CRICKET

Evening Star, Issue 20989, 31 December 1931, Page 4

CRICKET

NEWS AND NDTES

[By Substitute.j

OTAGO’S GREAT FIGHT.

It is extremely gratifying to find that the Otago team fought so gallantly in the Plunket Shield match against Canterbury. and, although tho bulk of the runs in Otago’s huge second innings’ score were made by two batsmen—R. C. Blunt and F. T. Badcock—and both experienced cricketers, there are other features which tend to show that the fighting spirit was not lacking in tho rest of the team. For instance, the stubborn defence of Hawksworth and Coupland enabled Blunt to pile on the runs in brilliant fashion. Tho natural impression held by even the most optimistic when Otago was so far behind on the first innings was that the team would suffer an innings defeat, and the glorious recovery has given more satisfaction than anything in Otago cricket since the memorable Wellington-Otago match in 1923-24, in which 1,905 runs were scored during the match for forty wickets. Otago did not after all manage to pul! the game out of the fire, but the recovery was so complete that Canterbury was left with 279 runs to get for an outright win—no mean task in the fourth innings of a shield match. Canterbury certainly succeeded in making the necessarv runs with three wickets to spare, but the batsmen bad to fight for the runs all afternoon, the Otago fieldsmen being on their toes throughout. and the attack being steady. Roger Blunt’s wonderful score of 338 not out, a record for Plunket Shield cricket, is one that should stand for a considerable time, and shows that his powers as a batsman are far from being on the wane, even after a comparatively long career of special brilliance. Blunt’s magnificent effort possesses added lustre by virtue of the fact that his side was fighting with its back to the wall, and every run he made rendered Otago’s recovery tho more notable. It is impossible to bestow too much praise upon the peerless Cansbrook player, but it may be added that, in addition to his remarkable batting prowess, he took a couple of wickets in each innings. Badcock’s innings of 105, coming as it did at the beginning of the second knock, was undoubtedly a factor in knocking the howlers off their length, and so paved the way for the huge score. The coach has shown a tendency to take risks this season, hut his scores so far have justified that course. It was a pity, perhaps, that, us tho Press message indicated, he became reckless after passing the century, as in the circumstances he might easily have gone for the second hundred. Tho manner in which Blunt earned on made the position such that, although the younger members of the team did not rise to great heights, the very fact of their taking part in such an historic match as this and haying the examples of brilliant batting given them should inspire them with a desire to emulate such examples. No doubt, with the experience they will gain in the next few matches, some of them at any rate will prove their worth. In spite of Canterbury’s large score in the first innings, the Otago bowling seems never to have been really loose, and in each instance the batsmen had to treat it with a certain amount of respect; and in Canterbury’s second innings this was still' more apparent. It would appear, however, that it might have paid the bowlers better to have bowleu more at the wicket, as the report states that in the first innings the bowlers kept persistently on the off m the hope of the batsmen getting themselves out. Although this might be desirable in the case of men well set, or as a change, there is no doubt that bowlers should attack the stumps directly more often than they do. Our bowlers kept a good length, and Canterbury’s big first innings total on a wicket that was perfect does not do the Otago bowlers any discredit. After Coupland’s success in securing three wickets in the first :mimgs it might have been thought lie would have been brought on earlier in Canterbury s second knock. Brought on with the score at 250. when Canterbury needed only 29 runs to win, Coupland claimed two wickets for 14, and northern Press re ports also indicate that he might have been used earlier. The wickets claimed by Coupland in the first innings vyere those of good batsmen, and, as he is a medium pace bowler, who might be expected to perform better on the faster wickets that prevail in the north, it is difficult to understand why more use was not made of him. It does seem as if Dunning relied too much upon himself and Badcock to keep the runs down, instead of attempting to dislodge the batsmen. Otago’s ground fielding apparently was good, but that numerous catches were dropped was regrettable, and ;n this direction also an improvement may be looked for. In this, as in batting and bowling, experience and confidence go a long way. Canterbury’s first innings was composed of a series of good sound scores, with no centuries appearing among them, and to a lesser degree similar remarks apply to the second innings. This shows that the sister province possesses a sound array of batsmen, and it again speaks well for our bowlors that they kept such fine performers as Hamilton, Kerr, Roberts, and Pago under the three-figure mark. It might well have been expected that one of these should reach the century. The batting achievement of Canterbury in the first innings is discounted by tho missed chances, but nevertheless the match showed that Canterbury is possessed of good talent. Canterbury’s bowlers took their toll of Otago in the first innings, and on both occasions J. T. Burrows (also a Now Zealand Rugby representative) appeared to bowl well. Cromb was prominent in both hatting and bowling, and has undoubtedly prov.ed himself one of the finest all-rounders in the dominion, a reputation ho acquired while ho was in England with the New Zealand team.

