Plunket Shield Players Excel In Other Sports

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28486, 16 January 1958, Page 11

Plunket Shield Players Excel In Other Sports

TT could be said that the physical A equipment of a good cricket player must include quick reactions, a fine eye and good ball sense. As these attributes are 'Common to nearly all first-class sportsmen, whatever their game, it is not surprising to find that there are in the Plunket Shield competition a number of players prominent in other sports. They include 10 players who hdve represented their country in a winter sport. A winter sport which appeals to many cricketers is indoor basketball, a favourite recreation among summer sportsmen seeking to keep their fitness in the off-season. There are three national basketball representatives among the first-class cricketers of this season. These are the brothers J. C. Alabaster and G. D. Alabaster and N. S. Hartord. Harford joined the New Zealand cricket team in Sydney on its way to tour India and Pakistan, having just completed an Australian visit as a member of the New Zealand basketball team.

The Northern Districts and former Auckland right-arm fast bowler, D. B. Clarke is the All Black full-back. He is having a successful season as a bowler for his new association, after his '

record points-score in Australia last year as a member of

the New Zealand Rugby team. Another who toured Australia last year as a representative of his country is S. E. Belsham, who appeared as wicket-keeper for Auckland in its first shield matches this summer. Belsham was a half-back for the New Zealand Rugby League team which played in the World Cup series in last June.

Soccer

At present playing for Auckland, but a member of the Northern Districts side last season is the fast bowler, K. W. Hough. Hough is perhaps better known on the association footbal field, where he representec Poverty Bay with distinction las season. Before coming to Nev Zealand, Hough represented Aus tralia as a goal-keeper. The Wellington batsman and offspin bowler, A. H. Preston, is another well-known soccer player A half-back, Preston has repre sented his province many times and was one of the 13 player; from whom was chosen the Nev Zealand team to play the tourin j Chinese team last season. Pres ton was also chosen as a membei of the New Zealand team whict was to have toured South-Eas*

Asia in 1956. but this tour was cancelled at the last, moment. One of New Zealand's outstanding younger sportmen is N. R. Thompson. Thompson, who visited New South Wales several seasons ago as a batsman-wicket-keeper for the New Zealand Colts' cricket team, has this season been playing for Otago in the Plunket Shield competition. Thompson revisited Australia last year as a member of the New Zealand badminton team, where he played in the international Whyte Trophy match. Later in the season, he played against Indonesia in the Thomas Cup competition.

Hockey

An all-rounder in the Canterbury Plunket Shield team is J. W. Kiddey. He has had considerable success this season as a left-arm medium-fast bowler and a punishing batsman. -Kiddey has also represented Canterbury as a hockey player and he also played for New Zealand in this sport two seasons ago. Twelfth man for the Otago team to play Canterbury tomorrow is another international soccer player, E. J. Stephenson. . Like Hough, Stephenson is a goalkeeper and a fast bowler. He has played in goal for New Zealand on many occasions, including all the international matches against the touring Hong Kong and Australian teams last year.