CRICKET.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 769, 1 December 1904, Page 15

CRICKET.

A continuation was made on Saturday of the Auckland Cricket Association's Championships, the weather being for once brilliantly fine and batsmen's wickets were the order of the day.

Parnell played Eden and winning the to~s started in great style, but when a huge score threatened the tail collapsed and all were out for 174. R. B. Lusk made 66 before being run out, Mason (23) and C. Oliff (22) doing best of the others. Eden have one wicket down for 30, so if the match is played out under even conditions it should prove interesting.

City, on a splendid wicket, made a sorry exhibition of batting when opposed to Ponsonby, Hemus who was run out after he had made 20 being alone at home with the bowling, and the innings only realised 83. Ponsonby have 111 on the slate for six wickets, Johnson being 43 (not out) and Forster 24 (not out), •so they appear to have the game in liand.

North Shore were seen to more advantage than has been the case for long time, for they put together against the Grafton bowling McNeill (26), Quintali (25), and Prime (26) were the highest scorers. (Jnless the wicket is •damaged Grafton, who has three wickets ■down for 77, should win the match, however.

Laver has been mentioned in connection with the position of manager of the next Australian team for England, and it would seem, from a Melbourne report, that he is likely to secure the post.

A Sydney writer suggests the following method by which cricket balls could be preserved :—Leather balls before being used should be varnished and allowed to dry. After each match wash the ball, coat it with common red ink and varnish again. The person who supplies this plan states that he has followed it for four years, and he mentions that the club to which he belongs has played sixteen matches this season, and has only used two balls. One has been in service for thirteen of the games, and the other in three. Both are in perfect order.