CRICKET AND ITS PLAYERS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 68, 13 December 1933, Page 14

CRICKET AND ITS PLAYERS

First Plunket Shield Match Shortly

AN ELEVEN WITH GOOD PROSPECTS

(Notes by

"Century.”)

Tn another fen days evidence of Wellington’s cricket strength will be revealed when the first Plunket blneld match of the season will be played against Canterbury at. the Basin Reserve ’The local representatives have not yet been selected, but the personnel of the team will be made known in a day or two. Whether the selection proves popular or otherwise one,has the greatest confidence in Mr. Ken Tuckers ability as sole selector, and it can be taken tor granted that the eleven which takes the field, even if not the best available, will be the most promising and the team which will be called upon in the future to redeem Wellington’s prestige as a cricket entity. If one were desperate that the Plunket Shield should come here this season one would choose a team with more than a fair Sprinkling oi what might be described as veteran players. Even then it is doubtful if it would be able to wrest the honours from Canterbury or Auckland, but is is probable it ’would be better than the young plavers one expects to hear announced. But -Wellington cricket must, be built up for the future and that is what Mr. 'rueker proposes to do. His side this year will probably be the most you hful that has ever played 111 Plunket bhielt matches andyone might add the most strenuous efforts have been made by a certain critic to misinterpret, remarks made by “Century” earlier 111 the season, in Which this writer is alleged to have more or less scandalised the ability Of our young cricketers, it is ciear to anvone with sufficient sagacity to grasp’plain criticism that “Century has the greatest confidence in the young.players# even though he has stated that cricket is worse ut present than it h6s been for a long tiiiie. Performances in the mam have proved tbsit, and one need only listen to general opinion to confirm one s view. What “Century” has said concerning the standard of play has been given the support of every critic with one exception. It is like the proud mother who said everyone was out of step except her Johnnie. Jhat, however, is by the way, but it is written to emphasise the writer’s attitude and explain, if it requires explaining, that so far' as touthfnl talent is concerned there is no dbubt that we are well off m that direction. But. those young fellows, although showing promise, are not Of high class yet, and that is -svhy the game now is more or less in the doldrums where it is likely to remain until the colts develop into something approaching the standard of Dempster, and a legion of others, who have made their mark in cricket history. Therefore, it is altogether desirable to give voutli every encourageuient as the selector proposes to do. In their hands lies thri future of Wellington.cricket. Meriting in mind the desirability of a young tentn, the following players have good prospects of inclusion: Dunstin, Du Chateau, Tindill, O’Brieu, J. R. Lamason, James, Morgan, Crook, Hatch, <L Newman, Blundell. , With the exception of the last two all of the above are capable of making runs, while the bowling department would be Well serve* by Blundell, NeWman, Hatch, Crook, Morgan and Lamason. A good mariy in addition to the writer would Welcoriie the appearance of C. P^° e < but it is understood he intends turnin„ in the grime shortly. In the eveht of any 6he <sf these players not being available “Century” would select J. Ell as batsman and R. O’Neill as bowler. Mr, L. T, Cobcroft, experienced cricketer and umpire and a man who knoWs a player When he sees one haS endorsed this selection without qualification. To his way of thinking, he sriid the side is the best available and should give a good showni„, and prove Hard to beat.- Mr, Tucker, whose judgment is second to none, has the final word, and if he can improve on this team so mtieh the better, , but it is submitted that it would be difficult to improve on, if it is to have ft substantial proportion of young playeis. Lamentable Performances.

