CRICKET

Evening Star, Issue 20083, 25 January 1929, Page 12

CRICKET

[By Substitute.]

FIFTH ROUHD COMBED

The club cricket competition this season has been unusually interesting, and with Albion’s reversal ot form, Old Boys are in a losing position against tbo northenders. Defeat by Albion will probably cost Old Boys its place at tae head of the table, for Orange appears to be in a sound position against Dunedin. Carisbrook, too, lias shown much improved form of late, and at least a two-point victory would appear likely. There should be some exciting games before the competition closes this season. GRANGE v. DUNEDIN. It is high time something was done regarding the wicket on which senior games are [hayed on the Oval. II players are to be subjected to the dangers of last Saturday, flic sooner senior games are removed to another gronnd the better. If the juniors have to put up with such wickets as, these it is a wonder to me how they ean possibly retain their keenness for the game." The south cud of the wicket was absolutely dangerous. A fact which is certainly worthy of mention is that Walter Strang, Dunedin’s skipper, has won the toss on each of the five occasions the coin has been spun this season. Ho elected to bat on Saturday, but apart from Strang, Monk, and Al'Gregor the side fared badly, none of the others reaching double figures. Cavaaagh has not done a great deal in club cricket this season, despite bis representative successes, but he lias not had the best of luck, and on Saturday ho was dismissed after making only 2, mishitting one from Elmes, with 'the result that Knight caught him, Strang" has been batting most con-, sistentlf of late, and it is surprising that his name doe.-, not figure among those who are chosen for representative practice. He started off on bis run-getting career a few weeks ago with a score of 00; this he iolioned with 62, and on Saturday be played the bowling in tno way it should be played, making an attractive 53, which was the highest score of the niternoon. Strang’s score included ten -Us. and he laid the wood on well and truly, placing his shots nicely to gaps in the field, He scored freely all round the wicket, and made some particularly good cover drives. Norman Cherry was at the wickets a-long time, but lie made only Bruns. There seems to be a tendency among some of onr young senior batsmen to adopt ultra-cautious tactics, and this is riot the typo of play that favours Cherry. At his best he is a bright hat, hut ha lacked aggression on Saturday. Hardman shaped very well in Ins first essav in senior cricket, but last Saturday "ho went without scoring, a rising hail from Knight being sent into the slips. Hardman is a most promising player, and if he gives a few more displays such as he did in His first match in senior cricket ho will be a big acquisition to senior ranks. Monk added another good score to his list this season, contributing 52 by forceful batting. He used his feet to good purpose, and hit hard, Ins score including a 6 and . six i’s. M'Gregor has been proving his worth as a batsman in recent games, and be came to light on Saturday with another . wellplayed 40. M‘Gregor picks judiciously the balls to hit, and he is shaping so confidently just now that more good tallies mav bo expected of him. Sinclair carried his bat for 0, and looked like making more. Elmes found the wicket