CRICKET INTER-ISLAND GAME

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27592, 24 February 1955, Page 6

CRICKET INTER-ISLAND GAME

TRIAL FOR TEST MATCH

DIFFICULT TASK FOR SELECTORS [By R.T.B.J The New Zealand cricket selectors will meet at Lancaster Park today to solve a complicated puzzle—from which some of the pieces have been irretrievably lost. The New Zealand test team is bound to be lacking in some essential qualities, but it may be that the selectors have some spare parts to bring in to make the picture at least preventable. Twenty-four players are in Christchurch for the mter-island trial match, but there are four or five others who must also be considered.

The cricket public will be more than disappointed if today’s match loses the element of competition. Already the presence of three North Island wicketkeepers—one in the South team—argues a synthetic sort of struggle, and then there is the presence of the Nelson player, J. E. Guy, in th£ North Island team. The public is entitled to a cricket match, and alalthough one can readily appreciate the difficulties of balancing geography against a useful trial, every effort should be made, and no doubt will be made to make it so.

Among. the more complicated problems set the selectors—the official ones, and those who are but eager and gifted amateurs—are those of captaincy, wicket-keeping, pace bowling and opening batting. The decision on any one of these may well affect the others.

The presence of G. A. Rabone, who at the start of the season was reported to be available only for matches at Auckland, does not necessarily mean that he will play in the tests. Possibly he is taking part in this match merely as a selector able to get the closest possible view of those he is examining. If he is in fact available for the tests, he will almost certainly lead the team, for he is a determined and-skil-ful player, and the experience he won in South Africa must be a real consideration.

Many favour J. R. Reid for the leadership for the test team, and there is no denying his success with the Wellington Plunket Shield side. However, so much will be asked of Reid as a batsman and a bowler that it would be difficult for him to detach himself from the demands of the moment to see the game in perspective, as it should be seen. The captaincy is a burden which should not be placed on this key player. Strong Candidate H. B. Cave is another experienced leader, and a strong candidate as a successful all-rounder, provided the structure of the team allows him a place; it could be that his ability as a batsman and as a bowler might not be quite sufficient for him to be selected ahead of specialists in either department The South Island captain. L. D. Smith, has an admirable record with Otago, and he is still a good leader an , fine fieldsman. Here again, his qualities with either bat or ball may not be quite high enough. When the positions of opening batting have been settled, the composition of the rest of the team may be found more easily. There is no shortage of candidates—B. Sutcliffe, who is not playing today, J. G. Leggat, M. B. Poore, Rabone L. A. Watt, possibly M. E. Chapple. Sutcliffe has been batting lower in the list this summer, and although Leggat in form is the country’s best new-ball player, he had an unusually unproductive Plunket Shield series. Poore, on the other hand, has done better as an opener than earlier in his career, and if he does not always look safe, he is usually scoring runs while he is in. Watt, too, has forsaken his opening position this summer, and his best propects may still be as an aggressive batsman later in the list. Chapple often opened in South Africa, but he seems better suited to a lower place. The Wicket-keepers # Which of the three wicket-keepers m the trial will win selection—if the selection comes from them—is perhaps the hardest question of them all. It is quite possible that their attributes as keepers are so nearly equal that bat-' ting form in today’s match could provide the answer. Then there is the matter of the pace and swing bowling on which the emphasis is obviously to be placed. A. R. Mac Gibbon. now a seasoned campaigner, has every prosRect of bring included, and so has R. u?£ ir ’ because he is capable of admittedly occasional spells of dynamic bowling. But J. A- Hayes improved steadily during the shield series, and at his best he could hardly be left put. But what of G. W. Overton—not in the trial, but with a successful shield season behind him, and a test on his home ground ahead. D. B. Clarke has shown unusual stamina as well as the ability to take wickets. Reid must take one of their places. The more one reflects on the possible test team, the more difficult it becomes. If Rabone is included, he could possibly open, and Poore could displace one of the other batting candidates, or be left out himself; if Rabone does not play, Poore could open, or win a place elsewhere with his offspin bowling as well as his batting ... and so it goes on. The old war-horse, T. B. Burtt must not be overlooked, nor must E. W. Dempster, who is not available today, but who did well for Wellington. Then there is P. G. Z. Harris, a splendid fieldsman, and a batsman of quality. Tniere are so many other batsmen with almost equal claims—L. S. M. Miller, J. E. F. Beck, S. N. MacGregor, R. T. Dowker and others. Assuming, however, that right-hand leg spin from Moir, and steady off-spin from Rabone and Poore restricts the main attack to three, and with the sober reflection that one alteration in the team, one player in outstanding form in today’s match, could alter the whole structure, the following eleven could be chosen, with reasonable length in batting, variety in bowline, and adequate fielding: Leggat, Poore, Sutcliffe, Reid, Chapple, MacGregor, Rabone, Mac Gibbon, Colquhoun, Moir and Blair. ELLESMERE MATCHES DUNSANDEL WINS COMPETITION Dunsandel has won the Ellesmere Cricket Sub-Association’s P. V. Bailey memorial shield for the second consecutive year, but only after a highly exciting last round, which very nearly brought about a triple tie. The final points were:— Dunsandel 30. Leeston 29, Bumham Military Camp 28, Tai Tapu 27, Southbridge 21, Irwell 20, Weedons 19, Lincoln 19, R.N.Z.A.F. Weedons 16, Lincoln College In the final round Tai Tapu drew with Dunsandel, each side winning two points, but at the close of play Dunsandel was 38 runs behind, with only two wickets to fall—those of very junior members of the side. Had Tai Tapu won, these two teams, and Leeston, would have finished with 29j>oints each. There was some spectacular scoring when R.N.Z.AJ., Weedons, beat Southbridge, W. Rangihuna and R. Drayton', batting for the Air Force team, added 115 runs in only 33 minutes. Results were:— R.NJS.AJ*., Weedons, 107 for five (W. Ranghuna 72, R. Drayton 57 not out, A. Evans three for 85, J. Bodie two for 10) beat Southbridge 202 for eight declared (A> Freeman 96, R. Ellison 36, A. Freeman two for 22) on the first innings.

