First Win Provided Good Match Practice

Press, Volume C, Issue 29682, 28 November 1961, Page 5

First Win Provided Good Match Practice

• Sneciully written for “The Press" by LOVIS DUFFUSI

KRUGERS DORP. Nov. 16 Although there was not much significance to the fact that the New Zealanders beat the Transvaal Country Districts by an innings and 113 runs—for their opposition was unexpectedly weak—their first win after seven matches provided useful practice in building up the test team. J. C. Alabaster had his best figures of four for 45. For a time he seemed to develop the steadiset control he has mastered so far. I mention Alabaster for at this stage, presuming that G. T. Dowling does well in the three firstclass matches before the test in Durban on December 8. he and S. N. McGregor appear to be on the fringe of the eleven. The success of the pace

and seam bowlers. R. C. Motz. who again excelled himself with 11 for 56 in the country match, and F. J. Cameron. G D. Bartlett and J. R. Reid at Durban against Natal might make the selectors hesitate to exclude any one of them from the first international game McGregor’s 102 not out against Transvaal showed him at his best but wedged in between his century he had scores of 6. 30, 2. 6. 4. and 17. In a couple of weeks he might find competition pressing on him from A. E Dick, who started to show forceful form, and from B. W Yuile, who has had little chance in first-class matches but who hit an impressive century in the exhibition match after the country districts game. Incidentally, the readiness with which the New Zealanders agreed to play on after finishing the game early in the afternoon won them many friends. The West Rand Consolidated Mine, situated on the reef 20 miles from Johannesburg. went to endless trouble to make conditions attractive for the New Zealanders. They erected a fine scoreboard, supplied tents, coloured umbrellas and liberal hospitality. One was reminded that the pretty ground was sated on a mine property only by the presence of a high shafthead beyond the gum trees on the boundary. K. J. Viljoen, the former Springbok and manager, is the sports officer at the mine. He must have felt that the hard work was justified by the entertaining cricket provided by the New Zealanders, who scored their 325 for six. over a very fast outfield, at the rate of 102 an hour. Accommodation for sport on Rand mines is something of a revelation to strangers The West Rand Consolidated Company supplies; its staff, in addition to the cricket ground, with two Rugby fields, a swimming pool, ’-bowling greens, tennis courts and a squash' court. As the team drove out by bus in view of the big white mine dumps that stretch for 60 miles along the Rand, they must have been made aware not only of what gold and uranium mean to South Africa’s economy, but also of what they mean to the sport of the Transvaal.