CRICKET.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2403, 19 January 1909, Page 2

CRICKET.

UNITED MEET THEIR WATERLOO. WANDERERS OUTPLAY THE LEADERS AND PLACE THEMSELVES ON TOP. (Notes by “Sliort-Slip.”) Not for many season/ past has there .been so much interest taken in :v Saturday competition match as was displayed in the struggle which eondueled at Victoria Domain on Saturday afternoon between the United and Wanderers elevens. The reason of such exceptional interest Attaching to the meeting between these clubs .was that it was realised that the championship must go to either one or the other, as they had so far outdistanced Te Rau and Tarnheru as to place the latter clubs out of consideration.

On the opening Saturday, Wanderers scored 107, and got rid of six of United’s best batsmen for the poor total, of 55 runs. During the -week, the sole topic among cricketers was the question as to whether the remaining four United wickets could get the 53 runs required to head Wanderers on the first innings. “The dauntless five,” as they were termed by their dub mates —Manning, Gorman, Daniell, Farrell, and Jeffreys—put in solid batting practice during the week, and great interest was taken in the resumption of play at 2.30 on Saturday. Manning and Gorman continued the innings to the bowling of Glennie and Adamson. The Wanderers’ bowlers were altogether too good for the remainder of the batsmen, with the exception of Lionel Manning. Manning punished both Glennie and Adamson impartially, and caused the score to mount rapidlv, hut the wickets kept falling at- the.other end. Gorman was caught in the slips . by Adamson, off Glennie, without scoring, while Daniel was stumped by Sam McConnell, oft the same bowler, for a single. Adamson got a good one past Fred Farrell after the batsman had scored a solitary run, and Jeffreys, the last man, joined Manning. The tali lefthander, under the belief that--the end wus near, was taking risks, and eventually Adamson found his sticks with one out of the box. The 'innings closed for 87. just 20 runs behind the Wanderers opening set. Alannine scored 30. and had he been supported the result would have been different. He made Ins runs at a critical time, but was not at all disconcerted by the importance of the occasion. . , , c The bowling honors were earned off bv George Glennie, who secured five wickets for 28 runs. Glennie is a slow right-build bowler, whose deliveries appear the softest things to hit imaginable. He keeps a marvellous length, and just turns the balenough to make hitting at the pit<L dangerous. He is also an adept at changing his pace, and is in every -respect win it is usually recognised as a “heady” bowler. Adamson bowled well throughout, and came out- with the fine record of five wickets for runs. Adamson possesses that valuable and rare bowling gift of niaking the ball swerve in the air He docs not cet it on with every -bad, and probably, uke many other bowlers who swerve, does not try for it, or know himself which .ball is going to out capers in its flight to the pitch ; but the batsman knows '.veil enough when Adamson swerves, and if the ball be ef good length, the knowledge avails him "but little, as he is usually on liis wav back to the pavijion, bitterlv dcoloring the sad .fact that “black magic” should be allowed to bespmctiseil in this enlightened tweufteffehentury. When he obtains absolute command cl: length, and learns to mix his pace. A damwill be a trundler whose ability should secure him a .place in first-class company. . * The Wanderers men fielded well, and outshone their opponents in this important department. They were keen and alert, anticipated the strokes of the batsmen, and were always smart at backing up for -a possible overthrow. Sam McConneill was as consistent as ever behind the sticks. He stumped Hallamorc and Daniell, and only 'allowed four' extras. His only mistake was in dropping a datch off Manning on the first day before the latter had opened 'an account. The catch was -a very simple one, but Sami was caught napping, mid Glennie was robbed of another i wicket which should have gone to his credit. Wanderers occupied the wickets till close on six o’clock in their second innings. A drizzling rain made matters had for the howlers, while the absence of a supply of sawdust further handicapped their efforts. The wicket was easy, and it was impossible to get any turn on the ball, which was cutting through. The feature of the innings was a magnificent hitting display by Charlie Lasker, the popular Wanderers’ skipper. He came, in fourth wicket down, when 50 runs v;ere on the board. He opened in characteristic fashion by lifting the very first ill ill lie received, from Farrell, clean over the extra ilong-on boundary for four. The spectators sat up with an air of delighted expectancy, for everyone knows that when Charlie Lasker, like the hoys of the Geobung Polo Club, “pets going, it is time to clear the road.” Lasker soon .afterwards lifted the slime bowler over Gibson s head at long-on. The fieldsman ran back and took the catch high above

