THE AUCKLAND ELEVEN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 10, 12 January 1934, Page 6

THE AUCKLAND ELEVEN.

) i POINTS OF WEAKNESS. c a (To the Editor.) Probably no one in any, province would °, contest Auckland's right'to the Plunket Shield £ this year, but I hope that the team's clear-cut ; success- will not be regarded with complacency either by the players or by the Auckland ? Cricket Association. There are two or three directions in which, the play> of the team could *" l>e improved. On© is fielding. The weakness 5 of New Zealand in fielding is the greatest j mystery of. our cricket.' Why should bo many of our cricketere be sluggish and slow to learn e in the field, when in football we have such a reputation for -speed and initiative? The actual stopping of the Auckland players is a- fairly good, but anticipation is lacking, and the placing of the field is, sometimes at fault. \ We could learn something in both these direc- * tions from Otago, where ißadcock has left his 3 mark plainly. Is there any local coaching in 3 fielding? Then there is running between r wickets. It is sometimes shocking. Every * player, long before he reaches the rank of * provincial representative (and our inter--8 provincial matches count as first-class games) T ehould know - the elements of calling for a * run, backing and turning. Yet in one innings this year y three of our men were run i out. I saw two experienced Auckland players 5 run a short run. They; both α-an some die- * tance beyond the wickets and did not turn 1 quickly., The ball was over-thrown, and there ' was a chance of a second run, but neither bats- * man was ready for it. These things are k elementary. There is plenty of batting talent ' among the young. I stiggest that some of the 1 time and energy epent in developing it should , ' be devotedi to instruction in fielding and i running. OLD GJRAMMAR.