CRICKET

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 106, 31 October 1931, Page 20

CRICKET

■yC'Wor Our"

ACTION WANTED

VISIT FROM OVERSEAS

FORM IN LOCAL GAMES

Some little time ago it was urged in *'The Post" that further efforts should bo made in the matter of a visit to New Zealand later in the season by a team from overseas, and special reference was made to the possibility of inducing the South Africans, now in Australia, to extend their tour. The New Zealand Cricket Council is still silent, and if no action has been taken of late either in making a further appeal to the Australian Board of Control or in negotiating with the South Africans the delegates to the Now Zealand Conference next mouth should issue very definite instructions to the council that something better is expected of tho controlling body in catering for the cricket needs of the Dominion. The New Zealand cricket team is duo at Auckland to-morrow, but it would be expecting too much of the tourists to extend their programme to include a series of matches in New Zealand, tl is reported that somo of the council's representatives will be in Auckland to meet tho team, and this delegation from the council appears to bo unnecessary, especially in view of the fact that there has been a loss on the tour. One representative from the council would have been quite sufficient. The need at the moment_ is for action at headquarters in making the season's cricket more attractive by providing more ,big cricket, and it should also bo tho duty of the controlling body to go fully into the question of tours in future years, planning well ahead as is done in other countries. Had tho South African Board of Control been approached when it was arranging its visit to Australia it is more than likely that the team now in Australia would have been coming on to New Zealand, seeing that it is finishing its engagements in Australia in February. However, it is not too late to make representations for an extension of the tour. Wellington and Midland. There were two knocks of particular merit in Wellington's batting display against Midland, those of Whyte (who showed his men the way with a characteristic score of 94) and A. Wiren (who made a confident debut in senior cricket by compiling 44 unbeaten before stumps were drawn). Whyte had one or two eloso calls in tho course of his innings, in one instance just getting round in timo to deflect a ball which was making its way from the bat to the stumps, but his performance was full of merit. Powerful carpet drives brought him many of his runs. When he gets going his straight driving is fine. Wiren-'s showing was most promising. Despite his youth, he faced Cloverley's fairly fast deliveries with complete confidence, and also knew how to deal - with tho variety of balls tossed Tip by Baker and Bryant. His style is inclined to bo cramped and he works the bat from his shoulders rather than from his wrists, but there is a surprising amount of power behind some of his strokes, and he is ablo to steer the ball to the gaps in the field. Although his stay at the crease was comparatively short, Fay, a youthful left-hander, also showed any. amount of promise and should produce some good scores before the season closes. The Wellington Club, incidentally, is well supplied with left-handed batsmen. Foley started well by hitting nine runs off Cleverley's first over, but was dismissed just; when ho appeared to have settled down for a good score. Ho should make plenty of runs this season. The Midland attack, under conditions ■which favoured the batsmen from the start and which soon made.good bowling and fielding extremely difficult, was quite solid early in tho piece, but lost its effectiveness later. Baker started off-particularly well, but Cleverley gave the impression that he has yet to work himself into form. He sent down_ some very good balls, but many of his deliveries wero inaccurately pitched and proved costly. A word of praiso is due to Tmdill tor his wicketkeeping. He stuck well to an unenviable task and took two splendid catches to dismiss Hollings and Cousins off Cloverley. Hollings was unfortunate in starting tho season with a "duck," but it should not take long for him to make amends. Many a good player has had tho same experience, and one of note in Australia thia season was Woodfull, who in his first pennant match was dismissal off tho first ball he faced. The great Bradman, by the way, was credited with a "duck" in a recent match, and it was not long before ho came to light with a double century. Wellington appear to have quite a •well-balanced side, and it will bo very nurprising if their results do not place them in a much higher position than that occupied by them on the championship ladder last season. Midland's material is quite good, ■with some of the younger players giving promise of better things this season. However, the team, although likely to benefit from Cleverley's return, will feel the loss of Jack Newman very Fieldsmen felt the cold last Saturday, and would have appreciated much more •work than camo their way. Tho cold handicapped them in all matches, and it was possibly this that accounted for Arthur Doneghue, usually a very attractive and sound fieldsman, missing a chanco offered by Whyte. Tho miss, however, was not costly. The teams engaged in this match wero first and last in tho championship competition last season, Midland then being at the top of the ladder. Institute and University. Although the xato of scoring was slow, some attractive batting was seen in tho match between Instituto and University on No. 1 wicket at the Basin Eeserve. Instituto, when rain sot in at 5.20 p.m., had put on 184 runs for six wickots. They appear to havo quite a sound batting side, and will bo greatly strengthened when Dempster returns, it being assumed that the coach will be posted again to Institute. University had a cold timo in tho field, but they acquitted themselves fairly well. J. E. Banks, who has compiled somo good totak for Institute in tho past, made a promising start by compiling 88 in attractive style. His strokes through the covers and to the outfield ware excellent, and ho was unlucky in noT; including a couple of sixes in his score. Hankins, who opened with Banks, batted very soundly until he threw his wicket away. H. N. Lambert, the newly-appointed Institute captain, can generally be relied upon to givo a bright display, and in his score of 24 wero somo big hits. He hit a fine six, and was caught in the ontfield when attempting another. Cleave, who gave evidence last season 'Of being a batsman ,of considerable promise, camo to light with a well compiled 49, not out. Cleaves runs wero mado in good time and not a few of them by pretty shots. Of the University bowlers, Baggo, nt, the. beginning of the innings, was in form, maintaining a good length, and taking two wic.krt.P. Harrison was well tried, and needed watching closely, butj

