CRICKET.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 1 November 1924, Page 11

CRICKET.

FIXTURES FOR. NEXT SATURDAY. Nov. v. Okaiawa, at Okaiawa; Excelsior v. Stratford, at Hawera; Manaia v. Patea at Patea.; Eitham, a bye. ’ Conditions were not too favourable for the pursuit of the summer game last Saturday. A cold wind blew acrossfield and towards the end of the day cold showers came over. The wickets on the Hawera ground were on the slow ride, but were easy. Owing to greater preparation of the turf, the matting was dispensed with, and marked a great improvement oh last season. The three senior fixtures were played and in the Okaiawa-Manaia. and Stratford-Eltham games the excitement at the end was intense. Okaiawa went down to Manaia by one run, while Stratford still had ten runs to get when the last man was in at call of time. Excelsior proved 100 good for Midland and showed that they have a strong team, which will test out the 0t x> er , teaiK to the fullest extent • B. McCarthy is again leading the Excelsior and has a better fielding and bowling side to work this season. Fulton was top scorer for Excelsior wLth 79. He gave a sharp chance to IJalgleish in the slips when about 20. but made his runs all round the wicket. Bernard, in getting 45, had a rocky start, but improved greatly later and made some powerful strokes, mostly on the leg ride. Rev. Monaghan made 31 briskly, chiefly by means of hooks. His play on the off was not <so good as usual as he seemed to be feeling for them a bit. . ip getting 15 not out showed improved form, and with a little more confidence and practice will do well. McCarthy got a good one from J. Davies early on which took the off bail. Crombie, a new man from Palmerston North, did not get a chance, as he was cleverly stumped by Thomas in the second over. MeNaughton, a left-hander, shows distinct promise, and will be an acquisition, as lie is also a good field Nielsen, with 35, displayed a eourfd de.ence for Midlands. He made some rather good strokes round the on side. J. Davies was shaping well when he tried to hook one of Hendry’s and was caught at mid-on. ’ V> 10 .i® the • captain of Midlands, w*as going splendidly when he put his leg in front. Tiddy hit lustily in getting 13. The Midland bowling yvax not strong Neilsen getting the best figures with’ three for 52. Davies, who bowled the best, only got one for 26, while Goring got one for 26 also. McCarthy was well on the spot for Excelsior ip getting five for 20. Hendry, a new slow left-hander with a natural turn from the off (which is unusual) got two for 34. He would do better over the wicket I think, and with better control of length would he a nasty man to meet. Fulton got two for 0, both 1.b.w., and Monaghan got one for 14. Ihe fielding of both sides was quite good for an opening match. The Manaia side seems to have apenchant for close finishes in their opening matches, getting 78 against Okaiawa’s 77. Betts 31 and Pratt 24 got more than their share of the runs for Okaiawa, and both played very well indeed. Betts is a very promising young' player and bids fair to develop into a firstclass hat. McMahon got 33 not out for Manaia very briskly, and showed that he will have to be reckoned with by the bowlers. i Dr. Maun.sell did not go far, only getting 14. When he strikes form again he will get as. many runs as ever. "Watson, a new man from Oamaru, and Roberto each got a valuable 10. The bowlers were well on top. Hughes, for Manaia, got four for 17, Watson two for 21, Sherlock, one for 10 and Bairstow one for 26. Thomas, for Okaiawa, bowled well in getting five for 22. Penny took four for 24 and Pratt one for 15. Okaiawa are a bit weak in batting this year and do not look likely to keep their record of last year intact. Manaia are a pretty fair side, and when shaken down will keep things moving. Eitham did not manage to beat Stratford, although at one time it looked as if they would come out on top. Eitham is an improved side this season, and in making 105 the side did well on the day. Phiipotts maintained his good form of last year in getting 37. Little is most consistent and oan be relied on at all times. His 34 was well made and was a most valuable innings.

nemmgwav, with 10, sl«y> shaped well.

Cole 31 and Furrie 25 were the backbone of the Stratford side. Both played well, and even though veterans are still good for a lot of runs. Cole was also to the fore in bowling, getting five for 26. Young gave him great assistance and took three for 11. Byrne was not so successful a.s usual, only one wicket falling to him for 34.

Tjittle got two for 8 for Eltham, Priest three for 18. Philpotts two for 25, and Donnelly one for 14. They are all steady bowlers who have to be played, and the last-named, a promoted junior, should develop into a good bowler with time. The bowling was much better than the batting, and some of the bowlers got good figures. In. the junior match at Hawera, Vinnicombe hit very freely while making 411 not out. McCarthy jun., made 21 not out for the Excelsior B. This colt is making rapid progress and will

