CRICKET.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 819, 16 November 1905, Page 12

CRICKET.

(By

“ Yorker.”)

Saturday was a glorious day, and matches in the second draw of the cup fixtures were commenced on the Domain, Kingsland, and North Shore grounds.

At the Domain, Parnell met City and Grafton Ponsonby, while Eden met the Shorites on the Devonport ground.

The wickets all round were in good trim, and as the coin spun in the air anxious was the moment for the captain of each side.

At the Domain the Ponsonby and City skippers won the toss, and sent their men in to face the bowling of Grafton and Parnell respectively.

Ponsonby made rather a poor start, their first two men, Cummings and Wilson, going for 16 runs. They were not long, however, in improving their position, and before another wicket fell over 100 runs had been added by Mason and Woods. Mason was the first to go, bowled by D. Hay, who had come on at the pavilion end. Mason’s 49 was quickly but decidedly streakily made. His place was filled by Francis, and another long and profitable partnership followed between this player and Woods, who was still gong steadily.

Francis has a nice straight style, and his driving is powerful and well directed. With practice and a little coaching he would soon come to the front.

Like Robinson, of Parnell, he relies too much on his forward play, and it is only his long reach which saves him getting into trouble more frequently.

Regular practice and very little alteration in Francis’ style would make a rep. man of him. In addition, he is an excellent field.

The Grafton bowling was sorely tried to get rid of these two batsmen, and almost every man in the team was given a chance with the ball. The trundling was decidedly commonplace, though not so much as the fielding. In the end Woods’ wicket came more by good luck than good management, a full toss hitting him on the hand and tumbling on to his wicket.

Though not free from luck, Woods played a vigorous innings, timing the ball well. His style is not pretty, but effective, and I am glad to see him gradually getting his bat a little straight and pulling across less. This no doubt accounts for his success of late. When his end came he had 77 to his credit, and at the pace he was going would not have been long in reaching the century.

Gavin filled the gap, but did not stay long, and a little later Francis, with 49 to his credit, left for the pavilion, clean bowled.

When the time bell rang Ponsonby had 273, with the last two in. The only other member of the team to show any cricket was Sims (43). This player started the season with 68 last Saturday

for Ponsonby juniors, and his innings for the first eleven fully justified his inclusion.

The only successful bowler on the Gtaft .n side was another elevated junior, R. Williamson. His debut in senior ranks was a great success, and his fitve wickets for 46 were all clean bowled. He has a high, easy action, and will improve as he gains more confidence and experience.

City, batting against Parnell, opened their innings with Hemus and Fryor. The latter, however, had a very short life, skying one of Ollif’s to Philson early in the innings.

MacCormick filled the gap, and the two young Cityites steadily settled down to give their opponents a little leatherhunting. They both watched the ball very closely and took few risks, scoring off anything at all loose. Hemus made 42 and MacCormick 43. 90 for one wicket at one time showed upon the board, and with Parnell just about at the end of their bowling things looked pretty glum for their side.

I have seen both Hemus and MacCormick bat a good deal better, but both showed sound defence. The former is a little too inclined to face round for the pull, which has a very bad effect on the rest of his play and takes the vim out of his off strokes.

Unfortunately, for City the good stand made by these two players was not taken advantage of by the following batsmen, who went out as fast as they came in. Notwithstanding the fact that they had close on 100 runs for two wickets the whole side was disposed of for 130. Howell took four wickets for 52 and Olliffe three for 40. Both bowled well.

Robinson and Barry were the first two in for Parnell.

They started their innings shortly after five, and at call of time both batsmen were still there, with the board showing 58 for no wickets—Barry 39, Robinson 16.

With so many good men to follow Parnell can scarcely fail to pass City’s very moderate total. Even on a bad wicket the task should be an easy one.

At North Shore, Eden won the toss and batted first, making all told 176.

The Shore bowling was fairly good, and had it not been for Lusk’s fine score of 107 Eden would have fared badly.

Lusk’s performance was one of his best efforts. His strokes were powerful and well timed, and anything loose was dealt with severely. Given a fair start Lusk is one of the most aggressive bats we have.

H? is essentially a scorer. His defence is his attack, and if he can’t score he gets out. He is always a dangerous man on a good wicket, and if we had more batsmen of the same stamp the attraction of the game would be greatly enhanced.

McNeil, with four wickets for 54, bowled really well, getting considerable swerve on to the ball occasionally.

Haddon, in making 41 for Shore, showed good form. Hussey’s 24 was also a useful innings.

Shore s score of 89 for five wickets is hardly enough in the circumstance.

On Thursday, the King’s Birthday, a very pleasant invitation game took place on the Kingsland ground between the Grafton and Eden Clubs. The uncertainty of the weather interfered somewhat with the progress of the game, but notwithstanding this, and the fact that they were beaten, the Grafton guests seem to have enjoyed the outing.

This match has been an annual fixture since the. ground was opened two years ago, and is always looked forward to by both teams. The Eden officials have shown a considerable amount of enterprise in the acquisition of so suitable a ground, and its maintenance and improvement is an undertaking worthy of substantial support by all followers of cricket. The possession of a ground devoted exclusively to cricket has been a long-felt want in Auckland, and it is to be hoped that the large carnival at present being organised by the Eden Club will have the active support of all other districts.

A considerable amount of time and money has already been spent on the ground, and it is pleasing to learn that the club has at its back a number of the best and most influential men in the district. Among their patrons I notice the names of Messrs. A. C. Caughey, Oliver Nicholson, Murdoch McLean, and H. A. Marriner, all men who take a keen interest in the progress of the game of cricket and the welfare of the district.

Cricket is a game which, above all others, helps to improve the tone as well as the physique of the youth of a district, and I look forward to the time when it will occupy the same position in New Zealand as it does in England and Australia.

In the Eden-Grafton holiday match Tom Elliott made 34 in a safe, businesslike manner. His driving was clean and along the ground. I have never seen Elliott shape better than he has done so far this season. He was always a safe club bat, but somewhat awkward, and while he could play medium and fast stuff all day he was always a gift to a really good slow bowler. He has now a very strong pull, has taken to going out occasionally to the slow ones,.and when a man learns to score off the “ short ’uns” and can get well out and punch them when the right ball comes along, he has practically solved the difficulties of slow bowling. Dr. Grace, in his book for boys, tells us that to a slow break-bowler you must either be well on to the pitch of the ball oi’ as far back as you can get. Do the right thing at the right time, and the best man in the world is “pic.” * * * *

Of course it isn’t easy to do the right thing every time, but nine-tenths of our batsmen don’t try, and it is well for them that bowlers of the class of Ned Mills, Hubert Gould, and Neill are practically extinct.

Provided the wickets are good, it is an easy matter for anyone good enough to play most of our local bowling from the crease, but it is quite another matter with a man like Alec Downs, of Otago, and our would-be reps, must look to it that they learn to use their feet. On a tricky wicket especially this is essential.