RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33514, 20 April 1974, Page 20

RANDOM REMINDER

TARGETS

It is three weeks today since the cricket season finished. Almost enough time for some of the veterans of the President's grade to have the aches and bruises come out. They are extremely enthusiastic in that competition but there is none keener than one player of our acquaintance, who promises to be seen tn action long enough to resemble the Fathe- Time who supervises the plat at ’.ord's. He belongs to a team which, last -eason. a\ erased 49 '-ears oi age. and a (• ■■. months. He htmse f has Men placing for the cliiO since 192« and aoa-t from the war y ears.

has not missed a season. Forty-six years is a considerable span, but last month, before stumps were drawn for the season, our hero had advanced his career aggregate to a noble total of 465. A quick computation suggests he has averaged about 10 runs a season. He has. of course, made his mark in other cricketing roles, but he professes! at heme, to have set his heart on that goal of 300 runs, and his under--•.andirg wife has offered h m further eave passes, on summer Saturday afternoon' until the magic figure s reached <he may not b#* futlv a a are that it i« his inI

tention to retain his present position of number 11 in the team, or of just what that means. He is in a strong team, and the prospects of batting, on any given Saturday, are not good. So he reckons to spread those 35 runs over a further considerable period. And should the unexpected occur, and the runs come too rapidly from keen edges. or scorers who get mixed up between the last batting column and the extras, he has a further card up his white sleeve. Anyone who has already scored 500 might '■ e ’ be £•' en a clearance to try fot a thousand. I