At the Crease

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 108, 3 November 1923, Page 19

At the Crease

AN AUSTRALIAN TEAM

NEGOTIATIONS COMPLETED

VISIT FBOM NEW SOUTH WALES.

SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP. Outright Fir»t In. - Ch. •win. win. L. .D. Fts. Hutt 1 o 0 0 i Midland 1 0 0 0 4 Petone 0 1 o 0 3 Wellington 0 1 o 0 8 Old Boys 0 0 1 0 0 Thoradon 0 o 1 o 0 Jf.M.O.A. 0 0 1 0 - 0 Institute 0 o 1 o 0

(By " Not Out.")

The successful result of negotiations for the visit of a New South Wales team to New Zealand has made the outlook for the season now under way decidedly brighter. There-is no doubt now that New South Wales will send a team, and, in iact, only a few matters of minor im-

portance remain unsettled, if the re-

ports- from Syndey are correct. The dates for the .tour have not yet been announced, and, of course, the probable team is not.yet known, but it is understood that the touring party will be composed mainly of those players who are now on the verge of big cricket and who are showing good form in th first grade competitions in Sydney. Whatever the ■personnel of the team, there need be no fear that the visitors will not play the sporting cricket that the New Zealand public enjoys. Quite a number of young players are entertaining Sydney spectators this season, and if given the chance to make the tour to New Zealand they will make the most of it, to the benefit of-themselves, Australian cricket; and New-Zealand cricket. With them there will no doubt be playdrs who have already gained the highest cricket honours, Awhile one or two members of the last Australian team which visited New Zealand may also come across. The combination- is bound' to be a good one, though, as is'desired, it will.not be the best that. New South Wales can put in the field'; and - much "good is likely to come of the' tour.' The value of inter-* change of visits between Australian and New Zealand.' teams has been stressed from time to time, and it was rather sur-

prising to find.that the Australian Board of Control could hot see its way clear to arrange for. a "team to visit New Zealand this^ season. That its decision .was not in/the best interests of the game was evidenced by the general disappointment in Australia and New Zealand, and, further, by the prompt banner in which the New South "Wales authorities have angered the call- from New Zealand. - - ;

; "A TEAM .OF RENOWN."' In announcing at the annual meeting of • the; New Zealand Cricket Council last week that arrangements had been made for the visit of a team from New South Wales, the. president (Mr. E. Heathcote Williams, of Hastings) point- : ed out that New South Wales could provide almost the cream of ■ Australian cricket. It was hoped, however, that the. team to visit New Zealand would not he composed entirely ,of stars. He -would like to see it. contain a number of players on the fringe of big cricket. "It is no use having a team here that will submerge, us," he said, "although at the same time we want a, team of •• renown,-.so as to draw, the support ofthe public. Such visits give the players a chance_ to improve their cricket, while the public must realise that we are en- / deavouring to raise the standard of the game in New Zealand. Because of this, we ask for their support." . Mr. Williams congratulated the committee on its enterprise hi arranging the tour, notwithstanding the fact that it had received a "financial smack in the. eye" over the last visit of an overseas team. It was explained at the annual meeting of the council that the aouncil would not have to bear the: assembly expenses in Australia of the team from New South Wales, a liability which the Board of Control wanted the council to

assume in connection with the proposed Australian team. : There was a possibility that-in a few. years' time a NewZealand team would be sent to Australia and England, but at present the iNew Zealand Council was not in a position to face the financial responsibility of such a tour. :The formulation of a policy of tours to and from the Dominion, so that young cricketers would have something to look forward to and to work for, was suggested to the council by Mr. A. Martin (vice-president). Doubtless . the: council would be rather diffident for a time in making any big venture, but he -was sure that a visit to Australia would be justified.' It was not wise, he said, to listen to opinions that cricket could not he developed in the Dominion owing to the climate. Lowry's performances in England showed that New Zealand could produce cricket' ers. The opportunities were present in the Dominion for those who desired to grasp them. i ' '. INVITING STATE TEAMS. In connection' with the suggestion made by Mr. Mait-.n, it was explained by' Mr. D. Reese that the formulation of a. regular programme ofr tours was not a new idea. It had been submitted to the Australian Board of Control some years ago, the idea being ' that every two years, and in rotation, a team should visit New Zealand from New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia,-and .the Melbourne Cricket Club. In r turn New Zealand should send- a team to Australia once every six years. That idea was approved of by the Board of Control, but the outcome of the last negotiations with the board-might compel the council to revert to the method, oi asking the States direct for- teams From the experience this season "Not Out is of the opinion that that might be the better course.- Players in South" Australia and Victoria are very keen <o make a trip .to New Zealand, and -aey will be rather disappointed that .he opportunity is not-coming their way iH?_ season. Mr. J: S. Barrett lately received a letter requesting that a South Australian side should be invited to New Zealand. A suggestion was also made recently in "Fair Play" (Sydney) that New Zealand should, extend an invitation to Queensland. When Queensland cricket was not as good as it is at the present time a team was sent to New Zealand, with very good results. Two years ago New Zealanders were delighted with.".the / performance of a Queenslander (Hornibrook) on the Australian side which came here. ;. The' tour of a Queensland side including Hornibrook would. be welcomed by all followers of the game. ■ The writer in "Fair Play" states.: "Queensland, jockeyed out' of the Sheffield. Shield . tourney, is under .no cricket obligations to any other '. Australian State than New. South -Wales. The annual, fixture in Sydney with this State ' could be played as the Quensleand team went to New Zealand, through Sydney. or on its return. Certainly the proposed New Zealand allowance of 10s per. day, at which the Board of Control sneers, would easily satisfy the "Ban'analand'ers. while the 'cost of assembling the team.' .

