CRICKET

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 90, 12 October 1929, Page 24

CRICKET

■ ■ - By "Nor out" BRIGHT OUTLOOK

IMPORTANT ENGAGEMENTS

LOCAL. CLUB. PROSPECTS

Tiie official opening of the cricket season is to take place locally, next •week, practice commencing on city reserves on .Tuesday, and the grade competitions being started on Saturday. Already many players have had opportunities of early ' practice, and they have teen only too keen to make the most of them. Interest in this season fs cricket appears to be much greater . than that shown in preparing for ether Beasora in recent times. One of the reasons, of course, is -hat an English side is -to visit New Zealand, playing its first match in Wellington. This alone will make the season an important one, but there will also be other engagements.of note to make Wellington's season one of the most notable on record. Two Plunket Shield matches will be played here, and in preparation for them as well as for the match with the English cricketers, the Town v. Country match will be played at the end of November. Another wise move is the staging of a trial match on Labour Day. All these events—the trial match, Town v. Country, Wellington v. England, New Zealand v. England (second Test), Canterbury v.. Wellington, and Auckland v. Wellington—as well as the championship matches make up a fine programme for local followers of Cricket. ■■;-..,■ . ■ So far as the local senior champion- ' »hip competition is concerned there ■will be the same number of teams taking part as was the ease last season, and there.will not be a great deal of [difference in. the personnel of the teams. Several well-known players will ibe giving way to new-comers and to promising colts, but in the main the leading players .of last season will be again on the job. For this season a new system of scoring has been adopted. It is the same as that which has teen tried in England, and is as follows: An outright win, 8 points; a first innings win, 5 points; a loss on "the first innings, 3 points; a tie or no decision on the first innings, &- points to each team.' Although there is an added inducement to go "for a full win, the idea of giving points for a loss does not appeal, and, according to reports, it did not have the good results anticipated in England. J4-C.C. Tourists. The English team, which will play a iseries of matches in Australia before coming to New Zealand, and which is due to arrive in Wellington on ,lOth December, is a combination which nhonld provide particularly bright - cricket. K. S. Duleepsinhji and Prank Woolley will be great attractions, these two players ranking among the world's ■best. With them will be other, players of high rank, including Bowley and Barratt,' who, with Duleepsinhji; and ■Woolley, represented England this seaeon. Enterprising batting should be a tegular feature of the team's displays in New Zealand, and that will 'go a long way towards the success of the tour. By the time they reach New Zealand the English players will have lad matches with West Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland, so that they should be in excellent trim for the engagements in the Dominion. The following programme has been completed for the tour o£ the English cricket team through New Zealand:— December 10th—Arrive Wellington. December 13th, 14th, 16th, and 17th— First match, v. Wellington, at Wellington. December 18th—Leave Wellington for Nelson.- ... -...-."' \ 'December 19th—Arrive Nelson. ' December 20th and 21st —Second match, y. Nelson, at Nelson., \ December 23rd—Leave for Chriatchurch. - December 24th, 25th, 26th—Third match, Jr. Canterbury, at Christchurch. December 27th—Leave for Tiraaru. December 27th, 28th—Fourth match, v. South Canterbury, at Timaru. December 30th—Leave for Dunedin. t December ;31st, January Ist and 2nd— Fifth match, ,v. Otago, at Dunedin. '. January 3rd—Leave for Invercavgill. January 4th and 6th-^Sixth match, v. BoXjthland, at Invercargill. January 7th—Leave for Christchurch. January 10th, 11th, 13th—Seventh jnatch, v. New Zealand, at Christchurch. January 15th—Leave for Wellington. January 16th—Arrive Wellington and entrain for Marton. January 17th and 18th—Eighth y. Rangitikei, at Martori. . . . January 20th—Leave'Marton for Paltoerston North. January 21st and 22nd—Ninth match, v. Manawatu, at Palmerston North. January 23rd—Leave Palmerston North for Wellington. January 24th, 25th, and 27th—Tenth match, v. New Zealand, at Wellington. January 28th—Leave Wellington - for Masterton. January 29th and 30th—Eleventh match, y. Wairarapa, at Masterton. January 31st—Leave Masterton for Napier. February Ist and 3rd—Twelfth match, v. Hawkes Bay, at Napier. February 4th and sth—To Rotorua. February 6th—Leave Rotorua for Auckland. February 7th, Bth, and 10th—Thirteenth match, v. Auckland, at Auckland. February 11th, 12th, and 13th—At Auckland. February 14th; 15tlj, and 17th—Fourteenth match, y. New Zealand, at Auckland. February 18th—Leave Auckland for Hamilton. February 19th and 20tli—Fifteenth match, v. Wnikato, at Hamilton. February 21st—Leave Hamilton for New Plymouth. February 22nd and j 24th—Sixteenth match, v. Taranaki, at Ntw Plymouth. _ February 25th—Leave. New Plymouth for Wanganui. February 26th and 27tli—Seventeenth match, y. Wanganui, at Wanganui. February 28th—Leave Wanganui for Wellington. . March Ist—Leave for England by Rangitanc. .Old Boys. - With: a team practically the same as that which won the senior championship last season, Old Boys should again show up conspicuously. They are kocping Badcock as coach, and this player will, of course, be one of the eleven. For the other places there are Duncan, Dustin, Elliott, Browne, Barclay, Lainason, Lambert, James, Parsloe, Patrick, Reynolds, and Eobinson, all of whom played last season. Apart, from other juniors of promise, there are Dv Chateau, Hanks, Crammond, and Stephenson, who have done well at Wellington College. It is going to be no easy matter to finalise the first eleven, which looks like being again one of the strongest.in the competition, ,kt least seven of the players have already re«sjvbu -consideration as representatives, and that is evidence enough of the strength of Old Boys. The club is entering five teams in the grade competitions—senior, junior A, B, and C, and third A. . Institute. There will be three notable absentees from Institute this seasou—Massey (who has gono to Masterton), Bryant (who .has transferred to Midland), and Crook (who has joined up with Kilbiraie). Even so, tho club will bo able to field a senior ele-ven of considerable strength, there being some excellent material in tho junior ranks. Dempster, last season's record-breaking bateman, and Foley should again present a

