CRICKET

Evening Star, Issue 19410, 19 November 1926, Page 12

CRICKET

NOTES iNDCOMMENTS. [By Mro-om] There will ho three changes in the Dunedin senior team to-morrow, M'Cardle and Harrison are not available, and poor Harry Baker has played his last game. C. L. King, Gavanagh, and Graham will thus be given their chances. Gavanagh is a mere youngster, but he looks like developing into something above the ordinary, both with bat and ball. Graham showed promise last year of doing something worth while with the bat. King failed to get going with the willow on Saturday week, but his trundling impressed the critics. . . Judging by the order m which they go in to.bat, the skippers of three of the senior teams are very modest about their batting abilities. Both Binnie and Torrance only took a hand with the bat when seven or eight wickets were down, and a glance at Carisbrook’s score book last week revealed the fact that Austin, who is probably still one of the best batsmen in the province, was to have gone in eighth wicket down. Why this excessive modesty? Blunt and Dickinson will undoubtedly be amongst the first men selected for the English tour, but there seems to be an impression that whatever happens Otago will have to be satisfied with no further representation. There are two others who miifit .be given something more than a sporting chance, however. They are Galland and Shepherd, Galland is the best field in the dominion, and besides that is a useful bowler, a fine'wicketkeeper, and a forceful batsman of the type that will bo needed, judging by the statements recently made by the new Auckland coach. There is no need to emphasise the qualities of Shepherd—they are known throughout the dominion. At his best there is no other batsman quite like him. Ar W. Alloo’s chances must he discounted for the nonce, hut he is always a possibility. Though Mr Rattray was not successful in securing the services 6f a competent coach for Otago, it is understood that he has an important report to present to the association at its next meeting. which will probably bo held next week. ... Things were not particularly exciting at the North Ground on Saturday, but just when the crowd under the sheltermg trees began to wish they had stayed at homo by the lire a couple of frisky canines put in an appearance, and held a species of coursing match around the wicket that had ]ust been vacated by a junior side. One does not wish to cast any reflection on the players, who did their best under the depressing weather conditions, but it must be confessed that the brightest turn .of the afternoon was undoubtedly provided by the dogs. It is understood that the ancient conflict between religion and science is to bo continued on the cricket field shortly, when the parsons and the medicos will meet. The game is likely to take place early next month. The Oval is never very helpful to batsmen, but in the soggy state it was in on Saturday it just about broke the hearts of those who essayed to collect a few runs. M'Mullan is a fairly lusty hitter, hut he took half an hour in getting a couple, and Knight was at the crease for about the same time for 5. No wonder the spectators made off hurriedly for the pictures before the rain settled the afternoon’s play. . “Dick” Torrance sent down eighty balls on Saturday but only had 7 runs hit off them. M'Grcgor, at the other end, was more playable, but he finished up with a good average. _ A nasty injury was sustained by ±l. Duncan, the skipper of the Parnell senior eleven, at Eden Park on Saturday. Shortly before play closed, the exOtago Plunket Shield player, in stopping a hard drive, dislocated a finger, and had to leave the field. The reappearance of C. Keliewoy in grade cricket in Sydney excited considerable interest amongst the fans. The ex-international, however, did not last long, his innings closing when he had 8 runs to his credit. Blunt, who has never been seen to advantage in Dunedin as a batsman, was not very impressive on .baturday, though, of course, the conditmns made good cricket hopeless. He snicked the second ball from Shepherd into Blamires’s hands, but the veteran was evidently not expecting such a gift as that so early in the proceedings from one of the best batsmen in the dominion, and the chance went a-begging. And then Duncan, also in the slips, failed to get under a very low one. \Vitn two such lets-off it was anticipated that Blunt would show his appreciation of the kindness extended to him by remaining at the crease for the rest or the afternoon; but he only collected a modest 22 and then disappeared from the scene as the result of miss-hitting Shepherd. When 10 he survived a confident appeal for a catch behind the wicj kets. There was a decided click heard in the pavilion, but it was significant that the bowler (Blaxmres) did not join in the chorus of How s Ztltj P ” , Dickinson played with great restraint in compiling his 27. If he is content to play like this during the season one can expect some fine scores from his Shepherd looks as if he will have to boar the brunt of Albion’s attack. He is one of the best length bowlers in Dunedin, and worried the batsmen for the hour that they faced him on Saturday. Unfortunately, Albion has not much variety in its howling, as Shepherd, Blamires, and Clouston send down a somewhat similar ball. Duncan may possibly develop into a useful leg-break It is freely rumored that the captaincy of the Now Zealand team which is to go Homo next year is to be offered to Tom Lowry. Ho has had a good experience of English cricket. A particularly displeasing feature of Saturday’s games was the failure of some clubs to insist upon their players wearing flannels (says the Auckland ‘Herald’). In one instance a team was noticed on the field only two members of which wore white trousers, and one of those had a colored shirt 1 In a certain match the amazing spectacle was seen of a young man with braces unslung across his dark trousers, a tweed cap pulled slant-wise over one eye, and a cigarette dangling between his lips as he charged to the wicket to bowl. Such disregard of the regulation attire is a travesty upon a game which is supposed to be at once the pride and glory of Britons the world over. Kilby’s display was one of the best witnessed in Invercargill for some time (writes “Onlooker,” m the ‘Southland Times’). He took his time, but was death on the loose stuff. Anything over-pitched on the off was despatched bounaarywards in first-class style. Kilby favored the cover drive, and put plenty of power into his shots. Boiijg short of stature, he does not swing the longhandle, consequently there were no big hits included in his score. Kilby, was associated in two good partnerships—with Hinton and with Thomas—and his effort did a lot to take the sting out or the attack. The fair-headed Union man has only to continue along the lines or his knock on Baturday, and he should be a foi;c6 to be reckoned with when the selection of Otago’® Plunket Shield team is being made. , In discussing the question as to who shall captain the New Zealand cricket team, which is to go Homo next year, a writer in the Auckland Herald considers that three plajers. stand out head and shoulders, above all other Aspirants to the position. They are N. C. Snedden, of Auckland; W. R. Patrick, of Canterbury; and D. C. Collin®, of Wellington. The Auckland scribe thinks that of these Snedden i« by far the better leader, and that, in the event of Snedden being unable to