CRICKET

Evening Star, Issue 17927, 24 March 1922, Page 7

CRICKET

OTAGO BOYS’ HIGH v. SOUTHLAND.

Responding to tho Otago’s challenge of 229 at Invercargill yesterday, Southland Boys’ High School had run up 270 for nine wickets at tho _ call of timo (Kilby 109 not out, Nisbet 37, Strange 31, Gordon 30). HEATHCOTE-WILLIAMS SHIELD. WAITAKTS POOR SCORE. The match for - tho HeathcotoWilliams Shield was commenced at Christchurch yesterday between the Christchurch Boys’ High School (holders) and tho Waitaki Boys’ High School (challengers). Tho conditions were perfect, but neither side shaped well. Christchurch hatted first, and were disposed of for 110 (Mortlock 10, Powell 36, Burrows 16, Skipworth 11, and Hay 17). Abbott took five wickets for 29 runs, and Blundell three for 27. Waitaki were dismissed for 33, none of the batsmen reaching double figures. Burrows secured five wickets for 16 runs, and Cromb four for 16. In their second innings Christchurch had 108 on for one wicket (Powell 63, and Mortlock 41 not out) at the close of tho day’s play. AUSTRALIAN AVERAGES. A sure indication of tho superiority of Victoria in tho Sheffield Shield matches is provided by a. perusal of tho averages of tho players for the season. In batting the five leading exponents are Victorians, whilst that .State’s bowlers also occupy first, third, fourth, and fifth positions on the hot. The champion player of tho season is undoubtedly F. A. O’Keeffe. In throe innings with tho bat bo has amassed 34G runs, an aggregate which was surpassed by only two batsmen, J. Ryder (Victoria) and A. E. Smith (S.A.), notwithstanding the fact that half the number of matches were completed bcbeforo ho was eligible to participate. He headed the batting until 115,33 runs per innings—-a magnificent feat indeed, and was also on top in bowling with five wickets for an average of 11.60 runs per wicket. In addition ho showed rare dash and brilliance in the field, and has proved a most valuable acquisition to Victorian cricket in every department. L. A. Cody—who is second in batting—made 107 in tho ono match he took part in. Tho most consistent batsman of the .season was J. S. Ryder. Ho playccHn three matches, and besides compiling the highest score of tho season—viz., 242 against South Australia, and the greatest aggregate (484 runs), he finished with ’tho remarkable average of 96.80 rims per innings, and completely silenced tho adverse critics who considered be was not worthy of selection in tho 1921 Australian Eleven. V. S. Ransford renewed operations in the century lino, and showed a return to his former excellence with an aggregate of 325 runs, and the fine average of 65 runs per innings. R. L. Park was also highly successful with an aggregate of 247 runs and an average of 61.75 runs per innings. G. Morgan (N.S.W.) followed tho successful Victorians with 177 runs for an average of 59, but tho most serviceable batsmen to the mother State were H. Love, with an aggregate of 317 runs and _an average of 52.83; T. Andrews, with 327 runs for an average of 54.5; and 11. Collins, with 21.6 runs for an average of 54. Though C. Gray _ headed tho South Australian batting list with 5.1 runs for onco out, the outstanding batsmen were A. E. Smith, with au aggregate of 379 runs for au average of 43.37, and L. V. Pellew, with 260 runs for an average of 43.33. In howling, W. Ives (N.S.W.) is second to F. O’Keeffe with four wickets for an average of 12.25. P. Wallace (Victoria) succeeded in making good m his first Shoffeld Shield match, and occupies third place with seven wickets for an average of 12.27. L Keating (Victoria) comes next, with six wickets for an average of 16.80, but pride of place in tho bowling department undoubtedly belongs to B. A. M‘Donald who captured 25 wickets for an average of 18.2, and fully sustained tho great reputation lie gained in tho Old Country as the finest bowler in tho world. Ho is followed in tho averages by the Sydney express bonder J. D. Scott, whoso - eleven wickets were obtained at a cost of 20.54 runs per wicket. A. E. Hartkopf (Victoria) fourteen wickets for an average of 26.50; IV. J. Whitty (S.A.), twelve wickets for an average of 30.5; L. Wall (N.S.W.), seventeen wickets for an average of 32.76; A. Richardson (S.A.), fourteen wickets for an average of 34.78; and R. J. B. Townsend S(.A.), with twelve wickets for an average of 37.33, had a great deal of tho heavy work to perform for their respective States, and acquitted themselves in a most creditable manner. From the above figures it is apparent that Australia still requires several first-class howlers if supremacy in the cricket world is to remain with tho Commonwealth. Now that M‘Donakl has definitely decided to return to England an express bowler will ho wanted, and tho most likely successor to tho Fitzroyite on present form is young Wallace, tho _ strongly-built tninolcr of tho Victorian team, who has so far fulfilled tho expectations of his many admirers.