarded as the best wic-ket-keeper Victoria has ever bad. did not let a single ball pass him this morning. “ This is the fastest outfield in the world.” declared A. E. Lichlicutt at lunch time. “ It’s no use chasing the bali as you have no chance of catching it before it reaches the fence. We have notning like it in Australia.” At Lancaster Park this morning A. E. Liddicutt met a returned soldier of the same name as himself. They discovered tnat their grand alders were brothers, they having come out to the colonie; in the fifties. A. E. wants to know what relation he is to the New Zealander. A fellow member of the Victorian team says they are fifty-second cousins. Mr Frank Williams, Dunedin, one of the New Zealand selectors, is a spectate at the match. CAMBRIDGE TERBACE CLUB. The following will play for the Cambridge Terrace Cricket Club against D.I.C. at Sydenham Park to-morrow, commencing at 2.30:—G. M’Kenzie, H. Pyne, F. Wicks. V. Gray. M. Gray. J Hunter. N. Mitchell F. Hitchens D. Bunt. C. Griffiths. G. Wright. Emergency: J. Wicks.