CRICKETING.

Manawatu Times, Volume V, Issue 115, 9 February 1881, Page 2

CRICKETING.

PALMERSTON V. HALCOMBE. The first defeat this season was sustained by our local club on Saturday last at Halcombe. After a succession of veil earned victories m first matches over all comers, it is singular that the first " return " should hare proved so disastrous. The Palmerston team was not a strong one, but it was, or shoul.l have been, strong enough to prevent a defaafc by 53 runs. It might have been that our club, having victory on their side m the previous match this season aga : n»t Halcombe, did not attach much importance to a " return." Nevertheless, whatever were the ideas of the members of the team which journeyed to Haleombe last Saturday, their hopes were not increased when they knew that they would have to play with eight men until two o'clock m the nfternoon and perhaps until the match was finished. Paltnorston took the field first with Bradley and Mason bowling, Beaufort at the wickets, Pirani long-stop, Watson point, Staite short leg, Turner and Scott long leg and long field, and Everiss (substitute), outfield ; but these positions were slightly altered from time to time. The position of some of the field would puzzle a Pilch to find a name for them, but this was the result oft the erratic hitting of the Halcombe wen, m fact, to take the opinion of one member of the Halcombe team, hitting hard is the only way to keep the wickets up on their ground, and the result of these " defensive hits" is that the batsmen has no idea to a dozen acres which direction the ball will take* The H;ii<!oinbe innings cloned for 97 Butcher adding 20 to the score, Pnrkes not out 24, byes 5, and wirtes 3. Pirani and Watson long-stopped well, ifas.nl bowled very straglit, but the pitch lid not favor his delivery. Bradley bowls weH at limes Hut there is no doubt th.it lie is out of pnu-tiee. Pirani bowled two wides and two wirketa m a very short time and then went off aito~ gether. Wiitson took one wicket with slow, round-arms but. it ro-st him over 20 runs. Everiss, the substitute lent by Halcomhe to tnnke it possible for Paliiiersf.on to take the field, made the catch of the day and was loudly applauded. Staite and Beaufort took the bat at one o'clock to the bowling of Hyde and Miller, Viall at the wickets, Tompkins long-stop, and Lash point. Towards the close of the innings three men arrived from Palmerston m time to go m. The innings closed for 47, 9 byes, 3 leg-byes, and 4 wides. Beaufort made top score, 13, and then allowed himself to be run out. Palmerston took the field without loss of time and «howed great improvement. More balls were bowled this innings than m the first, with a marked difference m the score. Simpson was put on to bowl at the last wicket, and sent down two overs with good pitch and pace. Pirani only allowed one bye. Staite threw Butcher out off a hard hit to short leg. Mason made a good quick catch at slip, Morrison made two fine catches m fche out field, and all fielded and backed up well together. The innings closed for 41, and this made the Palmerston team look forward to a close match, but the sequel proved otherwise, for they were all disposed of for the small score of 38. Beaufort again headed the score with 15, including the hit of the day to square leg. Morrison, a new man, got five very nicely. He will make a good bat with practice, but he must not play back to a long-pitched ball. Had the full team for Palmerston began play at Halcombe, a closer match would have been the result, and had Lloyd and Charles played for Palmerston, nothing but bad luck should have prevented our team from winning. HALCOMBE. JIRST INNINGS. Butcher, b Bradley 20 J. Tompkins, b Mason 1 Lash, c Mason, b Bradley 13 Eustace, c Eyeries, b Bradley 8 Jackson, b Bradley 1 Viall, b Pirani 5 Mil'er, b Pirani 1 Hyde, hit wicket, b Mason 5 Pavkes, not out 24 Haycock, l.b.w, b Watson 5 Everiss, c Beaufort, b Mason 5 Bve3 ... 5 Wides ... 3 97 SECOND INNINGS. Parkes, c Simpson, b Mason 1 Totnpkiu'e, b Bradley 1 Butcher, run out 2 Eustace, c Mason, b Bradley 11 La3h, c Mason, b Watson 5 Jackson, c Bradley, b Maaon 1 "Viall, c Morrison, b Mason 1, Hyde, c Turner, b Mason 10 Miller, b Mason 0 Haycock, nob out 4 Everis3, b Simpson 1 Byes 1 Wides • ... 3 41 PALMERSTON. FIRST INNINGS. Staite, 1.b.w., b Hyde 3 . Beaufort, run out 13 Wateon, c Lash, b Miller ... ... 0 Mason, c Parkes, b Hyde 2 Timer, b Miller 0 8 : moson, no 1 ; out 9 Pirani, bH'da 5 Bradley, Miller 0 Sc->tt, b Miller 0 ; Morrison, b H -da 1 ! Hughes, ran oat 0 ; B?es 9 Leg bye* 3 Wide 3 1 47 SECOND INNISaS. Staits, bHyda 0 Simison, b H-de ... ... ... 0 B»a«forfc, c Butcher, b Hyde ...15 Mason run out ... ... -•• 3. Pirani, c Lasb, b Parkes ... ... 5 Watson, b Paskes ... ... ... 0 Turner, b Parkea ... ... ... 3 Morrison, b H^de ... ... ... 5 Sco f ,t, c Everiss, b Parkes ... ... 3 Bradley, b Parkes ... ... ... 0 I Hushes, not out ... ... ... 0 8.-es *. ... » Leg byes... ... ... ... 2 Total 38 ■ ■ ■