BETWEEN Overs

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28774, 20 December 1958, Page 5

BETWEEN Overs

John Sparling, the young New Zealand all-rounder has been bowling with pronounced success in club cricket in Auckland. On Saturday he took four for 48 for University against Eden.

The dropping of L. S. M. Miller from the Wellington Plunket Shield team was a remarkable decision, and one II > which should IsO soon be rectified. jjßt A few days ■HI after the team had been announced. Miller Kscored a brilliant |K 133 in a club match, against K .M. W. Williment, a very successful bowler this season, and L. C. Butler and R. E. Reid, both, in the shield team. On the same day, some Wellington shield batsmen fared, badly—J. R. Reid, 0, R. A. Vance 6, D. N. Macleoa 0, and A. F. Nightingale 0.

The Canterbury Cricket Association has arranged an attractive North Island tour for a colts’ team, starting at the end of this month. It was felt that the tour, which will include four two-day games, against Hutt Valley, Rangitikei, Taranaki and Manawatu, would provide good cricket and valuable experience for young players on . the fringe of Plunket Shield and Brabin tournament teams. But from the reaction of a good many of the young players approached, it might have been a forced march to Siberia. In the end, a reasonably sound team was selected, but it must be disappointing for administrators to find so little enthusiasm for their efforts. One in particular, Mr F. F. Dawson, went to considerable lengths in his efforts to find sufficient players, but he had many refusal*'

P. McGregor, who led the Auckland Grammar School team in its recent match against Christchurch Boys’ High School, has been included in the Auckland Brabin tournament team.

In view of the very difficult circumstances West-University found itself on Saturday against Lancaster Park, it was rather surprising to see two very valuable wickets thrown away through run outs at a time when time, and not runs, was important. A misunderstanding caused one dismissal and the other wicket was lost in an endeavour by A. C. Timpson to keep C. G. Smith away from the bowling.

Although he has not so far won a spectacular reward for his efforts, C. Smart has been bowling very steadily for East Christchurch, sometimes against batsmen whose confidence has been improved by inaccurate bowling from the other end.

The Wellington pace bowler B. D. Morrison, had some startling success in club cricket on Saturday. In the Hutt Valley competition he took five for 12. Among his victims was the New Zealand captain, J. R. Reid, who was bowled for 0.

The best batting aggregates in the senior competition so far are: B. A. Haworth 403, R. T. Hunt 335, R. C, Motz 255, W. A. Hadlee 249, J. D. D’Arcy and G. D. Alabaster 239, S. C. Guillen 231, G. T. Dowling 197, M. J. Moffat 179, and D. C. Wilson 175. Bowlers who have taken most wickets are: P. A. Small 27, T. Jones and Guillen 20, Alabaster 19, J. B. Park 17, B. A. Bolton, J. W. Kiddey, M. E. Chapple, and W. Bell, each 15; and D. J. Reid 14. • R. W. G. Emery, the Auckland, Canterbury and New Zealand batsman, is still enjoying his share of successes in Auckland club cricket. He has made several useful scores this summer, and last Saturday, bowling for Eastern against Western, he had at one stage taken three wickets for five runs. He finished the day with four for 37. The innings with which B. A. Haworth forced his way into the Plunket Shield team was an absolute gem, but as far as the batsman himself is concerned, it should not be regarded merely as a happy memory. With the odds against his selection, and with two of the selectors present, Haworth went out and murdered some bowlers of considerable reputation. He did it by playing correctly and aggressively from his first over. The innings should have given him immense confidence, and if he can bat for Canterbury in the same frame of mind he should make many runs. His driving and hooking were beautiful, but it is very seldom —perhaps because his side. East Christchurch, has often had to struggle—that Howarth has so dominated a game. It was an infinitely cheering spectacle.