ONLOOKER'S VIEWPOINT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 16, 20 January 1926, Page 12

ONLOOKER'S VIEWPOINT.

BRIGHTER CRICKET. "Another Old-timer" writes :— I Sir.—ln connection with above head- | ing, would it be out of place to offer the j following suggestions: (1) Make it absolutely necessary for all players in their respective matches to be on the ground ready to start at the appointed time: (2) j enforce the rule more strictly allowing only i limited time for changing bats, pads, in-1 coming batsmen, etc. In regard to the I game itself, the object could be attained | (1) by batsmen showing a keener desire to get runs, by following up the bowler, rather than by the present habit of standing in the crease like the proverbial "bumps on a log." trusting to their partner's strength of arm to send the ball to the boundary: (2) by more nippy and keen fielding and watching the flight of the ball, not lolling around against the fence: (3) by selectors giving younger cricketers more opportunities in bigger | cricket to distinguish themselves, rather j than sticking so sedulously to the older | players. The batting of some of the older i players was positively painful, from a spectator's point of view, to watch, in a recent Shield match, two hours or more being | taken to make 81 runs. Such caution wasi unnecessary at that stage, as previously j Auckland had been over 100 ahead with, six wickets in hand. Surely it would > have been a more sporting action on the I part of the remaining batsmen to have; made things a bit more lively. No wonder, cricket doesn't draw the crowds in Auck- j land with such an exhibition as that. Seme may say the bowling was too good.' but with the exception of one man, the figures against the different bowlers in.' that match do not corroborate that theory. j Or was it the fielding that scared the older) batsmen ? If they had taken the runs they i could have got it would not have been so ! bad. But several would not run one where any ordinary player could get at least three. If a player Is getting too old or "rheumaticky" to sneak runs when opportunity offers let him step to one side (In Shield matches, anyway) and give younger players who can and will take a chance. Posrles, Coates, the Garrards. Gerrard, Sloman, Badeley, Xewdick. Somervell and others any of these would give as good a showing as some of the older ones. fc