problem to bowlers, and Prince, Aitken, Burt, Banks, Bilby, Rogers, and Henderson'are also bound to be of good service during the season. Among several juniors well worthy of consideration for places in the senior team are Exton and Fortune. All told, Institute will have seven teams in the grade competitions, the club having taken two one-team clubs under its wing. Institute's entries are: One senior, five junior, arid one third A. Petone. As with most of the other clubs, Petone report little change in their ranks. They are certain to maintain four teams (one senior, two junior, and a third), and it is possible that the I club's playing strength will be good enough to have another third grade team entered. So far as the seniors are concerned, most of those who played last year will be out again. Their capable leader, Stan. Brice, will be playing, along with Eotherham, Patrick, Hamilton, Smallwood, M. F., H. E., and G. Nicholls, Hope, and Beyling. Among the juniors with good claims to inclusion in the senior team are Spence, Martin, and Ritchie. The - t two former have had a tr'al in the first ' eleven. A new-comer who shaped well at practice last Saturday is Glover, from Nelson. Smyrk is now on the retired list, and CapsticK, who went to £ Sydney last year, will be playing in ' Canterbury. It is likely that M. Nick- : oils will be tho wicket-keeper for the , Petone seniors this season. _ University. ' ■ 1 Most cwf last season's University sen- , iors are agairf on, hand, and, with the addition of several new-comers,'includ-ing some promising colts,- the eleven ! for the senior championship competition should be a good one. A notable ' absentee will be A. M. Hollings, though ( he will not be lost to local cricket. He ' has transferred to the Wellington Club. ' Vietmeyer is now stationed in a coun- ' try district, and will also be missing ' from the team, as also will Greig, who is now in Palmerston North, while A. 1 C. Tripe is not likely to be available j after December, as he expects to be go- • ing to England. Mackenzie, Bailey, '] Osborn, Leys, M'Leod, Nelson, Bagge, \ Caldwell, Wilson, and R. Tripe (back ' from Auckland) are all on hand. Dor- ] mer, Chad wick, and_ Robinson from | junior ranks), Paetz' (who captained , Wellington College last season), Kirk- \ ealdie (from Wanganui Collegiate ; School), Cowan (from High School Old j Boys, Napier), Bae (a promising colt j from Dunedin), Walker (from Tara- \ naki), and ■ Macallan (formerly of tho . Parnell seniors in Auckland) are all J c be considered this season, and some j of them will' no doubt be placed in the j senior elevetn. The club expects to ( maintain fire tojims this season, one t senior and. flour junior. ■ Hutt. '„"'■■. " : The attention given to young players ( last season is likely to prove of coiisid- i erable benefit to Hutt this season. It is most unfortunate, however, that the . services of Ii Beard will be lost, this j fine bowler fhiaving met with an injury last season which will necessitate a ( good spell from cricket. Beard has i had a remarkable record with Hutt as < a bowler, and his place will be hard to J fill. Watson is also likely to" make ! room for another player in the senior "'■ team, and for. a start R. Wall will pos- ' sibly be missing owing .to ill-health. ' M'Girr is carrying on, and Aldersley ! will also.be assisting the younger players who will oomplcte the team. Ross, , Biggar, Birch, Lees, Warnes, E. Williams, and ,T. Gwilliam are all in tho running;again, and' there will be oppor- ( tunities' for others. One of the new ' members is Irvine, a left-hand bowler 5 from tho'1 Wairarapa. Apart from bat- \ ting and bowling, special attention will : be given to fielding this season, and at ! practices "the slip-fielding machine, which the club brought into use last 1 Saturday, will keep the