CRICKET.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 22 December 1926, Page 2

CRICKET.

A SMALLER BALL. (Per Press Association —Copyright LONDON, December 20. After dealing with the proposals for a smaller ball, interviewing manufacturers r.nd considering various reprethe Special Sub-C-ommittee will recommend to Marylebone that the circumference should be a minimum of 8 13-16 inchs to a maximum ot 9 inches; that the law be altered thus in 1927, and enforced in 1928. it is believed the law will not be introduced till 1928 because manufacturers have already the 1927 stocks. THE GAME IN AUSTRALIA. MELBOURNE, Dec. 21. In the Sheffield Shield match, Victoria in the first innings made 533 (King 50). Bcnsted took 2 for 70, Oxenham 4 for 125. The weather was fine and the wicket good. King (University colt) handled the bowling with freedom. The other batsmen were easily disposed of. Oxenham’s performance with the bail was most meritorious, as he is suffering from a lame leg, sustained in the Sydney match.

Queensland, in the second innings, has lost 5 for 123 (O Connor 38, Rowe 19 not out, Mayes 16 not out).

The visitors with a big deficit tomake up, and facing accurate bowling, betted carefully, runs coming very slowly. O’Connor played a resolute innings in an attempt to hold his side together. In the Sheffield Shield match, South Australia, in the second innings, made 286 (Alexander 104, Pritchard 27, Grimmett 36). McNamee took 4 for 69. Mailey 2 for 90, McQuirk 3 for 20. New South Wales, in the second innings, has lost 2 wickets for 174 (Phillips , 34, Andrews 69 not out, Kippax 37 not out).

The weather was fine, and the wicket is wearing well.

With the assistance of Grimmett (mostly by singles), Alexander reached his century just before lunch. New South Wales made the pace merry from the jump in their second strike, and Andrews and Kippax were going great guns when time was called.