CRICKET

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1298, 11 March 1915, Page 20

CRICKET

(By

“Mid-On.”)

The re-draw of the senior championship fixtures advanced another stage last Saturday, when the second series of matches came to a conclusion. It was really the semi-final in connection with the “unwritten” first section, and as it happened last season the premiership resolves into a struggle between Eden A, last year’s winners, and Ponsonby, runners-up. Now that the selectors of the Eden Club have called up reinforcements from the B’s, the final should provide a most keen and interesting contest. Some exception is taken to Eden for drawing upon the B team at such a stage. Needless to state, the Edenites are fully justified in calling up their very strongest eleven to uphold the honour of the district. Any objection to this method should be in allowing a district to pack teams so that the B team may be sufficiently strong, with the aid of two or three top notchers and a spice of good fortune, to upset the chances of a team, and perhaps put the A team into a good position for championship honours. On these grounds alone an objection might be made. In the case of Eden they did not benefit one iota in this manner; in fact, according to results they suffered, as Ponsonby gained an extra point against the B’s, while Eden A had to be content with two points only.

The rain that fell during the morning did not affect the wicket to any extent, a strong wind doing the necessary drying, but during the afternoon the latter pro zed troublesome in instances where it was blowing across the wickets. In the matches in the first division of the senior contest the scoring was exceedingly low, only 320 runs being registered for the loss of a couple of dozen wickets, giving an average of barely fourteen runs per wicket —by no means a satisfactory performance. In the minor division the run-getting was in striking contrast to the “big guns,” no less than 660 runs being the total for 14 wickets, oz nearly fifty runs for each wicket.

At Eden Park the home A team, with a total of 292, had little difficulty in dismissing Grafton (62 and 137) again and scoring a three-pointer. On the same ground Ponsonby (242) easily vanquished North Shore (170 and 118), and had a three-point victory well within their grasp, but refused to take advantage on account of it making no difference to their prospects for championship honours. Eden B (404) gave Waitemata (144) another afternoon’s leather hunting, and also secured an overwhelming first innings’ victory by 260 runs at Victoria Park. Across the water University (330 for five wickets) accomplished a good performance against Parnell (251), and after an interval of four matches once more tasted the sweets of victory. Two centuries were registered during the afternoon, Sauverin (Eden B), 138, and Taylor (University), 100, claiming the coveted honours. Other scores of note were registered by Graham (University) 78, Mason (Ponsonby) 70, Airey (University) 62, Bennett (Eden B) 56, and Beale (Eden B) 51. It will be noticed, with the exception of Mason —and his score was only taken from 46 to 70 last Saturday- -that only the batsmen of Eden B and University figured in scores ot note. Among the trundlers two excellent performances were achieved, Howden (North Shore) capturing eight wickets for 81, and Cummings (Eden A) being responsible for five for 37. The following table shows the positions of the four teams in the higher division: —

Eden A v. Grafton. The weather, though cold, was delightful for the continuation of the match Eden A-Grafton. Requiring 230 runs to save the innings defeat, Grafton opened their second innings with McCormick and E. Horspool. The wicket was again somewhat erratic, but apart from this the batting was distinctly uncertain, Horspool giving a couple of chances early in the inn-

ings, while McCormick also showed some weakness on the leg side, where the ball frequently kicked in an awkward manner.

With the total at 61, Cummings came on in place of Taylor at the pavilion end, and the change was almost immediately effective. Horspool played all round a ball, which came back slightly from the off and found his timbers. The Grafton skipper is evidently feeling the want of practice, and is not batting with that confidence which marked his displays last year. Horspool registered five boundaries in his total.

W. Horspool joined McCormick, only to see the Grafton average holder succumb to Cummings. The ball came through quickly, and claimed the off pin. McCormick’s best scoring strokes produced three chalkline hits, but altogether the batsman failed to produce that form which gained him his numerous centuries earlier in the season. The batsman appears to be sacrificing his defence to the development of hitting shots. W. Horspool was never comfortable, Cummings claiming his third successive victim. Sloman followed a little later, Honeycombe getting his wicket with a swerving shooter which upset the off stump. Baker and Stemson then became associated, the veteran treating Cummings’ deliveries with little respect, hitting two sixes and two four in one

ver. Stemson showed considerable freedom, and after Baker’s dismissal helped Haresnape to carry the total to the 120 mark. His dismissal came at the hands of Gilmour, who rattled down some fast stuff from the Kingsland end. Another moderate stand was made by A Sloman and Haresnape, but the former seemed unable to time accurately, Gilmour beating him with a fast one. The innings closed for 137, or 93 short of the required number.

