CRICKET.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2409, 26 January 1909, Page 2

CRICKET.

Ground the grounds

(Notes by “Short-Slip.”)

Cricketers last week had to take the field under weather conditions which do not usually obtain in New Zealand. The blazing hot days experienced during the past fortnight had dried up the fallen hush on tho way-back stations, and sheepfarmers took advantage of the exceptionally favorable conditions to ensure good ’“burns.” The effect caused by the many big bush fires was most disconcerting to cricketers. By 4 o’clock on Thursday a- dense pall of smoke had overspread the heavens, through which the sun appeared as a bloodred ball of fire, and lent to the faces of the -players a strange and unearthly hue. The majority of the players complained that the smoke -affected their eyes, and one or two batsmen who made “blobs” thought it most inconsiderate on the part of the pastoraliste to choose -a cricket cup day for making such a “big smoke.” Last Thursday'To Rau and Union met in the mid-week competition.’ Union,"who. could only muster seven men at the start of the game, lmd first use of the turf wicket, but made a poor stand against the howling of Harry Wack and Joe Monk. The board showed the inglorious total of 31 wdien the sixth wicket fell. Young (14) and Grant (10) scored 24 of this total. Four men had “round ’uns” opposite their names. Wack secured three -wickets for 11 runs, and Monk three for 16. To Rau responded with 146. llarry Wack was the batting hero of the afternoon, and gave -a capital exhibition in hitting up the fine score of 81. (Most of his runs came from off'drives, 'and he had all the wood on and kept them along the carpet.. Ho hit well all round the wicket, and only gave two distinct chances. .Next to Wack in order of merit comes the

colt, August Paliu, who gave a most exhilarating display in rapidly rainin'ng up 21. Hardly bigger than i-lio hat, this Native lad played with all tho assurance of a veteran, and banged tbs loatlhei* to tho boundary with well-made strokes on .several occasions. August promises to develop into a good all-round athlete, as he is" already one of the best golf- players in the district, and even Paro Keiha, the local champion, has to extend himself when he does a round with this diminutive opponent. Tattors l ' all (four for 64) and .Barker (three for 32) wore the most successful s of the Union bowlers. To Pan only * batted nine men in the innings. ’ _ With a deficit of 110 in the first innings, Union t made an excellent start with their second essay. Young and iHarker opened. Harkov was bowled by H. Waek before opening ■ ail account, and thus had the ill-luck to bag a (pair of spectacles in the ■ match. Ralph Grant, the Union j captain, however, then came to tho j rescue, and he and Young dealt out j severe punishment to the Te Pan ‘ bowlers. 'Both men laid the wood on in fine style, and tho tens mounted rapidly. It was not until 82 runs wore on the slate that tho partnership was severed, Young getting his leg in front to Peter Sim, after playing a capital innings for 35. Grant j was loft not out with 33, and ro- ' sumes next Thursday. Union are now 33 runs behind with eight wickets in> hand, and may yet give Te Ran a good total to get to win. On tho concrete pitch Cosmopolitan met United. lE. Austen led ,i 4 he : citizens of the world, vice Bob Gary, | who has left for Auckland. Cosmopolitan won the toss, and Austin and Scroggie made a line stand for the first wicket. The two batsmen made just tho requisite contrast, _ Austin. supplying the aggression while his partner 'watched tho hall carefully and took no risks, Austen lifted 1 Hallamove- twice over the pavilion for four, and both batsmen caused the tens to mount steadily. At 49, with both men well set, an unfortunate misunderstanding caused Scroggie, who had played soundly for 24, to be run out. Austen took ilu’s score along to 38. when he was bowled by Farrell. His 38 was made by free and attractive cricket. Alter this wickets commenced to full rapidly. Bousfiold and "Scotty” McLachlan made a splendid stand for the last wicker and amid the applause of the spectators carried the score from 74 to 107, when McLachlan, Who had hit- sut merrily for 17, was caught ning off Jim Lung, Avliom "the Uin tod captain had put on in desperation to effect a separation. Bousfield was left not out with a. dozen, mado by correct cricket. Armstrong (5 for 26) and Farrell (3 for 20) were the .best of the United bowlers. Manning should have been made more use of, as ho was the only kept on for two overs at the start, vine! only five runs were scored off him. Manning and Sainsbury opened United’s innings in promising fashion. Both batsmen shaped well, and quickly ran the total to 39, where Manning was nicely taken at long-on by Scroggie, off Maude. ’Sainsbury, after scoring 19, one more than Manning had got, was clean bowled by the" colt, Pirie, who was bowling steadily, and going away to the oft with liis arm. (Something m the nature of a collapse then occurred, and Davis, Gorman and Lang were sent back one after the other. Baliamore was joined by Armstrong, uuo Allan Pirio clean bowled the latter first ball with a fine delivery. Gibson came in sixtli wicket down, and established a fruitful partnership with Hallamore. Runs came briskly, and the century was quickly hoisted. At 6.30 both men were still unbeaten with the score standing at 160 for six ; wickets. Hallamore gave a fine display in registering his 03, anil brought off many powerful hoof strokes off short-pitched ones. Gibson' played confidently, and his 3/ came at a time when it was badlr needed by bis side. Pirie secured bowling .honors tor ; Cosmopolitan, and his three for 18 oft | ten overs was a distinctly good per- ! formance on tho concrete pitch. ! Harry Maude bagged the other three | wickets at a cost of 31 runs. Harry gets a lot of work on, and mixes them ! up well, and would come out with ‘ better figures i'f lie made certain of a j. good J-ength. At lie sends i along too many short or overpitched I balls, which can be easily scored i from. If Maude could rely on a length lie would he a most difficult bowler to play.