did not meet with much success. Macallan and Caldwell sent down somo good balls, although Caldwell was at times severely punished. Blandford, the University wicketkeeper, was on his game, taking two catches behind the stumps, and stumping ouo man. Ho allowed only 4 byes. Blandford lias started well towards accomplishing a feat which he has eet for himself this season. The close proximity of the No. 1 wicket to the picket fence at the Basin llesorvo and the fact that on one section of tho boundary strokes to tho fence realise only 2 runs affect tho scoring. Performances aro also affected adversely, as it often happens that bad strokes are necessary to got runs, and that fieldsmen, cannot bo placed whero tho bowler would like- thorn. Tho general appearance of tho Basin Reserve, which last Saturday was drier than is usual at the opening of the season, reflects credit upon the work of Mr. A. Brewer and his staff. Thero will bo somo very good wickets at tho Basin this year for representative aud inter-clnb cricket, as well as for practice. Hutt and Old Eoys^ Weather conditions on the Hutt Becreation Ground last Saturday, as on every other ground in the district, were not at all conducive to really good cricket. Hutt were lucky in having first use of the wicket against Old Boys, inasmuch as the fieldsmen found tho cold very severe. But the Old Boys' fielding was keen in spite of the cold. In the bowling department, Parsloe, who recently mot with an injury, took three wickets for 32 runs, and Duncan 'two for 48. Lamason and Bird bowled a little, but took no wickets. Hutt's 112 for sis: wickets was a creditable enough score, even though it was made mainly by three men— M'Girr (39), M'Lcod (22 not out), and Biggar (20). Alderslcy made 14, but Eoss, Warnes, and Lees failed. M'Girr hit up his S9 in good style, being rivalled only by the ex-Univer-sity player M'Leod, who was still at the wickets at close of play. Kilbimio and Petone. Notwithstanding tho severe weather conditions, Potone batsmen mado quita a good showing against Kilbirnie on the latter team's home ground. Playing conditions were mainly in favour of the batsmen, however, and if it had not been for the numbness of the Kilbirnio fieldsmen's hands it is probable that their total would have been, very much smaller. The opening partnership between Eoberts and Holland was not successful, the former batsman being dismissed before breaking Ms "duck." Holland played a very careful game, producing the small total of 17 after batting for an hour. Briee; who contributed 35, played a vigorous game, and kept up his reputation for hitting "sixers." Patrick, Petone'a most successful batsman, was lucky in securing 83. On three occasions he was dropped before being finally caught by Morris off "Ward. His total included two "sixers" and eight fours. C. Patrick played formerly for Old Boys. Hamilton played a steady game and knocked up a total of 46, but Hope bat. ted with vigour. Under the circumstances the Kilbirnie fielding was good. Coltman, their new wicketkeeper, gave a good display. Most of the bowling was done by Crook, who took two for 61 in 19 overs. Morris, who had 16.4 overs, was more successful, taking five for 72. Second Grade Items. The captains:—Wellington, J. Duff; Wellington College Old Boys, B. Graham; Kilbirnie, W. Harris; Karori, J. Eussell; Institute, L. Calvert; Wellington College, D. Lamasonj Midland, J. H. Hutchings; Petone, J. Barber; University, J. M'Donaldj Hutt, CX C. Heap. It was rather cheerless at Kelburn on Saturday, but Jack Duff, the Wellington captain, warmed