greatly to his liking, and was swinging dangerously. Ho finished up with five wickets for 3G runs, and bowled accurately all afternoon. Knight, too, trundled well; his two wickets cost 23 runs. Ho was swinging, too, avid showed that on a wicket that suits him he is a very useful bowler. Lemin did not have a great deal of luck, his wicket costing 3b runs. He was bumping up, but for a while did not bowl as accurately as usual. Dey took a wicket for 45 runs. Grunge lost Tonikiusou curly, but Knight and Boyd became associated in a good stand, and 75 runs for the loss of one wicket was how the score stood at stumps. Knight gave one chance in making 43 not out, but he once again showed that when ho chooses to go for the bowling he makes runs as quickly and as attractively ns the best of them. In club cricket of late lie has been giving glimpses of the Knight of old, and this form is welcome, especially with the Canterbury maten in sight. If ho will reproduce it in representative cricket it is fairly safe to assert that he will make more runs than by adopting a cramped style _ of play. Boyd also batted well in making 24, being unbeaten at the drawing of stumps. Dunedin felt the absence of lorrance who was suffering from a touch of sunstroke. It is hoped he will he able to play next Saturday. The wicket would have suited the veteran, who has been bowling exceptionally well in recent games. Monk failed to get a wicket at a cost of 15 runs,, hut bowled better than his figures indicated; while neither Cavanagh nor CHaridge troubled the batsmen a great deal. Claridgo needs to show a mg improvement in the field, for both his around tickling and his catching are far from faultless. Ho should show a little, more keenness and move about more quickly. CAPJSBROOK’S GOOD SCORE. Evidently the Carisbrook men have taken a liking to that good innings feeling. With a memory of a successful knock against Dunedin to cheer them up they went in to hat against the Colts last Saturday m a m miner so confident that in the time aval.able a creditable total was recorded. the bowling of the Colts was steady,. it not brilliant, and one very, pleasing aspect of the afternoon’s cricket was the refusal of the younger batsmen to ho undulv suppressed by Eastman. Roger Blunt’s polished innings and the exuberant smiting o f Allan and Spaekinan were oth°r outstanding features of the team’s bright effort. For the reason that the majority ■•of the Carisbrook side ran into well over double figures, the innings was far from being a one-man show. Blunt, by a display of cricket well nigh perfect, set his men an example which they were not slow to follow. Already Eastman’s handiwork can he seen working up an appreciable. improvement in the Colts’ bowling While the coach himself was not exactly devast iting on Saturday,, it must ho remembered that the wicket gave him little assistance, and for the most part the batsmen had no great difficulty in getting, him away. Still ho became more effective ns the afternoon wore on, and finally came out with a couplo 6{ ; wickets to his credit. Henderson reaped the reward of keeping , a reliable length bv securing four wickets. , Templeton, usually a good spin howler, was no. a success on the day. Cullen and Sinclair were much more useful Tn fact, Cullen’s trundling was perhaps the most dangerous in the Colts’ armoury, for only Bluiß was able

