CRICKET STANDARDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 10, 13 January 1926, Page 8

CRICKET STANDARDS.

AUCKLAND V, CANTERBURY. SOME IMPRESSIONS. (By URIAH, THE HITTITE.) Another match between Auckland and Canterbury has been in progress, in fact, it has been almost a cricket Marathon. It has been a hard, stern struggle, and it has recalled some of the homeric contests of the past, when in Canterbury names like Cuff, Labatt, Demaus and Lawrence loomed largely, and Auckland had players of the calibre of Mills, Hay, Mason and Xeill. Through the intervening years other players of note hare come and gone—the names are legion. The present match, although protracted, has been of absorbing interest by reason of the way the fortunes of both sides fluctuated. The game has revealed that the ■ interprovincial etan-, darcl of play is good, particularly the batting, but the absence of matchwinning bowlers has been just as marked as it has been for several seasons past. The fielding has been but fairly good, at times excellent, yet minus just the little bit of finish which has raised the Australian standard of play to a higher level. than in the Dominion. In one respect the batting was disappointing, in that there was a curious absence of hard, straight carpet driving, even to overtossed balls, a prolific scoring stroke for the old-time batsman who believed that every ball should be dealt with on its merits. Again both sides lost runs through failure to sprint the first run, and balls cut to third man often produced singles instead of twos. A bright feature of the present game has been the play of the colts on the respective sides, and the axiom that youth will be served has been exemplified by the fine performances of Gregory, Cox, Talbot for the -southerners, and Mills, Frater, Cooper, and Gerrard for the home team. Indeed,, it is this rich promise from young. players who augurs so well for the future of 2few Zealand cricket. In the present game there has been surprisingly little difference between the.two teams, the batting and fielding has been on a par, and much the same remark could be made in regard to the bowling. In this latter department Auckland is experiencing a. somewhat lean time. Simpson is a promising youngster of the tearaway type, but is inclined to be erratic. Flayer has filled the role of stock bowler, keeping a fine length, and bowling the going-away ball judiciously. Smith has been a bowling force of Auckland iora number of, seasons, and his nighty, slow stuff spells disaster to impetuous batsmen. In Bead, Canterbury has one of, the best bowlers in the Dominion, a.trundler of orthodox methods, a splendid length, and able to keep an end going for an indefinite period. Sandman, at one time the best slow bowler:in New Zealand,'.is now in the veteran stage, yet at one period —in the fading light on Monday afternoon—he bowled just' as well as he did in his ■ palmy days, and' at '■ least one Auckland batsman * was nonplussed when a ball broke right round his legs and hit the wioket. * Auckland spectators received Talbot's bowling with much interest -i for the reason that his claims for inclusion in the New Zealand team as a fast bowler had been urged.. Talbot did not disclose anything sensational.in the way of pace; he could scarcely be described as more than just medium. The Plunket Shield games played in Auckland this .season confirm the , belief that New Zealand cricket.-is on the up. grade, . although the local setting leaves something to be desired.' In a word, the need is a ground that could be devoted to pricket, for it nlust be admitted that the" best results cannot be achieved where a playing area Juring the wirter months is. churned into a quagmire. One has but to recall the Auckland Cricket Ground of thirty years ago—a glorious expanse of level turf, and wickets that were well nigh perfect. When an Australian team was in Auckland in 1896, the question was put to the visiting captain, Harry Trott: "What is necessary to improve New Zealand cricket? His reply was: "Good coaching, good practice wickets, good match wickets." The matter of securing a coach for youthful Aucklanders is" again receiving attention, and if the right mentor can be got, it is "probable that history will repeat itself and the game in Auckland will similarly benefit as it did in the years 1908-10, when Relf, the English all-rounder, was engaged.