MORE RECORDS FOR BRADMAN. Don Bradman, the record-breaker, is still breaking records, and the question is, when will he cease doing so? Ho hardly c or goes to the wickets without breaking some record or other, and he must be a perfect nightmare to the South Africans (says the ‘ Sporting Globe). In live hands against tho Springboks he has made 30, 135, 226, 219, and 112 —722 runs at an average of 144 an innings. With three more tests to be played it seems likely that ho will make more than l,oui runs against them, a feat against a visiting team that would be without precedent in Australian cricket. Curiously, the only other hand he has had in first-class cricket this season was against Queensland, and ho then made a “ duck.” Bradman on Saturday added two more records to his already amazing list. His 112 was his fourth century in succession against the Springboks and his fourth in succession in firstclass cricket. The former is a record against a visiting team, and the latter a record for first-class cricket in Australia. The only other Australian who has made four centuries in successive innings is Charlie Macartney, who performed tho feat in England in 1921. Bradman had previously made centuries in three successive innings, a feat standing to the credit of several Australians. Apart from tho throe remaining tests, he is not likely to get much first-class cricket this season, otherwise there might be a possibility of his getting somewhere near an aggregate of 2.000 for the season. As it is, he already holds the record for an Australian season with 1,690, at an average of 93, in 1928-9, also the second highest, 1,586, at an average of 113, in the following season.

PLUNKET SHIELD COMPETITION. Lord Plunket, the then GovernorGeneral of the dominion, did a great service for tho game in this country when in the 1906-07 season, the very year in which New Zealand was raised to the status of a dominion, he presented tho handsome shield which bears his name for competition among the major cricket associations of the country. The shield was first awarded to Canterbury, as having the most meritorious performance during the 1906-07 season, but next season Auckland came down and bore the new trophy back in triumph. Up to the outbreak of the Great War in 1914 Canterbury and Auckland held a monopoly of the shield, both the provinces being too strong for Wellington and Otago. It was not until tho 1918-19 season that Wellington at last succeeded in having its name engraved on the trophy. Wellington won again in 1920-21, 1925-26, 1927-28, and 1929-30. Since the shield competition commenced Canterbury and Auckland have each won it eight times, Wellington six times, and Otago once. NEW YEAR MATCHES, Canterbury meets Wellington at Wellington at New Year, and as the respective sides gained outright wins against Otago and Auckland respectively, a good deal of interest will attach to their meeting. A win for Canterbury would mean that the Plunket Shield holders would have an exceptionally bright chance of retaining the trophy. , T ,, Auckland and Otago meet at Eden Park, Auckland, and the dine effort made by the Otago men to retrieve the Canterbury game will invest the Auckland game witli much added interest. Wellington inflicted a more decisive defeat on Auckland than Otago sustained at the hands of Canterbury, and outside of H. G. Vivian’s magnificent innings for 165, Auckland’s batting does not seem to have been particularly impressive. If the youngsters rise to tho occasion, there is reason to hope that Otago may go close to a win in the northern centre, but Dunedin enthusiasts will hope that Don Cleverley does not repeat last year’s performance of going through the Otago side. Ho met with success in Wellington, for, striking a patch, lie took six wickets for 70 runs. Writing of tho Auckland team before tho Wellington match, a northern writer says:—“it will be interesting to watch 'now Weir handles his team. The experience lie gained on the recent tour to England should stand him in good stead. It seems the selectors have in mind a captain who will servo Auckland for several seasons to come. The Eden player will bo in a position to consult Ins club team captain, Gillespie, if necessary. S. C. Hay and T. Lyon will be making their first appearance in representative cricket, and their progress will be keenlv followed. The first named, who is a son of the ex-Auckland representative Carlton Hay, has fully justified his inclusion, and Lyon's consistent bowling this season has gained him his place. M’Coy has not yet shown his best form, and the same applies to both Cleverley and Gillespie. Postles, Whitelaw, Vivian, and Mntheson are all in good form and Prater, who has previously represented the province, lias been batting very consistently. The inclusion of Rowntree as wicket-keeper will give the bowlers plenty of confidence.” CANTERBURY COMMENT. A writer in tho Christchurch ‘ Sun ’ has the following anent tho Otago bowling in the first innings;— “ The Otago attack was not well organised—unless its purpose was to keep tho Canterbury score under 500 runs. Its general scheme seemed to bo that there should bo plenty of bowling well off the wicket, with the object of enticing batsmen into slashing at it and giving catches; that Badcock and J. A. Dunning (captain of tho team) should be the new-bnll bowlers; that Dunning himself should do 50 per cent, more bowling-than anyone else; and that, except in tho new-ball period, the changes should bo merely relief-giving, not tactical. The batsmen were impervious to Badcock’s leg-trap swingers with the new ball, and the trap did not last more than an over or two. Badcock was steady, and alter the gloss was off tho ball he turned (be ball back a little, but batsmen needed to be onlv reasonably careful against his howling. Dunning’s width was not likely to get wickets unless batsmen were over-sangnine about their ability to keep tho ball down when they went across to it.

