CRICKET

Evening Star, Issue 21931, 18 January 1935, Page 4

CRICKET

NEWS AND NOTES [By H.P.S.J I'LUNKET SHIELD DATES. January 18-22.—Auckland v. Wellington. at Auckland. February 22, 23, 25, and 26.—-Otago v. Canterbury, at Dunbdin. Grange Ail the Way. Kaikorai should have done much better against Grange; at least the hill side should never have allowed the visitors to get a four-point'win. True, the wicket was not the perfect answer to a batsman’s prayer, nor could the bowling, especially that of Elmos in the second innings, be despised. Yet it must be said that too many of the Kaikorai batsmen got themselves out. In the second innings, for instance, Talbot, though breezy enough from the spectators’ point of view, did not set the example a captain should at such a crisis. His sixer was a good one, but cricket history is continually proving that batsmen who try to repeat sixers ad infinitum are only asking for trouble and dismissal. Trouble came to Talbot through a great catch by Dey near the boundary. One of the few bright spots in Kaikorai’s game was Holden’s first innings. In scoring his 36 he worked in all his favourite strokes at some time or other, and combined sound defence with an alertness that enabled him to crack the loose balls to some purpose. In this innings Stewaft batted attractively, and Constable rattled up the runs at a fair pace. Hftd it not been for Burgess and Vial, who put up a good stand towards the end of the innings, the total would have been about 30 runs less than it was.

During the second knock Ehnes was very hard to get on to, and even those who tried the stonewall game found themselves in difficulties. Galland, Lemin, and Ledgenvood won most of their success in the first innings, when their trundling undoubtedly paved the way for Grange’s big win. All through the match Grange’s team work has been an inspiration. They are blessed with a fine skipper in Galland. Slow Cricket. Christian Brothers have shaped like anything but' a first grade side this season, aud their display in the first innings against University (not an outstanding bowling side) was very slow and drab, it taking two hours for 60 runs to be hoisted. It was pleasing, however, to observe Blair showing some form with the bat, and he and Dawson were the only batsmen who made any attempt to attack the bowling. Blair got 31 and Dawson 32 not out. Henderson’s bowling and Lawson’s wicketkeeping were the features ot University’s attack. Henderson howled twenty-live overs and finished with the fine figures of six wickets for 55 runs, five of his overs being maidens. L. Uttley bowled eighteen overs for 32 runs and one wicket. He trundled verv steadily but did not look really dangerous. ‘He should improve as be gets used to the local wickets. Christie, the University spin bowler, was very accurate, and the batsmen could not take any liberties with him, his figures being: eight overs, four maidens, ten runs, and one wicket. Lawson,kept wickets in fine style, accounting for four batsmen —two caught behind, one stumped, and one ruil out. He is showing improvement with every game. ... The University fielding was very good, the only feature that could have been improved upon being the throwing in. Some of the returns were tar from accurate. LaWson, however, rrequently retrieved the position by the smart way he accepted these returns. With little depending on it, Christian Brothers fared better when they lollowed on, losing two for 101, the scoie being due to a good stand by Roclgerson and Ryan. The former is » very solid batsman, and put together 43 nob out.

Old Boys Shape Disappointingly. High School Old Boys-, last year's champions, gave one of their moat disappointing batting displays this season against Cnrisbrook, tbe only redeeming feature being that the last pair managed to hold out until time and thus avert.an outright defeat. The Old Boys’ attack is a pretty consistent force, but tbe batting this season has been uneven, and on an easy wicket a liiuch better showing should have been made on Saturday. , _ In reply to Carisbtook s 151 Old Boys had lost seven for 44. but Payne and Cherry were largely responsible for tbe score being tqk en to 90. Tbe former played a sound Kmiek for 29. He has solid defence and some good scoring strokes, aiid later lie achieved a good double by taking three Cnrisbrook wickets for 13.. bis bowling being very steady and accurate.

Carisbrook went right, after the runs when it visited the wicket a second time, losing six for 135 l;efoi‘o the declaration was made. The ex-Waitaki boy. F. Kerr, hatted very well for 47, playing the fast bowling of Dickinson , with every confidence. He was not so 'much at home to the slow bowling, however, failing-to use his feot enough. He was dro'pped in the slips and behind the wicket, both off Leader, but otherwise his display was sound. He drives hard to the off, and also employs a very nice square cut, executing this stroke effectively when facing Dickinson.