things up during his stay at the wickets. When he joined Wiren threa wickets were down for 37, the third to fall being that of Ham, brilliantly caught on tho leg side by Prince, the Old Boys' wicketkeeper. Duff lost no time in getting to work, and during a stay of 40 minutes he saw the score advanced" by 113 runs, his sharo b"eing 68, made by crisp and powerful shots all round tho wicket, and including thirteen fours. Another breezy innings was that of Orchard, the ex-Linwood player, who is a son of Sid Orchard, tho old Canterbury footballer and cricketer, /and who, like his father, believes in vigorous methods. He drove the first ball he received to tho fenco, and in five minutes had hit three fours and two singles. Then he misjudged a slow one and was smartly caught in the slips by Ashenden, who in tho samo over disposed of the new batsman by another good catch. Edgar Wiren, going in first wicket down, -was eighth out," having scored 63 in ninety minutes..More sedate than his captain, ho nevertheless made good use of his roach, and dealt faithfully with anything loose, hitting nino 4's and a 6. * Tho Wellington total was 190, and that it reached that figure was no fault of Mitchell, the Old Boys slow bowler, who bowled very steadily and came out with tho good figures of five for 22 in eight overs. M'G-uire gave Old Boys a good start, but two wickets fell quickly before stumps were drawn, and with, two wickets down for 60 the game was left in an interesting position. Another captain to set his sido a good example was L. Calvert, whose 108 bulked very largely in tho 197 which Institute scored against Wellington College on the College ground. The wicket was not good, the ball kicking badly, and tho majority of the Institute's batsmen were caught by the ring of fieldsmen around the wicket. Calvert, however, taking full advantage of his height, went down the wicket and plied tho long handle to such purpose that five 6's and eleven 4's camo fror.i his bat. Tho Wellington College batsmen did not relish tho Instituto fast bowling, and mado a poor showing, losing six wickets for 60. Keg. Keenan, who opened Karori's inning against Kilbirnie on Kelburn No. 1, mado a good start by squarecutting Ashendon to tho fence, but he, his brother Doug., and lan M'Gavin wero not at all comfortable when facing Allen, and with only 21 runs on the board the left-hander had disposed of these three good batsmen. Things wero looking bad for Karori when Gerald M'Gavin camo to the rescue, putting on 22 for the fourth wicket with English, 22 for the fifth with Heard, and 44 for the sixth with Peter Niinnio. Ho was inclined to bo streaky, am'; he gave a chance or two, but his productive "knock" was a valuable 'Suntribution, and saved his side from disaster. Allen did not maintain his early success, and it was left to Harris, who captured five wickets with his slows, to do tho greatest execution. Ashenden, who has shown such promise in tho past two seasons, met with little success, and appears to be developing a very cramped delivery. If he kept his arm straighter ho would probably do better. When play was abandoned Kilbirnie had made 20 for one wicket in answer to Karori's 153, and this game, too, is in an interesting position. Two old stagers were opposed to each other at Petone, Jack Hutchings and Jim Barber loading the respective sides. Midland had tho best of the opening stages, but tho rain handicappod the fioUUug side, and when play was discontinued the Potono score had reached 150 for nine wickets, tho ninth wicket having put on 30 runs.