ON THE CRICKET FIELD

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 98, 20 January 1926, Page 6

ON THE CRICKET FIELD

.(By

“Burwood.”)

WHO WILL TAKE THE PLUNKET SHIELD?

GIVE THE COLTS A CHANCE

The results of the battles for the Plunket Shield which have taken place so far this season go to prove that the standard of play has improved in all the centres, and that each province can now place a formidable eleven in the field. From 1906-07, until the Great War called a halt to athletic exercises in 191-1-15, Auckland pud Canterbury had matters all to themselves on the cricket field, and Wellington and Otago could only lock on with envy as the two strong cricketing provinces battled for supremacy. The Plunket Shield was first awarded ■by the New Zealand Cricket Council to Canterbury in 1906, as the province having the best record for that season. Auckland was very indignant at this decision, and promptly i.sued a challenge io decide the issue. The match was played in Christchurch, and the northerners, thanks to centuries by A. E. Relf (the Sussex professional) and L. G. Hemus, proudly bore the shield north in triumph. Despite repeated attempts to wrest the shield from them, the Aucklanders hung on to the shield during the following three seasons, until Canterbury recovered supremacy in 1910-11. Auckland had the shield back in 191112, but the southerners went north and brought it back again the following season, and held the honour throughout 1912-13, 1913-14, and 191415, until the Great War called for sterner battles than cricket. No Plunket Shield matches were played during the war years, but in the 1918-19 season Wellington went south, and by' defeating Canterbury at Dancaster Park won the premiership of New Zealand cricket for the first time. They were only allowed to hold the shield for a few weeks, as the Canterbury forces made a sortie, and stormed the Wellington redoubt a few weeks later, bearing the shield south once more. Auckland won in

1919-20, Wellington scored their sec- , ond victory in 1920-21; 'it was Auckland again in 1921-22, Canterbury in 1922-23, Wellington once more in - 1923-24, and Otago for the first time annexed the honour in 1’924-25. Including the first year in which the shield .was presented to Canterbury, that province has held it on six occasions. Auckland has a similar number of wins to its credit, while Wellington has been on top three times and Otorn once The position is very different to-day. When two teams walk on to the field to contest the shield nowadays, no one is too sure who is going to win. This has been clearly demonstrated by the matches played this season. Otago, Without Dickinson, Woi.ixi. biiepi—..., and A. W. Alloo made good fights against Canterbury and Auckland. All the provincial teams have hit up totals in the neighbourhood of 400 runs, and some have gone close to the 500 mark. ’ Wellington was very lucky, after running up the big total of 498, to get Canterbury in on a rain-soaked wicket. The Wellington team will leave by the ferry steamer to-night in order to meet Otago for the shield in the match commencing at Carisbrook on Friday next. The last meeting' between these teams on the perfect pitch and outfield which is always obtainable at Carisbrook in favourable weather resulted in all records for heavy scoring in a Plunket Shield match being left far behind.

Wellington led off with 560 in the first innings, W. A. Baker scoring IJB and B. J. Kortlang 113. To this Otago replied with 385, R. de R. Worker notching 106. Wellington’s second innings realised 465, J. S. Hiddleston hitting up 150 and D. C. Collins 110. Wellington thus piled np the great aggregate of 1025 m their two innings. This left Otago the heavy task to face of getting 611 runs to win in the fourth innings on a wicket upon which 1410 runs had already been made. To the credit of the Otago team, and the incomparable Carisbrook wicket, the southerners made one of the most gallant fights recorded in the history of the game in this country. With their backs to the wall, the Otago men fought valiantly for every run, and pasted the Wellington bowling to such purpose that the Wellington men wore grave and set faces when the sun went down. Continuing the battle next day, Otago reached the solid total of 495 before the last man was disposed of. McMullen scored 111, thus recording the sixth century hit up in this orgy of high scoring. Wellington thus won a 'memorable battle by 175 runs. In this record-breaking match, no fewer than 1875 runs were scored. The highest aggregate recorded in Wisden’s for forty wickets is the 1741 run up by New South Wales against South Africa at Sydney in the 1910-11 season. Will history repeat itself when Wellington and Otago come to holts at Carisbrook this week? If the weather is fine, similar heavy scoring cun be looked for. P. Warner, who captained the English team which toured New Zealand in 1906-07, declared that Carisbrook was the best cricket ground m the Dominion. It was thought at the time that Warner had said this because he himself had made 228 on the Dunedin wicket, bitt the colossal scoring in 1924 proved that the famous Hnglish captain was not far out in his judgment.

