CRICKET

Evening Star, Issue 22575, 17 February 1937, Page 4

CRICKET

[By H.J.G.]

TEAM TO VISIT ENGLAND WHO WILL BE THE LUCKY SIX ? LIKELY OTAGO CANDIDATES Much speculation is in evidence throughout the Dominion as to the six players yet to be. selected tor the New Zealand team to tour England, the selectors—Messrs N. C. Sneddon (Auckland), A. W: Duncan (Wellington), HB. Whitta • (Canterbury), and J. M‘Mullan (Otago)—are waiting for the completion 'of the final match ot this season’s Blanket Shield series, Otago and Canterbury, to be commenced at Carisbrook on Friday, before the final selection is announced. Their task appears to be no easy one. Although the nucleus of a really strong batting side has already been selected, the of ■ finding bowlers presents real difficulty, .'as the available talent, judging on New Zealand form, will -not be up to the standard set by the 1927 and 1931 touring teams. As usual when New Zealand teams are under consideration, northern critics keep on boosting the fancied candidates from their own particular province, and Otago players are receivihg scant recognition indeed. The Auckland ‘ Herald,’ for instance, in choosing the Id likely candidates, claims that, on form and past experience, Auckland should have a predominance in the selection, and goes on to nominate no fewer than seven players who should he included. They are: Whitelaw, Wallace, Vivian, Matheson, Carson, Weir, and Cowie. Wellington has been allotted Molonev and Tindill; Canterbury Roberts, Page, Hadlee, and Kerr; while Otago is left with Elmes to fight it out Trith Donnelly, the Taranaki colt.

DESERVING OF CONSIDERATION. While admitting that cricket in Auckland reaches a higher standard than that attained in Otago, the question might be asked: How can cricket in this province he expected'to improve if none of its players gets the opportunity of gaining experience in the best company? The tour, as the writer understands it. is for the purpose of raising the standard of cricket m New Zealand. Otago certainly needs snmo encouragement and assistance in this direction, and being one of the four major provinces, is justly entitled to consideration. Apart, however, from this aspect of the matter, some of the players nominated by the ‘ Herald ’ have inferior claims to other candidates in the Dominion. For instance, Whitelaw, though a sound batsman, is a poor fieldsman, while better opening batsmen have already been selected. Weir has had his day, and should not require another trip to be of service' to the younger generation. Dike Whitelaw, he should be stood down in favour of younger men who will be of some service as players when the tour ends. COWIE A POOR FIELD, It is not surprising to find Cowie being boosted as the best fast bowler, as he has been rather fortunate in securing a good share of the wickets m the shield matches. His bowling in Dunedin, however, did not give rise to much enthusiasm, while his attitude of indifference in the field was inexplicable in view of his chance of securing New Zealand representation. Of the Auckland players nominated, apart from those already chosen, Matheson is the only one who merits serious consideration. He proved to be quite a useful all-rounder on the last tour, and he has repeatedly been successful with the bat in big cricket at critical stages. It would not he surprising to see Matheson join Roberts as the stock bowler of the side. Of the other candidates nominated in Auckland, Tindill appears to be a certainty as wicketkeeper, while he has also proved to be a good batsman. Otago’s sole chance, according to Auckland, rests in Elmes, but it has to be remembered that there are four other left-handers in the team —Carson, Wallace, Vivian, and Tindill (if selected). OTAGO CANDIDATES. It is pleasing, however, to know that someone from Otago is being considered in the north. In the writer’s opinion there are other Dunedin players who

have stronger claims for inclusion, and amongst those to be considered are Knight, Silver, Uttley, Dunning, Groves, and Nimmo. Of these, Silver and Uttley appeal most. The selectors are looking for a fast bowler, and there is no one who gives promise of filling that role more successfully than Silver. Under a great leader like Page, it is the opinion of many good judges in Dunedin that Silver would turn out a real top-notcher. At the present time he lacks the experience and confidence to adopt other tactics than bowling at the wickets when the batsmen become set. Senior batsmen in Dunedin know that he bowls with real hostility and that when he strikes a good length on a dry pitch he is almost unplayable. While lie cannot bo classed as a straight-out fast bowler, his deliveries gain unusual X>ace from the pitch, and when combined with his natural off-break, become really troublesome to the best of batsmen.

