N.Z. CRICKETERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 121, 25 May 1927, Page 11

N.Z. CRICKETERS.

MATCH WITH ROYAL NAVY.

FEATURES OF THE GAME

The ncvt match on the fixture card | of the New Zealauders tour will be against the Koyal Navy, commencing to-day. j This match is to be played on May 25, * 20 and 27 at the United Service Givwnd at Portsmouth, which, before the -war, had the reputation of having one of the best wickets in England. During the war it had, perforce, to be neglected, but is now in really good order again, and the four County matches placed there by Hampshire last year were all productive of high scoring. Royal Navy cricket has always sutfered from more or less natural conditions. The Army gets matured publkschool cricketers, who have ample op|>ortunities of keeping up and developing tueir cricket, but though many boys ybo show great promise at Dartmouth and elsewhere enter the Xavy, tjiey usually go to sea at the age of about ! IU, and theaftcr their opportunities of I playing good cricket are infrequent. lii the annual matches the Army al- i most invariably wins, as they did la it year by 10 wickets at Lords. The Rt>yal Navy was represented by: Lieut.-Com. O. \V. Coruwallis (who has played for Hampshire), Major R. A. Brooks (also | and ex-Hampshire player and a firstclass bat), Lieut. R. J. Shaw, Sub.Lieut. K. A. Sellar (who played the Army at Lords when still a cadet at Dartmouth is a good bat. He was England's Rugby full-back in the International's la3t winter), Lieut. S. Boucher, Lieut.-Com. B. C. B. Brook* Lieut.-Com. E. L. D. Bartley {one of tie? very best amateur wicket-keepers in England, and a useful lefthanded bateman. Fe performed well in South Africa in 1924-5 as a member of Hon. L. H. Tennyson's team), Commander T . X. Pelley, "Commamler S. S. BonhamCarter, Lieut. C. R. Garrett, S.P.O. E. L. Pain. 0i these players the "best bowler* are Pain, Boucher, GarretU Brooks and Brooke. It is probable that lieut.-' Commander Cunliffe. who has charge >f the Koyal Navy cricket this year, and who, when he" has his day, 13 a particularly good googly bowler, may play against New Zealand. Neither the Australians in 1926 nor the West Indians in 1923 played the Royal Navy. It is probable that, if the weather is* fine. New Zealand will put up a big score and notch a win. But chief local interest will centre in Allcott's first appearance of the tour, and the question of whether his enforced., rest has depreciated his form.