Harold Cameron chased the runs from the start, and in putting together a score of 4.0 gave a bright display, the same applying to Dunning, who ran up 32 in good time. Dickinson’s bowling was erratic, and the pitch certainly did not Help him. It was rather surprising that young Macassey, who showed promise as a fast howler at school, was not given a turn with the ball in either innings. Disappointing as was Old Boys’ showing in their first essay, their second venture to the crease; proved even more disastrous, nine wickets falling for 62. Gale and Groves were the only ones to reach double figures. Disaster began early, for that reliable batsman, Vcrn Leader, was caught behind by Botting off Kerr when he had scored 1, the ball,

which was pitched outside the off, coming off the edge of the bat. • Carisbrook’s bowling was very steady, Dunning and Kerr both bowling well, though the batsmen flattered _ both trundlcrs to an unusual degree. Nevertheless. Dunning’s performance in taking six for 23 and four for 29 was a really notable one.

M’Kay's Nine Wickets. The exceptional bowling performance of M ‘Kay was the feature ot the AlbionCarisbrook B match, concluded last week. To capture nine out of ten wickets is no mean performance, and it is to M’Kay's credit that lie should be able to secure such an excellent crop when 1m lias to rely upon steadiness and acuracy for his success. He is a medium-pace bowler with practically no turn, but the mere fact that Sis of his victims were clean bowled clearly shows the consistency of his attack. But it also reveals weak batting on the part of Albion, which could not take refuge behind the state of the wicket, which was in excellent order. There were only,two outstanding batting performances on the concluding day of the match, the innings of 42 by S. Duncan and the 49 not out by L. Howarth in Carisbrook B’s second innings, when the wickets were falling very cheaply. Howarth shaped very confidently against all the Albion bowlers tried, ami his score, which included five shots to the boundary, was compiled by strokes all round the wicket. There were six wickets down for 75 when he went to the crease, but 141 runs were on for eight wickets when stumps were drawn. Duncan's innings was the more polished of the two, and he executed ins strokes with the grace and easiness of a ffrsF-ctass batsman. His knock was a faultless one, and coming when the Albion side was right up against it was all the more welcome. Duncan gained representative honours several seasons ago, but has only shown flashes of that form since. This season in three innings he has scored 102 runs, and his fielding, of course, has been exemplary. Colts' Gratifying Total. Another indication of the Colts’ earlier promise this season as a batting force to be reckoned with, not only’ by weaker teams, but ills 3 by more experienced elevens higher up on the competition table, was given on Saturday against Dunedin, from whom this youthful side collected a handsome twopoint win. Besides Knowles’s neatly compiled 133—a irolLdeserved and gratifying effort—no fewer than three other batsmen topped the half-century to swell the total to 413, which represents the highest tally raised by any senior team in the competition so far this season. That such a total should be hoisted on a wicket in tbe same condition the previous Saturday, when Dunedin only compiled 147, only accentuates the Colts’ strength with the bat, and perhaps pays a compliment to their standard of bowling, which was weakened by the absence of Badcoek.

Continuing his undefeated score of uL Knowles proceeded to delight with crisp and well-timed strokes, the Logan I’ark No. 2 fence reverberating with the sound of forceful shots, especially on the off, several times. Knowles has a promising future should he bo nursed as carefully in tbe future as be has been in tbe past, and he is also a fine field. Hogg took every advantage of rather innocuous howling, am! rattled on 78 before being run out. Saxton did not materially add to his score at the commencement of the innings, but Badcock provided a rare interlude with a hurricane 53, made in twenty minutes —a period during which he treated the Dunedin trundlers with abandoned contempt. His score included three spectacular 6’s and four attractive 4’s.

Quite a feature of the innings was the large number of extras, which totalled 53.

