CRICKET.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 944, 9 April 1908, Page 12

CRICKET.

HAWKE’S BAY AND WELLINGTON PLAY A DRAW. The belated interprovincial match between Hawke’s Bay and Wellington resulted in a fairly even draw. Hawke’s Bay opened with the fine score of 304 (Lusk 111, Hawke 51), to which Wellington’s reply was 176 (Brice 32, Tilyard 31). In the second innings Hawke’s Bay fared badly, being all out for 102 (Cato 40). When time was called Wellington had eight wickets down for 194 (Hickson 87 not out), so required 37 to win with two wickets to fall. It seems a pity that the match could not have been played out, for it looked like a great finish. Not a great deal of interest attaches to the district competition just now, seeing that Eden have won it. With one more match to be played, Eden have scored 21 points, Grafton 12, City 10, North Shore 9, Parnell 8, and Ponsonby 5. ♦ • • • On Saturday, although the afternoon was fine, the wicket favoured the bowlers. Grafton had hard luck in not getting a three-point win. They scored 197 to Parnell’s 83 and 61 for eight wickets. Mason bowled finely, taking 12 wickets for 61. * * ♦ * The finish between Ponsonby and North Shore was a close one. Ponsonby had made 95, and Parnell, despite a sound 28 by Woodward, could not get nearer than 83, and were thus beaten by 12 runs. White took six wickets for 34. In the second innings Ponsonby hit up 112. * * • » Eden scored a three-point win against City with scores of 124 (G. Mills 38, Taylor 25) and 37 for five wickets, to 87 and 70. In Eden’s second innings Harvie took four wickets for 9 runs. Grafton 11. beat Parnell A by ten wickets, scoring 147 and 4 for none to 63 and 87. * * • • Parnell B beat North Shore 11. by 69 runs, the figures being: Parnell, 105 ana 112; North Shore, 91 and 57. ♦ ♦ » * Waihi defeated Thames on Saturday on the latter’s ground by 89 to 34. a • • •- Mr. J. Astley Cooper, in a letter to the “Sportsman” (London), just after Australia had won the fourth test match, said that the proposed triangular cricket contest between England, Australia, and South Africa is impossible, and bound to break down. He suggests: “As Australia, by winning the fourth test match, holds at present the cricket championship of the British Empire, she has the right to say in what part of the Empire the next Imperial series of cricket matches for the ‘ ashes’ shall take place. With England beaten for the time being, why should not the South Africans try their luck on Australian soil? and then, if South Africa is so fortunate as to win the coveted cricket honour, let it be wrested from the South Africans on their native soil, and so on. In short, I should like to

see the Imperial cricket principle laid down that the ‘ ashes’ must be fetched from that part of the Empire where they have been captured.”

Mesdames R. B. Lusk, R. Neill, E. C. Beale and Miss Barry won the gold bracelets offered by the clubs to the dispensers of afternoon tea for a guessing competition as to the best bowler, batsman, wicketkeeper, and fielder. Fourteen guessed correctly, and a ballot became necessary. All four ladies have worked hard through the season.