CRICKET

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 50, 27 August 1921, Page 11

CRICKET

("By Not Out.")

PREPARATION FOR THE SEASON

The Institute and University Clubs were the first in the field with their annual meetings, which were held last week. Both clubs reported successful seasons, and are now aspiring for senior' honours, and other clubs are already ■moving and doing the right thing by holding their, meetings and appointing delegates prior to the annual meeting of the association, which is to 1 be held on the 22nd of next month. Any new club desiring admission to the association must be proposed aaid seconded by delegates representing two affiliated "senior grade olubs. If an application for admission be .received after the annual general meeting, the Management Committee has the power to deal with the ■same. It is not generally known that all members of affiliated clubs and honorary members are entitled to attend the annual meeting; of the association, but the delegates appointed are the only persons allowed to speak or vote. The Petone Club is taking a new lease of life, and intends to brighten things up for next season. The Council has generously consented to close the Petone Oval earlier than usual this season, to afford the club an opportunity of improving the ground. A jumble sale was held ■recently, and showed a profit of over £50, which amount is being spent en improvements.

Last season the Thorndon Club wrote to the three public schools; in its district, and offered to look after two boys from each for the season, i One of them, a lad named Mtzmaurioe, is a most promising youngster. In thanking the club for its action, Mr. J. J. Arcus, ■secretary to the Terrace School Committee, said that the offer was very sportsmanlike. The committee would like other •clubs to follow, in the same direction.

It is surprising to find how, many players and followers of cricket are in ignorance of the meaning of ],bw ruling : "Pitched in a line witJh the wicket," means pitched in the-space bounded at ■each end by the width of the stumps in the ground, and at ; the sides by an imaginary line drawn from the leg stump ■at one end .to the off stump at the other end. This gives a-'rectangle eight inches wide by 22 yards long, and anyone who doubts' that it takes a pretty accurate ■bowler to pitch the ball on this atrip ■might just try to do it.

Apropos of the recent decision of the New Zealand Cricket Council that the English side selected to touT New Zealand' was not attractive enough, "Not Out," writing in the Sydney Referee, states: "To judge by their names, the i Englishmefi ought to develop into a very neat combination of . playing talent.'' This opinion is one worth while, and,the more the circumstances which prompted the New v Zealand Council in turning down the M.G.G are reflected on, the more convinced I am that they have committed an unpaxdonaiblo error of judgment. The council has no set policy regarding visits) of teams from overseas, and until such time as something definite in this connection is decided on 'they will always appear to lack vision. ;•' The new wicket on the Basin Reserve is shaping well. A slight set bark was given it one night last week through some children entering the fenced area and using the wicket as a playground. "Boys will bo boys," as the old saying goes, but it is a pity they cannot keep off this plot, as this is not the first time it has been tampered with.

Thorndon will be considerably strengthened this by the inclusion of Charlie -Robinson, who*has i expressed his, intention of turning out for this club. "Robby" in form is in our first flight of faci bowjers, and a vigorous batsman also. . The Poneke Club has issued its firjst report and balance-sheet, which reports a successful commencement. The club hasy a financial membership of 76, and its finances are in a satisfactory condition. The best bowling average for thfl season was secured by W. A. Hill, 71 Wickets, average 6.85, and the best batting average fell to E.\ M'Cardell (24.10). A. J. Beattie, with & total of 299 runs, secured the aggregate score. A proposal will' be submitted to the annual meeting to enter a team or teams to compete in the Boys' League, a large number of players eligible for this grado having Bignified their intention of playing. THE STAND AT THE WICKET. The stand at the wicket is the most important part; of the batsman's business, and one inWvhich it is easy to get wrong. There is, however, no hard-and-fast rule which can be laid down as to the holding of the bat and the position, of the feet; each player must'trust his own instinct for that. I am quite cortain, however; / that it is not advisable for the batsman to cultivate a freak stand, if I may term it so. Freedom of action is the thing most to be aimed at in taking up the stand at tho wicket. A stand which will enable the batsman to make all, sort* of--«J.rokes-^-to the off or to the on—with comparative ease, is the best. Many batsmen have a cramped style, which absolutely bars them from making certain strokes. When the bats"man has taken up hig stand, he should stick to it. How very necessary such advice is will be realised by all players who have seen youngsters at work with the bat. One of. the biggest mistakes made by young batsmen is to move away from the ball. The drawing away of the leg means, in the first place, that it is well nigh impossible to play with a straight bat when the ball reaches the batsmftn, and, moreover, that he is more or less off his balance. As a very first rule of batting it might be laid down that the right leg should never be moved in the direction of the umpire at your end of the pitch. The batsman may move it across tho other way in making a. late cut, or he may bring it' forward when he jumps out to drivej but it is an error to get into the habit of moving it away from the wicket. The batsman must remember, too, that so long as he keeps that right leg in its place he is not going to bo stumped out, but that when he lifts it up there is always that possibility—provided, of courso, he misses the ball. Above I used the words "straight bat," and that reminds me that another golden rule of the game is to play as many strokes as possible with the bat straight and the handle pushed forward. When the bat is placed across the wicket, it is less of a guard, and when the bottom of the, bat is.pushed out further than the top to meet the oncoming ball, it means that as likely as not the least stroke will send the ball in the air.