The Game of Cricket.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIX, Issue 4, 22 January 1913, Page 9

The Game of Cricket.

Auckland's Week-end. THE second draw of the Auckland cricket district championships was commenced on Saturday, after chib cricket had been at a standstill for a month, in consequence of holiday engagements and attractions. Fine weather and fast wickets was the rule, and the games generally resulted in the batsmen being in good humour. Both Parnell and Grafton broke into the fourth century against University and Eden respectively, and, strangely enough, each of these sides made 312. Ponsonby’s exhibition of the art of runmaking (against North Shore) was rather less prolonged, stopping at 227. Still, as an offset, the Ponsonbyians reduced the opposition by three wickets at the cost of 17 runs before closing time, so that North Shore-, like Eden and University, have a fairly sizeable job before them for next week. In the second grade gam® the honours fell- for the most part to the bowlers, the scoring being low all round. Tire batsmen on the Domain complained that the wickets were not good, but it is quite possible that the batsmen, were not quite in form aftei the holidays. Kavanagh Performs Well.

The Ponsonby side this season has earned the respect of its opponents as a run-making combination. Last year it consisted of one star and ten very small lights, that shone only on very rare occasions. This year the variable lights of the team have been much more consistent, and in addition to the star N. C. Snedden, they have Kavanagh, who is also rapidly becoming a fixed star in the batting side. The result is that, the side always make*? a presentable scores and with a good bowling variety and very keen fieldsmen to back it up, Ponsonby has earned the position of runner-up so far in the competitions. Against North Shore on Saturday Ponsonby knocked up 227, the feature of which was a characteristic innings by Kavanagh of 77, not out. He played the game which he consistently played all season—covering up and blocking dead anything that looked dangerous, and: pulling hard to leg any loose stuff that could be pulled. His strokes generally are unorthodox, but he gets there all the time and every time. N. C. Snedden made 38, Shepherd 29, Woods 28, and Collins 14. North Shore started badly, losing Dacre, Howiie and- Ooesey before stumps were drawn, with the score at 17.

For the Shore, Howden got five wickets for 78, Bush two for 32, Archer one for 45, and" Dacre one for 65. OllifE's Century.

The Parnell-Univefsity game was marked- by several unusual features. In the first place, Grenier and Olliff put. up a first wicket, partnership of 143, and Sommervell carried the score,, with Olliff, to 200 without any further casualty. Then, Sommervell sprained an ankle, in. running, and had tw retire. Parnell had three wickets down for 289, when a great collapse came, and tho whole side was disposed of for 312. F. A. Taylor did the hat trick, bowling Kerr and Barry, and getting Pell stumped. Olliff, known as Auckland’s star bowler, joined the ranks of the season’s centurymakers, with an innings of 133. It was an excellent innings, and Chanceless, most of the runs coming from welltimed off-drives and leg-hits. He straight-drove three clean sixers, over the boundary, and gathered in 15 fours. Grenier played pretty cricket for 61, and looked good for a century, when, he ran himself out. He sent one or tw-o uppish strokes through the slips, but gave no real chance. Sommervell' had an early let-off in the Tong-field and then settled down to forceful cricket, marked by accurate pulling and leg-hooks; He had reached 44, when he sprained his ankle. Brown made 38, chiefly by driving; and Andreae, who is yet barely in form, made 14 before putting one up where a fieldsman was,’

University started unpropitiously, Olliff beating and bowling Airey and N, Jacobsen before the score had reached 20.

For ’Varsity, Taylor took five wickets for 40, N. Jacobsen one for 100; Mulgan ono for 55, Graham none for 46, Rowu none for 25, and C. Jacobsen: none for 27.

Against the Leaders. Grafton, gave the leading team, Eden, rip 312, to which Horspool contributed 119. Horspool got going early, and (nade the pace a merry one, putting a lot of power into hie strokes. It was the weight of his hitting that counted, two or three times when he gave chances, and it carried him through till he passed the century. Mason made 52 in free, attractive style, scoring all round, and D. Hay’s 20 were put together quickly. W. Horspool made 29, Sloman 26, Pattereon 20 and Pratt 17.

For Eden, Cummings took three wickets for 40, L. Taylor four for 71, Mills one for 15, Hemws one for 17, Hay one for 52, Heighway none for 21, BrookeSmith none far 25, and Honeycomb® none fox 62. SATUBBAY IN THE SOUTH. W ellingt on. The senior championship was continued, Vietoxia College, playing against East A, were disposed of for 98 runs, McGirr taking six wickets for 36. East A have lost eight, wickets for 232, McGirr making 105 in an hour and aquarter. Cfentral put on 152 against East B, which team had" Tost eight wickets for 76 when stumps were drawn. Bowling for East B, Hales took five wickets for 50; Petone made 1'56 against South (Gate 30, Brice 25, MeManemin 32). Fenton took four wickets for 4t, Keys two for 15, and l Laws two for 7.Siruth had lost nine for 131 at the-draw-ing of stumps. (Burton' 52, Walters 22). Bennett, captured! threes wickets fins 29, and Brice four for 52. Hutt fell before North for 79? (Patton 23,. Climie 18). Duckie took two wickets for 5> runs, Hiddleston® one for 8, Casey two, for 17, and. Southall four for 39. North had 246, oik for. the loss of seven wickets at call of time; Black'lock making 98, Wilson 46, Hiddlestons: 2a. Boek (two wickets for 21 runs); was the best of the bowlers. Dunedin. Hot but showery weather prevailed for the cricket matches. Carisbrook B defeated O'poho by 35 runs on the first innings. The former made 242 (Tuckwell 5.5), and Opoho 207, and 93 for fourwickets tHiggins 34). Tuckwel! took two wickets for 6 runs'. Carisbrook A beat Grange by 55- runs. Carisbrook made 161 and 96 (batting nine men), and Grange 96 and 139 (Downes 39, Bell 38). For G'arishroek, Hopkins took four wickets for 15 runs, and for Grange, Downes secured four for 31. Dunedin beat Albion iby seven wickete. Dunedin- made 97 and 208 for three wickete (Johniston 79, Bryden 36). Albion •made 107 and 173 (.Shepherd 70)',

English Umpires. The bad decision which sent Bardsley to the pavilion at a critical time in the last test, match between England and Australia, has caused some comment concerning the quality of the English umpires, and E: R. Mayne (one of the Australian: team)’, after his return home, adversely criticised the umpires the teams had' met at Home, and the system of appointing umpires. Hie captain, Syd. Gregory, defends the English system. Mistakes were no. doubt made, but they were, he says, no- worse than those in first-class cricket in Australia. The Bardsley and Minnett cases were very glaring, but probably were genuine mistakes. Umpires were not infallible. His experience was 1 that they did not openly make flagrant breaches of the rules. He thought the Englisn umpires quite as fair as the Australians. He knew of no means of securing an improvement.