The Game of Cricket.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIX, Issue 13, 26 March 1913, Page 8

The Game of Cricket.

The Closure. THE A.C.A. has decided that the senior club season for 1912-13 shall be closed, with the points: Eden 15, Ponsonby 5, North Shore minus 2, Grafton minus 3, University minus 6, and Parnell minus 11. In the ordinary course there was one more draw to play, but Eden occupied an unbeatable position, so that there is no grumble coming concerning the closure. The Wooden Spoon. The most notable thing of the championship points is the position held by Parnell, last year's champions. They have had, if anything, a stronger team than last year's, and their failure to show better is -attributable to several causes. In the first place, it has been essentially a season of hard wickets, and the opposing batemeu got through the season without meeting the nightmare bowling combination of Kerr, Olliff, and a sticky pitch, which had the previous season enabled Parnell to make a marvellous recovery at the elose of the season. Then a couple of matches ■were thrown away in the early part of the season, chiefly because a man or two was absent when badly needed—a fault that has been characteristic of the side this season. Further, Parnell had a certain amount of ill luck in losing the services of prominent players at critical periods of the season, while other prominent players paid the penalty of neglecting their work at the nets. These things in combination account for a team that holds four of the season’s century makers acting in the unhortourable capacity of whipper-in. The Winners. The Eden eleven is an undoubtedly strong all-round combine of seasoned players and coifs, who form an undoubtedly powerful batting side and possess a dangerous variety of bowling talent. They are run-getterS, from one to eleven, their fielding ranges from good to brilliant. and while they can raise two good men to keep wickets, they have also six or seven capable also taking wickets. It was an easy pick early in the summer that Eden would be the blushing recipient when the season's - honours were being presented. “ Also Started. - ’ Ponsonby’s place as runner-up has been gained by honest trying all the time, and if the same side should keep together for another season it will bo still harder t-4 beat. The Grafton team should be in a much better position. In the first round the side had trouble in getting all the men together each week. Eventually a good solid eleven was brought, into play, hut it was then impossible to regain the lost groWTal. North Shore also had difficulty in keeping the

regular side together, and had to call on the juniors, who were not quite steady enough for the occasions, but who will undoubtedly be able, from the experience gained, to give a better showing in future. University, weakened by losses during the winter, were up against trouble from the jump, but they made a flying start by snatching a win against Parnell, and stuck pluckily to their work all through. Later they got in wins against Grafton and Ponsonby. Easter Matches.

The Easter matches, which are in progress at ‘the moment of writing, include some which are more than usually notable. In Christchurch, Otago is disputing, with apparently little ehance of success, Canterbury’s right to possession of the Plunket Shield. Otago in their first innings made only 110 (Tuckwell 37, Downes 25 not out), while Canterbury has 150 up for one wicket (Lusk 21, Hiekmott 72 not out, Hayes 47 not out).

At Hamilton, South Auckland and Marlborough are playing off for possession of the Hawke Cup. South Auckland’s first innings produced 222 (J. Pomeroy 113), while Marl-borough have three wickets down for 102.

A strong Auckland team is meeting Hawke's Bay at Napier. Auckland made in the first innings 280 (Hemus 93, Sale 73, and Anthony 54), while Hawke’s Bay are all out first time for 147.