NOTES AND COMMENTS

Silver has played in only three shield matches. He made his debut against Canterbury last season, when bo impressed the critics by breaking through the defence of Canterbury’s Vbosb batsmen, including Kerr, who had previously made a pile of runs in other matches. In Wellington this season Silver again showed up to advantage, blit : he was rather unlucky in the match against Auckland in that after getting two good wickets, Carson and Whitelaw settled down to make history in shield cricket. It is the opinion of many that he was taken off in this match before Carson had settled down, and that ho was the only bowler who looked like getting him. Silver is also an excellent fieldsman. and he possesses a pair of hands that for safety could hardly be excelled. His magnificent effort which eventually dismissed Carson will long bo remembered by those who saw it.

There are those who dislike Uttley because of his slow batting aganist Auckland, hut it must not be forgotten that he was playing for his side, and, as it turned out, he adopted the right tactics. It was rather much to expect him to liven up in the second innings, which he opened after a tiring knock in Otago’s first innings. In this game Uttley revealed real fighting strength, which he can convert into a free style when the occasion warrants it. He has few equals in the field.

Groves has many supporters, hut as a bowler he is inclined to be too slow and not likely to trouble English batsmen. He is, however, useful in other departments of the game, and he may be worthy of a trial. Nirnmo has definite possibilities, while Matheson is preferred to Dunning as a stock bowler. Players frqm other centres who must be considered are Cromb, Mulcock, and Donnelly. The writer’s final selection would be:—

M. L. Page (Canterbury). A. W. Roberts (Canterbury). W. A. Hadlee (Canterbury). J. L. Kerr (Canterbury). I. Cromb (Canterbury). H. G. Vivian (Auckland). A. M. Matheson (Auckland). W. M. Wallace (Auckland). W. N. Carson (Auckland). D. A. R. Moloney (Wellington). E. W. Tindill (Wellington). M. P. Donnelly (Taranaki). K. IJttley (Otago). R. Silver (Otago). Such a combination would possess plenty of batting talent, while the bowling would fall upon Roberts, Matheson, Silver, Vivian, and Cromb, with Carson and Page as useful change trundlers. SENIOR COMPETITION HONOURS SHOULD GO TO CARISBROOK With only one more series of matches to be played in the senior competition, Carisbrook A appears to be in an impregnable position. For Carisbrook to be upset Albion would have to secure an outright win. in the final match to be played on March 6 and 13. This appears to be out of the question, particularly against Carisbrook A, and the most that Albion supporters can hope for is a win on the first innings. This would bring the teams level on points, and Carisbrook should win the issue if it comes to a question of averages. The Carisbrook team has gone through the season without suffering defeat, while Albion lost its lend when Grange prevailed on the North Ground. On the first occasion of their meeting Albion and Carisbrook played a drawn game for 64 runs each on the first innings at Carisbrook, and the meeting of these two teams at Logan Park should provide a keen and interesting tussle.

An old cricketer has made the suggestion that the Otago Cricket Association could have found a solution to its recent difficulty arising from the testimonial match for Coach Badcock by deciding to grant the coach 25 per cent, of the net proceeds on the Saturday of the Otago-Canterbury match. The idea appears to be an excellent one, as two Saturdays would have then been left free for the continuation of club matches. The failure of Otago players to rise to the same heights as players in the north must bo attributed to a large degree to the shortness of the Dunedin season, and under these circumstances the governing body should arrange club matches on every possible occasion. CHETTLEBURGH STRIKES FORM Conditions on Saturday were not at any time conducive to bright cricket, but, despite this,’ some excellent displays were given, both with hat and ball. At Carisbrook the wicket remained true to the last over, although soft, allowing almost every ball_ to be played solely on its merits. Nimmo, the Carisbrook fast bowler, was the only one with whose deliveries the pitch played tricks, though as ho was flinging them rather short, it was not alto-

gether surprising that the ball flow around tho batsmen at times.