to doa' with his fast deliveries in a fashion entirely convincing. Because he did not try to howl too fast Cullen kept fairly low and especially in the earl or part of the afternoon he was swinging perceptibly Moreover, ho maintained a fairly good, length. Sinclair was surning them from leg a hit. Exception for one weak spot the Colts’ fielding was very keen, Eastman giving a rare exhibition of how Hie hidl should ho [licked up and rotur ,cd. Heei,an behind the stumps maintained all his original promise.

Gourley was one of the few unfortunate batsmen of the afternoon, for Cullen, with a trimmer, skittled him before ho had played himself in. However, Cameron’s stand with Blunt gave the team a good start, and the remaining batsmen, with Iho exception of M'Lood, had a good outing at the crease. For the start Cameron contented himself with singles, hut once his eye was in ho showed no aversion to pounding anything loose. Blunt’s session was one of the most masterly seen tilts season. All the howling came alike to him, and in spite of a smitten lingo'' that was hurting him, he baited with such freedom that his knock ran out at a run a minute. There was faster scoring than this during the day, hut no other innings was characterised simultaneously by. those three desirable attributes—variety, grace, and vigour. Other batsmen certainly produced sonic delight!ul strokes, hut for an innings pleasingly punctured with late cuts,. square cuts, leg glances, pulls, and drives, Blunt s must take pride of [date. ) in Priest Carisbrook has a most promising young batsman. Following upon his good score against 'Dunedin his 47 last ""week proved that his success lias not been of the llash-in-Hio-pnn order. Ho kept the hall down, punished the loose stuff, and made a good, job ol anv ball that asked to he driven to the off boundary. His difficulty was that not a great deal of loose bowhng was sent down to him, and therefore he was longer in getting liis runs than would have been thought from the calibre of his display. During Sparkman's merry crack nobody knew when another wicket was going to crash, hut all the same the innings was a thing of unadulterated joy ironi the spectators’ point of view. Spackmaii, who is the possessor of a good eye and .the urge to have a go at the howling, peppered out a remarkable number ol fours during his stay at the crease. After employing a couple ol overs to act as a sigh ter, Groves, too. ripped into the bowling, and lor his first appearance in senior cricket gave a performance which must ensure. his place in the team. Repressing his natural inclination to hit everything hard, he nevertheless scored very quickly, and for the most part kept the hall low. His ability to exploit the late cut just as successfully as a pull to square leg marked him as a young batsman with possibilities. Allan, the top scorer ol the side, turned on a hatting treat which, the spectators were not slow to appreciate. Without being.unduly rash he pasted the bowling with the utmost vigour, and in doing so released some really first-class strokes. Off-drivcs.. straight drives, and pulls bounded oil’ his hat at a pace which indicated that the timing was just right. In recent games the ex-High School captain has been revealing his true form, Clark’s stand came in very handy, and Procter quickly ran up to the devil’s number. Altogether, the innings showed Hint Carisbrook in lon 11 is a power to lie reckoned with. ALBION IN GOOD POSITION. Perhaps the most gratifying feature of last week's cricket was the surprising reversal of lonn shown by the Albion side against Old Boys.. Aiter dismissing the strung Old Boys’ eleven lor 141 on a perfect wicket Shepherd and Vorrath replied with 108, being undefeated at the drawing of stumps. This leaves Albion 34 runs to got with ten wickets in hand. Albion would need to he very unlucky to lose this match, and a three-point win even is on tile cards. At any rate, if Shepherd and Co. do decide‘uu attempting to secure three points there should he some fireworks at Logan Park to-morrow. Following up his brilliant knock oi 123 in the previous match, Shepherd, by collecting a eliauceless 55 ou Saturday, proved that he is at the tup nt In's form, winch moans that lie can be, classed with the best batsmen in New Zealand to-day. Shepherd at ins best plays every hall, and in doing so brings practically every stroke into action in perfect fashion. It is doubtful if there is any better exponent ol tiro art of driving through the covers in New Zealand than Shepherd, his timing and judgment in this direction leaving little to he desired. A welcome return to form was shown by W. Vorrath, the young left-hander, who showed groat promise in Otago representative matches last year. He was away from Dunedin earlier in tits season. but now that he has conic to light again lie lias claims ior inclusion in the list of players to participate in representative practice. On Saturday Shepherd and Vorrath scored their total of 103 runs in an hour and a-quarter, a performance which, considering the strength of the howling (Dickinson and A. iV. Alluo are the mainstays of the attack), was no mean pcrionnance Further, Dickinson, with the assistance of a fair breeze, w;u sending down the bail at a hurricane pace, and incidentally keeping a pretty good length. The slip men stood about the length of the wicket away, and at times it was practically impossible to sight some of his deliveries. A special word of praise is also due to A. W. Alloo for the manner in which he handled his field. He had no easy task, for Shepherd used great judgment in placing his shots. The greatest surprise in the mated was the sterling howling perlormauce of G. M’Gavin. a keen lelt-lnindcr, who has scarcely been fortunate enough previously to prove himself in senior cricket. With the assistance of the wind he was able to scud down a ball swinging in dangerously from the olf. He was also favoured with some brilliant work by the field, two of his victims resulting from the quick work of Vorrath m the slips. Caskie was also a tower or strength in the slips, while many players could take lessons from Duncan and M'Hnffie in the field. The later proved that lie is a howler above the average, and he strengthened Al Lion’s attack considerably. His two wickets cost him only 15 runs. Leaden and Duncan being his captures. He is a right-hand medium-pace bowler, and is able to turn the bail irom lag. Gale and Leader both opened well foi

