CRICKET

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 14566, 9 January 1948, Page 5

CRICKET

N.Z. TOUR OF ENGLAND

Shortage Of Bowlers In

Dominion

Greater Interest In

Big Matches

Cricket as a summer sport still appears to have no peer in Empire countries. Despite the decline in English standards, the apparently irritating drabness of six-day Tests, and the forebodings of the inevitable pessimists, turnstiles have clicked more merrily than ever, states The Dominion’s cricket writer.

Australia is on the eve of her first visit to England since the war with memories of the most humiliating Test defeat of all time, that at Kensington Oval in 1930 when L. Hutton made his record 364, as a spur to greater achievement. New Zealand, still the Cinderella cricketing country, with recent visits in successive seasons of Australian and M.C.C. Test sides giving the game a great, impetus toward post-war recovery, has the 1949 tour of England as its next big test.

New Zealand faces a similar problem in regard to the 1949 tour as did England in sending a team to Australia so soon after the war, before her cricket had had a chance to rehabilitate itself.

To some extent glum predictions were justified. England’s bowling was found to be inadequate, but Compton and Edrich emerged as batsmen of world class, and on the score of sportsmanship and popularity the M.C.C. side lived up to the highest English standard. Compton and Edrich became personalities, and it is personality that fills the grounds. Tonic to Game in N.Z.

The M.C.C. visit to this country proved one of the greatest tonics the game had received. It also helped to build up new personalities in the Dominion, Hadlee and Cowie enhancing their already well-estab-lished reputations, and Sutcliffe performing deeds which caused an overseas critic to rate him as “one out of the top drawer.” This season New Zealand is looking to the Plunket Shield and other representative matches to bring to light fresh talent for the 1949 tour. Opening matches have given encouragement regarding batsmen, but have not yet brought to light outstanding young bowlers. Major requirements are spin bowlers and a left-hander of pace. C. Burke and T. Burtt, both experienced representative players, are still the best in the former category. There is, however, no left-hander of pace of the calibre of M. Henderson and E. L. Bernau, nor one of the skill of C. L. Allcott, in sight. Provided they are available, Hadlee, Sutcliffe, Wallace and Cowie appear the certainties around which the side will be moulded. With every likelihood that M. P. Donnelly will join the side in England, there should thus be available four first-class batsmen and a bowler of proved world class. Promising Batsmen Young batsmen who impressed in the opening Plunket Shield games were A. R. Mac Gibbon (Canterbury), who is also a medium to fast bowler, with scores of 33 and 70 against Auckland, and I. Wyatt (Auckland), a school teacher from North Auckland who is also a promising hockey player. As an opening batsman he made 67 and 47 against Canterbury. D. St. John (Otago) revealed good defence, a wide range of shots, and ability to play a defensive and attacking game in the match at the Basin Reserve. E, W. Dempster, the Wellington left-hander, had to fight against the ordeal of a “pair” when he went in to bat in Wellington’s second innings, but played with the confidence that has characterised his club displays, and his excellent innings may well prove the forerunner of a successful representative career. Hopes are entertained that the Wellington colt. J. Reid, will prove his quality this season. Due to his recent illness, it is likely that he will play in the Canterbury match only. He appears a future New Zealand batsman in the making. If his health permits it, he may resume bowling, in which he has already revealed great promise with his pace deliveries. The position of wicketkeeper appears very open. Still the finest exponent behind the stumps is K. C. James, who has given some brilliant displays for Hutt Valley this season. As a wicketkeeper-batsman, E. W. Tindill is still the best in the country, though his form lapsed in the match against Otago. Galloway (Otago) did not come up to expectations against Wellington. The Aucklander, L. Kent, appears the best prospect. Though R. Scott was_ dropped from the Canterbury side, it is more than likely that he will be back m the side shortly, and he also appears a logical choice for the Englisn tour. Cave, who was not available for Wellington because of,a “tennis

elbow,” is another strongly in the running. Types For England Main requirements for a tour of England, however, are the right types. In England, bowlers who Emcceed are of definite types—fastish (left or right hand), slow left-hand-ers and slowish right-hand spinners. The medium-paced bowler who relies on faith, hope and a new ball may keep down runs, but as a taker of wickets he is of little use. Every English county has one or two of the type, but they know how to bowl on English wickets —they do more than swing the ball. The only types New Zealand has at the moment are Cowie, C. Burke, and T. Burtt. In England, men .like Goddard, Sinfield and Smailes get huge bags of wickets 'annually by bowling offbreaks with an on-side field. New Zealand has no one comparable with Goddard, who is not unlike the Australian lan Johnson in style. Johnson was in New Zealand with Brown’s Australian eleven, and bowls medium paced off-spinners. The outlook for the 1949 tour cannot be said to be promising so far as bowlers are concerned. The Hutt colt R. Marvelly is the most promising “type” bowler seen in Wellington, but appears too young for such a tour. He will reach 18 years in 1949. W. E. Merritt, the Canterbury colt, attained his 20th year during the 1927 tour of England. H. G. Vivian (Auckland) also attained his 20th year on the 1931 tour.