MERCANTILE LEAGUE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 116, 12 November 1938, Page 25

MERCANTILE LEAGUE

NOTES AND COMMENT

Under conditions which were ideal for cricket there were plenty of thrills and excitement in Wellington Mercantile League matches last Saturday. On

the whole the wickets were slow, with the result that several batsmen were caught napping, while one or two wickets played in a very sporting manner, to the discomfort of teams having the second strike. The form shown by batsmen generally was quite good, and augured well for some heavy scoring when the wickets roll out firm and fast. With three series of matches com-! pleted the teams are now beginning to sort themselves out. In the A grade Amalgamated Bricks, Taubmans, Jasco, j and W.M.C. lead the field in a competition which promises to be one of the most interesting for several seasons. Customs Agents and .Harbour Board, both strong • teams, will undoubtedly come into the reckoning, and Taxes Department will surprise before the season is over. Justice Department and MvenClarke appear to' be the strongest teams in the B grade, although they may be pressed later by Smith and Smith. Justice Department have a powerful batting side which will takesome beating. Celtic and Gasco, the two teams relegated from the A grade, have been disappointing to date. Both teams are capable of scoring many runs. Up to the present the former team has been handicapped through having to field a weakened side each match. Competition is keen in the other grades. Excelsior and Audit Department lead in the C grade; H.M.V., Bonds Hosiery, and Labour Bureau in the D grade; Thompson Bros, in the E grade; J. R. McKenzies and Printing in the F grade; and City Council, Colonial Carrying Co., and P. and T. Stores in the G grade. C. Dobbs (Smith and Smith) leads the wicket-takers with 21 wickets from E. T. Moore (Atlantic, Union) 20, F. Holz (Colonial Carrying Co.) 19, R. H. Gray (Insurance B) 18, E. Henderson (H.M.V.) 18), K. Wyness (H.M.V) 18, R Wallis (City Council) 17, and M. Goodson (Woolworths) 17. J. Osborn (Labour-Tourist) leads the batting aggregates with 220 runs, and he is followed :; by R. Wallis (City Council) 187 runs, H. Duncan (Insurance A) 185 runs, and A. J. L. Mclndoe (Audit Department) 181? runs. SELECTORS' TASK. The selectors, Messrs. C. E. Wynne, A. A. Ramsay, and E. W. Killick will have no mean task in choosing .the representative sides for this season, in spite of the fact that they will be assisted in their preliminary deliberations by a sub-committee from the lower grades. There are a number of new players of. note in the league's ranks this season and their form suggests that several of last year's representatives will find it difficult to hold their places. Players that the selectors will* be watching closely during the next few weeks are likely to include .M. K. Boon. (Justice Department),. F. Bryant

(Customs Agents), J. C. Dow (Justice Department), R. K. Hatch (Taxes Department and formerly of Manawatu), R. Janes (Prestige Hosiery), E. R. Jeffery (Woolworths), A. A. Jennings (Customs Agents), W. Jupp (Harbour Board), P. G. Monk (Jasco), J. H. Potier (Taubmans), and J. F. Sandholm (Taubmans).

One feature of the third grade cricket at the Basin Reserve last Saturday—and not an altogether pleasant one either—was the dress of some of the players. Green pullovers, grey pullovers, at least two pairs of grey trousers, and a felt hat were among the articles of wear adopted by some members in the teams. Possibly matters of dress in cricket are not so important on country or suburban grounds, but when teams are playing on the centre's main cricket ground steps should be taken to ensure that they are suitably attired in white flannels. Even on outside grounds everyday attire should be prohibited.

After his failure against University Rice (opening for Kilbirnie against Midland) demonstrated that he has not lost the form which earned him a place in the Wellington i-epresentative cricket side last season. Although marred by a chance at half-way, his score (61) was compiled in a manner suggesting that he will be giving trouble to bowlers, especially when the pilches quicken up. Rice gives the impression thai his strokes are more powerful than formerly.