The match calls for little comment. The Grafton bating was of the feeblest description, and at no stage of the game did they look like making a fight with the greatly strengthened Eden A combination. The wisdom of the association in acquiescing to the promotion or rather transferring of Hie “eyes of the B” team to the A eleven is, to say the least, open to question. The Eden A players would have certainly made an excellent showing without the assistance of such players as Honeycombe, Blair and Sale, the eleven being a distinctly formidable one, including as it did such players of note as Hemus, Brooke-Smith, Cummings, Taylor and Rowntree, all Auckland reps. Had the Edenites won the championship with the original team they would have been the recipients of many congratulations, but the “late in the day policy” of weakening the B section has certainly estranged many of the club’s supporters and has made cricketers in general look upon the whole business as not in the best interests of sport. It would certainly appear advisable in the future to make clubs declare early in the season the players constituting each team where two teams are entered from the one club. Ponsonby v. North Shore.

With 177 on the slate for three pickets the westerners resumed batting, Wilson and Mason opening to Howden and Coleman. Wilson destroyed his sequence of big scores by failing to register double figures. Howden caught him in two minds and clean bowled him. With the addition cf one run Taylor and Kavanagh each retired for the dreaded “duck.” Howden was bowling in great form, the three wickets falling to him for one run.

The Ponsonby batting suffered in comparison with that of the previous week, Mason being the only batsman to show anything like freedom. Osborne (10 not out) was extremely lucky, the Shore skipper maintaining too good a length for him. McMath, promoted in the blitting list, snicked a single off Howden, and then landed a magnificent boundary straight over the wicket. In attempting a similar bit he was splendidly caught by Rankin on the outfield.

Mason s time had now come, Howden getting him l.b.w. The batsman played a crisp, accurate innings, perhaps not so brilliant as the exhibition against Grafton a fortnight before, but, nevertheless, brimful of merit. It is not often a player after a season or two’s absence can return to form again, but Mason has proved the happy exception. His displays for Ponsonby this year have been particularly brilliant, and he should finish well up in the batting averages if he maintains his present form. Mason hit a splendid six across the leg boundary, together with the six

of the previous Saturday (two- plus four for an overthrow) and nine fours.

Robinson defied Howden for many overs, the Shore trundler eventually closing the innings by getting Snedden’s wicket. Howden (eight for 81) bowled in exceptional form, and kept the batsmen thinking throughout. He maintained a perfect length, while the cross wind made the flight of the ball difficult to follow.

In a minority of 72 runs, Shore opened their second venture with Rankin and Howie, McMath and Mason being entrusted with the attack. McMath early captured Rankin’s wicket with a swerving yorker, which struck the batsman’s foot. Howie was partnered by Dacre, who seemed to experience much difficulty in negotiating the Ponsonby swerve bowler. After registering a boundary and a brace, Dacre was clean bowled by a fast ball which kept low. Tattersall and Howie livened up the rate of scoring, Mason giving way to Kavanagh, and Wilson coming on at the Kingsland end with a special brand of slows. Howie almost immediately gave his wicket away by poking a ball, wide of the batsman, into Taylor’s hands at point. Howie coPected four boundaries in his quota.

Tattersall (26) showed good form, but. when well set made a gift of his wicket to Ponsonby. Prime played the Vail, which turned to leg a couple of yards. Tattersall called for an impossible run, Rcbinson throwing the wicket down. Prime’s innings, though cramped in style, was extremely safe; his best scoring stroke was a late cut which twice brought the boundary. In attempting to pull a straight one (short pitched) from Kavanagh he gave an easy chance to Brinsden on the on-side. Prime hit four boundaries. Coleman failed to score, Wilson tempting him to hit one to Worker, who made a good catch on the leg s’de. Howden (13) was uncomfortable to Wilson, the latter at last badly beating and bowling him. The remaining wickets fell cheaply, and the innings closed for 118. Although they required only 47 runs and 40 minutes to play, the Ponsonby players rested content with their twopoint win, as the extra point would not affect the result of the match with Eden A next week.

Cricketers are just now looking forward to the Easter vacation and the usual round of country matches, and already several visits have been arranged.

University v. Parnell, In reply to Parnell’s total of 257, University had a proposition of no mean order to overcome, and the manner in which they accomplished their task was much to their credit. Starting the day with 25 runs on the slate Airey and Caradus succeeded in taking the total to 96 before a separation was effected. Caradus (39) had batted steadily throughout., and in his score was only one boundary. Airey (62) gave a freer exhibition, making some fine strokes and hitting seven boundaries. He was missed at second slip half-way through his innings. The most prolific partnership was when Graham and Taylor became associated. Coming together at 127, the pair raised the total to 295 before the University skipper was caught by Slater. Graham (78) evidently meant business, as he was anxious about the rubber for the handle of his bat before the game started. It was successful as he was very enterprising and collected his runs quickly. Among his score were eight fours. Taylor (100) played free and attractive cricket, making some excellent off strokes, although playing freely all round the wicket. He was smartly stumped just after reaching the coveted century. Included in score were thirteen fours. Parnell’s bowling talent was severely taxed, no less than eight trundlers being tried and frequent changes were made. It was Stephen’s (three for 54) slows that were most successful. Eden B v. Waitemata.