Did Boys, and 48 runs were hoisted before iVFGavm howled the former with a beautiful hall. Ol the two Gale ias far the more' aggressive, and shaped veiy nicely indeed ior ins top score ol 35. Dickinson and Moloney did not stay lung, while llarraway gave two chances before he settled down to collect 2-1 runs. Aiioo hatted in good style until he It'll into a leg trap set by Allen, while none ol the other batsmen survived long enough to make a score. SOUTHLAND RETURN MATCH LIKELY. It is likely that Otago will take part in a return match with Southland, an endeavour being made to get together a strong side to play the southerners at Invercargill. Southland crtCKCi inis unproved greatly during the past year or iwo. and a wish has been expressed that Otago should send down a really representative side to meet Southland at home. The association is to be complimented on showing that it is interested in the doings ot the minor associations under its jurisdiction, and since it is recognised as being of little valuj to Southland cricket to send down a team ar hall-strength every effort will be made to get as nearly as possible a fully representative side away, otherwise tins trip will not come off. This match is suggested before the Otago-Uauterburv match, so that promising Southland players wiil have an opportunity ol showing their paces h(4ore the Otago selectors. It would be a rush man win would say tTiat Southland can hope to bent Otago’s Blanket Shield team, and while tiic Sou; liiander.s should make a good showing they will find Otago’s first eleven a little different proposition from the side met in Dunedin last Christmis THE FAST BOWLER. There is one great message from the senwaioiial Lest match at Brisbane. A young fast howler, alter helping England in ihe hour oi need to create a batting record al the eighth wicket, struck into the confidence and stumps of the great Australian batsmen, so that four men were out for 11 runs. Three ot them—Uuodiuil, Ronsford, and Kelleway, the biggest slumming blocks in tiie path—crumbled before Ins attack like a pack ol cards. These batsmen ol nmiiiiiioii) scores and monumental patience he dismissed for !i run,-,. 'Joe messaged It is that young England may be inspired by Lai wood's triumph to take up last bowling (says tiie • /Uhlotic News ').

In England it is utmost a thing of tiie past. Maybe Australia’s batsmen have been startled out of tnoir whs by tiie revelation that there is still a young cricketer in England ready to bowl fast. It is soinetiiing new. Hie fast howler was a personality and, an altrat tion. by virtue oi ins pace and. terrorism. fie inis been weil-mg.i driven out oi the- game because modern cricket has broken his heart. “Its too hard work," David Denton, Hie old Yorkshire cricketer, said just aiter the war. “They’d sooner work down the pit." Bong programmes and excess,'i\ely good pitches mean ior the last howler a short life and a grey one. His reward —what is it? Harder labour and a shorter career than the re.-A of his colleagues. There is no oueouragenm nt to nowl really fast, nowadays, and the wonderful message sent home by Larwood, who has jeopardised the length of ids career by pace that look tedi of Ids stamina and helped "to produce the disturbing injuries lie has sutiered, will be of no avail unless the comity clubs depart from their present attitude. They must cater for the last bowler—encourage him. i'hcy .must make it worth his while to ho- ‘ last by recognising the limitation his length of service, fixing Ids re, ;'ation at a higher rate, and assisting him to retain his physical condition under ordeal Football cluLs,_ large and small, have a trainer. Similar attention should he available lor the last bowler. SHEFFIELD SHIELD. The Sheffield Shield competition is now pretty well advanced. Eight out of the twelve matches have been played. Each team has played lour games and each lias two still to play. At the present tune New South \\ ales are leading with lb points, \ ietoria arc second with 12, South Australia have S, and Queensland 1 (says an exchange). New Sou tli Wales have beaten Qucon.-Jand by six wickets and by -- runs on the first innings, Victoria by 44 runs on the first innings, and South Australia by GO runs. They have not yet suffered a reverse. Victoria have beaten South Australia by 310 runs, Queensland by 50 runs. They" have lost, to South Australia by 233" runs on the first innings and to New South Wales by 44 runs on the first innings. South .Australia have beaten Victoria by 233 runs on the first innings,. and Queensland by four wickets, Thev have lost to Victoria by 310 runs and to New South Wales by GO. Queensland have lost to Now South "'Wales bv six wickets, to Victoria by 50 runs." to South Australia by font wickets, and to Now South Wales by 00 nms on the first innings. All the States have suffered to a creator or lessor extout this season Hi roll'd) having players engaged in.the tests ‘with England. Victoria and -New South Wales selectors have been perimenting a good deal with tueir teams. In'the four games this season no fewer than twenty-three players have represented New South Wales. The following are the remaining Sheffield Shield"fixtures January 24 • to 2fL- -New South W’rles v. Victoria, at Sydney. February 1 to o.—Queensland v. Victoria, at Brisbane. February 22 to 27.—Queensland v. South Australia, at Brisbane. March 2 to 7.—New Smith Wales v. South Australia, at Sydney. NOTES. It was common to hear [w-ople observe that 41. Sutcliffe had been a failure with the English team prior to the big innings on the bad wicket m Melbourne (says an Australian writer). 1 con'd not see much wrong with Sutciifi'e’s form. He was getting the hall in the .middle of his hat, and lie timed it perfectly when he occasionally let himself go. What I thought was wrong with-lim hatting was not he !nrm or ability, hut Ins Scutch te'-Hc”. Du true wickets Satellite ought to untold

