PARTING WORDS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 51, 1 March 1930, Page 10

PARTING WORDS

M.C.C. CRICKETERS

EXPERIENCE WANTED HERE

UMPIRING CRITICISED

Having completed their New Zealand tour, the M.C.C. cricketers, with the exception of.G. B. Logge, G. F. Earle, and E. \V. Dawson, who have gone to Taupo for trout fishing, left by the Bangitano to-day on the return trip to England. There was a large gathering of , cricket officials and other enthusiasts at the wharf, where ' the cricketers were given an enthusiastic send-off. Among those present were members of tho New Zealand Cricket Council and the Wellington Cricket Association. The tourists indicated that they had had a delightful time in New Zealand, and regretted that they were unable to spend more time hero after completing ttjeir matches, the last of which ended on Thursday at New Plymouth, Throughout their tour they had seen much promising material for the building up of New Zealand's teams. Some oj: tho visitors were of opinion that C. S.'Dempster was fit for a place in a world team. One of tho bowlers witji whom they were impressed was N. Gallichan, of Manawatu. The M.C.C. captain, A. H. H. Gilligan, stated that he would give a considered opinion of play and players in New Zealand during the voyage and would collaborate with F. E. Woolley and K. S. Duleepsiuhji in drawing up a report, which would probably be forwarded to New Zealand from Panama. "Our tour has been a most enjoyable one, and, apart from tho bad weather encountered, everything has gone along splendidly," said A. H. H. G^Jligan before leaving' to-day. "Our best thanks are due to all our kind friends in the various centres who have entertained and looked after us, and we all carry away never-to-be-forgotten memories of New Zealand, hoping some day to pay another visit here. I and my team also appreciate all that the New Zealand Cricket Council has done to help us, to study our comfort, and to arrange our tour so that we have been able- to visit several of the wonder sights of New Zealand. Wairakei, Eotorua, Waitoino ' Caves, mere names before, are some of the finest and most weird and fascinating sights ever seen by any of us. MANY PROMISING PLAYERS. "Cricket in New Zealand is no doubt on'the up grade, .and I feel sure that the benefits of this tour will be felt iv the next few years. What is wanted is experience. There are many very promising cricketers iv the Dominion who want to be taken in hand and given coaching on the right lines. We met several good young bowlers who wei'O spoilt by having badly placed fields. That is where much can be learned by all young New Zealand cricketers —watching a captain like Lowry arranging and placing his field to suit each bowler and to block each batsman's principal scoring shots. It has'been very evident1 to us that immense good has been done by those English coaches who have been visiting the various centres. It is indeed a pity that more centres cannot afford to engage regular first-class cricket professionals. APPEAL TO UMPIRES. "One serious hindrance that, until it is put right, must retard the progress of cricket here is the umpiring. No young cricketer, nor for that matter any cricketer, can play his natural game when he has no confidence in ail umpire, and bad umpiring can absolutely wreck a promising young batsman's cricket. We all realise the umpire's difficulties in Now Zealand, as he only occasionally gets practice in umpiring, but the ignorance of many concerning the lbw'rule, of giving proper decisions regarding catches at the wicket, stumping and run-out, points to the fact that the situation is a serious one. A first-class umpire in England once told me that the two most difficult decisions to give were a close run-out and a catch at the wicket on tho leg side. In his opinion a Ibw decision was easy to give providing the umpire stood in the correct place, concentrated on. each ball bowled, and knew that he could interpret correctly the rules. I do, therefore, appeal to all umpires to try and improve their umpiring and general knowledge of tho rules of the game, for without their doing so. New Zealand cricket can never go ahead as it should and must go. I should like to pay a tribute to those umpires who officiated in the Test matches. We wer,e all impressed by their fairness and knowledge of the game, and our j best thanks are due to them."