CRICKET Constable Makes History At Blackball

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 February 1947, Page 9

CRICKET Constable Makes History At Blackball

B. H. Constable, of United A has made history in West Coast cricket by his taking 10 Blackball wickets in one innings. He bowled unchanged completing 25 overs, and the wickets cost 8.4 runs each. Old cricketers questioned on the subject do not recall a previous instance of a bowler taking all 10 wickets in an innings on the West Coast, though it is possible that there has been a similar performance.

■ Constable bowls high-flighted slows, mainly off-breaks, and he depends on flight and length rather than spin to get his victims. He is invariably accurate and any timid approach by batsmen or a favourable wind increases his possibilities considerably. In recent matches he has done well, and it is fair to assume that he will continue to do so. No doubt batsmen will be increasingly wary of him, now that he has emphasised his ability with this unusual achievement. He clean-bowled five of his victims on Sunday, had three 1.b.w., and two caught.

Runanga Leads Competition Runanga is now the leading team in the West Coast Cricket Association’s competition, but four others are within striking distance. The points are as follows: —Runanga 27, Blackball 26; Marist B 25; United A 24; Marist A 22; Cobden 21; Marist C 20 United B 18; Brunner 17; Kaimoto nil.

A Splendid Innings. . Powerful, well-timed and nicely placed hooks and pulls were the outstanding features of the century scored by R. Donaldson for Marist C against Marist A at the Piecreation Ground on Sunday. Much less frequent but probably the most attractive shots he played were square cuts. He played these with the utmost power and they invariably sped to the boundary. In form, as he is now, Donaldson will prove a problem lor any bowlers on the West Coast as he is in the top class. The Marist A bowling is not really strong at any time, but on Sunday Donaldson made it look cheap. A Fine Double.

F. Pascoe has been one of the mainstays of the Blackball team this season, and on Sunday against the then leading team, United A, he turned in highly creditable performances with both bat and ball. His 44 runs assisted materially in his side reaching the good total of 170, and with United at the batting crease he was again Blackball’s star performer, taking six wickets at the low cost of 18 runs, including the “hat trick.” Blackball owes a lot to Pascoe for its success. He is a solid batsman, with excellent defence and scoring shots off the most accurate bowling, and his trundling is always steady and intelligent. Too many bowlers just throw them up, but Pascoe is not one of these. Fleming, though he was not as successful as in some recent matches, gave admirable support to Pascoe. Useful Knock.

S. Garforth had quite a useful knock for Marist A against Marist C on Sunday. There was no incentive to chase runs—the team being left with over 280 runs to get in less than an hour and a-half—and Garforth took the opportunity to get some valuable batting practice. He batted for the hour and a-half for 43 not out, and this should set him on the right road again after a run of “outs.” He still has a bad habit of turning straight ones to the on-side, and his footwork in playing down the wicket is not correct. Garforth’s bowling on Sunday was somewhat disappointing. Conditions were all in favour of the batsmen, and there was no assistance for him in the wicket or atmospheric conditions, but his approach to the.problem of dismissing a good batsman who was obviously in form left something to be desired.

Improved Batting. Runanga now leads the field in the competition, largely through the efforts of its two good bowlers, Kennedy and Baddeley, but on Sunday batsmen in Whitehead and Lee came to light, Lee, practically a novice at the game, for the second match in succession. It was he who turned the scale against Marist C on the previous Sunday. In Sunday’s match against United B Whitehead, a former Westland representative, and no mean cricketer, scored 38 and Lee collected 40 retired. Lee has some unorthodox shots, but he has an eagle eye, and with coaching should develop into a reliable batsman. Bowlers Shine. The match between Kaimoto and Marist B at the Piecreation Ground produced some unusually good bowling figures—six for 36 by D. McKendry off 13 overs for Kaimoto in a score of 133; a total of 11 wickets for 31 by A. Barlow for Marist B; and four for eight by J. Knowles, the Marist B captain. Probably the most meritorious performance of the three was McKendry’s. He had most of the batsmen troubled and they were better batsmen than those with whom the Marist bowlers had to deal. 'Kaimoto, incidentally, showed some improvement in this game, and failed by only five minutes to prevent Marist B securing the outright win.

Delegates Hold Final Meeting Congratulations were extended to; B. Constable, of the United A team, 1 who took all 10 Blackball wickets m, a competition match on Sunday, by i members of the West Coast Cricket Association last evening. It was decided to place on record the accomplishment of this unique feat in West Coast. cricket. x Mr W. Meates presided at the final, delegates’ meeting of the season. Others present were: Messrs J. Badcleley, H. Webb (Runanga); A. Vaughan, A. Knapp (Cobden); W. McNeish. D. Williams, J. Pegley (Brunner); C. Dittman .(United); J. Mathews (Marist); and G. Sansom (S Mr et £ y Howes was elected patron of the association. . The Hokitika sub-association advised that its competition had been won by the Hokitika club and asked the association to arrange a date tor the Grey district competition winners to play Hokitika. . It was resolved that Wingham Cup matches would be ol } a home-and-home basis but that the Barlow Cup would be defended on the holders’ ground. The following West Coast team, chosen by Messrs W. Meates, A. Thomas and A. Vaughan, was selected to play a return match against Buller at Westport on Saturday: W,

’Vincent (captain), R. Donaldson, M. Marshall, H. Westwood, F. Pascoe, R. Lee, L. Lindley, M. Vernon, D. Dewar, A. Vaughan and A. Barlow. G. Morris was not available. The Mai Moa women’s club, Christchurch, wrote congratulating the West Coast women’s team on. its excellent performances at Christchurch and invited the team to take part in the Easter tournament. Mr Meates added his congratulations and thanks were expressed to the team manager, Mr C. Dittman. Discussing a complaint from the Runanga club about the late starting of matches, the secretary said that the matter had been considered frequently. It was now up to the clubs to do their part. The secretary requested that clubs in arrears with their levy fees make an effort to adjust the matter at an early date. The United B team was refused permission to play D. Knapp, of Wellington, in the senior competition, it being pointed out that the rules stated that a two weeks’ residential qualifications must be fulfilled before any outside player could take part in competition matches. Fixtures Arranged For Week-End The following fixtures for the week-end have been announced by the West Coast Cricket Association: Senior. —Blackball, v. United B, Recreation Ground; Runanga v. Brunner. Taylorville; Marist B v. Marist C, Recreation Ground; Marist A v. Kaimoto, Omoto; Cobden v. United A, Cobden. Junior. —Cobden A v. United, Cobden; Cobden B v. Technical High School, Technical ground; Brunner v. Marist High School, Brunner; Runanga v. Marist Old Boys, Recreation Ground. ‘ Women.—United B v. Cobden, Recreation Ground.