The Wellington team is a powerful batting side, and can be depended upon to score heavily, but if the wicket is firm and true the Otago men, as they did in 1921, will score almost as heavily as their opponents. McLeod’s slow legbreaks should prove extremely useful in lending variety to the attack. Wellington has yearned for a slow legbreak specialist for years past. Brice, McGirr, Badcock, and Henderson are not dangerous on good wickets. The greatest weakness on the Wellington side will be the fielding, as the majority ol the team are veterans, and they will be very tired and leg-weary by the time Otago runs into the third century on a hot day. It will probably be found that McLeod and Hiddleston will have to bear the brunt of the attack if the wicket is firm and true. . It is to be hoped that some means will be found of including Lambert, the twelfth man, on the side. The ex-New Plymouth player, bv his brilliant 209 at the Basin Reserve on Saturday, proved that he is as fine a’ batsman as the province possesses. As he is also a useful change bowler and a smart fieldsman, he would be a more useful man on the side than Banks, Henderson, Kortlang. or Collins. If Worker and Alloo can get back from Australia in time, and Dickinson and Shepherd come out for Otago, Wellington may have to fight very hard to prevent the shield going to. Auckland, who have already two victories to their credit this season. If Wellington are defeated at Dunedin, they will still have a chance of drawing level with Auckland if they succeed in defeating the northerners in the shield match, which is to be played at the Basin Reserve, commencing on February 19. Hutt’s Success.

Hutt are away up in glorious isolation at the top of the Wellington cham-

pionship ladder with 18 points. Good team work and enthusiasm has been responsible for the suburban team winning every one of the five matches which have been played to date, and three of them by lull points. IL MMcGirr, the Hutt captain, by his sterling all-round play, has been a big factor in his team’s success.. His keenness has been an inspiration to. Ins men, whom he has invariably given a lead with both bat and ball. Hutt possesses a> solid band of all-round players in McGirr, Watson, Aldcrsley, Nunn and McLeod. Tattersail, with his sure hands, has also strengthened the side immeasurably, as he has already caught seven batsmen and stumped three this season. . A man who has played a very prominent part in Hutt’s success this season is L. Beard, who has bowled with conspicuous ability throughout the season. On only one occasion, the second innings of Midland, when his figures were none for 43, has he failed to take a wicket. His figures to date are: Four for 41, three for 29, three for 15, three for 12, one for 15, one for 17, two for 31, none for 43, one for 18, and six for 13. This gives him 24 wickets for 234 runs, with the excellent average of 9.75 pei wicket. The tall Hutt bowler would be a very handy man to have prowling about the Carisbrook ground at Dunedin this week-end. Beard on Saturday set the seal on a season’s brilliant work with the ball by capturing six Fetoue wickets for 13 runs. His victims included Brice, Finlayson, M. Nicholls, J. Patrick, Hardy, and Marris. He was absolutely unplayable, hitting the sticks no fewer than five times.' This is a class of bowler Wellington needs in the representative team. The batting is so strong that a bowler of Beard's calibre could .afford to be carried by the side. The Hutt captain has a great admiration for Beard’s ability as a bowler. Not only can be flight the ball, but he is able to make it do sharp tricks with finger spin. A Great Knock.