make a good player if he sticks to it. Soundy 16 and Mills 13 also played briskly in getting their runs. Mahoney three for 3 for Midlands, Busing three for 30, Wells four for 23, McKenzie five for 20 were the successful ones, and all bowled quite well. WELLINGTON RESULTS ~ Petone, 153, beat Thorndon, 108 (Finlayson six for 40). Y.M.C.A., 274 for six wickets (Westbrook 81), • beat Wellington, 203 (Henderson five for 62). Institute, 257 for four wickets (declared), (Dempster 92, Prince 75), drew with Old Boys, 98 for eight. (Badcoek three for 29), Midland, 149 (Grant 70), Beard six for 41, drew with Hutt,. 68 for three wickets (McGirr 44 not out). CHRISTCHURCH GAMES. After two postponements owing to rain the Canterbury Cricket Association’s eorppetitions commenced in beautiful summer weather. The wickets were decidedly heavy, and the bowling had the upper hand throughout. linwood, playing against "West Christchurch, made 149 (0. L. King 40). Cooks took five wickets for 32 runs and R. C. Blunt four for 41. West Christchurch collapsed, being all out for 59 (Ward 15). Russell took seven wickets for 27 runs. Sydenham, playing against Riccqrton, made 68 (McEwen 22). Rex secured six wiekete for 21 nms. Riccarton lost eight wickets for 121. St. Albans made 122 against East Christchurch (Brunt-on 50)! “Gregory took three wickets for 24 runs, Weston three for 21. East Christ chinch made 60 for the loss of five wickets. AUSTRALIAN BOWLERS. (“Not Out” in Referee.) Mailey secured five for 75, and deserved them—he has not bowled, to my view*, so ably for some years. His length was excellent; he was deceptive in flight, and mixed in the hosey ball adroitly. If this form be kept up he must be a successful Test match bowler, and a pretty good one a.t that. Gregory bowled very nicely, with plenty of pace at the start, and without luck, but when he pame on again after cooling down he did not. plap on his top speed, and in chasing the ball, moved a trifle stiffly. But he is all right. Kelleway bowled as accurately as usual, arid Nothing, at medium pace, . was steady. But New South Wales needs a good slow to medium right-hand howler, able to spin them — there are too many swerving bowlers. The fielding was good, with some of the men brilliant, Kipp ax and Taylor returning finely from the outfield, and others —Macartney, Andrews, and Collins —being most accurate close in. HOWELL BENEFIT MATCH. (Referfee.) From ©very point of view the, N® ll * South Wales v. An Australian Eleven match proved successful. It will bring a handsome cheque to W. P. Howell; and it has done much to bring out the form of a number of the leading players—bowlers as well as batsmen. The one regret is that the leading Victorians did not participate. It would have been immensely helpful to them, and nobody seems to understand why the V.C.A. turned down the match. H. L. COLLINS. (By “Not Out,” in Referee.) Herbert L. Collins, appointed by the Board of Control captain of Australia for the coming Test matches with England, has qualified in the stern school of cricket as successor to Warwick Armstrong, the most successful leader Australia ever had in matches of this type. ; Collins is a product of Paddington in cricket. As a little chap in knickers lie played with the Glenmore Road school, and in those days put in much time with bat and ball on the Hampden Park Oval. Contemporary with Victor Trumper and M. A. Noble in the Paddington eleven, he Was overshadowed by the giants of the time, who were his elders, but he absorbed a very fine knowledge of the game and developed no inconsiderable powers as a player.

The higher cricket development of Cojlins took place when he assumed the leadership of the A.I.F. team on their historic campaign in England at the close of the war. That combination made the reputation of some notables of, this day, and established Collins as a captain of undoubted skill qnd a batsman of class, with a temperament for big cricket rarely equalled, and perhaps never surpassed. It is an extraordinary fact, and one eminently to the credit* of Collins, that while other batsmen, such as Macartney and Bardsley, have created a greater glamour round their names; Collins lias built up the finest record ever achieved by an Australian in the Tests : with England, not even incomDarable Trumper, the wonderful Clem Hill, or any of the others having scored so heavily on the average. Moreover, Collins has done this while opening the innings against the red ball swervers. We believe that as captain he has yet to reach his absolute best, and if this be proved so, England should not have any advantage in leadership in the coming tilts for the Ashes. In Tests against England Collins has scored 628 runs in eight matches, at an average pf 52.33, without the help of a not out. Unpretentious, observant, shrewd, a good judge, and a team cricketer through and through, Australia is fortunate to have in H. L- Collins such an experienced and urim fighter to lead the side in defence of the Ashes. ARTHUR E. R. GTLLIGAN, “LIVE WIRE.” (By a Friend.) A live wire, a man with an unbounded store of energy and enthusiasm, and the inestimable gift of imparting it to others—that is Arthur Edward Robert Gilligan, the man who is leading the English cricketers in Australia. - His is not an easy task. But of one thing be sure—nothing will ever ruffle him, for he has a big heart, and a broad mind, and may be trusted to do what he thinks right in any circumstance.

Medium in height, youthful in appearance, with fair hair and a complexion burnt brick-red by the sun. Gilligan. who will not be 30 years of age until next December, is probably the youngest skipper England has ever had. It is a rare honour for him that he is chosen for this proud post at the same time that he is making his debut in Test match cricket over here.

But Arthur Gilligan has crowded a vast amount of experience into his five seasons of first-class cricket in England and his season in South Africa with- the last M.C.C. team.

Since IT. L. Wilson retired from the Sussex captaincy,, and Arthur Gilligan was offeTed the post, the way in which he has made his personality felt has impressed all cricketers. iHis ardour is

infectious. He radiates it everywhere. There is no happier family than the Sussex team.

Gilligan has a word of encouragement for everyone. He calls them all by their Christian names. To look at him at work is to understand what joie tie vivre means. •

Watch him fielding gt mid-off: He does not remain still, like a ‘/little mound of earth.” He is on-his toes all the while, anticipating, and nothing is too hard for him to stop. Someone said at Lord’s on Whit Monday that even if there had been no good batting or bowling to see, to watch Sussex field was full value for your shilling. Gilligan’s catch that dismissed F. T. Mann will long be talked about.

Gilligan has a quaiiit habit of carrving a little solid rubber ball in his blazer pocket, and /when he isi in the pavilion he will bounce and catch it in all. manner of unexpected places. To while away hours of rain. he and his brother, and one or two others, will often play French cricket in the dressing room—to “keep their eye in.” As they play it it is a strenuous form of exercise.

So highly did Arthur Gilligan impress. the South Africans when lie was out with the M.C.C. that, told he was going to captain England, one of the Africans exclaimed: “We’re jolly glad. He’s the whitest mgp.■ we have ever met,”