CRICKET

Evening Star, Issue 21315, 20 January 1933, Page 5

CRICKET

NEWS AND NOTES

[By Substitute.]

PLUNKET SHIELD DATES. January 20, .21, 23, and 24.—Auckland v. Wellington, at Auckland. February 3,4, 6, and 7.—Canterbury v. Otago, at Dunedin.

BRIGHT PLAY AT CARISBROOK. I The match between Carisbrook and Grange at Carisbrook could be divided into three phases. There was the good start. made by the home team as the result of a useful stand by Ken Cox and Doii Cameron, then came disaster fdr Carisbrook with-wickets falling very cheaply until seven were down for 97, and finally the fighting stand by Napier and Procter, and Nimmo’s breezy hitting at the end of the innings, which realised the very satisfactory total of .218. ‘ .....

Mr Alex. Ross provided a first-class wicket, which was made to yield runs, and for a while it looked as though the bowlers , were going to have an unenviable! task, as they got little assistance from the pitch. However, the uncertainty of the game has always to be reckoned with, and in the temporary collapse by Carisbrook Grange was favoured by circumstances. For instance, Dennis Smith’s sequence of run-outs is most unusual. Ho has succumbed three times Jn. club . matches in that way in successive innings, and there were only two opposite his name when he set out back to the pavilion on Saturday. Opinions varied as- to the correctness of the decision, and the crowd vented its disapproval in no uncertain terms, despite the fact that they were hardly in the best position to see what did happen. One member of the fielding side who was in a good positiqn to see what occurred gave his opinion that. Smith was in, but the umpire stated -distinctly that Smith did not have his bat down, and that is all there is to it. For a representative player Smith should show more celerity in getting off the mark, though there may have been some excuse on Saturday, since it is possible he may have thought he was caught off a snick in the slips. Smith began less impressively than usual, ancr was eleven minutes before ho scored a run, his timing being at fault. Those who realise the cricket there is in this colt , will not be afraid of his form, in the big match ahead, however.

Jack Dunning was going well when he put his pads in front of one from Elmes, but Ken Cox gave one of his best displays since coming to Dunedin. The left-hander played a real batsman’s innings, and put together 40 by vigorous . cricket and by strokes well executed, especially to leg and through the covers. Don Cameron played a more sedate knock, but it was also a valuable contribution.

Young Fenwick, the ex-Christ’s. College boy, looks lil > a cricketer, and should be, an asset to Carisbrook, but after executing a wristy square cut he got himself out by playing a very weak stroke ,at a full toss from Dey. Even good batsmen make mistakes, however, and he will probably do a long way better next visit to the. crease.

It. was when Russ.' Napier and Joe Procter became associated that the tide turned for Carisbrook, and the former’s 55 was compiled ( by hard hitting, most of the runs being got with powerful strokes on the leg side. Procter showed, as he has done previously, that he is a long way better batsman than he is given credit for, and there was a lot of power' behind his drives, while he got a lot of his runs with deft pulls. Procter certainly gave three chances, but his 49. not out constituted _ one of the brightest bits of batsmanship seen here for a while. The crowd appreciates a food exhibition of hitting, and Nimmo’s isplay on Saturday delighted most of them, seven fours being included in his score of 29. He lofted the ball well beyond the reach of the field, and drove with great power. If he would just curb the desire to have a go at everything that comes along Nimmo would make runs more regularly than he does at the present time. Grange’s bowling was fa’irly ' steady, Elfnes as usual playing his part in the attack. Though not very deadly, he bowled quite well and claimed three wickets. Chettleburgh sent down a bjt of loos© stuff at the start, but he commanded a better length later on, and for a while had some of the batsmen very badly puzzled. He was unlucky in having catches dropped off him, and as it was took two wickets. He is making the batsmen play him more than previously, and in the remaining matches is likely to be pretty useful to Grange. Ossie Dey ; kept the runs down and with a bit of luck would have taken more than one wicket. As it happened the ball that took a: wicket was one; cif the worst he bowled. He, was making the ball whip in ; and for a time had the batsmen watching him very closely. Lemin, hampered by an injured .finger, could hardly be expected to, give of his best, and this handicapped him also in the field, Grange’s work in this department was both good and indifferent. There, were some brilliant returns to the widkets, and, on the; other hand, some wild throw-ins, while a number of catches were. missed. Grange made an excellent response, and in an hour the opening pair, Knight and Tomkinson, put on 70 without being separated. Tomkinson took ibis own time to play himself in, and at stumps the left-hander was going well, being particularly effective with shots on the off. Knight, .however, went for the bowling from the start, and made 52 in his very best style, attacking all the bowling with the same confidence and vim. When Knight is in this mood he is one of , the best batsmen in Otago to watch, and he brought most of his strokes into play on Saturday. He played Nimmo with the confidence he usually shows against fast bowling, and though the latter made the ball bump a bit he would probably have done better had he sacrificed some of bis pace for better length and direction. The match is in quite an interesting position, but Grange, barring accidents, should be capable of overhauling Cansbrook’s total, especially as all ten wickets are in hand.