Carrington was not troubled by tho vigorous tactics employed by tbe Colts, and though his length was" not always impeccable he deserved the meritorious average, under the conditions, of four for 94. Carrington would be a more dangerous trimmer if he paid more attention to length than pace. Douglas and Clftridge each collected two Wickets, though at a cost which proved an expensive factor. Match With Southland. One or two speakers at this weekVs meeting of the Otago Cricket Association took a very narrow view' when the question was discussed of arranging a match between Otago and .Southland prior to the latter’s match with Manawatu for the Hawke Cup. These shortsighted persons were prepared to give Southland a mid-week match at Dunedin—no expense incurred in sending a team away—but as to assisting in developing a cricket atmosphere in Invercargill, that was another question. However,, strong support for a match at Invercargill on February 9 was forthcoming from Dr A. A. Reid, who made a strong plea for the association to do something to assist in raising the standard of Southland cricket, and spoke very sound common sense when he said that the time might come when Otago would be glad to call upon some of the Southland players for the Plunket Shield games. The president of the association (Mr J. M. Fraser) also gave Dr Reid'his support, and said that there was no reason why Southland should not bo given a game at Invercargill «on February 9, and also ;i mid-week match at Dunedin on its way north for the Hawke Cup challenge. Mr Fraser also stated that the time was coming when a tour of North Otago, South Canterbury, and Ashburton would have to be organised if the younger players were to be brought on. Here, again, is good material for the association to work upon, blit so far as the proposal to give Southland a game is concerned the writer feels that the O.C.A. might have been just a little more generous in the matter of expenses. It is rather n hurdle to ask the Southland Association to find £2O for a one-day match. After all. Southland is a part of the O.C.A.’s district, and a higher standard in the smith must react upon Otago, not only in providing better opposition for our teams, but in possibly making Invercargill a valuable recruiting ground for Otago Plunket Shield teams. That, there is promising material in Southland is shown by the success that has attended K, ( : tt!ey, K, Con. and IJttley, to mention but three names, since they came to Dunedin from the south.

Constitution of Competition, It was a significant remark that the president of the Otago Cricket Association (Mr J. M. Fraser) made at this week’s meeting of the Otago Cricket Association; “Allegedly we have 110 senior players in this city.” Now, Mr Fraser has the game at heart irrespective of club partisanship, and he has given the lead to those who desire to reconsider before next season the constitution of the senior competition. There is no argument about it. There are not 110 players of senior calibre in Dunedin. Six senior teams would be much nearer the mark. Before any improvement is effected it will take boldness and courage on the part of onr administrators in arriving at some better scheme than that at present in vogue. Strangely enough, the two latest additions to the senior competition, C’arisbrook B and the Colts, have fared well, but Dunedin, Christian Brothers, and Kaikorai particularly do not impress as being of senior strength. The writer heard a suggestion mooted that Dunedin and Christian Brothers should amalgamate with a view to strengthening the competition, but lie does not wish at this stage to Urge the pros and cons of such a proposal. The question is whether the members of tbe Otago Cricket Association are going to be sufficiently far-sighted to place the competition upon a different basis to what it is at present. The showing of some of the weaker teams indicates that the subject should be dealt with, and dealt with soon. Notes. Recently the St. Albans Club set up a record in Christchurch dub cricket. Their opponents were Old Collegians, whoso top-scorar was S. G. Lester with 93 runs. Next on the list was Mr Extras with no fewer than 69 runs to his discredit. Of these sundries 62 were byes, the ball going to the boundary twelve times. J. G. Rankin was the man. behind the stumps. The euchre tournaments held by the Grange Club ivere resumed last Wednesday night, the following being successful in winning the prizes:—Ladies; Mrs Butler 1, Airs Russell 2. Alen: Mr Andrews 1, Air J. Nesbit 2. Door prize: Air M'Kenzie.

