THE CRICKET MATCH.

Evening Star, Issue 19444, 30 December 1926, Page 6

THE CRICKET MATCH.

At the moment of writing the OtagnWellington cricket match is unfinished, but by. the time this appears the game will probably be over, and the result, we fear, will be the crushing defeat of our men. But* however the issue goes, we in the south have reason to bo proud of our team. Because of an inordinately wet tail-end of the year our cricketers have been short of practice, though possibly the same thing might be claimed on behalf of cricketers in Wellington and all over New Zealand. The losing of the toss was a big factor in the decision. Wellington had first strike on a virgin wicket which played truly and took the sting out of the bowling, while a greasy ball, due to the steady, light drizzle, and a slippery foothold made our howlers’ task all the more difficult. It was thus not remarkably surprising that no wicket fell on the first day, on which play was cut short by the downpour which damped New Zealand this Christmastide. What is particularly gratifying to ns is that throughout the long innings to which this opening partnership paved the way the Otago fieldsmen did not give away a run, unless we except the missing of one or two difficult catches. For years past Otago has held, and deserved, a reputation for sureness, alacrity, and staying power in the field, whether the batsmen are cautious or aggressive and seemingly impregnable. We have had elevens in the long ago in which a fieldsman such as Siedeberg stood out almost alone for smart and sure work in the field; but nowadays, if Siedeberg’s high level is attained only by such a magnificent fieldsman as Galland (whom a sprained ankle, unfortunately for Otago, is keeping out of the game for the time being), yet Otago’s team to-day contains, almost without exception, men who approach very nearly to that standard. ; A really good fielding eleven always commands the respect and admiration of spectators on any ground. Fielding is the index of team work, and the maintenance of heart and hope when long partnerships have to be faced delights onlookers just as much as slackness dis s * gusts them. It must be admitted that in their second innings The Wellington batsmpn “ bolted,” and* right down to the last man, “ went for ” the Otago bowling, the runs being put on at a speed which was emulative of that displayed by the Victorians in their Christmas fixture. It is disappointing jiot to

see Dickinson take a wicket during the game, but this lack of success does not destioy our confidence in his powers and his future. Nor are we convinced that his batting ability has forsaken Shepherd; he has merely struck a bad patch. Blunt’s batting and howling in this game strengthen his claims to be one of the best, if not the best, allround cricketers now in the, game in New Zealand. In Green a wicketkeeper has emerged who will, we hope, worthily uphold the traditions of past Otago “ keepers ” such as Croxford and Prank Williams. So long as our team is not jaded by work and travel, wo shall look forward without trepidation to their meeting Auckland here at New Year 'time. The northerners are fresh from a moderately comfortable win against Canterbury, and, if there were any betting on cricket, would certainly be at fairly long, odds on. But, as has been remarked on scores of occasions, cricket is a funny game. And, despite the Workers and the Knights, we are pleased to see that the majority of batsmen appear to have resolved to make it a livelier game.