“ R. C. Blunt had to bowl almost as much as Badcock did. The permanent effect of an injury to a finger prevents him from spinning the hall as ho did once, but length and changes of pace enabled him to get two Jeg-boforo wickets. R. W. Coupland offered no difficulty, the batsmen concerned helped him to get liis three wickets. D. A. R. Moloney, slow bowler, spun the ball considerably from either side, but that was not much use without control of length. D. Smith, who puts a lot cf arm and body action into a short run to the wicket, for a fast-medium bowler, also wanted length, as well as direction; his main hope seemed to bo that batsmen would lean out to balls flying well outside the off-stump. C. J. Elmos, a slow-medium left-hander, with an occasional faster ball, howled steadily, but witli no apparent ‘devil’; yet more judicious use might have been made of him.” NOTES. A new man in Australia’s second test team was P. K. Lee, of Melbourne. Ho is a former captain of St. Peter’s College in cricket, football, and tennis, and in seventeen Shield matches has a batting average of 18, and a bowling average of 40 for thirty-nine wickets. Ho did little with either bat or ball against the Africans in Adelaide, but impressed the Victorians in their match against South Australia. He is an offspin artist, somewhat after the style of Blackie, the master, and has learnt to mix and flight his deliveries better than in previous years. He has tho physique to bowl all day, though lie has not yet made his mark as a batsman, and is reputed to be a fair field. Despite the rain, the Brisbane test matcli brought in more than £3.000, and for the first two days of the Sydney match the receipts amounted to more than £3,600 (says the 1 Sporting Globe’). There were 19.000 people present on Friday and 26,000 on Saturday. Seeing that 33.000 people saw the play on the Saturday of the first South Africa-New South Wales match, it was expected that the Saturday crowd for the test would exceed that, but flic big race meeting at. Randwick. and tbe fact that it was election day, apnarcntly bad their effect. There was a peculiar incident in the senior grade cricket match at Eden Park on Saturday between Ponsnnby and University (says the Auckland ‘Herald’). One of (ho University batsmen snicked a ball which rose up slightly and a confident appeal, came

from the Ponsonhy fieldsmen. The wicketkeeper. failed to take the ball cleanly, however, and it bounced back and ran up tho batsman’s back. The wicketkeeper, intent on making amends, trod right through the wickets and secured the ball before it hit the ground, to make a fair catch. The umpire was evidently unsighted, however. and. when appealed to, answered in the negative. A crowded house at the Regent Theatre last night gave a rousing reception to Mr J. A. Dunning, the captain of tho Otago cricket team at present playing a match for the Plunket Shield against Canterbury at Lancaster Park, and to Mr R. C. Blunt, the member of the side who yesterday broke the New Zealand Plunket Shield individual score record with 315 not out (says tho Christchurch ‘ Press ’ of Tuesday). These two cricketers were tho guest.i of the manager of the Regent, Mr Noel Roake, and during an interval of the performance were introduced from the stage. Tho applause which greeted the announcement made by Mr Roake of the breaking of the existing record by Mr Blunt in introducing that player continued for over five minutes. Mr Dunning thanked the audience for its warm reception, and said that the match was a splendid one, and ho was proud to lead a side which had made such a fine recovery. He referred to Mr Blunt’s innings in terms of high praise. Mr Blunt also expressed his thanks for the kindly reception, and said that although ho now represented Otago he had not forgotten the fact that he had learned his cricket _ in Christchurch, and ho was proud of it. (Applause.) He added that he was sure that an interesting final day tod., could be looked forward to by cricket enthusiasts in the city. Mr Frank Williams is to be congratulated on his appointment once again as a New Zealand selector, and his long association with tho game as a club and representative player, and as a provincial selector makes him a man whose judgment is sound, and who certainly has tho courage of his convictions. Ho it was who put forward claims for Merritt’s inclusion in tho Now Zealand team in 1927, after tho Canterbury player had done so well in tho match against Otago at Dunedin prior > which ho had been almost unheralded.

The brightest feature of the South African batting in the second test on Friday was the display of the twenty-oiie-vear-old Kenneth Viljocn. To the surprise of most people Curnow, who

has been one of the most successful run-getters for the team, was dropped, and Viljoen took his place (savs the ‘Sporting Globe’). Viljoen had done fairly well in some of the State games, and he fully justified his inclusion in the test team, for he played delightful cricket in making top score of 37. He is a stylist, with wvisty strokes all round th.' wicket, and he faced the bowling with much more confidence than did some of his comrades. Although of slight build he has an athletic appearance, and there are those who consider him the most likely to take Herbert Taylor’s place as South Africa’s best batsman. This Griqualand West hoy had his first experience of test cricket against A. P. F. Chapman’s team in South Africa last season, and did fairly well.