CRICKET

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 39, 9 November 1938, Page 17

CRICKET

Wellington Batsmen Wanning Up VARIETY OF PITCHES i : How To Save I ime On The Field

Bi-

Ba rwood.

Wellington batsmen have certainly li.'id | experience on a variety of wickets this season. Though they may be impatient of the wet and slow pitches they have had ro bat on so far, they should remember that it is helpful to obtain experience of all classes of wickets. The Australians, on their tour of England this year, piled up colossal scores in their opening matches in .May. when the weather was line and wickets were fast, but it was another story when the rain came. Batsmen should welcome variety, as they never know what the weather may be like when Pluukct Shield matches have to be played. Front the way many' batsmen shaped on the slow wickets on Saturday it is safe to predict that heavy scoring will be seen when pitches roll out firm and fast. The First Century. To J. Ell, of the Wellington club, belongs the honour of hitting up the first century in the Wellington Cricket Association's senior championship competition this season. He opened like a batsman in form against the Wellington College Old Boys' bowlers on Karori Park on Saturday and ran to 105 in about, even time. His batting was a treat, to watch, as he was after runs all the time, and put plenty of power behind his strokes. In all he hit three sixes and' 13 fours in his dashing display. Ell is one of the fastest scoring batsmen in the game in the Dominion, and if all batsmen were to take a leaf from his book, cricket would have a larger following. J. H. Rabone, a colt who hails from Palmerston North, put. 25 together in neat style for Wellington, and R. Morgan and M. Meech also ran into the twenties. Wellington’s Rcore of 214 was the only tota] to reach the second century during the day. A Good Bowler. R. H. Boyes was the most effective of the Old Boys’ bowlers, and varied flight and pace in taking four wickets for 68 runs. Last season he took 30 wickets at a cost of a fraction over 11) runs apiece. J. R. Lamason. the Old Boys’ captain, seems to have dropped his batsman’s mantle and donned the garb of a bowler. He changed his pace cleverly on Satur■day in taking three wickets for 61. Whyte served up his slow spinners deceptively, his tally being two for 30. Scratching for Runs.

The Old Boys’ batsmen found runs hard to get against good length bowling by Meeeh and Rabone, and at call of time seven wickets were down for 104. Meech got. a lot of spin on the ball in taking four for 38, and Rabone. who is a very useful recruit, took two for 33. W. G. Rainbird, who was unbeaten with 30 runs to his credit, was the only batsman who shaped confidently, though V. H. du Chateau was moving along freely when he was stumped by Hobbs off Meech.

Lamason was out by hitting his wicket when playing a delivery from Rabone.

A Good Innings. The feature of University’s 161 against Institute on the Basin. Reserve on Saturday was P. .D. Wilson's spirited knock for 62. It was a blend of sound defence and courageous aggression. lie picked the right ball to hit and' laidi the w-ood on with a will when he did open his shoulders.

It was significant that the only other batsmen, to make runs, T. A. Harpur, N. H. (McMillan and! I’. A. Knowsley, all had a. dip at the bowlers. Harpur hit one from McKeown out of the ground ou the straight drive, and Knowsley lifted ttvo over the pickets in front of the pavilion.

Clover Spin Bowler. J. McKeown wa« responsible lor University’s downfall. He is one of the cleverest slow spin bowlers Wellington has developed for some years. Last season he took 46 wickets at an average of 12.58, and this season he has taken five for 51 against Karori and live for 84 against University. The ball with which he dismissed Harpur on Saturday broke clean round the batsman’s legs. Institute are fortunate in possessing two good stock bowlers in A. McLean, the captain, and R. Buchan. This pair kept a length and' can bowl for long stretches without losing command of the ball. Buchan is also an active fieldsman, with a safe pair of hands. Wilson got right on to a half-volley from McKeown on Saturday and hit it. hard and low to Buchan at deep mid-off, who took a brilliant catch. He also took a nice running catch when he dismissed McMillan off McKeown.

Return to Form. A few years back R. Crook promised to develop into one of the best all-round players in the city. His play has deteriorated during the last few seasons, but on Saturday he gave promise that he may regain form. He did good service by getting rid of Roy Sheffield, the professional coaeh, after he had scored a single in about half an hour. Sheffield tried to hook a fast one from Crook, and skied the ball to long leg, where R. McLean gathered the catch.