Four distinctly impressive displays were given by Grange batsmen. These were Elmos and Knight, who contributed C 4 and 32 respectively in the first innings, Chettlcburgli, who was responsible for an excellent double of 24 and 82 not out, and Gall and, who compiled 34 not out in the second after failing to get going in the first innings.

Elmes played a very sound knock, in which his leg play was a prominent feature. He did not attack the bowling vigorously at any stage, but added steadily to bis total from the loose ones. Dunning, getting a lot of assistance from the wind early in the innings, had him beaten occasionally, and finally took his wicket. It was a yorker, which Elmos played just inside, losing his off stump. He previously had been dropped off Dunning by Frank Kerr, fielding at long leg, when the wind made a higb■flighted delivery very deceptive. Nhnmo did not trouble him much, as be hit three successive 4's. from this bowler’ when ho got set. The manner in which Knight made his runs was more meritorious than bare figures indicate. He appeared well set, when he snicked a straight one from Nimmo, to be taken behind. His square cuts were a positive delight—crisply and cleanly placed, with his body well behind the stroke. On the leg he was no less versatile, glancing very neatly and driving with equal facility.

To Chettleburgh must go the honours of the day, with two fine displays to his credit. In the first innings he soon played himself in to register double figures, though with no undue carelessness. His first faulty stroke was a pull, with which lie failed to connect properly, but Dunning, at square leg, failed to hold it. Finally Chettleburgh was bowled by Nimmo, an almost unplayable hall. The first two deliveries of his over flew by on the leg. The next was directly on the wicket, but broke back sharply to give the Grange player no chance. In the second innings Chettleburgh dealt summarily with the bowling, plnying very surely and placing shots all round the wicket.

Galland, who faced Nimmo unsteadily in the first innings, was dropped at first slip off that bowler, and the next ball played the same stroke to be taken by Fraser. In the second he was associated with Chettleburgh in the brightest partnership of the day, striking form almost immediately to attack the bowling aggressively. The veteran put two successive 6’s into the stand with lusty smacks to leg.

Of the Carisbrook A bowlers, N. Nimmo was the most successful, though at intervals ho delivered some short balls. Had the wicket offered him more assistance he would have finished with more favourable figures. He was kept on too long, and this also applied to Dunning. It is surprising that B. Campbell was not persevered with. i! He has not been given the chances his bowling deserves. A lefthander is always difficult to play when he keeps the ball pitched well up and breaks I back. Campbell was much more impressive than M'Kay, a righthand spin bowler, who was erratic, especially in the second innings, when his leg breaks presented fours to Grange by landing on the off and running away from the batsmen, simply begging to be cut to the off boundary. UMPIRES WANTED Frequently one hears comments about the standard of umpiring in Dunedin. Unfortunately the criticism is often justified, although most players and followers of the game express genuine sympathy for the men who graciously give up their time to undertake a really thankless task. However, nothing is more discouraging to a young cricketer than to be the victim of a bad decision and a succession of such misfortunes is sufficient to curb his interest in the game. What is the solution to the problem? The umpires’ ranks should be strengthened by younger men, but what is being done in this direction? Every season the Umpires’ Association makes an appeal for new members, but the appeals seem to be in vain, because the scarcity of umpires continues season after season. Their ranks should bo filled by players when they cease to be active playing members. These players have a duty to perform in this direction. They are continually being convinced of the necessity ior more umpires, yet most of these retiring players enter other pastimes and thus forget that they are able to remedy a position of which they have probably complained on many occasions. There is no doubt that it is in the interests of the game for all players and clubs to do their utmost to recruit members to the Umpires’ Association, and the writer has no doubts that a concerted and determined drive in this direction would bring beneficial results.