AUSTRALIANS' SECOND VISIT

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 55, 5 March 1921, Page 12

AUSTRALIANS' SECOND VISIT

MINOR ASSOCIATIONS' TEAM

The players selected to represent the New Zealand Minor Associations against Australia next week commenced to a%semble here to-day, and will be practising on the Basin Reserve on Mondfiy afternoon. The following performances of the respective players go to show that the team is a strong one in all departments.

D. 0. Ooflhia (captain), a Wellington College old boy, has represented Wellington, Cambridge University, M.C.O. Team, and Wairarapa. He.is a very steady bat and scores freely all round the wicket, In 1910 he was fourth in firstchvss averages for England, with au average of 40-44. In 1911 his best scores in first-class cricket were 136 and 111. .He has on two occasions made two separate hundreds in one match. As a bowler he sends down a fast medium Fall, and he was first «qual with Lo'ohart for Cambridge University in first-class matches, with, an average of 15.16. Hi& best performances with the boll *re three for 30 v. Yorkshire, two for 8 and three for 36 v. Sussex. He is a good slip field, and on occasions kept wickets for Cambridge, His best scores th» year are 116 v. Riccarton, and 165 v." North Canterbury. Altogether this splendid cricketer has scored 47 centuries in all grades of cricket. He is one of the few doubl* blues for Cambridge, having also rowed in the Cambridge eight.

E. R. Neale was the Nelson nominee for tho New Zealand team to Australia, in 1913. -He holds both the Nelson and Mariborough record individual scores, 215 and 209 not out for Nekon, and 201 not out (against r Wellington team }ast season) for Marlborough, being the only player in New Zealand who has scored in three innings over 200 in senior cricket. He has 15 centuries and many other scores from 60 to 100 in the last few seasons. Last season in Blenheim he averaged-exactly 100 for all season's matches, going through the whole innings five times, and was in four century partnerships in successive innings. In the last? Australian match he bowled Trumper and Noble in one over, and Trumper, Waddy, and Boiling in the second innings, getting two for 7 and three for 49. His representative match totals are for Nelson, 1210 runs at an average of 34, 59 wickete at an average of of 9.6; for Ma* Iborough, 374 runs at an average of 63, and six wickets at an average of 15. He has participated in 20 century partnerships, including' records for Nelson . and Marlborongh, mostly for first wicket. Against the last Australian team, at the commencement of the match, against Armstrong and Noble on a wet wickot, hfe batted 40 minutes when the match was going badly. His fielding is very keen and safe. He knowe the game thoroughly and has captained Nelson and Mariborough for several years. He is tall with a big' reach, and ha* a very sound defence. He hits hard all round the wicKet, driving, sqnare-cut-ting, and glancing well. His usual ball is a little abovo medium pace, with an off-break, but he often bowls slow breaks both ways, and some of his beet performances have been with this bowling. He represented Nelson when 15, and Nelson and Marlborougb. combined against tho English team at 17. C. O. Dacre (Waixarapa) is a forcing bat, who scores well all around the wicket, and is very severe on anything loose! He played first for Auckland at the age of 14. In 1913-14 he scored 39, the second highest score for the side, Mason's 76 being top, against Wellington. In 1914-15" v. Wellington, he scored 37, and in 1917 had. an average of 56 in club cricket, and in 1320 an average of 50. He bowls a medium left hand ball, varies his pace well, and has the usual left hand bowler characteristics., As a field he is probably the finest cover point now playing in the Dominion, and he is worth a place for his fielding alone. He is now playing for Wairarapa, and has scored consistently well through the season. Hisi 60 not 'out v. Poverty Bay last week waa a great faotor in Wairarapa winning the Hawke Cup. H. F. Arkwxight (Bangitikei) is th* wicketkeeper of the side. He is very safe and sound, a good, steady bat, and scores particularly well on the leg side. He scored 53 and 36 v. Wanganui last year, and 50 against the same team this year. J. W. Heskett (North Taranaki) is a good forcing bat with many acoring strokes. He scored over 50 every matoh last year except once, when he made 10. He has scored several hundreds this year. A slow leg break bowler, he is- a useful change, and a good, sound field. W.. J. Scholium (Poverty Bay) is a medium to fast right b,and bowter, and uses his head well. He has a wonderful record in Hawke Cup matches, taking at lea*t eight wickets in every match. In 1919-20 he took eight for 35 and six for 27 v. Wairarapa. This year five for 26 and three for 52. Against Manawata and Wanganui he has done equally well. He is a good, active field, safe anywhere. He has the distinction of being the only man on the side who can't bat. W. T. Drake (Poverty Bay) is a sound bat with an extremely ugly though effective atyle. He scores well all round the wicket, and is extremely good on,the leg side. He is easily the moat consistent scorer in Poverty Bay this year, and is a, good man on any side as he won't be "bustled." He scored 61 not out v. Wanganui this year, and 60 last year. In the Jow scoring gave v. Wairarapa he got 16 and 18 out of 56. Ha is a very useful change bowler and a brilliant field in any position.

W. Blair (Poverty Bay) is one of three left-handed batsmen, Bernau and Holland being the others. Sound and patient, he scores mostly by driving. Like Drake he has been very consistent this year, 105 being his best score. In Hawk© Cup matches this year he has scored 60 not out v. Wanganui, and 43 v. Wairarapa. He bowle a useful slow left hand ball that has a peculiar flight. He is a safe field, but slow in getting off the mark. C. Holland (Wanganui) has a really good right hand medium paced ball, and is one of the few bowlers who realise the value of change of pace and direction. He always bowls with a purpose behind each ball—in fact, uses his head.. He has played for New Zealand, and always gets wickets. In the Hawke. Cup match v. Poverty Bay he tonic eight for SO. Like, Blair and Bernau he bats left hand, and is very hard to dig out, though a slow scoTer. He is extremely attractive to watch, and usee his i'eet well. He is a brilliant field, and could still be one of the best cricketers in New Zealand if he liked. E. H. Bernau fWanganui) is described as the only real fast bowler in New Zenland. He bowls left hand with a very high action, and can bowl all day without losing much of his pa<:e.' He is .one of the very few left handed bowlers who can make the ball swing the reverse way —that is swing to the off. As a school boy he clean bowled Armstrong, Noble, aad one or two others of that ilk. He bate Ufa hnnd, often gets a b«ndr«4 in dub cricket, «d (SB play g, fjgg&g gme,

or stonewall as the position demands, He is a safe field at mid-off.

A. M'Vioar (Manawatu) scores well all round the wioket, and has a fine square cut. He always get* runs in representative cricket, and seems to do best at Wanganni's expense. He is easily the most consistent scorer for Manawatu. As a reserve wicket keeper he is safe as a rule, though on occasion tries to be too quick. He bowls a, slow medium ball, Mid> generally gete wickets. At home anywhere in the field, he is quick, brilliant, and full of energy. R. F. London (Wanga-nui) is 12th man. He is a good, all-round batsman, very strong on off-side, and can keep wickets at a pinch. He is a brilliant field' anywhere. .