CRICKET NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 14, 14 December 1932, Page 7

CRICKET NOTES

THE EARLY ADVANTAGE. (By “Slip.”) With one game to be played prior to the holiday break, Old Boys are holding a lead of tivo points over High School, with United one point away. At the corresponding stage last year Palmerston and United had not lost a match, whereas this season the champions have won only one game and United have won two and lost two. The 1932 portion of the present season will be remembered by players as ,a most unfavourable one. A keen wind made matters most unpleasant on Saturday and the drawing of stumps' ca.me as a relief to all. Heavv wickets make for low scoring, but, while United could hardly advance that as an excuse on Saturday, their second innings effort was a poor one and they marred their record by having the first innings defeat of two seasons registered against them. Last season High School gained a victory over United by the narrow margin of two runs, and Saturday saw another close finish between the other two senior elevens, Old Boys and Palmerston. At the fall of the ninth wicket Old Boys were requiring six runs to tie. However, the final partnership added 10. After missing the opening match for High School, Loudon has rendered good service to his team, but his 79 not out of Saturday was far in advance of his preceding efforts with the willow. This batsman exercises plenty of patience, yet he found the boundary line on seven occasions on Saturday. He now possesses an average of 39.33. There were four “ducks” registered in High School’s game' with United. Three successive batsmen returned to the pavilion with their accounts unopened, yet there was no “hat trick” accomplished. One batsma.n stayed at the wickets long enough to enable his partner to contribute 20 and the succeeding member saw four runs added without being himself a contributor. In a junior match recently, all eleven members of the side participated in the attack, even the wicket-keeper discarding his pads and gloves to take a turn. The position was almost as bad in the United-High School match, for nine members had a turn with the ball. Peculiarly enough, it was Miilen, , the former ’keeper, who emerged with i the best average by taking two wickets for 25 runs. The cabled reports of the attentions paid the person of the Australian batsmen by the fast M.C.C. bowlers apparently decided one United batsman that it was better to l>e sure than sorry when facing R. Hatch, the High School fast bowler. As the bowler commenced his run the batsman would retire to! play the bowling at long range and * the manner in which he connected i with the leather on occasions was remarkable. "When opposing Palmerston at the end of February, last season, United returned the low total of 34 for six wickets. Saturday saw the 10 members of the side who batted dismissed for 65 runs and a low scoring record for the past two seasons at least was thereby established. The extra point which resulted is going to prove useful to High School. It is a long time since one has seen two trundlcrs carry the attack throughout .the full course of an innings, but such a' state of affairs was forthcoming on Saturday when Stuckey and R. ?

Hatch accounted for the United batsmen without relief being necessitated. The former is building up an excellent record for himself, having captured 21 wickets in four matches at a total cost of 228, which gives him an average of 10.85 runs per wicket. Old Boys were expected to develop into a free scoring combination, and although they did return the big total . of 349 aga.inst United, their other contributions have been mediocre and they were somewhat fortunate to carry the day against Palmerston on Saturday. At a critical stage ’keeper Norris thought one delivery was going to shatter the wicket. However, it missed the wickets and went to the boundary line for four runs —the winning margin as it proved. Holz, who opened the innings for Old Boys, played very patient cricket • for his 29 runs, his rate of scoring being unusually slow, and it is very evident that he has not reached his batting form of last season. Rose, on the other hand, is one of the dashing type, and his 23 runs came in his usual brisk, if dangerously breezy styie. Those runs came when badly wanted, but it was the succeeding strike of 32 not out by Alcuira which actually saved the situation. These three members certainly bore the burden of the day. The Old Boys batsmen do not appear to appreciate the deliveries of Leet, for at their first meeting this Palmrston trundler accounted for five of the opposition in the first innings at the low cost of 28 runs. On Saturday he emerged with a bag of six wickets for 56 runs and it is apparent that his deliveries, which are apt to hang low, force the batsmen into errors. Berquist, the left-hand, medium pace bowler in the ranks of Paimerston, probably merits a greater measure of success than he actually enjoys. However, he registered his best figures for the present season on Saturday when he accounted for four opponents at a total cost of 50 runs. Judging from the improved efforts by tho Palmerston batsmen, the wicket at the lower end of the oval had improved since the preceding Saturday for the batsmen showed vastly better form at their second visit, Norris, Kells and Pegden ail topping the 40 mark. Mullins was also batting away freely when he had to hurry away to fulfil an engagement. It was only in the closing moments, however, that he discarded caution to rattle on three fours and one six. It appears to be the best tactics for him to follow in ifuture. | The example set bv Mullins was car- | ried still further by Norris, whose contribution of 49 runs included eighf fours and one six, leaving only 11 runs to be accounted for per medium of braces and singles. Kells also displayed much greater freedom than usual, but Pegden took longer to play himseif in. There almost appeared to i be some rivalry about the proceedings, 'for each batsman had a six to his : credit. i IN THE LOWER GRADES. As in the senior division, the leading teams of last season, Y.M.C.A. and Old Boys, have not made the same favourable start in the junior series this year as last and both {ire led by Palmerston and City Council. The absence of haste by reason of tho introduction of two-day matches appears to have had beneficial results on the junior scoring returns. In the series which were completed on Saturday there were four innings of over 200 runs. Palmerston owe their present advantage to the fact that they have been

able to force three four-point wins, whereas City Council have had but the one. These two clubs met last month when a close and big scoring game ended in a draw, no actual decision having been reached in one innings game. Saturday did not bring the customary list of big contributors, Holden (Unemployed A) and Weston (Kia Toa) being ths only batsmen to top the half century. G. Griggs, who compiled 109 for Y.M.C.A., had been 102 not out on the opening day, while Hardie added 36 to his first day’s total of 22. In three strikes Holden has now returned scores of 67', 61 and 74. The defeat of Albion by Y.M.C.A. enabled the latter third grade team to secire the lend in that division. While Y.M.C.A. held an advantage of only 12 runs on the first innings, their second effort of 134 for the loss of four wickets placed them in a secure position. Two Y.M.C.A. trundlers accounted for all 10 Albion players in the first innings, Downes capturing five wickets for 16 runs a.nd Howe five for 21—remarkable figures. Scotter, for Albion, did equally well by taking six wickets for 27 runs. Good as the above bowling figures are, they were outdone by Rice, the Kia Ora bowler, who dismissed six Gordon batsmen at. an average of one run per wicket. In the preceding match the same bowler took- six wickets at a total cost of 27 runs.