CRICKET

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 10509, 13 February 1928, Page 3

CRICKET

REMARKABLE CHARGE. ENGLISH CCACii NO-BALLED. UNFAIR METHODS ALLEGED. NEWMAN’S REPLY. (Speoial to the Times.) CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 9. A remarkable example of ill-advis-ed action by an umpire occurred in a senior game at Christchurch oil Saturday' v.feek.' J. Newman, Canterbury’s “coach” from England, who, for many years has performed prominently in first-class games at Home, was the player concerned. Newman wears a smooth rubber cap on the little finger of liis l'.glit hand, this acting as a protection to this member which lias been broken no less than three times. When Newman was bowling one umpire, who stated that he was acting under instructions from the Canterbury Umpires’ Association, no-balled him a number of times oil the ground that the finger -stall assisted liim in obtaining an off-break, in effect, the. bowler uas accused of unfair practice.

When ho was about to begin his first over, Newman was asked to remove the stall, the umpire warning him that, if lie did not, he would be no-balled. Newman complied with the request and, at the end of the over, when going to field in the slips, he replaced the stall, in the course of Lho next over or to, Newman forgot about the stall and went to bowl vi.th it still on his finger. He was no-balled and neither lie, nor the spectators,-therefore, could for a tunc, understand what the trouble was, as it was obvious that the trundler was not dragging Ins loot.. Ultimately, the umpire gave an explanation. Thenceforth Newman bowled without the stall.

Interviewed on the matter, Newman plainly showed that he was hurt by this unfair allegation. “I feel that i have been accused of unfair practice,” be said, - “but there is a mis-statement of fact, because of insufficient evidence. “Because of the little finger of my right hand having been broken three times, I am naturally a little nervous about receiving a blow on it, the more so because it is very crooked, and the tip of it stands practically perpendicular to the palm of my hand. “To obviate the possibility of another painful injury, i wear a stall, smooth, rubber cap on the tip of itSome person or persons unknown to me have made a complaint to the Umpires’ Association, accusing me of using; the rubber cap as an aid to bowling my off-break. I am afraid that the person or persons by whom I am accused can have very r little knowledge'of spin bowling or, at least, of the methods of spinning an off-break. “in the first place, it is a practical impossibility to spin the ball with off-break with the Jittlo finger. Also, if one desired to resort to unfair methods, one would certainly not use, as a substitute, to get a better gnp on the ball, something with a slippery surface, such as my protector has. “If anyone is interested, I would be extremely grateful if he would get into communication, with any of the following:—Messrs C. T. B. Turner, Hugh Trumble, and M» A. Noble. These are without doubt three of the greatest, if not actually the greatest, off-break bowlers the world lias ever known. He should ask them if it is not an utter impossibility to make any use of the little linger in bowling an off-break. “The injuries to my finger have happened since the war, but I am glad to say that there are at present in this country two cricket colleagues of mine who played against me before the war. They will tell you whether in those days I could spin the ball or not. They are B. B. ’Wilson, who is coaching at New Plymouth, and who was opening batsman for Yorkshire many seasons before Holmes and Sutcliffe ever came into the cricket limelight, and E. K. Bowlev, who is coach to the Auckland Cricket Association. “If any further reference is needed I should refer inquirers to ‘‘Pat” Hendren. who is in Adelaide, and who made his debut nearly at the same time as myself. “J am willing for any members of the Umpires’ Association to come to Hagley Park, and I will show them that I can spin the ball without having to resort to, unfair methods.” Incidentally, the Canterbury Cricket Association have re-engaged Newman for next season. COMPETITION GAMES. LOW SCORING. That bowlers were in the ascendancy in the competition games at the Oval on Saturday is indicated by the small scores, 170, compiled by School, being the highest total. High School secured a three-point win over City by 31 runs; T.uranganui had a threepointer over Gisborne, winning by an innings and 31 runs; Celtic defeated Old Boys on the first innings; and Civil Service won by five wickets against Poverty Bay, thus securing a three-point win. . HONORS BOARD. —Batting.— H. F. Forster (Gisborne) o 3 G. JV Robertson (Old Boys) ... 4.1 —Bowling..-—-J. Griffiths (Civil Service) ... 0 for 24 E. 'Harvey (Timmganui) ... 5 for 32 R. McKinley (Civil Service) 4 lor 19 A. Owen (School) ... 4 lor 26 1”. Roots (City) 4 for 36 F. ' Bennett (Celtic) ! 4 for 43 TURANGANUI v. GISBORNE. TUR A NG AN UI. First Innings ... ... ... 199 GISBORNE, First Innings <i(J —Second Innings.— Balfour, e Winter, 1> McLeod ... 1 ! Forster b Harvey 63 Clirisp, b Harvey '. ... 10 Greig, b-Harvey ... ... ... ... .11 McGregor, not out 12 Clifton, b Harvey.... 0 Gam brill, e McLeod, b Olsen ... 18 Seddou, c McLeod, li Jennings ... 3 MoOullough, b Jennings ... ... 0 Thompson, st. Steiner b Harvey 1 Haslop, b Jennings 1 • J Extras 6 'Total . •... 116 Bowling: .McLeod one for 61, Harvey fire for 32, O. B, Olsen one for 16, Jennings three for two. CELTIC v. OLiD BOYS. ; 'U : ; CELTIC. First Innings ... ... 363 OLD BOYS . —First Innings,— G. J. Robertson, b Bennett ... 41 Lockett, 1> Guthrie 28 Sohwabe, b. Bennett ... ... 7 Winter, e B. Scholium, b J Scliol- ■ . lum 0 0 -Dow,' ' b Bennett ... ... 6 Kay, Tv, Guthrie 1 Edwards st. Scholium b Scholium 42 Kemp, not out, 18 Williamson, b J. Scholium 1 I voss, b Bennett ... ••• 14. Smith, 1> Outline ... 1 Extras ". . ... 6 Total ■ / ’ .... v>. 169 Bowling: F. Bennett four for <L q Guthrie three for , 42, J.- Sf-hollivn-tb’—e for 32; Robinson none for 2.1, MbLaughlin none for 16.