his strokes will power. On tins lour lie has made 23, 'Hi, it), hr, -12, 31, 4-1, oS, 42, 11, 53, and 135. Tins sequence is not ea.-y to heat in the matter ol consistency.

i hero was some big scoring in Invercargill last week, especially in the match between I.C.C. A and i limn, in uns game Union had made 233, I.C.C. replying with 2G4. Taere was a great lastwicket stand for 1.C.C., Southern and Agnew adding 14J. Agnow made 07, and Southern carried lus bat lor do. Union’s .second strike realised 2,)0 lor lour wickets, the cs-Otago player, Reg. Cherry, halting freely lor 111 not out. His score included twenty-two 4’s and two G's.

The 0 tngo-Cii n ter bn ry match will he commenced on February 22, and a good deal of interest is attached to the visit of tho northerners, despite the fact that they have not won a match tins season. Canterbury lost to Auckland, and the match with Wellington was drawn. Otago dixw w.tli Wellington, and had the worse end of a draw with Auckland. On averages Otago is in a dttic better position than Canterbury, hut the forthcoming shield match, even if little hinges on its result, may he all the more eiFovahle for that.

Supporters ol cricket in this d : str:ct will learn with pleasure that the Hawke’s Bay Association at last seems to be making an effort to finalise the movement it started soma time ago to secure a professional coach for the Bay. Warwick Armstrong, the former Australian captain, is to he asked to act as the association’s agent in Australia in an endeavour to find a man there (says the Napier ‘Daily Telegraph’). If he is not .successful E. if. Bowley, the Auckland coach, will he asked to endeavour to secure a professional ui England this winter. While those movements arc in train it is to lit; hoped that the sub-committee will malic every endeavour to secure the necessary financial hacking so that the deal ean he promptly clinched if a good coach is found to be offering. The result of the Auckland-Welling-ton match in favour of Wellington has made tiie position in regard to the Fhinket Shield most interesting, and it appears that more importance will now be attached to the CanterburyOtago game, as. no result as to the winner of the, .should will be announced until after this fixture.

The departure of Mr J. MHmloe for Christchurch will deprive the Otago Amateur .Athletic Centre of a good worker, and (ho Northern Club of a, popular proshHit. IT' lias worked hard on behalf of the snort during his stay in Dunedin, more particularly the harrier side of (lie movement, and Ids transtor will bo a hi" loss to amateur at’daties in Otago His younger son, T v, M'ludnc. a rirnmis'iig young member of the Northern Chib, goes north with him, hut his old'r son, W. M'lndoe, formerly a momh-r of the Otago cross-country team, will lemain in Dunedin. Tiie Invercargill Club will prohnhiy ],,, i-p, p fp-'o-n championships by a team of four a+h'etes. nod ■ -vo n n-’-Hhility of a cyclist also being included.

I “ \ thin" devised bv the devil.”—Shake sne'i'o That, is what one might term a 'slrUFn chaiwo in the weather—which bnm;s irnioyin" coughs anti colds. Be prepared Have a'hottlo of Baxter's handy. 1 Baxter’s Lung Preserver is a rich, rod. ! soot'dn" coin n nun (I that gives relief from tho worst cough or cold. Abo effective in C o-es or krone' i'is, influenza, asthma, and all throat and lung troubles. “Baxter's” iies'esses miiouc tonic properties. AH chem ists and stores. Oenernus-sred bottle 2s 6d large e"onn''n‘’al sire 4«' 6d, bachelor size Is ~6d. Be sure you get “Baxter’s.”— [Advt.]