The Saturday competition saw Wanderers and Te R au wrestling with each other at Victoria Domain. Te Ran could only muster six men, and. 50 was the result of their initial effort with, the bat. Dudfield scored 26, and played tho bowling with ease and confidence. Adamson secured four for 16 and Young one for 19. “Wanderers ran up the good total of 188 in response. Harry Babb gave a. stylish display of batting, -and his strokes were well-timed and neatly executed. In his big score- of 78, lie hit well all round tiny wicket, and entirely dispelled the illusion held by many that he was only a slow scorer. McConnel (29) and Glennie (26) also batted well. Dudfield bowled well and had the majority of the batsmen feeling forward for his slow legbreaks. He captured six wickets for 46 runs. Monk captured three for 59, and bore the brunt of the attack, sending down no less than 21 overs. At Taruheru, United-and Tar-uheru put in tho afternoon on a fairly good wicket and hast outfield by giving a very weak display of batting. Ta.ru:ilieru won the toss, and put United in. The innings closed for 85. Bowman (22), -Lang (16), and Gorman (12, not out) were the only batsmen to do anything against the howling of Sharpies, who captured six -wickets for 18 runs, off nine and a half overs. Old Jack Charles -also howled very accurately, and secured three for 20 off eleven overs. Taruheru collapsed on going to tho wickets, and were all out for 47. Whitely (11).-and Hiarkcr (12) shaped best with the bat. Hallamore (six for 24) and Grenfell (four for 19) bowled exceptionally well, and were supported by sure catching. A. H. Hodge made a. reappearance after a long absonco from the field, but Gorman caught hijn brilliantly -at long-on off Hallamoro before he had scored. The fieldsman had to run fully thirty yards, and took tho oatoh when travelling at top speed. At call of time United had made 49 for tho loss of two wickete. Gorman -(10), Bowman (17),* laud Lang (16, not out) were,, responsible for the runs. Harkor was bowling.to a worn end of the pitch, and was turning

them from both sides. He secured belli the wickets-which fell with. good, breaks. -Bowman (22 and 17), J. Lang (16 and 16, not out), and Gorman (12, not out, and 10) scored double figures for United in each innings on Saturday. *