KAIKORAI FACES BIG TASK; A game which' was surely one of the most enjoyable club matches of the season was that played between Christian Brothers and Kaikorai on the picturesque ground at Bishopsconrt. The ground, with its, well-prepared wicket and fast, clean outfield, seems ideal for senior games, and it is to be hoped that the Otago Cricket Association will see fit to us© it frequently for this purpose. The fact that there was a large crowd present is not altogether * accounted for-by the ideal weather conditions, for it is evident that on the hill there has been a quickening of in-

terest in cricket since Kaikorai attained senior rank and fulfilled their promise of improvement.

On Saturday it was only to be expected that the team would miss Badcock. The bowlers had an unenviable task trying to oust the Christian Brothers’ batsmen from a hard, true wicket, and it was only the keen fielding, particularly the catching, that enabled them to meet with fair success. Constable, who took three wickets for 48 runs and held three good catches, was a tremendous asset, and most people were sorry that he was unable to gain

a good' “ treble” by getting set with the bat. M‘Gregor, a good length, medium-paced trundler, finished up with the best average' ■ (three for 36), and Stewart, the left-hander, kept the runs down for a time. An interesting feature of the match was the “ comerback ” staged by W. Holden, the father of “ Tubby ’ (of football fame) and of Allan (who was also in Saturday’s game).. The veteran did very well indeed, fielding neatly and accurately, and helping , himself to a useful . wicket off the second ball ho sent down. Allan Holden completed the family’s good day by knocking up a very fine 51 not out for his side. He went in first with Hood, played himself in, and then , scored freely. Apart from a few early balls that were popped up dangerously, his game contained no blemishes. None of the other batsmen got very far, but Balk, after a shaky couple of overs, was going nicely when stumps were drawn. If Holden and Balk make a good stand when they resume to-morrow Kaikorai will have a reasonable chance of catching Christian Brothers' 217. With five wickets to fall the Hill team has to make 134. . Christian Brothers give the impression of being a very well-balanced team, with a mixture of and steady batting_ and some variety in the bowling. F. Toomey’s 88 was an innings well worth watching. _ All through the game his square-cutting was executed with precision and power, and when he got the ball away to leg the, fieldsmen knew it. When he commenced driving the ball now and then soared aloft, but, generally speaking 3 the batsman picked a vacant spot for it to land on. Blair, who can be relied upon to give an attractive exhibition, seenied to be good for more than 18 when be was run out. Brookes was severe on balls pitched to leg ; it was good to see the way he used his feet to get into position to clout them, ■ As a fast bowler Cusack looked the “ goods.” He was not always accurate, but there was the scent of danger in most of the deliveries he sent down. MTlroy also bowled well, but it was left to the slow trundlers, Brookes and Lynch, to do most of the damage, COUPLAND SCORES WELL. The feature of the match between Dunedin and High School Old Boys on

Saturday was the fine exhibition of batting given by R. W. Coupland, whose 105 for Dunedin has further consolidated his position in the Otago team ' for the Pliinket Shield match against Canterbury. Coupland has been in run-getting mood this season, and seeing that he did so well against Auckland he is entitled to a higher position in the batting list. Conditions were ideal for cricket at Logan Park, and Coitpland and Oavanagh went for tho runs from the start, Coupland getting his 105 in 100 minutes. Both he and Oavanagh went for the runs from the start, and Coupland hit eighteen 4’s, notching four in one over off Dickinson. Most of Coupland’s runs were scored on the leg side, but he indulged in some fine straight .driving, timing the ball well. He gave no chance, and altogether played one of the best innings seen in club cricket this season. Cftvanagh batted well and got his funs chiefly from good strokes in front of the wicket, but he also scored with soifle neat leg glances off Dickinson. The fast bowler had his revenge eventually, Cavanagh being given out Ibw, Ditchneld started scratchily, but improved and played quite a solid knock for 35. Reg Cherry was also going

along well when he got ou.t to a good one-handed catch by Giles. Old Boys lost two wickets for 44, Groves and Cherry being the victims. The start was rather unusual, for after helping himself to three 4’s off the first three balls from Douglas, Groves was bowled by the next, and Douglas also claimed the wicket of Cherry in the same over. Douglas, who is medium-fast and swings the ball from the off, finished up with two wickets for 18 run's.

