CRICKET.

Evening Star, Issue 20061, 29 December 1928, Page 8

CRICKET.

It would be presumptuous to claim that time robbed the Otago cricketers of a win against Wellington. The home team were set just on 400 runs to win, which is a big score tor the fourth innings of a game. Most experienced players of note are emphatic in preferring to have even a smaller lead than this “ on the slate ” rather than have the runs to make. The Wellington team entered on its second innings with the palpable objective of playing for the draw, and in this it was assisted by frequent interruptions due to broken weather on the last afternoon, so that when stumps were drawn earlier than the appointed hour, about a third of the required runs had been made for the Joss of three wickets. Considering that two of those wickets comprise Dempster and Badcock for what must be regarded as cheap scores, and that the Otago bowlers \Vere handicapped by a slippery ball, the Otago team must be congratulated on a really creditable performance which seemed to promise victory could the game have been played out. The -really unsatislactory feature under these circumstances was that a whole day’s enforced idleness intervened in the course ol the match because the authority controlling the Basin Reserve had let the ground on Boxing Day for the holding of an athletic sports meeting. Admittedly there was some rain on that day, but business is business. On the other hand, cricket is cricket. It is to be hoped that never again will there be such a slight cast on tho great summer game in any of tho four centres, especially in a Plunket Shield game. It costs a deal of money to send a team from tho South across Cook Strait,' and the Otago Cricket Association lias not for many years been possessed of surplus funds.

It has to bo admitted that Otago cricket enthusiasts were pleasantly surprised by our team’s showing. As usual, though perhaps not to so great a degree as in some former years, lack of practice in the early part of the season on good wickets had been the lot of our batsmen. Then again there was the remarkable inability of perhaps the best batsman in New Zealand to gather runs in club cricket; but Plant in this game showed a most opportune and thorough recovery of batting form, and everyone will unite in congratulating so modest and sportsmanlike a player on his fine century, following a useful first-innings contribution. And it is a pleasure to see A. W. Alloo retaining his form with -both bat and ball after having represented his province for so long as almost -to entitle him to bo called a veteran. No one will grudge him his century in the first innings. Eastman; in all departments of the game showed the consistency and steadiness which is the hall-mark of the good 'professional cricketer, and in Elmes, Otago nrmnn rq Co Eu/A toll ntl tllA kill—lm.Jl/1

bowler of class so necessary now that Torrance, who was the successor in turn of Arthur Fisher, has given up big cricket after a long and honourable record. As Torrance did, Elmes has come into tho Otago team almost a youth, and it is to be hoped that he has in front of him an equally long and serviceable career. The Otago team may be slightly travel weary on its return to take the field here against Auckland on Monday, but its excellent showing at Wellington should instil confidence against the formidable far northerners.

To-day tho Australian eleven began in Melbourne the momentous third test match against the Englishmen. A loss in this game means the loss of the “rubber”—if such a term can bo strictly applied to a series of five games. For in tho previous two games the Australians were clearly outplayed, even after making allowance for the cruel ill-luck which attended them and has caused them tho loss of two of their outstanding players for the rest of the season. Under these circumstances tho selectors have been compelled to make changes, and these involve an infusion of young blood in A’Beckett, Bradman, and L. E. Oxenham. Even so, the maximum of experiment in tho trial of young players which some critics demand has not been made; but probably on this occasion quite far enough has been gone in this direction. Recent interstate games have shown that Kippax is in his best scoring form again and that A’Beckott can bat as well as bowl. Because of the weather indications it is unlikely that tho Melbourne game will produce as tall scoring as was the case in Brisbane (with an English first innings exceeding 600) or oven in Sydney. But should it bo a bowler’s wicket there is tho possibility that Chapman may unleash yet another bowler—possibly White with his left-arm breaks—who will tie up the Australian batsmen. In one game it was Larwood, in another Geary who wrought havoc. Once more wo reiterate that tho great strength of this English team is its wonderful variety and strength of bowling.