about which the mouey-kden board has been raising such a horrible howl, would be far cheaper for one State than for an All-Australian collection. Transport costs would be equal, while the calibre of the visitors, good as it would be, ■would approximate much more closely to New Zealand's best team than that of 1921, which was so strong as to make most of the engagements foregone conclusions. The tour would benefit both parties to the contract from all points of view, and might develop into a periodical exchange of visits. The idea is well worth the. Maorilanders' consideration; failing a move _by New Zealand, what about Queensland getting in while the going's good?" New Zealand, of course, have made a move, and a- successful one, too, but the question of a visit from Queensland might" well bo ] kept in view. I EXPENSE AND BENEFIT. The question of assembly charges, which has been given as one reason for_ the Australian Board of Control's I action in deciding against' an Australian team being sent to New Zealand, was touched upon by Mr. D. Reese at the N.Z. Council's annual meeting. He said that the council, considered that if the Board of Control organised a side to come to the Dominion, it should pay the cost of assembling the team at the port of departure, because such visits undoubtedly were looked upon in Australia as a means of educating the.Commonwealth's young cricketers. Such tours were to the benefit of Australian cricket. In the case of an Australian team which the board had proposed to send, men might have been drawn from j West Australia, Queensland, and' South ' Australia, and the .cost of assembling such players would be more than the council could pay for. Moreover, the Board of Control had insisted on 15s a day being paid to the players. I He did not think that a player in AusL.tralia would have turned down a trip to New Zealand with an allowance of 10s per day. .New Zealand had actually advanced the rate from 5s to 10s. Mr. Reese' added that the programme for visits from Australia, originated some years' ago, was being carried out. 'That information will be pleasing to all cricketers and enthusiasts, as it goes to show that one of the most important mean's by which New Zealand cricket ! can be improved is not being lost sight .of by--the parent body. The president of the N.Z. Council holds the view that the game in New Zealand has improved in the past few years. He hopes that players will assist in further improving the standard of the game by improving their play. Professional, he" said,_ when speaking at the annual meeting of the council, was notj desired in New Zealand; neither was it desired that the playing of matches should interfere with the livelihood of players, or take them from their employment. For the success of the negotiations in connection with the visit of a New South Wales team, much credit is due to Mr. D. Redpath, who ..has been acting in Sydney on behalf of the council. It was .stated at the annual meeting that he '.'had' not budged one iota" from .the original offer. •. PLAY AND PLAYERS. '" Local cricket will need brightening up Iconsiderably if it is to attract public interest. -Senior performances were, on the whole, very poor last Saturday, few batsmen getting runs of. any account, and j there were only ong or two isolated 'cases ' of the style of batting that is pleasing to spectators. The bowling was generally good, but the conditions could not i be said to-have been so much to the! advantage as the - results of the ' day's play suggested. There should have been better scoring. An excuse for the low tallies might be offered at- this early stage of the season, as the opportunities for practice have not been too good. Even so, the batting will require to improve if Wellington is to enjoy a successful season. How it is that such little interest was shown in' the opening games .in Wellington? and yet in Dunedin'for the commencement of the seasons last Saturday, some 2000 spec- s tatbrs assembled at one ground. • : In the Wellington-Thorndon match at the Basin Reserve last Saturday, only 146 runs were scored during the afternoon. Wellington, who appear to be a strong batting' side, collapsed in their second innings. Two players, including Kortlang, were run but, but the Thorndon attack did not seem to be • very deadly. It is difficult to account for such a poor display on the part of Wellington. Thorndon did not fare much better during'the'afternoon, but there was some reason for that. They are not such an experienced side as Wellington, and they were ud against a bowler of ( excellent quality. Without Hidd"leston arid Napier, Wellington would have probably been in a sorry plight. Hiddleston scored nearly half the runs for Wellington, and Napier I took all but two of the wickets. The left-handed from Hawjces Bay made a fine display with the ball, and for tha match his performance was perhaps better than that put up by Finlayson (Petone). Nine wickets in Thorndon's first innings went to Napier's account, at an average of three runs apiece, while the game bowler bagged five of the six wickets which Thorndon lost on their second visit to the crease. Napier's average for the match was 3.57. There is no doubt that the new-comer is a valuable asset to local cricket; his swinging, well-pitched deliveries will have many a batsman in trouble.