bis bead with the right, hand, but, just as hV took the catch lie dropped almost out of sight- unto the dip which marks the boundary, the only tiling retraining to view being a hand 'upraised from out the bosom of the heaving swamp still clutching tightly the leather. Warm applause greeted this feat, but an appeal was mnde to Umpire McColl on the ground that the fieldsman had gone over the boundary 'after taking tlie catch, and tlie umpire’s verdict was “notout.” This was bad luck for- the fielding side, but decidedly good luck for the spectators, as Lasker from then on gave them one of those inspiriting hitting displays which onlookers love to watch, and if oftener given -would remit in much larger crowds rolling up to cricket matches. Lasker is one of the finest natural hitters one could wish to see. .He is Ulyett, Bonner, and Jessop rolled unto a small parcel. . One of his hits, off Farrell, on Saturday went soaring over the fence mid far away 'into the golf grounds, landing almost on the top of Pare Keiha’s house. Many of his lofty hits fell just over the boundary, .and Gibson performed many amazing acrobatic if eats in- a wild endeavor to clutch one within” the fielding area. The .poor fieldsman, to tlie intense amusement of tlie crowd, was turning double somersaults over hayricks, climbing up the sides o,f the pressstand, and taking flying leaps for life into the swamp in a wild endeavor to catch Charlie out. 'But nobody caught the mighty smiter or bowled him, either, and he was not out,*>sl, when the last wicket fell, and just warming to his work. The total reached 165, including 26 extras. Glennie (28) played a good innings, and made many crisp strokes before being stumped [by Bowman off Farrell. Babb, [Seroggie, and Young also reached double figures. . Tlie United bowling figures do not call for special comment. BowliiW is the United Club’s weak point. Mannmg wus unable to strike a Heimth and bowled .about a foot on the short side throughout the match. Farrell was about the most successful, and captured Glennie, Young, and AlcConnell at the cost of oo runs. Manning got two tor 36, Hallamorc one for “ i t r/ trong onc for 22 ■ Daniell and Jeffreys were tried late in the innings, and might have been given a trial earlier with advantage, as they both bowled steadily. Jim Bowman was not in anything like liis usual form behind the wickets. Though he stumped Glennie, Youim, and McConnell, off Farrell’s slow°left-hand-ec deliveries, Ibis keeping was not vhat is usually expected from this agile stumper. United ran up 55 for one wicket in about _0 minutes. Ha 11a mo re (16 not out) and Bowman (14) did the moiing. 'Bowman made some uppish strokes, and was nearly taken bv Maude at- long-on,-who got liis hand's ° n w lo n bail1 ’ *but failed to hold it. U ande-rei's richly deserved their wm, as they outplayed United in every department of tlie game in this match—batting, bowling, fielding and wicketkeeping. The next meeting belli een these elevens .will create vorv great interest. .

Ihc Thursday competition was advanced another stage last week United mid Te Ran securing threepoint wins over Union and Cosmopolitan respectively. . Un T i ? n . ]ukl ? good chance of defeating United in their game, as thev bad a lead of three runs on the first innings. United ran up 112 in quick tunc in the second innings. Bowinan (27, not out), J. Lang (27), .and Hal]amove (L) batted in good style. George TLttersa.il gave a phenomena] display of bowling prowess. Ho was put on late by his captain, and only bowled one over. But those six balls were particularly good ones and he clean bowled Atkinson, McCarthy, and Hill without a run being scored off the over.

Union absolutely collapsed an their effort to get the 110 runs required to will the match outright. In about iiiilf-an-'hour the whole side were sent to the right-about for the poor total of 20, United thus winning by 89 runs. The 'bowlers responsible for this utter rout on the billiard-table concrete wicket were Theo Armstrong and Reg. Hallamore. The former is noted for the unerring accuracy of his deliveries. Every .ball is dead on tlie wicket, of good length, and of fast medium pace. He captured six wickets for 8 runs, five of his victims being clean 'bowled. HaMnmore bagged four for eight, and was >as tricky as ever.

After being 106 runs behind on the first innings, the Cosmopolitan men followed on on Thursday. They were unequal to the task of averting the innings’ defeat, and could only muster 40 runs at tlie second essay with the hat, thus losing by the large margin of an innings and 66 runs. Sailor Roderick, who scored a .dozen, was the only batsman to spoil the uniformity of the scoresheet by making double figures. Joe Monk .(five for 23) and Harry Wack (four for 16) were in their best bowling .trim, and proved too good for the batsmen. By the boat on iSaturdny morning, R. W. Cary left Gisborne for Auckland. “Old Bob” will be greatly missed in cricket circles. He was captain and secretary of the To Ran (Saturday Club, and captain of the Cosmopolitan Thursday team. He was a great enthusiast, and his loss will fie keenly (felt. A letter received by a local player from A. -M. iHowden, the North ■Shore and Auckland rep. player, states that a team of Auckland cric-

keters tare desirous of visiting Gisborne at Easter, and playing' four clays’ cricket here.