As was expected after Waitemata s poor first innings effort at Victoria Park on Saturday last, Eden B’s task of overhauling 144 was not a difficult one, the substantial total of 404 resulting. Beale and Bennett had opened prominently on the first day, putting on 69, so that Eden B on Saturday last ran up 335 runs in about wo and a-half hours, the game being concluded on a first innings result well before closing time (6 p.m.). Waitemata were again not at full strength, their bowling department being weak, wickets falling to the

promoted juniors, Metge and Cross, while the trundling was below senior form and without much sting. Waitemata’s fielding was particularly weak, chance after chance being missed, the bowlers receiving practically no support in their uphill task. Waitemata s weaknesses were availed of to the full by Eden’s batsmen, of whom none more so than Sauverin, who, in compiling 138, was dropped time and again. Of course, correct batting under the circumstances was not the order of the day, but spectators were compensated by displays of vigorous and reckless hitting, and such appeared to be appreciated by the few onlookers. Beale and Bennett, continuing their innings from the previous Saturday, still further improved Eden’s prospects before dismissal. Shepherd (32) and Burton (14) made certain their team’s win on the first innings. Sauverin’s vigorous compilation of 138, though not of great value so far as the result was concerned, was characterised by aggressive play bordering on the reckless throughout. The batsman smote hard and often, his fireworks display being, if not orthodox and unblemished, at least spectacular and disheartening to the bowlers. Metge eventually beat himCon. Robinson s 43 and Somervell’s 35 assisted in bringing up the final total of 404, both batsmen hitting out confidently. Waitemata were thus hopelessly in arrears on the first innings, and a two-point win was recorded to Eden B. The young boy cricketei- Charlie Dacre has performed brilliantly in cricket this season for Devonport School, Devonport C.C. (senior team) and Auckland representative team. He has played 31 innings and been “not out” on 12 occasions; his aggregate of runs is 1999 and average 105. He has knocked up 11 centuries, and in 10 of them he carried his bat. The. centuries are as follows, all not out except last score of 188: —140, 143, 108, 140, 114, 105, 107, 139, 107, 196, 188. “Charlie” requires one run only to have scored 2000 runs off his own bat this season—a result every cricketer aspires to, but very few attain. ATHLETICS. (From Cur Wanganui Correspondent.) Henry Martis, the present New Zealand champion amateur sprinter, is running in great style just now, and it is confidently predicted that the Wanganui athlete will have little difficulty in again winn.ng the 100yds. and 220yds. events at Wellington next Saturday. He has done some except.onally fine trials, and his admirers claim that he is as near an “even” timer for the 100 as New Zealand has seen for some time, while he can run a great 220yds. Over those two distances he is nearly, if not quite, as good as Ronald Opie was at his best, and his friends expect him to show that he can also run the quarter at a great bat next Saturday. There is no doubt he is remarkably well, and is staying on better than ever, so that Wilton will have his work cut out to beat him over the 440yds. HOT SPRINGS HOTEL, HELENSVILLE. The medicinal properties of the Hot Springs at Parakai, Helensville, are not as widely known as they should be, for according to the Government analysis the waters are specially adapted to those suffering from rheumatic, sciatic and gouty complaints. The baths are situated in well-laid-out gardens, possessing croquet and tennis lawns, also a bowling green, while to the visitor in need of a quiet rest and change the Hot Springs Hotel, directly opposite and adjacent to the grounds, offers special attractions. Mrs. Goad, the proprietress, is well known among the visitors to the springs, and the hotel is replete with every comfort and convenience. The tariff is exceedingly reasonable, being 30s. per week or ss. per diem. The house contains 20 rooms, and visitors are given every attention during their stay. A ’bus meets the trains, and a pleasant ride of two miles from Helensville completes the journey. Letters or telegrams addressed to Mrs. Goad, the proprietress, receive every attention. F. G. Hood intends fitting up a room specially for local golfers to practice in at Smeeton’s Buildings, Auckland, introducing American indoor golf, the special feature of which is the putting green.

P. W. L. Pts. Ponsonby . 9 7 2 12 Eden A . 9 7 2 11 North Shor© . 9 5 4 3 Grafton . 9 5 4 2