Record-Breaker Became ’Keeper As A Joke

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30636, 30 December 1964, Page 12

Record-Breaker Became ’Keeper As A Joke

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, December 29.

Almost as a joke, Robin Schofield offered in an emergency to take the wicket-keeper’s gloves in a festival match at Masterton last February. At the Basin Reserve today, playing only his third complete game as a ’keeper, he smashed New Zealand records and approached world records.

He took nine catches against Wellington playing for Central Districts in his first-class debut as a wicket-keeper.

Now, the 25-year-old Napier teacher has presented himself as a firm prospect for bigger things in New Zealand cricket.

The selected wicket-keeper did not arrive for the match last February between Central District Supporters’ Club and Wairarapa. “Almost as a joke I offered to fill in,” said Schofield today.

Kept Magnificently

But evidently his keeping was no joke. The captain of that side, Mr J. Dobson, manager of the Central Districts team in Wellington, said today:

“He kept wickets magnificently, standing up over the stumps, and for the first time came directly under the notice of the Central Districts’ selectors for the position.” “At that time we were aware we would need a keeper with the impending retirement of I. Colquhoun. It is fair to say that he was selected as ’keeper more in hope than confidence.

“He appeared to pe by a very small margin the best of a moderate bunch. Now, ob-

viously, he is very much more than that.” Schofield set a New Zealand wicket-keeping record of nine dismissals in a match and missed by one equalling A. W. T. Grout’s world record of eight catches in an innings, writes a reporter of “The Press.”

Four other men, apart from Grout and Schofield, have held seven catches in a first-class innings. They are W. F. Price (Middlesex) in 1937, R. A. Saggers (New South Wales) in 1940, M. Smith (Natal) in 1959-60, and K. V. Andrew (Northamptonshire) in 1962.

Schofield’s nine catches for the match was one short of the world record, held jointly by A. E. Wilson (Gloucestershire), L. A. Johnson (Northamptonshire), and R. W. Taylor (Derbyshire). The most dismissals in a firstclass match are the 12 recorded by A. E. Pooley (Surrey) in 1868 and equalled by the Queensland wicket-keeper, D. Tallon, in the 1938-39 season.

Six Held Record

Six players formerly held the New Zealand record for the number of wicket-keeping dismissals in a match. C. K. Jackman (Canterbury), L. A.

Kent (Auckland), and W. M. Curtis (playing for North Island against South) all took eight wickets in a match in New Zealand, and K. C. James, E. C. Petrie, and A. E. Dick performed the feat overseas. Curtis and Petrie jointly held the record for the most catches, eight.

Schofield beat the old records of six dismissals and five catches in an innings when he took seven catches in Wellington’s first innings. Thirteen players, ranging from A. E. Dewes in 1883-84 to E. R. Tovey in 1963-64, dismissed five batsmen in an innings in this country, but the New Zealand record was held by F. L. Mooney, who dismissed six Worcestershire batsmen during the 1949 tour of England. Five wicket-keepers, Dewes, T. G. McMahon (the Wellington ’keeper during the match against Central Districts), J. T. Ward, Mooney, and Petrie (twice) held the record of five catches in an innings.

Schofield claimed what was virtually a tenth dismissal when h$ ran out the Wellington batsman, P. B. Truscott. Truscott had backed up too far at the non-striker’s end and Schofield threw down the wicket.