Those who had the good fortune to witness H. Lambert hitting up his 209 against Institute at the Basin Reserve on Saturday afternoon are unanimous that no brighter innings has been played on the ground. Like such forcing batsmen as Dacre, McGirr, Hiddleston, and Shepherd, Lambert believes that the best method of defence is to attack. .Where Lambert has a big advantage is in his clever on-side play. It was a treat to see him time and again on Saturday sending the leather speeding over the square-leg boundary with those good old leg hits, which the modern glide has made almost as extinct as the dodo. Lambert can also hook and pull with effect, and gets great power into his off and cover drives. He believes that the proper place for a half-vollcv is out of the ground, or up against the fence. In fact, this able batsman has a wide variety of scoring shots, and his wrist work is delightful, to watch. This is not the only long innings he has scored, as he rattled up 180 against the Auckland touring team at New Plymouth in 1922. As Lambert is a smart fieldsman, and useful change bowler, it is incomprehensible that he is not considered good enough for a place in the Wellington Plunket Shield eleven. It is hard luck when a batsman plays a sound defensive innings for 76, and is then blamed instead of praised for it. This is the fate which befell A. W. Duncan, captain of the Old Boys’ eleven last Saturday. His team had to get' 399 during the afternoon in order to win, and Lambert made a great effort to achieve the task by hitting up 209 in three hours and a quarter. Duncan was his partner while 269 runs were scored for the fourth wicket. The Old Boys’ captain can score as fast as most batsmen. but he was caution personified on Saturday. It was bad luck for Old Boys when Barclay was run out early. He was just the stamp of fearless hitter to help Lambert to get the runs. It appears that the older heads in the Old Boys’ team had come to the conclusion that it was impossible to score 398 in four and a half hours, and it was probably this timorous reasoning which slowed Duncan down. Had he emulated Lambert’s lead, Old Boys would have got the runs all right. The record at call of time was 366 for five wickets.

Kilbirnie Comes of Age. As already pointed out in this column, the action of the Wellington Cricket Association in acceding to Kilbirnie’s request to olay senior matches on the Kilbirnie ground is a very good thing for cricket. There, was quite a good crowd of spectators out to see the conclusion of the KilbirnieThorndon match on Saturday afternoon. Senior cricket even brought Mr. T. Forsyth, M.P. for Wellington Hast, on to the Kilbirnie ground, and the member for the district, in a happy little speech, congratulated the Kilbirnie Club on the progress it has made during the past few seasons. That’s the idea. Let us spread senior cricket all over the. city, until we have the Prime Minister and Minister for Internal Affairs making congratulatory speeches on the grounds. The game between Kilbirnie and Thorndon was a tussle foi; the wooden spoon, as neither side had won a match this season. Thorndon found the 326 set them by Kilbirnie a bit beyond them, but they did creditably in reaching 285. K. Mason (63), L. Foley (56), and Caulton (50) all gave sound displays. Phillips was going well, with 30 on, when he had the ill-luck to be run out. Hyder, the Thorndon captain, rattled on 23 in quick time. Kortlang does not seem to be able to get going for his new club. He was snapped up by V. Christopherson off Pcckston before reaching double figures on Saturday. L. Foley, who scored 56 for Thorndon, is a colt, who played with the Eastbourne Club last season. Both he and his brother, B. Foley, who is also in the Thorndon eleven this season, are promising youngsters. Midland's Solidity.

Midland ran into third place on tin, championship ladder on Saturday by defeating Universify by seven wickets at Kelburti Park. J. Hutchings, who had not been doing so well as usual this season, jumped into his best stride, and hit up 123 in Midland’s first innings. It is always a pleasure to record this veteran’s success, as there are few who have more enthusiasm for the game. M. J. Dind (57), A. Bruce (33), D. Patrick (24), A. Doneghue (28), W. A. Baker (17), and L. G. Clark (16) were the other contributors towards Midland’s total of 346.

’Varsity could only reply with 196 in the second innings, two men being absent. That able all-rounder, A. M. Hollings, once again proved his

worth in this match. In ’Varsity’s first innings he scored 53, while in the second he reached 55. With the ball he captured six wickets for 129 runs.

J. Hutchings, with his wily slows, was the undoing of ’Varsity in the second innings. 'The students are mostly hitters, and they could not restrain their impetuosity when Hutchings tossed up his enticing slows. Four for 40 was the bag he collected. This was a nice little sequel to his century.

Wellington's Improvement. It was a good performance for Wellington, without F. T. Badcock, to secure an outright win over Y.M.C.A. at the Basin on Saturday. The victory was largely due to the bowling of A. M. Cousins and F. R. Craig, whose fast deliveries were not relished by the Young Men. Cousins captured sixwickets for 42 runs and three for 48, while Craig secured two for 31 and five for 54. This was a sporting game, as both sides went for the runs. The crowd enjoyed the hitting exhibition and the tip-and-run tactics. H. R. White put up a remarkably line bowling performance for Y.M.C.A. in this match. In the first innings he captured seven wickets for 63, and in the second six for 45. . He mixed bis pace, flight, and spin very cleverly.

