A HAPPY TOUR

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 57, 8 March 1932, Page 8

A HAPPY TOUR

CEICKET YISITOES

LEAVING FOR SOUTH AFRICA

MANAGER'S IMPRESSIONS

, The South African cricketers leave Wellington to-day by the Makura for Sydney, en route to Perth, where the fiaial match of their tour is to be played ■with a West Australian team. Their brief visit to New Zealand has improved their record for the whole tour immensely, as in three matches—including two Tests—in this country they have won hands down, defeating Auckland by seven wickets, and New Zealand by an innings and by eight wickets in the first and second Tests respectively. This fine achievement has been made in the course of a fifteen days' tour, in which the team has travelled from Auckland to Christchureh and back to Wellington. The measure of su«eess was exceptional, considering the strenuous nature of the "flying visit."

"Wo have had a most wonderful trip, and we are all sorry to leave, 1' remarked Mr. J. H. Tandy, manager of the South African team, in an interview with a "Post" reporter to-day. "It. has been a really delightful trip, and wo regret that of necessity it has been so short. The cricket has not been quite, so serious as iv Australia. Nevertheless, it has been pleasant and just as sporting. The very fact tlinfc they have been three-day games has meant that in order to finish them we have had to hustle, and that has helped to make the cricket enjoyable." PLAY AND PLAYERS. He considered that in the match which ended yesterday New Zealand had failed a little bit when time was an all-important factor. It would have made a great difference to the position if New Zealand had been able to occupy the crease for another half-hour in their innings. "There is no doubt that the New Zealanders play the right type of cricket," said Mr. Tandy, "but they are lacking a little in big match cricket, as was the case with the South Africans a few years ago. There is no need for New Zealand's cricketers to be disheartened. Why, we have come over here from five defeats in Tests with Australia, but our fellows are not upset over it. That is just an indication of how the team has pulled so well together. The right cricket spirit means much to a side, and it was in a delightful spirit that these matches in New Zealand had been played." Eeferring to individual performances, Mr. Tandy remarked that he was greatly taken with ■ Vivian as an all-rounder— this young player was a good field and bat, as well as a useful change bowler. Blunt was another cricketer who "took his eye," and Badeock impressed as a useful all-rounder. It was a pity, Mr. Tandy added, that New Zealand did not have an opening batsman in place of Weir, who was evidently a great man to go in first or second wicket. The New Zealanders were up against some good bowling. Quinn, for instance, had bowled very well, and was one of the few to make pace off the turf wickets, which were slower than those to which the South Africans had been accustomed. Quinn's figures in Australia had never been a true reflection of the merit of his bowling performances. Vincent and Bell had not done so well here. The ground fielding.. had been pretty good all through on both sides. The South Africans had set a very high standard in the Test at Christchureh, and their performance there was, he considered, the best on the whole tour. They did not altogether maintain it in Wellington, but the falling away was attributable to some extent to the wind and-rain. "You must have sun for cricket," he added. "I think your crowds very, very fine," he said. "They were certainly much larger than we were led to expect, but I was rather surprised that there were not more women at the matches. Those are the people you want to get educated up to the game." INTERCHANGE OF VISITS. Mr. Tandy mentioned that there appeared to be a very keen desire for further visits to New Zealand by teams from South Africa. While he could not speak with any authority, he was conndent that New Zealand's desires in this direction would be favourably considered. The big difficulty was the matter of the players obtaining leave. Interchanges of visits did .a tremendous amount of good, but they could not be overdone. It was woll to plan ahead and make arrangements in such a way that there would be no difficulties in the way of making tours as successful as possible from every angle. South Afnca had had two teams away at the one time—Eugby football and cricket—and it was only to be expected that there would be a spell before the next tours were undertaken, although a Eugby team, of University strength, would be leaving South Africa in the near future for the Argentine.

Mr. Tandy expressed appreciation of the many kindnesses extended to the team by the cricket authorities and others, and he had also been pleased to meet members of the New Zealand Eugby Lmon, as he himself was a mem?»?i 4 7 &oUth African BuShy Football Board as well as being on the cricket controlling body.