Crook made two brilliant square-cuts off Tricklehank in running to 26 in 40 minutes, and altogether gave a glimpse of the form which gained him representative honours a few years ago. I low to Save Time.

IV. TrioMelbank is (proving a good leader of the University eleven, but there is a iwiay in which he could save a good deal of time. Every time a bowling change was made on Saturday, there would ibe a consultation between bowler and caiptain, and a reshuffling of the field. Now the University captain should have a set field for each of his bowlers, and should let his men see the diagrams. If thi-j were done as soon as a bowler is called to the crease, each man. would go straight to his place, and no time would be lost in consultations. Cricketers should do all they can to speed up the game by avoiding delays which are irritating to spectators. Useful Bowlers.

'University possess a quartet of useful bowlers in Tridkleibank, Stephenson, Knowsley, and iP, A. Ongley. Knowsley can swing the new ball in puzzling fashion, and requires very careful watching during the (first few overs of an innings. R. ,McLean never saw the ball which Knowsley swung past his bat on to his stumips on (Saturday. The delivery with which Stephenson dismissed Crook was also a really good one.

A Solid Innings. (R. J. Kcmip proved himself a batsman above the ordinary in hitting up 76 for Hutt against Karori 'ou the Hutt Recreation (ground on Saturday. He was at the wickets for 145 minutes, and showed the soundest of defence. He made some powerful off-drivee, and his bitting to leg was clean and wcll-tiined. He twice swung the ball over the square-leg boundary. Hutt had five wickets down for 27 runs when lE. Ale.'Leotl joined Kemp, and the pair put. on 70 runs, of which McLeod claimed 39. Useful All-Rounder.

iR. W. C'oup’land is proviiig a tower of strength to the Karori first eleven. This much travelled cricketer took six wickets for 54 against Hutt: on (Saturday, and then made 26 not out with the but. Coupland lias played in Wanganui, Invercargill, Dunedin, Christchurch, and Wellington, and is ahvay.s welcoincrl, ns lie is n good player and thorough sportsman.

O’Neill Again. Ray O'Neill is fast, qualifying for representative honours, especially as a

bo'wilcr. In the opening match this season, he took six wickets for 54 runs against Wellington, and on Saturday he accounted for five Killbirnio batsmen at a cost of 64 runs. (More than 6ft. in height, O'Neill auak'cs thorn come down at an awkward angle, and can not only spin the bail, but make it play tricks in the air. Back to Form. Stuart .Wilson has returned to batting form this season, He opened with s'l against University, and on> Saturday he made exactly the same score against Midland. Kilbirnie possess a most, valuable allrounder in this player, as, in addition to his (batting, he has this season taken two wickets for 34 against University, and on Saturday he took three for 16 against Midland. H. F. Rice is another useful allrounder in the Kilbirnie team. He. was at the wickets for 88 minutes for his 61 runs against Midland, and found the boundary eight times. Neat Half-century.

IV. Hepburn qtade some good strokes in making 53 not out for Midland against Kilbirnie ou (Saturday. He made one powerful hook over the square-leg boundary for six. He was well supported by R. Buddle, who opened the innings, and shaped brightly for 32. This player learnt his cricket at Nelson College, a good nursery of the game.

Sir Julien Cahn’s Team. Following" is the revised itinerary for Sir Julien Cahn’s team in New Zealand this season— February 11; —v. Combined Secondary Schools, at Auckland, February 14 and 15—v. South Auckland. at Hamilton. February 17 and 18—v. Wanganui, at Wanganui. February 20 and 21—v. Combined Minor Associations, at Palmerston North. February 21, 25 and 27—v. Canterbury. at: Christehureh. March 1 and 2 —v. Combined South Island Colleges, at Oantaru. March 3, -1 and 6—V. Otago, at Dunedin.

March 10. 11 and 13--v. New Zealand, at Wellington. March 17, 18 and 20—v. Auckland, at Eden Park.

New Zealand’s Solo Selector. Cricketers throughout the Dominion wil] commend the New Zealand Cricket Council for its wisdom in appointing Mr. T. C. Lowry sole selector of New Zealand cricket teams for this. year. No man has a better knowledge of cricket and cricketers than the erstwhile Cambridge University and New Zealand eriekcl captain, who has toured Australia and New Zealand with tin English team, and has toured England and Australia several times with New Zealand teams. T. Lowry knows a cricketer when he sees one.