PLUNKET SHIELD MATCH

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 156, 30 December 1918, Page 3

PLUNKET SHIELD MATCH

The Christchurch Sun, in its editorial column, comments as follows on t'ne Plunket Shield cricket match :— Now that Gemany has been clean bowled —now that the blight of war has been removed —field games will com© into their own again. Cricket, with other pastimes, was sadly interfered with by the business of beating the Kaiser. Many of the heroes of pre-war days play the game no more, alas, oi 1, grown sedate, look on from the bank. But there is ample promise for the future—Now Zealand's and Canterbury's. The Plunket Shield match which concluded yesterday supplied evidence in support of that view. If that unusually interesting contest—the first of its kind since hell broke loose —did not produce great cricket, at least it demonstrated that there is no real justification'for pessimism so far . as the future of the game is concerned. Several colts and some of the more experienced players displayed both spirit and skill. When Canterbury's chances fell to zero, a youngster in big cricket and a veteran redeemed those chances handsomely. Similarly, when fortune frowned savagely on the visitors, it was left to another veteran and a younger comrade to pull tlie match out of the fire The doggedness and fighting ardour ex- i hibited in these two recoveries would have done credit, to men with more ■; redoubtable reputations. In a, word, the struggle for supremacy—the issue remained in doubt up to practically the last over—was the finest possible augury for the eventual good of the game. Not that both sides did not show weaknesses in various departments One outstanding deficiency in both elevens was the failure to play an intelligent leg stroke. With perhaps two exceptions, the batsmen regularly displayed a lamentable igrorance of dealing with leg balls, which were uncommonly numerous. Time after time, certain fours were muddled in the most hopeless fashion, simply because of an incapacity to do the right thing. Sound coaching by a professional or one of the veterans would prevent the fault being perpetuated in the rising school of players. Again, the local team lacked enterprise in running between wickets. Probably half a hundred runs were missed thus. A perfect understanding between batsmen is> essential if opportunities are to he accepted and the field kept on its toes. In this department the Wellington eleven shone by contrast. The visitors also were superior in returnsfrom the field. As a 'batting side they were more finished and aggressive than the Canterbury representatives. If ever this province can afford a coach we hope thai he jwill ' instil into the youngsters the need for using their feet to the slow bowlers. New Zealanders who have not been out of the country have a tendency to stand rooted behind the crease. .The various Australian and English teams—the former particularly —who have toured the Dominion have proved the value of attacking the bowling. In cricket, as in other more strenuous games, the attack is, after all, the best defence. No batsman will ever,reach the higher flight who cannot train his feet and eyes to work in combination. Nothing encourages a bowler more than a batsman who refuses' to come out to meet him. If the Boys' Cricket League and our promising youngseniors afe instructed aright we shal! soon.see an improvement in the quality of the local game. The defects pointed out must be remedied before we can expect to measure bats' with overseas teams with any hope of success. . The youngsters must be caught early and taught' the strokes and the tactics of the sport. Canterbury is well off in the matter of grounds, and there is no reason why, if we take the game seriously, we should not, in time, develop cricket as Australia has done. In the cricket j nurseries across the Tasman the colts have their faults corrected before they become habitual. 1 No nation plays the game with such brilliance and vigour as Australia, and that plane has been attained by wise work among the budding Trumpers and Ransfords. Another factor in Australia's success is f.he consideration given to the claims of promising youngsters to selection when senior or inter-State elevens are being chosen. Without that encouragement, our best juniors will refuse to take the pastime seriously