CRICKET.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2391, 5 January 1909, Page 2

CRICKET.

BATTING

THE TRIP TO NAPIER

(Notes by “Short-slip.”)

- Although the members of the Poverty Bay team could not on tlieir return exclaim, like Caesar, “Veni, vedi, vici,” they are unanimously of opinion that the tour was a thoroughly enjoyable one, and consider they have all benefited greatly by playing for .a -week on good wickets, where they had to face such capable and heady bowlers as Fenton and Redgrave, and bowl to batsmen like Hawke. Hindmarsh., Redgrave, Fenton., and Fulton, who, in view of the Hawke’s Bay match with Otago, which coriimences to-day, were all at the very top of tlieir form. In the opening match against Hawke’s Bay on the Monday, the day of the team’s arrival in Napier, the wicket was on the slow side,, as the result of rain, and Gibson was in a quandary when he won the toss whether to take strike or send his opponents to the wickets. As the weather appeared unsettled, the Poverty Bay man decided to take advantage of first use of the wickets. With two wickets down for 50, it appeared as if a decent total would be reached. Gibson and, Moore were both playing the bowling _ with confidence, but* Jack O’Brien broke up the partnership with a, slow leg-break,* which landed a perfect length and oaine fast off the. pitch, taking the, Gisborne captain’s off bail. Cary and Derecourt came and went without scoring, but Jim' Bowman infused some life into things by assisting Moore to carry the total along to 86. Bowman was brilliantly caught at mid-on by Gleeson, off Fenton., and Moore hail the ill-luck to be run out after nlaying a sound ' innings. The innings was speedily finished off for the poor total of 91. The majority of the Gisborne men were palpably nervous, and had no chance against Fenton, Redgrave, and O’Brien, who were getting a lot of work on. To, add .to the. troubles of the visitors, rain commenced to fall just as Hawke and Hindmarsh came out to open the Napier innings 7 Sawdust had to be requisitioned, and the bowlers had to contend against a greasy ball. Both batsmen took no risks, .and played themselves in. "With 40 up, the Gisborne captain appealed,, and an adjournment of half-an-hour was made. . On resuming rain again commenced to fall, and a drizzle kept on for nearly the whole of the afteiv noon. The wicket was easy and. the ball was cutting through, consequently the bowlers could get no turn onHawke and Hindmarsh took advantage of their opportunity, and both batted really well. Without taking undue risks, they-came down heayily on the loose ones, and the score steadily mounted. _ It was not until 167 had been hoisted that . Hindmarsh. played one back into. Derecourt’s hands, and retired for a stylishly compiled score of 75. Redgrave, O’Brien, and Anderson did not give any trouble. The former was not .at all at home to Derecourt, 'and played a couple of balls straight back to the bowler, the. second of which the Motu man secured by running back and taking the catch behind the wicket. None of the other batsmen, with the exception of Fenton , gave .any trouble, and the innings, which at one time threatened to reach alarming proportions, terminated for 313. Fenton hit out merrily for his 61 (not out),, and took every risk. He made many uppish strokes, but the ball fell clear of the .fieldsman in, each instance. He got a number dean out of the ground. Derecourt bowled finely, and sent down no fewer than 29, overs for 88 runs, and. among, liis three victim® were Hindmarsh and Redgrave. Olsen also bowled really well, and kept a good length ..with liis medium slows.

He secured three wickets : for 45, off nine, overs. Monk also trundled well, bagging two for 35, off eleven overs. Jim Moore oaine out of bis shell as' a bowler,hand surprised all bis comrades by the excellence of bis length ia.nd the beadiness with which he mixed his pace. Be clean bowled Peter Ashcroft, tlie Hawke’s Bay captain, and uilso found the stumps of “Moriry” Wood, of Rugby football fame, with a particularly good one. “Moore sent along ten overs for 34 runs. ' . Poverty-Bay again collapsed in the ’second innings, and only ..totalled 89, against the bowling of Anderson, Hawke, Wood, Gleeson, and HindImarsh. Gleeson, it will be remembered, was the manager of the “proBlacks” Rugby football team which visited England in the 1907-08 season. He is -stated to be -a born orator, and may return shortly to con-test-an Irish seat for the House of Commons. He proved himself a good all-round cricketer, and did well against the Gisborne men, with bat and ball, while he also fielded well and kept wickets capably. The following are the batting , and bowling averages of the members of the team for the .Napier tour: —

Times Ttl. Highest Inng> . n.o. ltuns. Inns. Avg. Gibson 7 1 194 122 32.3 Bowman 7 0 116 41 16.57 Moore 7 1 '74 33 12.3 Sainsbury 6 0 96 31 16. Oates ... 7 1 89 34 14.83 Derecourt 7 0 99 28 14.14 Anderson G 0 84 51 14. A. Lang 5 1 54 45 13.5 J. Lang 7 1 64 34* 10.6 Olsen. ... 7 1 52 13 8.6 Mill ... 1 1 4 4 4. Monk G 1 15 G 3. Cary ... 2 0 0 * Signifies not out. o 0. BOWLING. Olsen .... 41 3 161 13 12.38 Moore ... 26 5 86 8 5 17.2 Monk .... 57 11 168 9 18.6 A. Lang 25 3 103 4 25.75 Derecourt 51 7 153 5 30.6 Gibson ... 22 1 133 1 133. Anderson 14 1 66 0 Bowman 3 0 30 0 Oates ... 2 0 13 0 Cary ... 2 0 23 0 It is my intention to deal with the remaining matches on. of the tour later