Following upon their meritorious victory against Hutt, Varsity dumbfounded not Only their supporters,. but every cricket enthusiast ou Saturday, , when they put up an altogether miserable performance against Wellington. , On? naturally thought the pitiable exhibition provided at Fetone a coup e of Weeks ago. When Wellington scoted lo runs and Petone 79, would have been the record, sa far as low scores are concerned, in that iustafice the wicket wari hot fllto"Ather the best, and that fact went ft good W in covering up the But ’Varsity cannot blame the wicket. The blame lies at the door of the bats nieu themselves. Varsity are not a ytrhii" brtttuij side; iu fact they me •ifficm” the weakest in the competition; but there is no excuse for their lamentable exposition in compiling oO runs. These performances should not be tolerated, and it is extraordinary that measures are not taken to prevent thert Srtence; The fact is there are teams ill the senior competition that should not be there at all. That .was pointed out iti these columns before such batting calamities became the fashion, and ulnvers held up their hands Hi horror ami wailed because someone had the audacity ta say such startlinjr things about them. But performances since have pitted h£ criticism justified. We.cannot shut our eyes to actual happenings, and should consider seriously adopting measuies whereby the standard of cliib cricket can be iniprovod. The way things aie a ntariont, a senior team can inake twenty nniri ai failings throughout the season and still find itself in the top division the next year. The whole thing is farong and gives clubs , ill the, second grade no incentive to fight for, promobon. If the district scheme is not to be in it will be uiifoHuiiata if it : s vt’liy evolve a system of promotion and relegation, f he same as is pi-actised in football? -there, is. no (Idubt that qualification for senior cricket sliduld be tightened up, and then the S will get the following it should " a While admitting that Varsity’s batting was decidedly poor,, one must, howevei, Mve credit to/the ’Wellington .trundlers, Svmes rind Mdrgan. Symes is only .. change bowler, but he captured fl) e Wickets for 11 ruiis—ati excellent averagA but his bowling did no aPl’car *o have the sting in it that the ‘woUld suggest. Morgan, too. secured an excellent average—four for J.

McLeod on Form. One of tlie brightest features of t>ie Hutt-Old Boys game was the fine battn » displayed by that popular plajer, Eddie McLeod. His 62 was a great knock and it is to be hoped that he will continue to reveal Saturday's form. Had lie struck it earlier he Would have had a great chance in the shield team. Aim, who has been consistent all the season, a<niiri came to light with 63. It is as well for Hutt that two of their men were oil their mettle,-for the remainder were not in batting mood. Only tlnee otlieis got double figures, the highest score being IS All the side was fired out for 19b run* 1 , a poor stand seeing that two men collected 125 between them. Barsloe, the Ohl . Boys fast bowler, showed that he is a bowler of standing by taking seven wickets for eighty runs. Without a doubt he is one of the best bowlers in Wellington and. if it is true that Iw contemplates retiring from the game as was mentioned above he Will be a distinct IoSS to Wellington cricket. Old Boys are now live Wickets down for 95 runs, ahd although it is hlniost certain that they Will get the required number, tho game is by no means won or lost yet. It would have been better for the suburban side, hoWevef, if Ken James, Who made 85 aCginst Institute tlie previous week, had been dismissed. Janies is baiting exceptionally Well this season dnd is likely to make a big score in this match. . Of the five Old Bovs batsmen dismissed, three were accounted for by E. Jiidd. tlie veteritn bowler, who Ims given a lot of trolible to biitsliien this year. Had tiift tenm-nuttes beeii more alert in the Held his average in this last match Would have

been considerably better, for twice in One over catches were dropped off him. Another Sorry Account. Institute was another team to give a sorry account of itself.' McLean, who scored 103 against Old Boys, was again the mainstay of his side with 63. Here is a colt worth watching. Hankins, who some time ago showed promise of becoming a good bat, was next best scorer with 20, and Calvert and Duffy scored 16 not out and 13 respectively. The other scores weut like this: 8,8, 1,1, 0,0, 0. These are the performances given by our senior cricket stalwarts time and again, and yet some people are lavish in their praise of players. What was said in reference to Varsity applies also to Institute, although one's synipathy is With that terim in that it has had good plpyers who have learned the game with the Institute Club and then gone over to others. Kilbirnie are now one wicket down for 104 runs, and it is interesting to note that Ron Crook, who made 104 against Midland (he previous Saturday is unbeaten with 44. Crook, by the wily, suffered a rather severe injury in the game against Midland, and it was thought he would not be available for last week’s match. Crook is one of the best allrounders here to-day. B. Griffiths continues to worry the batsmen and captured five Institute wickets for 50 runs. No Steam Behitid Bowling. Although Midland started off promisingly this sertsoii it appears now that they are going to find it difficult in keeping up with the others. Apparently their bowl; iug did not have a great deal of steam behind it on Saturday for Petone, genet 1 ; ally considered to be among the also-rans sb frit as bittiiig is boheeftied, Bit up the wolirth-wliile total of 320 runs. Rotherham, wiio is bne of the soundest bats in the side, compiled 71 tints,- and “Sixer” BricC delighted the Petone followers by hitting uu 67. Fifty-two of those runs were the result of boundary shots. Cyril Allcott was lowest scorer witli fdtir runs, but all the others got doubles. Riddolls and Cox going near the half-eeiitur.v. O’Neill's bowling ilvbfage is slipping soriiewhiit, for two wicltats cdst him 92 ruiiS. while against Kilbirnie he took none for 98. Midland Will have to go all out to catch up to Petorie’s solid tally, and as Dustin was bowled by Itbtherlidm before scoring, their task is the more difficult.

