Much Talent, Little Form By Auckland

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30940, 22 December 1965, Page 11

Much Talent, Little Form By Auckland

\ GOOD many Aucklanders have been sitting nervously in the wings wondering whether the various misfortunes of the rehearsals leading up to the selection of the Auckland cricket team will, in thespian tradition, produce a rousing opening performance against Canterbury next Monday when the curtain is drawn on the Plunket Shield scene.

The untidy rehearsals have included a healthy first innings lead over Northland which could not be turned into an outright victory, a draw against Waikato when Auckland could not get the home side out in seven hours or break up a lastwicket stand in 90 minutes; and a crushing eight-wicket defeat by Crusaders in the final trial. However, several of the players obviously know their lines. R. W. Morgan, the New Zealand batsman, has returned from the world tour with the realisation that ail runs need not be scored between long leg and deep mid-on. He is a freer batsman and more assertive, but there is the niggling feeling that the extra freedom in Morgan's batting makes him more liable to put the ball in the air withfn catching distance. R. M. Harris, the opener. Is not the gay blade who thrashed away at Dawson and company in a similar match four years ago, but that is not to say he has forgotten how to thump the half-volley or full toss. As an opening pair there is R. S. Cunis and R. E. Sutton with the new ball. Cunis is a much fresher and keener young man than the trudging labourer who was over-bowled grossly last season. Sutton, no stranger to the physiotherapist’s couch in recent years, has come through the rehearsals with no greater hurt than a burned finger when, in a newly-wed daze, he confirmed for his wife of a few days that a stove element was, in fact, quite hot. Sutton has taken a heap of good wickets in club cricket, there is a nip and menace in his left-arm stuff going down on the awkward angle and be and

Cunis will prosper in each other’s company. What of the others? T. W. Jarvis, the New Zealand opener, is still suffering periodically from the illness which made the world tour a nightmare for him. He sometimes plays superb strokes and if he has the luck of a long innings to bolster his confidence then he could become one of the leading players. J. T. Sparling is a captain of imagination and verve, a batsman of proven worth and, in these days of leaden batsmen, a highly successful off-spin bowler. Yet Sparling has been under considerable personal and business stress these days, he has had little time for consistent practice and his club results, while good, are not worthy of the perky little cricketer of past years. Perhaps the southern tour will rejuvenate Sparling and, if so, he will be the most important man in the side.

The middle of the batting could be the strongest part. N. S. Harford, who plagued Canterbury two years ago, has returned with all his old and fluent strokes A. R. Morrison, at No. 5 or 6, a big beefy man who scores club runs by the packets but who, until now, has been denied a place by the purists who disagree with his style of hitting many of his runs through mid-wicket, no matter where the ball pitches. This is over-simplification. Morrison has immense concentration and a very sharp eye. At his best he looks a risk, but

he keeps looking a risk while a good many runs are put beside his name. Following him should be J. D. Benrent, whose bat can be like a cannon or a feather cushion; whose vast hands can wrap round the sharpest chances and whose medium-paced bowling can be either fierce or frustrating depending oh the trend of the game. From the clubs of Surrey and Warwickshire has come a jaunty little wicketkeeper, R. Harford, with a fresh face, clear eyes behind glasses, and the look of a first-rate technician. He has suffered a bit by standing to indifferent bowling, but

one imagines that the better the bowling the swifter, especially on the leg side, his 'keeping. By the look of things H. J. Howarth, the slow leftarmer, and D. J. Miilener, the spring-heeled mediumfast bowler, may have some impact. Howarth is a security risk in that he, too, often provides the hittable ball, and at bis genial pace such a ball does get hit He might buy a wicket or two, and be difficult on a turning pitch; but may not have a long bowl. He can bat a bit and catch like an angel behind the wicket Miilener is the first choice for twelfth man, unless Lancaster Park is green and grassy. He is a better bowler now that he does not have to be an opening bowler and, as such, faster than his swing and cut deserves.