CRICKET.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 561, 3 November 1902, Page 3

CRICKET.

TOWN v. COUNTRY,

[Notes jiy “Biffer.”]

The time-honored fixture, Town vCountry, was played off at Te Hapara on Saturday afternoon last. There were absentees from the ranks of both teams as originally selected. Tho Country men are right in the thick of tho busy season of the year just now, and Mr J. A. Caesar, the selector of tho Country team, was unuble to be present at the match. Baker, L. C. Gouldsmitb, F. Smith, and It. W. Barton were absentees from tho County team as

originally selected, and Plimmer, Zaebariah, and Lyttelton were replaced in the Town eleven by Hill, J. Hay, and Witty. The Weather was perfect, and the wicket good, though occasionally one bumped up awkwardly from the pitch. W. Gibson and A. Crawford were elected eaptainß of the Town and Country team respectively. Tho former had the luck in • the spin of tho coin, and decided to go to the wicket. The Town captain and i Kretchmar opened the innings, facing the bowling of Crawford and Hodge. The bowling was very steady, and runs came slowly, both batsmen refusing lo tako any risks. Twenty appeared on the board after half-ari-honr’s play, the runs coining I chiefly from the captain’s bat, who com mcnced to lay the wood on after getting a : sight of the ball. With 26 up W. Gibson jumped out to Raymond, who had relieved Crawford, aud hit all round a slow curly one, and paid the penalty, Hodgo coming cunningly up from short-slip and whipping tho bails off. Tho retiring batsman was not seen at his beat in putting together his contribution of 19. Though ho gave no direct chance, he mado some inartistic strokes, and was boat' several times by Hodge’s leg-breakt ''retebroar wont shortly afterwards, .-an bowled by a good ono from F ie, -after playing a patient and inva.dable innings. Macdonald, Whyte, and Sheridan had short reigns, but each added a fow to the total. Dodd' aud F. G. Sharp mado a usoful stand, and got iu some effective strokes. Both reached double figures, and were mainly responsible in carrying tho total well over th<s half-century. J. Gibson, who was behind the wickets, met with ; marked success on going on to bowl, and finished off the innings in summary i fashion, securing three wickets for 4 runs. 1 E. R. Murphy mado a couple of fine catchos in tho loDg field off this bowler. r The innings closed for 77. J. Gibson, Hood, and Foote came out with the best bowling figures, though Crawford and Hodge boro the brunt of tho attack. A ' business engagement compelled Raymond to leavo the ground before tho Town innings closed. Tho Holding of the J Country side was good, Murphy, J. Gibson, and H. Sharp doing some clever ground work. j On going' to tho wickets, the Country men failed to mako a stand. Hodge and J. Gibson gave an object-lesson in how to run between tho wickots, and stolo eight byes off Porter’s opening over. ( Porter was in form with tho ball, and t clean-bowled Hodge, H. Sharp, and Hood ' with exceptionally fast ones. W. Gibson , sustained the attack at the other end, and ‘ bagged his brothor and tho Country captain, who was shaping for a score when ho had tho misfortune to play the rival f skipper on to tho wicket. The innings q lasted half an-hour, and, batting ten men, j the Country toam was disposed of for a c total of 30. W. Gibson and Porter took t the bulk of the wickets, aud both camo j out with good figures, while Sheridan and _ Macdonald also bowled well.

Two old-timo veteran players, in Major Winter and Mr R. Tholwall, stood umpires, and two gentlemen better qualified for tho position it would be needless to wish for. The Major had a knock between tho innings, and demonstrated that ho can still wield tho bat with grace and vigor. Tho following are the scores Town,

W. Gibson, st Hodge, b Raymond ... 19 Kretsehmar, b Foote 10 J. V. Macdonald, c Thurlow, b H00d... 6 H. Whyte, b Hodge ... ... ... 8 P. Sheridan, b Crawford 6 H. E. Dodd, c E. R. Murphy, b J.

Gibson 13 D. K. Portor, b Crawford 3 F. G. Sharp, c Hood, bJ. Gibson ... 10 G. Witty, cE. R. Murphy, bJ. Gibson 0 H. E. Hill, not out 0 J. Hay, b Crawford 1 Extras 1 Total 77 Bowling Analysis.

Country. A. H. Hodge, b Porter 1 J. Gibson, b W. Gibson 4 H. Sharp, b Portor 1 A. Crawford, bW. Gibson ... ... 8 W. A. Hood, b Porter 0 E. R. Murphy, c Witty, b Sheridan ... 2 C. A. Foote, b W. Gibson 0 H. C. H. Thurlow, bW. Gibson ... 1 J. Thurlow, b Macdonald 1 J. R. Rudge, not out 4 Extras 8 Total 30 Bowling Analysis. Overs. Runs. Wkt.v

Overs, Buns. WkfcB. Crawford 14 27 3 Hodge 12 13 1 Eaymond 3 13 1 Hood ... 5 3 1 Foote ... 5 L 1 H. Sharp 3 9 — J. Gibson 2 4 8

Porter 6 7 3 W. Gibson 5 8 4 Whyto 3 6 0 Sheridan 2 1 1 Macdonald 1 — 1