Bad'as was Wellington's batting effort, it would have been worse had Marris not stepped in and stemmed the rot. He carried his bat for 17 —top score for the side. ....

In his first two visits to the local crease, Jacobsen, the ex-Hawkes Bay player, has only netted four runs. If he reproduced his Hawkes Bay form, his contributions' to Wellington's account will be far greater. When Brook and Carruthers became Bet the fieldsmen can look for a merry time. Th pair hatted confidently in Thorndon's second innings last Saturday. Taylor is Jikely to be a good allrounder for Thorndon. A good many run should come from his bat, and he will take plenty of. wickets. Leggatt shows promise' of getting good bowling figures this season.

Too much stress canont be laid on the importance of 'smart fielding, as the success of a, .team depends as much on the work in the fielcl as on the batting and bowling. The members of the Old .Boys' team in their match against Midland "a.t Kelburn last Saturday, threw away several, good chancek- of dismissing "Wiri" Baker, who, when once'he has an eye on the ball, is a hard..man for a bowler to pass. .His defence is of the stubborn variety, and it is seldom that he decides to. open his shoulders. Once or twice during his innings on Saturday he lift the ball up. into the air, but his luck was in, the fieldsmen failing to hold the leather. UK one of Duncan's deliveries he returned the ball straight into the bowler's hands, but Duncan failed lo hold .what, appeared to be a fairly easy catch. Bull, at point, did some clean crisp work, and the manner in which he picked up the swift ones right off the. bat was -a matter for surprise to some of the batsmen. It certainly made them wary in playino- the off-ball's. .'. Duncan was sending down some good balls in the Midland-Old Boys match on Saturday. Ho kept a good' length, and was generally on Uie wicket, "batsmen finding it necessary to treat him with a good measure of respect. He cleanbov/led both Little and Gibson, the former's, total being 32 when his stumps were scattered. Barclay y/as also bowl-

ing a good ball, and clean-bowled J. W. Hutchnrgs, one of Midland's openin" men, before he had scored a run Collins accounted for Bruce's dismissal before he had scored, but, generally, his bowling held out no terrors to the batsmen, who found the off stroke a. convenient way of dealing with his deliveries. Lusk, on the other hand, was in- £ hS*i- t0 *b?.} vl 0I? the l6 S-side, when he had his field mainly on-the off, and it was a matter of luck that his figures did not suffer m consequence. Many batemeu seem to find considerable difficulty in making the most of a ball coming at their legs. Even an experienced man like Baker failed badly on Saturday in trying to get leg balls away. Note the differenoe: H. Hutcliings, at the crease 20 minutes, 7 runs; H. L. Cooper, at the crease four minutes,' 10 runs.

In compiling 53 in the match against Old Boys on Saturday, W. A. Baker showed that his style of play has not altered one whit. He contented himself stopping the balls until his eye was in and even after that he took no undue risks. Occasionally he had a "go" at the bowling, but it was not long before ne crept back into his shell again The next ball wag blocked.

