CRICKET

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 117, 13 November 1926, Page 22

CRICKET

By "Nor Out" '

NEW ZEALAND TOUR

MORE SPEED WANTED

-IN FINALISING THE .DETAILS.

It is high time that something was being done to finalise matters in connection with the New Zealand tour to England. This is the biggest venture of its kind so far as the Dominion is concerned, and it would be well to see that all details right to tho final selection of theteam-are completed in good time. If thcri is much more delay, it will not make'for the'smooth working that is desired. The players themselves are anxious to know what their prospects are, not only of getting into the team but also of obtaining the neces-sary-leave should they be chosen. Unless they are given ample time in which to make their preliminary arrangements, there will no doubt be a recurrence of the difficulties presented by players dropping out.- The players this time are going on a very long tour, and for most of them jt will not be an easy matter to obtain' tho necessary leave. It is only right that the employers of I possible members of the team should know where they stand, and it is also due to the likely representatives who j are in business on their own account that they should know how they are likely to be situated within tho next nine or ten months. What Type of Team? j Then, too, the public, from whom much support is asked in connection with the tour, should be made more conversant with«. the proposals which the New Zealand Council may have in mind. For one thing it has not yet been' definitely given out whether the team is to be the best that New Zealand can produce or whether it is to include as many colts as possible. Thero is an impression abroad that the tour is being undertaken largely with a view to giving experience to prornißing colts. To send a team composed mostly of colts would probably mean that .New Zealand would still occupy an inconspicuous place on the cricket map. This tour presents the chance of a lifetime for New Zealand to obtain recognition as a nation in the cricket world, and the only way to make the most of it is to send tho best possible team.' It is not suggested that the team should be made up of old stagers; there are plenty of experienced young players well worthy,, of consideration. If New Zealand's best is to be sent, the fact should be made known to the public, and they will no doubt show greater interest in the project than is apparently being shown at the present time. The scheme by which it is proposed to finance the tour wa3 set in train some little time ago. How is it progressing! Manager and Selectors. Another thing, surely' the controlling body has had time enough to announce its choice of manager of the team. There is opportunity for much good work to be put in by tho manager before the team leaves, but if the appointment is i delayed much longer it may take the chosen man all his time to get his own affairs fixed up. Again, why is it that the selectors of the team have not yet been appointed? The season is now well under way, and each Saturday • reveals ,players who should catch the eyes of the selectors. It is possible, of course, that district and provincial selectors may be included on the Now Zealand selection, and they will have knowledge of the form of the players. But is it not time that they were1 given"the notice that it is their job to find the New Zealand repronentatives? Evidently, the council is giving some consideration, to the matter of bringing players , from various districts before the selectors, bs notice has been received by the Wellington Cricket Association of a match to be played in Wellington for the benefit of minor association players. It is to be hoped that the next week will bring to light more information in connection with the tour. ' , , 'Varsity and Wellington. The feature of the Wellington-Uni-versity match last Saturday was the brilliant century registered by A. M. ! Hollings, the University colt. On his form on Saturday Hollings is one of the most promising bats in Wellington if not in New Zealand, and another innings or two of the. same calibre would make his chances of gaining representative honours very bright. Judging by appearances it is going to be easier to pass through the eye of a needle this season than to get into the Wellington eleven, but even so it will be difficult for the selector to pass Hollings over. His batting on Saturday was of the type that appeals very strongly to the public. He was early into his stride, and until he was beaten by a good one from Plant he did not look back, making his runs per medium of good strokes all round the wicket. His driving was well-nigh perfect, and some of his leg glances roused the spectators to a high point of enthusiasm. With snicks behind the wicket he was a little fortunate. •It was a pity that, after the departure of M'Gavin, Hollings did not receive better support, as University would have had an excellent chance of passing Welington's total if our of the later batsmen had settled down. Wilson and Ham made a valiant attempt to knock off the runs, but they could not see the distance out, although Ham was unbeaten. His innings was one of ups and downs.: Ho skied balls in all directions, and was lucky to pick out spots. where fieldsmen did not congregate. The Wellington attack was by no means strong, Hiddleston having to rely on the services of four bowlers, including himself. There was no great variety in the bowling. Plant appeared to be tho most dangerous trundler, and his figures 'did not flatter him. ■ V.M.C.A. and Old Boy 3. Y.M.CjV. were fortunate in registering a win' over Old Boys. The play was quite exciting towards. the close of Y.M.C.A.'S innings, and it was not until after the last man was in that the winning runs Were obtained. Earlier in 'the innings the Young Men had some lives, and then at the end when all that Old Boys had to do was to,dispose of tho last man they had to dial mostly with Virtue, the young batsman who was practically carrying the side and who was long since properly set. "Virtue won the game for V.M.C.A. This young batsman has been under notice during tho past two or three sea: sons, and he now seems to be well on the road to full development. Last Saturday he indicated that he knew when and how to score, and in making his shots he put plenty of wood behind tho leather. In carrying his bat for 78 ho did remarkably well. Ho is now under consideration for representative honours, but he need not be disappointed