Record Junior Scores. In my notes last week I mentioned that Old Boys’ performance of scoring 566 against 'Hataitai, with three centuries' in the innings, must surely be near a record for local junior matches. This brought a prompt ring from H. Murphy, of the Y.M.C.A.. Club, who said he could not allow this statement to go unchallenged. He advised me to go down and see H. Bennie, who had the score-book containing the record score for a Wellington junior match. I duly called upon Mr. Bennie, and, sure enough, he produced a score-book which showed that on November 8, 1919, the Murphy’s Pipeworks eleven ijayed the following innings at the Basin Reserve in a junior match

MURPHY’S PIPEWORKS—First Innings.

R. Murphy, b. E. Smith 151 H. Buck’, b. Burke 21

H. Murphy, b. N. Smith 119 C. Mnrphv, b. E. Smith 175 T, Church, not out 3 A. Erskine, c. , b. Trott 61 D. Binnie, c. and b. Boscly 117 Extras 54 Total for six wickets 701 (Innings declared closed.)

This Pipeworks team used to regularly score about 700 in an innings in those days. Mr. Binnie related that in the following match, oti November 29, 1919, they played against North A, and put the three men who had not had a strike in the previous match in first. The result was like this:— MURPHYS’ PIPEWORKS—First Innings. V. Harris, b. Tilyard 100 T. Church, b. Tilyard 112 Erskine, b. Moss 171 L. Keys, c. b. Ward 30 H. Murphy, c. , b. Ward 62 D. Binnie, c. , b. Ward 66 L. Mackay, c. , b. Ward 30 C. Murphy, c. , b. Ward 25 H. Buck, not out 12 R. Murphy, b. Moss 10 Extras ..... 106 Total 741 It is interesting to recall that the Pipeworks team applied for admission to senior rank -in 1920, but the application was turned down. The club then threw in its lot with Y.M.C.A., and they thus outwitted the powers that be. Members of Murphy’s Pipeworks famous team are still playing with the Y.M.C.A. senior eleven. ' Nelson Coifs.

Biggar, who is only IS. is Nelson’s new wicketkeeper. Playing against Marlborough a few weeks ago in his first Hawke Cup match, he macle a brilliant century. He also scored well against Hawke’s Bay. He is a distinct “find” for the Nelson Hawke Cup team, and on his work behind the stumps alone is well worth his place. Two other colts, Kinzett and Biggs, also batted well for Nelson Newman, the Nelson left-hander, is at the top of his form with the ball this season. Encourage the Youngsters.

“Burwood,” in pursuing his policy for more encouragement for young players, is by no means a voice crying in the wilderness. New Zealand is not the only country where selectors stick to veteran players until their eyes are dim. A Melbourne correspondent in the Sydney “Referee” writes in strong terms of the attitude of the Victorian selectors in sticking to the veteran players and not giving some of the young blood a chance in inter-State matches. “There will soon come a time in Victorian cricket,” he states, “when the obstinate policy of the selectors will automatically show its detrimental influence on the game. Young players have been crying out for opportunity for years, but it has been like the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Players long past their prime, indeed, upon whom the sere and yellow leaf has settled many seasons ago, appear in representative cricket year after year. In the meantime enthusiasm of youth is being sapped, ardour is being dampened, and, instead of playing the game with expectations, they have assumed the mantle of disgust at their unjust treatment. I have no personal feeling against the veterans of cricket. Those to whom I refer have borne the heat and burden of the day, have blazed the trail, so to speak, but I think it would be an act of charity on the part of the selectors to refrain from further teasing their ambitions by repeatedly selecting them. The position is so serious in Victoria that I feel I am voicing the opinions of tens of thousands of the public and of the majority of players by suggesting that, if the selectors continue to pick them, they should retire gracefully from first-class cricket, and thereby make room for new blood.”

When Davis Cup plavers. Patterson and Hawkcis, gave exhibition matches in Auckland, thev demanded Spaldings’ plugless tennis balls.—Advt.