players well ' occupied when they arc not batting or ! bowling. Tho club is entering. six ' teams—senior, junior A, B, and C, and third A and B. '■ > , ' ' Wellington. ■' - j The strength of tho Wellington Club's ' senior team promises to be well up-to ' standard this season. With the matorial offering it is likely that competition for places will be very keen. \ There will be-vacancies to fill by the • departure of two players, Burton (who has gone to.Auckland) and O'Connor ' (now in Gisborno). Of last year's play- ! ers who figured prominently in senior cricket, Airey, Whytc, Hiddleston, West- ' brook, Jennings, Robertson, Cousins, and Hyder aro again among tho can- ' didates; and among others to call upon •* there are Duff,' Morgan, Bryco, and El- : Icrm. There 'is a possibility of Roberts ! transferring to Hutt. "Notable among ' the now members are Holliiigs (from ] University), L. G. Goodwin (from Graf- ' ton seniors, Auckland), and H. :Allar- : dyce, who has represented Canterbury ; and Marlborough, and who at one time ' played for the Returned Soldiers in : Wellington.) Tho senior eleven, when finalised; will be a \ strong one, and : should again play a prominent part in the competition. In addition to particreating in the senior grade, tho club ! will have teams in each of tho junior ' grades. . < Midland.; ' '-„'■.; Itis expected that Midland .will be ' fielding a senior team containing more ' younger players than usual. Thero is : any amount of good material, and : among tho players new to tho club are King (from Karori), Evans (from Waitaki Boys' High School), F. .Bryant (from Institute), ¥: Smith (formerly of V.M.C.A.), and L. J. Bryan (from • England). E. Roberts and E. Tindall, ] both well-on the 'road to complete recovery from serious illnesses, are expected to be playing again, and W. A. ', Baker, A. Doueghue, A. Grant, A. Clcv- i erley, C. Hester, S. Lawton, N. Hutch- ' ings, and J. ;W. Hutehings are also likely to hold their places in the senior eleven. One of the most promising ' juniors is Wall. If J. Hutehings, D. Patrick, and A. Bruce aro not required for the senior team they will be of good service to the juniors. It is understood ■ that Judd is transferring to Hutt. Midland will have five teams in the field—ono senior, threo junior, and a third. . Kilbirnie. The outlook for (lie Kilbirnie seniors ' is that thoy will givo. an even bettor account of themselves than last season. With the seasoned players they .havo somo colts who look like going far in the gainej and those who had the experience of playing in the senior grade last season, should bo. all tho better for it if given the chance to continue in the top grade this season. W. Christopherseii, whose aggregate of runs last season was a good second to Dempster's record, should again play a strong hand, and among others turning out are Greig, Ward, Harris, Hayman, Tucker, Virtue, Bramley, Hepburn, Griffiths, and Henderson. The three last-men-tioned are young players who will be by no means out of their class in senior cricket.; Griffiths ' and Hepburn made a very favourable impression last season. Crook,-from Institute, is a newcomer of note, and Duncan, from the Hutt juniors, is a good wicket-keeper. The club is being well represented through the grades. . . ', , Notes. • V • Owing to the delay in completing tho -English team's itinerary, the ar- ' rangement of dates for Plunket Shield matches has been held up. It is now going to be a difficult matter to arrange suitable dates. For one of the two Plunket Shield matches to bo played in Wellington, thero seems to bo a chanco of settling on dates between j Christmas and New Year. Dates at the end of January might bo suitable for the other game. At present t.liero is little prospect of Wellington going to Dunedin for the match with Ot.-igo before Match.