Cooper, a promoted junior, who is with Midland this year, promises to become a film favourite with spectators. He gave a taste of his ability on Saturday. caroe in. at a time when Midland wanted half a dozen or so runs to secure a four-pointer, and the hands of the clock were pointing towards 6 o'clock Barclay was bowling, and Cooper sent his first ball over the fence for 6. He followed up^vith a, boundary hit, and thus placed his team in a safe position. He w as the right man in the right place at the right time. c

The Petone-Y.M.C.A. match had every appearance of being an easy thing for the suburban team after the first day's play. The position changed, however on the second day, although Petone made an effort to get four points. Asv m other matches, most of the batsmen failed, and half of Petone-s second innings score came from one man. When Petone had compiled 124 for the loss of nine wickets, their lead was 148, and that was regarded by Brice as the safety pnint. Taking a line through Y.M.C.A.'s performance on the first day, there appeared to. be time to dispose of the \ oung Men and gain a four-pointer. The Young Men, however,' made a sterner resistance, and some of them showed, a desire to make runs. The result was that the possibility of a Petone reverse came into view. Cox and Bow/er made a very promising start, and White later on handled the position with a good measure of success, but the others generally were unable to do much against the attack. A. little more confidence and .enterprise, and V.M.C.A. might have brought off a surprise. As it was, they did well to avert a fourpoint defeat.

Finlayson carried off all. the honours attached to Petone's win. It was a great match for him. On the first day he bagged nine wickets for 27 runs, and took 'the catch which %:ounted for the other wicket. In Petone's second innings he made runs while the others failed, and he made them in attractive style usually giving the loose stuff the treatment that it deserved. His score of 61. including two 6's,. was the highest for the afternoon in the senior grade. With the ball again he look three wickets for 46, but just when he was most needed he had the misfortune to injure an ankle, and had to be carried from the field, when Petone were trying hard to get rid of the last two or three batsmen in the final 'ten or fifteen minutes! "

Petone can show most of the other teams some points in fielding. . When runs were scored by opposing teams they are well earned. One instance of smartness in the field was the dismissal of M Henderson. AVhite, who was battin°with Henderson, hit a ball hard to square leg. H. E. Nicholls, fielding close m, made a splendid effort t 0 bring off a brilliant catch. The ball dropped from his "-hand, but he immediately picked it up and sent it to the bowler's end of the cr.ease. Comer was there, and the ball found the wick#fc before Mat Henderson could get back after starting off for a run.

One matter in which V.M.C.A were unfortunate was in giving Almao a trial with the ball. Petono appreciated the change, scoring 39 runs from three overs by tha^ player. White, who did not hav.e the best of luck last season, bowleu well, getting five of Petone's nine wickets for 49 runs. Hitchcock also shows promise of doing as well as a bowler m senior cricket as he did in the junior grade. It is probable that Finlavson may not be able to assist Petone ire a week or two owing to the injury to his ankle. *i * wZ* al?° met a little bad l«ck in that M Girr has injured his back He received a nasty jolt when putting his foot into the block a s he was bowlim, last Saturday. I twas possible tha | M Girr would have recovered guflicienfcly to take his place in the team to-day without exerting himself too much I Hutt showed their batting capabilities on the first day against Institute. What they can do in the other departments was demonstrated last Saturday when they experienced no great diffii culty in dismissing Institute twice durH? fihl!l afte™c°n- : L Hutt are good in the field., and they have a good supply " oi bowlers. M'Girr was available foionly a little while on Saturday, but Hutt t£ Beard Aldersley, Watson, and iNuiin to take up the attack. Bea-d en his showing in the first match, must be placed among the prabables for the representative team, and Watson will be in tho running. Noot. a fourth grade Institute boy was one of the best performers in lock! cricket last Saturday. He battoH throughout' Instituted innings, "^ when the last wicket fell heVad 120 runs to his credit,. In that tally there were plenty of boundaries. With the ball the same player took four of the The Wellington Cricket Association is on the look-out for promising school boys Here is one-W. Dustin, who plays for V.M.C.A. in the Boys' league intermediate, grade. He accompli^ the hat trick twice during a came in which he played last Saturday ° His bowhng performance for the match was ten wickets for 4 runs. _ PLAY IN THE SOUTH. ' The cricket season in Dunedin was opened last Saturday under ideal con | ditions. Mr. Roy S. Johnston" sx- S ecre lary of the Wellington Cricket Associa tion, who is now taking a keen inter . est in the game in Dunedin was in Wellington this week, and informed the writer that public interest .in the southern centre promises to be exceptionally good this season. There were 2000 spectators at the North Ground last Saturday, two first-grade matches being played' there. Good scores were registered in-both games, Albion compiling 271 against Carisbrook, and Grange gettin" 24,3 against Dunedin. Shepherd" (Albionf who is well-known as a New Zealand representative, and Knight (Grange) each scored a century—l 29 and 109 respectively. Shepherd batted well and exercised a good deal of care. His score included sixteen 4's and one 6. Knight batted briilantly, his score including twentyone 4's. For Carisbrooi, Dickinson took four wickets for 69 runs and Dunning five for 37. For Dunedin, Casey took live for 47 and Torrance two for 64.