When the tour of the Australians in England had finished, critical ones summed up E. H. Bromley as not alone a failure, but an extraordinarily lucky man to have been selected (says a Sydney scribe), it was a bard judgment, even admitting that the left-hander from W.A. did not settle down to normal batting when he might have been expected to do so. He ran into a copious dose of the fin, and, after that, a close of appendicitis. Bromley’s batting in England notwithstanding, there is nothing wrong with his exploits for Victoria against New South Wqles in his four matches —84, 13, 8, 92, 33 not out, and the latest century. This season provides a test for Bromley. Are his natural talents as a cricketer to come to something like their fitting fruition ; J He has started so well as to suggest that he will make good, oh Australian wickets, at least. It is understood that many prominent cricketers in England are eager to gain selection in the AI.C.C, team to tour New Zealand next season. This being so, the side should be rather stronger than those which came under the captaincy of MacLarcn and Harold Gillignn. Dos. Hansen, the youthful lefthander, seems to have impressed by his batting in Melbourne and Adelaide (says a Queensland writer in the Sydney ‘ Referee’). Reports have it that lie has been made an offer to return and play with tbe Melbourne Cricket Club. Hansen was out of employment when lie left Brisbane, but'there is a move afoot to place him on bis return. The left-hander is only a little chap and a trifle on the frail side, a net does not get the same punch as Levy into his shots. Still the timing and footwork are there. A good performance against New South Wales in Sydney should bring him into prominence for the South African trip. H. I>. Hendry’s double-barrelled performances for Paddington are very good (says an Austalian writer). He has scored 310‘ runs at 62 an innings, and taken seventeen wickets at an average of 12 runs a wicket. His scores are 23, 101, 93, 59, and 34. There is very little deterioration in bis all-round powers since bis withdrawal from representative cricket.

Alan Cameron, the promising University slow bowler and bard-bitting batsman, has been kept out ot cricket this season through the serious illness that overtook him some time ago. This popular and genial young player is now back in town and looking well, though bo informs the writer that he is unlikely play again before next season. ’ The Otago Cricket Association is to be congratulated on the success that attended the scheme, put forward in the first place by Mr A. H. Allen, to obtain ground members. No fewer than 485 ground members at a guinea a time have been secured, and it seenis probable that the association’s objective of 500 will be reached before the end of the present season. H. E. P. Whitfield, former S.A. interstate cricketer, took all 10 wickets for 18 runs when playing (or East Torrens against Prospect in district cricket (says Hie ‘Sporting Globe’).

The wicket had been affected by rain, Whitfield, who is a medium fast siring bowler, made the ball rise quickly, and after having seven hit off his first over, was unplayable. Ho took four wickets in his last over, two of them in succession. The over was a maiden. This is the first time the feat has been performed in South Australia since the War. Until business prevented his ap penrance, Whitfield was a mainstay of the South Australian attack in firstclass cricket.

F, T. Badcock, the captain of the Otago representative team, is the best coach New Zealand Ims had (says “ Touchline,” in the ‘New Zealand Fixe Lance ’). But he must be a strong advocate of the principle, “ Don’t do what I do. hut do what 1 tell you.” Otherwise ho would not take the risks he does when batting. The number of times be is “ run out ” or dismissed off mis-hits is altogether out of propor tion. There is a happy medium, and Badcock should know the safe ball to hit, and when a run is possible, Looking up the records I find that the greatest distance for all matches that a ball travelled is 83yds Ift 9in (states a writer in the Leicester ' Evening Mail’ of November 9). This feat is credited to A. 0. Burrows in a minor game at Hobart, Tasmania, in 1995 Strangely enough, the record for first class cricket is also held by a player

named Burrows, but this chap happens to be an Englishman—B. D., of Worcestershire—who clean bowled Huddleston, of Lancashire, in a county championship match at Old Traffordln 1911 with a "snorter” that sent the ball flying 67yds Sin. Harold Larwood, the famous Notts and England speed merchant, of " bodylina ” fame, comes second with a distance of 66yds in a game between England and Tasmania m 1929. Commenting on the match between Speight’s and A. and T. Burt on Saturday, won by the latter team, which compiled 184 ’ for eight wickets. Speight's making 118, “ Observer,” a correspondent, writes From Speight’s viewpoint this was a game of 1 o*t opportunities. especially in fielding. the returns to the wicket being very erratic. The team is very inconsistent in this important department of the game, as in the previous Saturday’s match the fielding reached a high standard. Wilson, Parker, Knight, and Davis were the only exceptions in this latest gamp. Grant’s 30 sented good hatting, while Knight (16). Wilton (15), and Parker (10) also showed form. Bowling. Stoke? (two ior 20) and Grant (three for 51) secured the best averages. Knight deserved more success, several catches being dropped during his sojourn at the crease.