—-Second Innings.— Kemp, bJ. Scholium ... ... ... 12 Kay, c Scholium, b Guthrie ... 0 Dow, c and h Bennett ... • 2 Lockett, c Grant, b Scholl urn .... 36 Robertson, lbw., b Robinson 21 Edwards, c and b Bennett ... ... 2 Winter, b Robinson ..18 Ivess not ofit 13 Schwabe, not out 4 Smith, b Robinson 0 Extras • 4 Total for 8 wickets 112 Bowling: Guthrie one for 53, Bennett two for 28, J. Scholium two for 9, Grant none for 8, McLaughlin none for ]£>, Robinson three for two. HIGH SCHOOL v. CITY. HIGH SCHOOL. • 4 First Innings 139 —Second Innings.— 15. Dow, h Roots ... ... 24 E. James b Roots 19 T. Turbitt, run out ... 6 L. Thomsen,-b Roots ... ... ... 3 J,. Hensley, o Dew, b Ingram ... 21 C. Lowndes, b Wilson 33 G. Pocock, not out 36 A. Lockett c Matthews b Ingram 7 A. Owen, c Fraser, i> Ingram ... 4 M. Bright, b Roots 3 U. Morrison, b Baker 10 Extras 10 Total U' 1 Bowling: P. Dow none for 7, P. Roots four for 36, O. Fraser none for 7, IT. Wilson one for 4,1, A. Bake; one for 4.1, A. Ingram three for 28. CITY. First Innings 80 —‘Second Innings.— P. Dow, c Pocock, bE. Dow ... £ * 11. Wilson, c Pocock, b Dow ... ! O. Fraser, h Owen 34 A. Haisnian. b Owen 3 1 A. Dow, 1> Owen I J. Ellis, b Pocock ... ... 1 A. Ingrain l , c Moinisou, b Owen 1 P. Roots, b James ... ... ... 18 A. Baker, c Lowndes, b Morrison 9 R. Matthews, b Morrison .... ... 3 J. Martin, not out 1 Extras ~ 9 Total ... 124 Bowling: G. Pocock one lor 29, E. Dow two for 37, A. Owen lour for 20, E. James one lor 14, R. Morrison two for 15. POVERTY BAY v. CIVIL SERVICE Poverty Bay. in .their first innings compiled 118 and dismissed Civil .'service for 133. Poverty Bay s second innings was a procession, the whole side being out for 44. Griffiths finishing with the excellent average of six for 24. Civil Service gained the required 99 runs to win, lor the loss of five wickets. GRADE CRICKET IN N.S.W. ''United Press Assn.) (Received Fe.’l. 12. 5.5 n.m.) SYDNEY, Fob. 11. For the grade cricket the wickets Were heavy after the rain and the scoring generally low. For St. George against North Sydney, Loudon made 175; for Nortli Sydney, Vincent made 73; for Manly against University, Gwynne- made 106. Bowling for Western Suburbs against Paddington Papain took twelve for 76; for Randwick against Balmain Carter took seven for 82; lbr University Jones teoh six for 60.