CRICKET

Evening Star, Issue 23745, 28 November 1940, Page 12

CRICKET

[By Wallaby.]

NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dunedin’s run of fine Saturdays this summer was not broken last week-end, but cricket was not possible on that day because the heavy rainfall of the previous two or three days had made the wickets unplayable. All matches begun on the previous Saturday, therefore, will be recorded as being drawn, for no side had gained a first innings advantage when play ceased for the day. Had play been possible the position in some cases would have been rather peculiar. In the University-Old Boys match, for instance, three playesr from each side who had been chosen in the so-called Otago team to play Southland at Invercargill, would have been absent, while Carisbrook would have been four short. “ Otago ” Team v. Southland. It was a poorish senior team that went to Invercargill to play Southland on Saturday and Monday, but one can sympathise with the sole selector (Mr 'J. M’Mullan), who had difficulty in raising a team of any sort, several of those players who would have inevitably been chosen preferring to stay at home and help their clubs. Had it' been known that grade matches would definitely be abandoned a really good team could have been sent. But one wonders why two regular senior players (Milncs and Valentine) were included in the junior eleven and two juniors (Grant and Boddcn, though the latter dropped out) in the senior side. The seniors were very fortunate in escaping defeat, while the juniors were beaten in a close finish by 19 runs.

The Otago attack was particularly weak, yet only one man on the Southland side made a formidable score. This was J. C. Scandrett, whose 149 was well over half the side’s total. Scandrett has played for Otago, but without conspicuous success; nevertheless, he is a good cricketer. His innings last Saturday was a chanceless display. Our wicket-takers were O’Sullivan (four for 59), M*Kay (three for 57), and Edwards (two for 51). None of these can be classed as really dangerous bowlers, being too erratic in their deliveries. Otago, said a Southland scribe, was reputed to be strong in batting. The propagandists among our team must have been at work, for with the exception of Baker, Edwards, and Mills, there was not a batsman in the side who would be likely to be chosen for a real Otago eleven. As it was, Edwards was the only one of these three to show his true form at Invercargill. A total of 87 in the first innings was a lamentable effort. In the second knock great credit is due to Edwards, who played a characteristic innings for 57 not out, made in 46 minutes,,and Grant, whose stubborn, somewhat unattractive, but"mightily useful 41 not out, helped to save the match. Eraser’s performance with the ball for Southland was outstanding—five for 34 off 13 overs, and four for 54 off 15 overs is good going. Fine Bowling by Schoolboy. A remarkably line performance was put up by young Geary, the King’s High School cricketer, in ttl\p match against Waitaki, which Kings won by an innings and 15 runs In Waitaki’s first innings of 68, Geary took four wickets for 22 runs in 10 overs, while in the visitors’ second knock of 83, his figures were six for 18 in 11.5 overs. Mr A. H. Allen, President, Otago has been again honoured by having a representative elected president of the New Zealand Cricket Council. In 193334, the late Mr J. M. Fraser occupied that position, and he was re-elected the following year. During that period Mr Fraser was president of the Otago Association. Now Mr A. H. Allen, who relinquished the presidency of the local body at the last annual meeting, after occupying the chair for four years has been elected as head of the council. Mr Allen has given very valuable service to Otago cricket, particularly in the direction of building up the finances of the association, his pet scheme, the endowment fund, now standing at £7OO. Mr Allen is, as everyone knows. Mayor of Dunedin, and it is interesting to note that both the announced candidates for that office at next year’s election are closely connected with the game of cricket, Mr D. C. Cameron having been president of the Otago Cricket League for a number of years past. It will he interesting, too, to see how each of them scores when opposed to the other, that is, if they both decide to bat. Both Wear Well. There were not many spectators at Garisbrock on King’s Birthday morning when the match between Carisbrook and Oamaru Club teams was begun. To be precise, there were five men and the caretaker’s dog, but all the men were oldtimers, and they welcomed particularly two members of the visiting team—namely, Fred Jones and Carl Zimmerman. The latter still plays regularly in Oamaru, and only on Saturday last scored 70 not out on his first appearance for the season. It is a good many years since this thoroughgoing enthusiast played for Otago, but h 6 was always a useful all-rounder. On Monday his in-swingers had the Carisbrook batsmen all at sea, and he bowled 15 overs (eight maidens) for 19 runs and four wickets. Fred Jones is a real veteran, and it must be 30 years or so since he used to travel to Dunedin from Qamaru every Saturday to keep wickets for -Cnrisbrook B. On Monday last he again donned the pads and shaped very well indeed, running two men out very smartly and stumping one. Primitive Faults. More and more is it borne in upon those who watch our senior cricketers at the batting crease that—at a liberal estimate —not

more than two members of any eleven have any idea of how to use their feet in dealing with the bowling, especially plow bowling, most of which is played while the back foot is firmly rooted behind the popping ci'ease, and the front foot planted straight up the wicket. 'Consequently, “ pulled ” shots are frequent and inelegant strokemaking the rule rather than the exception. 'There are, surely, seasoned and well-coached players in these clubs who could knock this bad fault out of the youngsters. But maybe the youngsters “ know it all,” and will not be told.

Old stagers could name several other faults of which our younger players are guilty—faults which were in years gone by quickly pointed out and eradicated. These include the failure of batsmen at the non-striker’s end to back up; lack of steadiness in bowlers, and bad returning to the wicket by fieldsmen. “ Nearenough ” appears to be the motto nowadays with the majority of cur cricketers. " Yount/ Victoi 1 .” ' Young Vic. Trunipcr, son of the immortal Vic., whose batting exploits are still talked about 25 years after bis passing, and of whom Neville Cardus wrote: “In my memory’s anthology of the delights 1 have known in many years devoted to the difficult but entrancing art of changing raw experience into the connoisseur’s enjoyment of life, I shall place Trumper’s cricket—and thank his immortal shade for it.” This younger Vic. made good in the trial match at Sydney, held to enable the selectors to get a line on form for the representative match against' Queensland. Looked upon as just a fast bowler, young Vic. uphold his reputation in this respect, being regarded by the critics as better than Barry Scott or Lush, the other two speed merchants tried. In addition, however, Trumper made 72 with the bat, and made them well. In this match M'Cabe, who had not been showing particularly good form in club cricket this year, hit up a brilliant 132. O’Reilly was unable to take part in the match owing to an attack of influenza. M'Cabc’s side won froin the eleven led by Human, the ex-English-man, by 144 runs. A Good Story. Here is a good story concerning Ted Wainwright, that fine Yorkshire cricketer who so signally failed to do himself justice when a member of an English team in Australia: “When first I met him at Shrewsbury,” writes Cardua, “ I noticed a curious dent or dingo in his forehead. 1 Where did you got that honorable scar?’ I asked him. "lie proudly replied: ‘At t’ Scarborough Festival; and it won: given me by Ernest Jones, fastest you’ve ever seen, mi lad, and A’in Idlin'’thee. Ah were playing in (’ last match of t’ season —aye it were I’ last afternoon of t’ season, and Ah tries to hook Ernest and Ah iliissecl t’ ball —but she didn’t miss me. Ah got ’er full on t’ front o’ mi yed.’ “ bid it knock you clean out?” I asked him, in my youthful innocence. “‘Knock me clean out?’ he said; ‘knocked me clean out? Why, lad, when Ah come to, a’ b—— cricket season were over, and all t’ battiu’ and bowlin’ averages were in t’ papers. It were a gradely crack—aye, and it were an’ all!’