if he does not get a place in Wellington's first eleven this season. V.M.C.A. do not appear to be quite up to their standard of the past two seasons. Missing from their ranks this season are the Murphy brothers. C. Murphy is playing in an outside League once again, but he was seen as a'subsitute in the field for a local senior toam last Saturday. Missed chances cost Old Boys the game against V.M.C.A. Some easy catches we rre dropped. In the Old Boys team are quite a number of colts, and most of them promise well. Fitzmaurice, Burt, Bailey, Patrick, and Dustin should all go far in cricket. K. James has jumped right into form as a batsman, and being one of tho most prominent wicket-keepers in the Dominion he must stand an excellent chance of selection in the New Zealand team to tour England. W. Barclay, who had a severe illness in the off-season and who has lately been on a business visit to the country, will be resuming play in the New Year. So far, D. C. Collins has not turned out for Old Boys. He had an illness which compelled him to withdraw from the New Zealand golf .championships recently. Hutt in the Lead. The continuation of the Hutt-Thorn-don match on Saturday saw only a lit- ■ tie ovet three-quarters of an hour's play, asfrain set in soon after 3 o'clock and the ground was too seddeu to carry on. With the loss of seven wickets for 138 runs on the previous Saturday, the Hutt team was in a very favourable position as compared with Thorndon's 74. Gibson added 23 to his total before he was bowled by Ellerm in trying a big hit,' and Gwilliaiu scored 28 not out. Both batsmen showed plenty of spirit on the wet wicket, and with the aid of Nunn, 11 not out, brought the total to 203 before M'Girr, the Hutt captain, decided to close the innings. Thorndon"did not have the opportunity of having another hit as tho rain set in, leaving the riversiders with a three-point win by 129 runs on the first innings. This places them in the lead for the championship —a point ahead of Petone. Ellerm performed best with the ball for Thdrndon, securing five.wickets for a total of 40 runs. Price also did fairly well, with two wickets for 20. Thorndon's attack could do with a little more sting. Better bowling, would serve to malte the prospects of an improved position on the ladder much brightor. Aldersley (Hutt) is still a' better bowler than many are inclined to believe. A few seasons back this player never received his real dues when representative teams were being chosen. Midland v. Kilbirnie. Midland's sporting bid for a fourpoint win against Kilbirnie was^rather marred from the point of view.of the lay public by the tactics pursued to prevent Kilbirnie at the last minute snatchiiig the victory themselves. The Midland captain bowled off the wicket continually, and some balls were wides, but he got the wickets and undoubtedly saved the game. Less defensible was his action in dismissing a Kilbirnie volunteer fieldsman because he happened to let a ball go past him .to the boundary. The upshot was that at the finish Midland had only nine men out, because Hutehings left at 6 p.m. The finish was exciting enough, and if the Kilbirnie batsmen who followed Morris, B.adcock, and Christopherson had stepped out to the far-off stuff, the game might have been won. Patrick's secure hands at third man had much to do with the victory. On the whole, it was a win for Midland on. -field tactics. Heavy Programme. Wellington's programme of representative cricket is very attoaetive in its present form. At the efltt of the present month a one-day match is to be played with Manawatu. The annual fixture, Town v. Country, is'to be played on the 17th, 18th, and 20th December, a special match, Minor Associations v. Wellington, is set down for the 21st and 22nd December, tire Plunket Shield match with Otago, at Wellington, is to commence on Christmas Day, Jhe Can-terbury-Wellington Shield match at Christchureh will take pla.j on the New Year dates,, and immediately afterwards there will be a special match .with Auckland at Wellington. With these arrangements there is certainly a feast of cricket, and so far as the players a/c concerned plenty of .opportunity to play themselves into form that may give them chances of selection in the New Zealand team. A close study of the programme will show that a great deal is being asked of the Wellington representatives; in fact, it does seem that the call upon them- may be too great, especially when it is considered that they will .be asked later on to make a trip to Auckland for a Plunket Shield match there. Can they afford the time for, all these engagements f Some may be able ) manage it, but no. doubt other will find it exceedingly hard to give up so much of their time in such a short period. It seems to the writer that better use might be made of the New Zealand Council's proposal in connection with the match for the minor associations. Why not release the Wellington representatives from the match set down for the -21st and the 22nd, and leV the minor asoaciations engage in a match of their Own, say Wellington country districts v. the rest of the minor associations? It has been suggested to the writer that perhaps a New Zealand team could, be arranged for a match with the minor associations on the dates mentioned, Auckland (who will be coming South) to send a few players ahead, Otago (who will be coming to Wellington) to do .i~ewise, and Wellington and Canterbury to fill up the remaining places. The dates for the match are at present subject to confirmationby the New Zealand Cricket Council. There is another point in connection with the heavy programme: Is a fair chance being offered for the purpose of gettin ;. the wicket ready for the Piunket Shield match with Otago? The groundsman at the Basin Beserve will have no chance of doing the work while the country matches are in progress, and will bo left with only two days—the a3rd and 24th December—in wnich to give attention to the wicuet on which the Shield match is to be played. An Unsatisfactory Ending. Tho Potone Oval' last Saturday afternoon did not present, a very cheerful appearanco, when, after a sudden downpour, -players from all over the ground stood in doorways and under trees surveying dismally the fond pitches as they became more and more saturated. The Potone-Institute match had a very unsatisfactory conclusion, although Petone's prospects of victory were bright. Institute at one stage had three wickets down for 13. Banks and Bilby, who opened the batting last Saturday, played. carefully, and before the rain intervened they added 47 runs to the total. Thero were sixteen overs in the afternoon's play. The game ended without a decision, each side getting a point. In Eeyling, Petone have discovered a young slow bowler, who is full of promise. Blaina, who won the cricket chamipionship in their section of the South Wales Cricket League, had tho remarkable record of losing only one game and had a percentage of 05. They have been awarded a silver challenge cup.

CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE. Out■win. win. D. L. Hutt ......... 0 2 0 ° Petone x ? J ? Y.M.C.A 0 1 0 1 Old Boys OIOJ Midland ...... 0 1 « 1 Kllbirnle 0 1 0 1 rhorndon 0 1 ° } Wellington .... 0 1 0 l Inatitute ...... 0 0 l ± Unlreralty 0 0 <• * Pt3. e 5 3 3 ■i 3 I! !i 1 0