A BIG HURDLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 151, 29 June 1927, Page 9

A BIG HURDLE.

FOR NEW ZEALAND XI. THE YORKSHIRE MATCH. COUNTY TEAM'S SPLENDID RECORD Yorkshire is one of the "Big Six" counties. The county has a splendid record going back many years, having produced many fir-t class player"-, acquitted itself with great credit in the county championship matches and in matches against visiting Australian Elevens, and contributed more than its quota to the England Eleven*. The county championship was instituted in 1573. and Yorkshire had to wait 20 years before winning it in 1893. The White Rose county won it again in 1896, in 1898, the three successive vears commencing inOO, in 1905, 1908* and lf>l2. There was no competition from 1915 to 1918, during the war, but upon the resumption Yorkshire won again in 1919, and also during the four successive years beginning in 1922. Lancashire deposed her from first place in 1920 under the system of points then existing, but would not hare done so under this years method of counting. Last season Yorkshire's batting averages for her first 13 batsmen ran from 59.71 by easy grades down to 13.19. Two bowlers. W. Rhodes and G. G. Macaulay. obtained over 100 wickets each, four obtained their wickets at a cost of tinder 20 runs each, and five <»!>tainod over 50 wickets each. Nine batsmen obtained one or more centuries. This Year's Form, But notwithstandinc thc~e figures there were signs of decadence in the county's bowling and also in the fieJding of the side, and this year's performances appear to lend colour to tli«* supposition that Yorkshire's strength ie temporarily diminishing, for they have been beaten outright by Warwickshire (twice) and by Lancashire and Middlesex once each, and have lost on the first innings to Sussex. Most successful batsmen this year have been: E. Oldroyd with four centuries, 58 not out and 52: I*. Holmes with three centuries, 72, 63 and G3 not out: H. Sntcliffe with two centuries, S, 81 not out, 64, 59 and 57: M. Leyland with 91 not out, 77 not out, 72, 66 and 54; R. Kilner with 90 not out, 56 and 53; A. Waddington with 114; G. G. Macaulay with 53. The most successful bowlers have been: Macaulay 4 for 31, 7 for 40, 5 for 38, 7 for 17, 5 for 33, 5 for 74, and 5 for 47: Rhodes 6 for 20, 5 for 59. 4 for 72. and 4 for 26: Robinson 6 for 37. 4 for 38, and 8 for 32; Kilner 4 for 74. 8 for 87, and 4 for 39: Weddington 5 for 51. Yorkshire's strongest side at present is probably:—Major A. \V. Lupton f captain h A. Dolphin H. Sutcliffe. P. Holmes, E. Oldroyd, VY. Rhodes. M. Leyland. R. Kilner. E. Robinson. G. G. Macaulay. and A- Waddington. though it is difficult to omit A. Mitchell, the brilliant young batsman who scored 189 v. Northants and 4i> and 12 not out against the Australians last year. Of the twelve players named. Major Lupton is the only amateur, and seven of them have played for England. This then is the very formidable ssde ♦ <-> which the Now Zealand Eleven win bo opposed at Bradford on Saturday. Monday and Tuesday next, and tho** who have been deploring tlie withhold ing of strong county players in matches with the Maorilanders may have no cause for complaint in the case of the Yorkshire match. On the face of it. New Zealand would appear to have very slight chance of meeting with any considerable measure of sucoes*. but when every point is considered there i< no cau<c for despondency. In the fir«t place there is the notorious and glr<rious uncertainty of cricket. Then, again, the performances of Now Zealand in lhe:r "latches siTnin't Middlesex. Su«m«\ n"-' Worcestershire compare favourably n ; th i 'l-.ose of Yorkshire in the same match"*. Finally, if there is any importance to W Mltnrlicd to the saying "youth will lie •x-rv.-i." Now Zealand, with her Eleven n::rd from 19 to :15 and an average <t '2G. will have »ome advantage <•-. <r •!>«• Yorkshire »idc. whose anes a =-■.».' from 27 to 49 with an average oi 37 years per man. I»rd Ifawke. president of Yorkshire. 3n<l for "i.l years the county captain, w ill undoubtedly be greatly interested in the match between his beloved county :>.nd New Zealand, for he has manifested his int<-rest in our cricket during th< la*t '2~> veers by organising "Locu Hawke'- Team" to visit this country in I'M-*, bv the presentation, in lt>lo. oi "The Hnwkc Cup"' for competition between the minor associations of New Zealand and by the trouble and ewe which he e\erci«ed in choo-ing as player coach for Auckland. AlHert E. Rolf in 1006 and E. H. Rowley in 1020.