Old Boys missed Alloo in the attack, but Leader bowled steadily throughout, and from twenty-eight overs only 79 runs were scored, which was a good performance on the pitch. Hia three victims were all clean bowled, ahd the ball that beat Coupland was a trimmer. His length ahd direction left nothing to be desired, and keeping a bit low now and again he did not encourage liberties on the part of the batsmen. Dickinson was not bowling, at top, and though some of the earlier batsmen scored off him fairly freely he went through the tail-enders,' and finished with four wickets for 73 runs. Giles had fpur overs for 5 runs, and might have been given another over or two.

Groves always looked fairly dangerous, because most of the batsmen failed to use their feet to him.. The Old Boys’ fielding was patchy at the start, but improved during the afternoon.

ALBION’S POOR SHOWING. On a comparatively good wicket the total of 150 was a very disappointing effort for Albion. For a start Jolly, with the new ball,, was swinging a fair bit and required to be watched with care, which Shepherd and Barron failed to display when facing him. Shepherd, who was slightly off colour, made a very poor shot, and was bowled by a full tosser. Barron was caught in two minds, and made a “ yorker ” of an over-pitched ball. Miller lost his wicket through pulling away from one of Gilkison’s, and Duncan made a full-tosser out of a swerving ball from Henderson and failed to connect. -

The promising colt L. Smith did not play with his usual confidence, prob-

ably on account of Albions’ disastrous start—four for 19. Nevertheless, he collected 21 before he lifted one from Cameron to ; Sinclair at short forward leg, the fieldsman taking a fine catch. Caskio signalised his return to first grade cricket after fifteen months’ absence by compiling the highest score of the match (41) when he was thrown out through Dalziel calling two when only a single should have been run. This was unfortunate for Albion, because Caskie was playing with the greatest confidence and never looked like going out. DaTzicl made a useful stand for 36, losing his wicket when Cameron bowled him a straight one, which ho stood in front to hook, but missed completely. He was at the crease for over an hour, and his rocklike defence would justify his promotion to opening batsman provided that the runs were nob required quickly. He has not yet acquired the habit of thrashing balls which should be hit v R. Silver, another good batsman when in form, collected 24, but threw his wicket away by making up his mind to hit another 4 before the ball was bowled. When he had half his runs on Hawksworth missed an excellent

chance of stumping him through failing to take the ball cleanly. L. Silver was also too anxious to score, and Heenan was unlucky in playihg the first ball he received on to his wicket.

In University’s first innings Ibbotson was very scratchy and was lucky to have survived the ordeal. When facing Duncan, one of the best spin bowlers in town, five balls out of one over hit his pads and the other just went outside the off stick. He should 'have been out when facing L. Silver,'for he lifted one into the slips, where only two players were fielding. For a bowler with Silver’s pace this was absurd, as at jeast three men should have been waiting for snicks. Ibbotson was also missed by Caskie in the slips off Silvers’ bowling. Priest made one or two nice shots, but was generally very restrained. It all depends on Priest and Ibbotson tomorrow whether Albion will yet gain the lead, though it looks rfs if’ ’Varsity are set for a win.

The Albion bowlers tried performed well, the ’Varsity .batsmen finding it difficult to score. L, Silver was not getting pace for a start, and was just beginning to develop some speed when he was taken off. Heenan shaped very well behind stumps, and took some very rough stuff on the leg side.

MATCHES WITH SOUTHLAND AND NORTH OTAGO.

There will be two representative matches at the end of the season, both of which will probably bo played on Logan Park—one on the University ground and the other at the main ground. March 31 and April 1 have been submitted to Southland and North Otago as dates likely to be suitable for matches with these respective teams.

Probably the Plunket Shield eleven will be divided between the.two Otago teams that will meet the visitors, and this should ensure each of the two home sides having the nucleus of a solid team. The hope was expressed that next season these matches would be arranged earlier so that the _ full strength of Otago could be pitted against both Southland and _ North Otago, and if possible dates might be arranged soon after the commencement of the season.