Lackadaisical BatsmOn. The lackadaisical mariner in which some ingoing batsmen Saunter out to the crease has beeri the subject of a good deal of adverse criticism during the past few weeks When the practice lias been distinctly evident. Very often the outgoing batsman has reached the pavilion before the next mail has ebrnri oiit,. In spite of the rule Which says that unless the incoming batsirian trikes his fetahd within two minutes of the last batsman’s dismissal his side shall lose the match. The chairman of the Cricket Association said at the last meeting that authorities at Home would not have inflicted that severe penalty if it Werid not realised that it was a serious breach of the rule. He remarked that&if the opposing side claimed the thatch once there Would, be no repetition of the occurrence. Mr. E. 0;. Wiren Contended that sticß ft drastic penalty defeated the Object of the rule. While admitting that, the measure is too drastic and should be watered down, it must be realised that it is a ftile and should lie adhered to. ~ It is goin£ to be a faficiclril Mate Of affairs if we observe the rules of cricket which suit us and ignore tliosO iii Which tne kicks lie. Until the rule is amended it should be carried out ris it is and uinpires would only he doing their job if they penalised the offending side. From the average spectator's point of yiew the game is quite slow enough Without its beirigf accentuated on aceoUnt of players Wasting time. It is gratifying to note that the management committee is alive tp the position and one hopes that they will see to it that things are niade right.

Extended Practice. There was another point brought lip at the Association’s meetiiig which has everything to recommend it. That was the suggestion by Mr. Tucker that the representative trial practices should be extended. The three weeks’ practice which the chosen players are now undergoing should make quite a marked iihproveriient fa their cricket. But holt much better would it be if the most promising ctieketers were brought together at the net for a couple of ffioritlis longer. This season it would be especially wise iii view of the visit by an Australian, eleven. Within a couple of weeks Wellington will have a visit from pupils ftom the Geelong Grammar School, arid although no official advice lifts been received ffotii the Victorian authorities, arrangements hitte beeii made at this eno to prdvide a wicket at the Basin Reserve Where il match is to be filaj-ed. This should give the game a good boost among the younger players and it would be a good thihg if a team from the combined colleges in Wellington could give the visitors a match.

Here and There. The outstanding feature iii thri Wairarapa Cricket Association’s competition last Saturday was a brilliant first wicket stand, by H. B. Massey and W. Peterson, lor the High. School eleven. Their partnership of 319 created a new first wicket record, .breaking one of 259 compiled by A. Hoar arid T. Halidin, for Wairarapa in a ihafeh against the Prihift* tua represents fives played at Memorial Park, Mristertoii, in • 1923. Last vveck Massey's tally was 177 and Peterson’s 144. Both played very sound cricket, their iniiirigs being cbauceless. (this wiis JlasSCy's fourth eduSecutive century this season.

The Wairarapa High School eleveh also wetit very close to breaking still Anothdr district record when the batsmen knocked up the large score of 501 runs. This tally was only 33 funs short of thd total of 534 riins compiled by the .bld Masterton senior team in a ihatch against the now defunct Carlton Club. In the annual match last week between the first elevens of the Wellington Boys’ Association and the Palmerston North Boys’ High School, H. Hatch took iiine of the association's wickets fdt a total of 20 runs. On the same daV fa the midweek competitions, J. Gallichari, When bowling for Unemployed “B,” cripftifed iiine tviekets for 60 ruiis.

On Saturday no centuries were scored in the Senior competition, but in the junior competition Ridley (Combined Services “A”) scored 139 and ,R. Weston (Unemployed “A”) bit up 105 runs not otit.

Satisfactory Explanation. Tlie Cricket Association liaVe advised that a satisfactory explanation has been giveh by J. R. Laninsou concerning his inability to play in the Town v. Country fixture. Actually the le'ttef Uxplalliltig the matter Was posted on Mofiday, and would haVe been received at the Weekly meeting its requested, blit unfortunately it was misplaced, Answer to Correspondent. “Leeds,” Khaiidhlllih i “Over” having been called, the batsmsin Was not out.