Cricket: Colts' Team to Enter Competition

Evening Star, Issue 25944, 8 November 1946, Page 5

Cricket: Colts' Team to Enter Competition

Future Asset for Province

There is, after all, to be a Colts’ team in the grade competitions. It appeared as though the project was to be allowed to fall through owing to reluctance on the part of the clubs to nominate suitable young players for places in the team, also to characteristic reluctance on the part of the O.C.A. Committee to assert its authority and deal firmly with the matter. It was pointed out by the chairman at this week’s meeting that “ there was an uneven number of teams entered for the intermediate grade, and that had a decision been reached at the previous meeting the Colts’ team would have been rejected.” Which prompted Mr W- A. Hadlee to express amazement that this entry, which .was made in accordance with the association’s stated policy, should have been regarded as the eleventh entry and not the first. Mr Hadlee, who has been an enthusiastic advocate of the idea of a colts’ team, pressed the question, and it was eventually agreed to definitely include one in the intermediate grade, Mr E. Downes stating on behalf of the Grade Committee that his committee would see that players were secured to complete the eleven. Women Cricketers’ Grievance. The woman cricketers of Dunedin, as well as certain other sporting bodies, appear to have a genuine grievance over the manner in which the reshuffling of playing grounds has been conducted by the Reserves Committee of the City Council. Having been granted wickets on the Oval for seve-

ral years past, and even having, on one occasion, to call in the police to evict “ squatting ” League teams, they have themselves hoav been totally evicted and sent to Bathgate Park, which is anything but an ideal cricket ground, and certainly not one upon | which our women cricketers can be ex--1 pected to develop form good enough to ■.win interprovincial matches. The City Council does not seem to be dealing i very happily with the sports question. I Hutt’s Way Of Doing It. A position peculiarly akin to that ' in which the Otago Cricket Association found itself. when called upon to decide the constitution of the senior grade faced the executive of the'Hutt Valley Club when a similar problem had to be solved. But the administrators of the northern body handled the- matter in a more practical Avay. In the case 'of.Hutt Valley, seven entries were received, but it was decided to limit. the number of teams to six. Then came the question of Avliich to leave out. The Hutfc club, like Carisbrook, had entered two teams, and when the matter of playing strength had been considered it was decided that the club Avas entitled to senior status for them both, and the Trafalgar Park team ‘Avhich had Avon the premiership last season, was -omitted, because the club had feAV young cricketers in . its ranks and | not enough teams in the various : grades. The former objection particularly is l one which A\-ould apply to North-cast Valley, avlio had the added disadvantage . of being last season’s weakest side in the first grade. Robertson Plays For Petone. G. J. Robertson, former Dunedin and/Otago all-rounder, began the season in impressive form for Petone against Petone United in the Hutt Val-

ley Cricket Association’s senior competition. United had first use of the Avicket, and declared’ Avitli five Avickets doAvn for 202, of Avhicli ,). Capstick made 105 not out. Robertson, boAvling in characteristically steady fashion, sent down 21 overs, of Avhich four Avere maidens, for 37 runs and tA\-o Avickets. Then Avhen Petone batted Avickets fell rapidly, four being doAvn for 14 runs. “ Robbie,” hoAvcver, hung on, and made top score, 23 run out, in a total of 107. In the second round, too, lie took four of the first Taita Avickets that fell at a cost of 18 runs, boAA'ling 15 overs (five maidens). Almost Larwood’s Pace.

T. L. Pritchard, former Wellington representative fast boAvler, Avas right in the ucaa’s in England last summer. He Avas qualifying for Wanvickshire and recorded several impressive performances. The latest edition of ‘The Cricketer ’ includes a reference to Pritchard’s fine effort against the Indians.

“ Conditions were right against Pritchard,” says the report, “ but in spite of a soft pitch, greasy ball, and insecure foothold, he Avorfccd up and maintained a fine pace, and slm-ed uhusual accuracy for a bowler of his speed. Dollory, who played against Pritchard in Italy, considers that on a fast Avicket Pritchard Avonld be faster than any other boAvler in the country, and that his speed is not far short of LnrAvood’s.

“ Pritchard rarely drops a ball short, and keeps the batsmen playing by attacking the stumps all the time. In seven balls first thing on the'second dav at Edgbaston, he set India on the dofensive by bowling Harare, Mankad. and Mahomed Avithout conceding a run. A fast boAvler’s analysis of 43-19-46-4 in one innings speaks for itself.”