TEST MATCH SIDELIGHTS. ' Commenting upon the first day’s play in the recent cricket test match between England, and Australia,, a Melbourne writer said: —An unusual proceeding was H. Larwood’s retirement from the field on four occasions on account of a defect in one of his boots. Altogether he was off the field of play for about an hour, while efforts were being made to repair the damaged boot, his place being taken on each occasion by E. Paynter, the twelfth man. Larwood was subjected to much banter and hooting by a section of the crowd, while others derived much amusement from the antics of the fast bowler. Another incident that was exceedingly humorous occurred shortly after the game had started. After two overs had been bowled a defect was found in the ball, and the umpires left the arena to got a suitable one to replace it. A delay of nine minutes occurred, and when the umpires returned with a new ball the two captains, to the intense amusement of the crowd, indulged in a game of “ tip and catch ” to make the ball as much as possible like the one discarded, a most unique proceeding in a serious test match.

NOTES. ■' An amusing error was committed by an umpire on Saturday. A ball was bit nearly to the boundary, and the nonstriker failed to reach the opposite batting crease by fully three inches, then turning as to run back again. The umpire, noticed this, and then kept his .eye on the ball an case of a run-out appeal. When the ball was safely in tile ’keeper’s hands the umpire shouted, “ One short,” only to be informed that the batsmen had run but a single. Collapse of umpire! A junior cricketer at Victoria Park, Auckland, on Saturday was well on the wicket as a bowler, for he performed the very unusual feat of doing the “ hat trick ” twice. The bowler in question was, A. Fleet. Playing for Invicta against Maungakiekie in. a third grade match, he took three wickets with three successive balls in each innings. Altogether he took ten wickets for 35 runs. The old New Zealand representative player Mr J. Baker has high hopes regarding Langsford Smith, the Albion colt, who shows much promise as an all-rounder. Mr Baker thinks this lad has the makings of a first-class lefthand spin bowler, and his future performances will be watched with a good deal of interest.

The Christian Brothers’ Club may consider itself fortunate in having secured the services of Mr J. H! M'Phie as coach. Mr M’Phie is well known for the excellent work he has done to foster, cricket in the Boys’ Association. There _have been instances in firstclass cricket of a player doing the ‘ ‘ hat _trick ” in "each innings,' but only once id test cricket has such a feat been recorded. For Australia v. South Africa at Manchester in 1912 T. ,J. Matthews -took wickets with successive balls in each innings. For Notts v. Gloucestershire, at Trent Bridge, in 1884, Alfred Shaw did the hat trick, and_ later took three wickets in four balls in the first ifmings, and in the second innings repeated the hat trick. C. W. L. Parker; for Gloucester y. Middlesex, at Bristol, in 1924, took in each innings three wickets with consecutive balls. In his benefit match in 1907 at Lord's A. E. Trott took four wickets with consecutive balls, and he did the hat trick also in the same innings, a double performance without parallel in important cricket. P. G. H. Fender, famous Surrey and England cricketer, discounts the suggestion that England had ill-luck in the second test. “We had all the luck we could expect when Sutcliffe was given three iinnings,” he says. “ The only reasonable explanation is that the Australians bowled better than we thought possible.” After Canterbury’s Plunket Shield cricket match with Wellington, W. E. Merritt thought that he still needed to take a few wickets to complete his 100 wickets in Plunket Shield matches. Because Merritt himself was under that impression we did not bother, at the time, to examine his record in these matches (says the ‘Sun’. But on looking into it this week we find that Merritt completed _ his 100 wickets in Plunket Shield cricket when he took three for 78 in Wellington’s second innings. Merritt has now taken 102 wickets for 2,517 runs, an average of 24.67 runs a wicket, in Plunket Shield cricket*. In all fully representative matches in which he has played for Canterbury he has taken 147 wickets for 3,224 runs, an average of 21.93 runs a wicket.