Bumham Military Camp 84 (W. Benge 18, A. Riordan six for 39) beat Lincoln 61 (L. Barr 16: J. Benentt six for 31, Skeddon three for 8) on the first innings. Irwell 178 (D. Bruce 55, M. Dick 30: J. Feast three for 29, C. Chatterton two for 23) drew with Weedons 136 for two (R. Tilson 39 not out, T. Watson 34 not out, C. Tilson 28; D. Bruce one for 11). Tai Tapu 157 (K. Macartney 55, G. Rawstron 35; M- Frampton four for 18, J. Sheat three for 33) drew with Dunsandel 119 for eight (E. Kitehing 64, L. Tobeck five for 38). Leeston beat Lincoln College outright Representative Team

The followinghave been selected to represent thq Ellesmere: Sub-Association against Malvern, at Dunsandel, at 10 a.m. on Saturday in the final of the Masefield Shield series:—G. Rawstron, R. Collins, J. Bennett P. Buekenham, E. Kitehing, G. Frampton. M. Frampton. L Chamberlain, M. Dick, M. Fleming, and A. Pettit, with L. Tbbeck as twelfth man. J. Woßnr and G. Wilson were not available.

M.C.C. TOUR OF AUSTRALIA

AVERAGES FOR FIRSTCLASS GAMES

The M.C.C. touring team has aU but completed its first-class programme in Australia, and a remarkable feature of the tour results is not so much the success cf the fast bowler, F. H. Tyson, as the fact that he has bowled more overs during the summer than any of the others. The figures show the consistent success of the English pace bowlers in State and test matches. The English captain, L. Hutton, has excellent prospects of reaching 1000 for the tour in the test at Sydney at the end of the week. He needs 47 runs for this distinction. The averages for the team’s first-class matches so far are:—

Also bowled: R. T. Simpson, 3.4, 1,5, 2, 2.50; J. V. Wilson, 14.1, 0, 71, 4, 17.75; D. Compton, 16, 1, 101, 2, 50.50; M. C. Cowdrey, 7,0, 63, 1, 63.00; W. J. Edrich, 8,2, 53. 0. ARTIFICIAL PITCHES REPORT MADE ON DEVELOPMENT Progress made towards the development of an artificial surface for cricket pitches, suitable for practice, the coaching of schoolboys, and for country cricket, was reported to the half-yearly meeting of the Canterbury Cricket Association by Mr I. B. Cromb. A material which it was thought would be ideal to put on top of hard wickets had been developed, said Mr Cromb. The Air Fcrce was keen to try it out and with constant use this pitch should provide a good test If, as he expected, it is proved a success, four wickets could be put down, and this would enable 40 boys to receive coaching in 2J hours—including 15 minutes’ batting each. The preparation would cost abcut £2O a pitch, he said. ATTITUDE TOWARDS UMPIRES PLAYERS SAID TO HAVE IMPROVED The attitude of players towards umpires had improved considerably since he had spoken to team captains earlier to the year, said the president of the Canterbury Cricket Association (Mr T. W. C. Tothill) at the half-yearly meeting cf the Canterbury Cricket Association. Since that meeting he had noticed that umpires were getting the respect they deserved. “The job the umpires did has not always been realised. For instance, the umpires for the Rochdale-Kia Ora game

—— - game gave up the only privilege which most umpires enjoy—free admission to the Plunket Shield games*” Mr TothiH said.

Batting Inn.N.O.H.S. Agg. Av. D. C. Compton 15 2 182 715 55.00 T . Hutton 2 145 953 52.94 P. B. May ; 22 3 129 852 44.84 M. C. Cowdrey 23 0 110 890 38.69 T. W. Graveney 14 1 134 408 31.38 T E. Bailey . 16 2 88 436 31.14 R. T. Simpson 21 2 136 518 27.26 J. V. Wilson . 15 2 72 271 20.85 T. G. Evans . 15 2 40 233 17.92 J H. Wardle . 17 1 63 286 17.87 W J. Edrich . 16 0 88 274 17.25 j McConnon 7 ■ 22 85 14.17 R. Appleyard . 13 7 19* 74 12.33 B. Statham . 12 4 25 98 12.25 F Tyson . 16 2 37* 181 12.07 B. Andrew . 9 2 28* 63 9.00 V. Bedser . 10 1 30 86 8.60 P.‘ J. Loader . 10 1 22 70 7.77 •Not out. Bowling O. M. R. W. Av. R. Appleyard 167.1 44 452 25 18.08 F. Tyson 279.4 43 934 49 19.06 B. Statham 230.4 45 736 37 19.89 T E. Bailey 201 32 689 33 20.88 J. Loader 205.2 28 721 34 20.91 j H. Wardle 243.7 51 702 29 24.21 A. V. Bedser 216.7 33 654 24 27.25 J. McCcnnon 75.1 18 267 8 33.37