As all cricketers know, umpires hold different opinions as to when a batsman is out.. Mistakes occur, but the umpires, like players themselves, cannot be expected to be infallible, and

must be excused. Seldom, however, is an umpire as frank as - was the case in a junior match at Logan Park last week. A wicket-keeper made a confident appeal for a stump, and while the batsman was obviously ■ out the umpire retorted “Not out; I wasn’t, I looking.” ■. • The retirement. of Mr W. A. Row-: land from the position of scorer to the Otago team after fifteen years of ser- | vice 'merits special mention, for Mr Rowland probably has no superior as a’ scorer in the dominion, and Pressmen who have come into contact with Mr Rowland during his long period of service will all remember gratefully the assistance he rendered them in various ways. Mr Rowland’s score book has always been a model for neatness and accuracy, and he it was who introduced to Dunedin the system of ringing the gong to keep umpires reminded of the end of an oyer. Another thing that Mr Rowland introduced was the giving of a card to each batsman and bowler in representative games, which showed the performance of each man. For instance, on a batsman’s card would be the number of singles, 2’s, 3’s, and so on that he liad scored, the time he was at the wicket, and how he had got out. Mr Rowland’s retirement has been brought ■ about by his sense of sportsmanship, for now that he no longer acts as scorer for the Grange Club, he does not consider that he is entitled to act in representative fixtures, though there are many who would be glad to see him continue in his present position. Mr Rowland’s successor is Mr E. H. Downes, who scores ■ for High School Old Boys and has the reputation of being a very efficient scorer. Mr Donnelly, of the New Zealand Cricket Council, was in Melbourne recently with a double object—to see the second test match and to confer with, the Board of Control on the question of, arranging annual cricket_ visits between Australia and the dominion (says the ‘Sporting Globe’). New Zealand also desires that future English teams to Australia should include a visit to the dominion in their itinerary as is being done in . the case of the present team. No decision was reached by the board on the request that English teams should visit New Zealand, and it was decided to inform the dominion authorities that the question of exchanges of visits between Australia and New Zealand teams would be considered by the board. At its meeting recently the Australian Board of Control considered a further application from the South African Association that the Australian team visiting England in 1934 should play six matches in the Union, including three tests, on its way Home. A previous request of a. similar nature was refused, but the board had promised to send a team direct to South Africa when an early opportunity arrived. The board decided that it could not accede to ,the new request. As an'outcome of newspaper publicity, the Otago Cricket Association Management Committee has decided to make it an instruction to the selectors that they ’ must choose the best representative j team. Judging from this,,it must have been the case of Dickinson which rendered it necessary for the Management Committee to step in- ' The next Otago High School Old Boys’ Cricket Club dance is to be held on Saturday, February 4.' The Canterbury Plunket Shield team will he in Dunedin on that date, and the visitors are to be the guests of the club that evening. The Entertainment Committee has another attractive programme arranged, and the club js much appreciative of the excellent support received at the previous- functions. Having reached a high standard of entertainment, the committee’s aim is to maintain the dances, for they have .been receiving every encouragement .to do so.

The Old Boys’ cricketer Ivan Turnbull was instrumental in saving the life of Master Lex Macdonald at St. Clair Beach recently. Turnbull effected the rescue single-handed, and this is the second occasion now in which he has aa»isted to recover an exhausted swimmer. Turnbull is very small’in stature,; but is a powerful swimmer and possesses the right temperament for a life saver. It is unfortunate that N.' Cherry was sent in to bat for Old Boys on Saturday, for his fielding showed he was distinctly off colour. • A very safe; fieldsman as a rule, last Saturday was an exception, and after letting several past him to the boundary failed to score, a run.

As A. Alloo was out of town the High School player J. Macassey was given a game in his stead. Macassey is a tall, well-built lad and 1 a mediumpace right-hand bowler, whose services were sadly missed by the School eleven in its recent match against Christ's College. Dickinson gave him some overs on Saturday. Illness has prevented him from playing foir several weeks.

Alec Gale is expected to come to light with a big score any time now, for last season he had the highest aggregate in the club and second in the batting averages. He has. 14 not out against Dunedin, so to-morrow may. be his big day. L. Giles, who bowled last Saturday, for the first time in a match for Old Boys, captured a wicket early when he caught and bowled R. Cherry. He was swinging the hall, and bowled quite; well considering he has only, started playing after an absence of two seasons. Giles brings his arm. over high, and is able to make the ball come up. Giles is better known as a batsman, and gained a place in the Otago Plunket Shield team three seasons ago.. He puts much power into his shots, and is chiefly a front-of-the-wicket player. A story from ‘ Smith’s Weekly *> worth retailing;—lt was . a separation case before the court, and henpecked hubby was applying for. an order releasing him from the “tender” attentions of his muscular wife. “Fop tw r enty years, Your Worship, she has thrown everything loose about the place at me, and I can’t put up with it any longer.” . “ But surely,” said the. magistrate* “if you managed to last out twenty, years you don’t want to break up the home now?”.

“I’ve got to, Your Worship; she’i now adopted the leg theory.

(Continued on page 6.)