CRICKET

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 16 January 1926, Page 12

CRICKET

'IMPORTANCE- OF FIELDING. A remarkable- thing that has ‘always struck me about English cricket is the comparative unimportance attached to fielding. It seems to me that a man is chosen first and foremost because he can bat or bowl. The question whether he is an indifferent field or not appears to be quite a secondary matter, and the point is seldom debated whether he may not give away more runs than ho is worth. In conversation with several of the Yew Zealanders after the- conclusion of the game against Victoria, it was soon seen that they were far from being downhearted (writes J.W. in the Australasian). They readily admitted that Victoria was minus the services of Ponsford, Woodfull, ' Ryder, and Blackie, and they expressed regret at not playing against thefn; but, taking the team as they found it, they considered that, except for the batting of Hendry and the-bowling of Ebeling, they had no reason to be disappointed at their own cricket, especially as their fielding was superior to that of -the home men. And I certainly must agree with them. With the exception of the two men mentioned, they were equaly as good in all departments as were the Victorians. Like our Western friends they soon fell to the fact that the paey up and down stuff is of little avail on our wickets, though they naively remarked that Victoria also had a plethora of that class of attack. In their opinion Hendry is the- best batsman they had played against, Ebeling the best fast bowler-, with Oxenham, of Queensland, the trickiest slow bowler they . had yet encountered. They are watching every, thing closely, and will be a greatly improved team at the end of the tour. Says the; Melbourne Herald of Blunt: “One New Zealander stood right out from the others’ against Victoria. R. C. Blunt is of medium height and slim physique, but he is a batsman. As be hit the Victorian, bowling about in the second innings of the visitors, one could not- help regretting that his home is not here, for fiis batting was not surpassed in the match, even by that of Hendry. He has no mannerisms at the wicket, is after runs all the time, and has all the strokes in his repertoire. “An international wasted” is the way one veteran put it. Blunt is also a- good slow howler and an excellent fieldsman.”

CHEERIO, AUSTRALIA! LONDON, Dec. 22. Gilligan, captain of the last English XI in Australia, is thirty-one- tomorrow. Admirers in Sydney and Melbourne have cabled him the following mesage: “Australia sends you happiest birthday and Christmas wishes and . best ‘cheerios.’ Sending you new coin.” Gilligan replies witli heartiest thanks. “It is,” he says, “one of the greatest- compliments ever -paid me. But not so much about a new coin. Collins did the spinning; I only called. Tell .‘Herbie’ to bring, two or three coins in 1926. “I’ve been following the performances of Australians very closely, and I still think England’s chances of winning the ashes are good. I was delighted with Hendry’s record score against New Zealand, as I like him very much. “Cheerio, Australia! A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.” A RECORD BREAKER, Percy Holmes, like Roy Kilner and Herbert Sutcliffe, plays for Yorkshire, and is almost a certainty to turn out in the tests against Australia, Last season at Home he achieved the distinction of making 315 not out- against Middlesex, and so breaking the highest individual score ever made at Lord’s. The record has stood for 105 years. CRICKET IN PACIFIC ISLANDS. Mr. Phil Payton, of the Lord Howe Island cricket team, sends the followin tr story of their jaunt across the Pacific Ocean, hundreds of miles, tlieir matches at Norfolk Island, the- enthusiasm of the sportsmen of both Islands, and ‘the love for the game implanted in them. These islands are lonely Pacific outposts, rearing their palm crests above the seas, and the last place in the- world where one would expect to see cricket played.

CURRENT EVENTS. GREAT SCORE BY NEW ZEALAND. No Dominion team could hope to successfully challenge the best of the State teams in Australia and so the selected opponents on the other side in the big matches did not include the leading players. But the teams the New Zealanders met were very good combinations and comprised mostly players just below the front rankers. There were, however, several players who were knocking at the door of the international team and the performances of the tourists, which were on the whole eminently satisfactory, have shown that New Zealand lias achieved a distinct niche in the world of cricket in the Southern Hemisphere. Queensland certainly licked them badly, but each of the other test matches was an honourable draw in which the scoring was large and fairly even. New Zealand .has every reason to be proud of the achievements of her chosen eleven. They had against them two players who were chosen to go to England and it is quite likely there will be another. NEW ZEALAND FIELDING. SPLENDID DISPT/AY. Comments on some of the leading features have been made as below: The New" Zealand fielding helped the bowlers considerably and was easily superior to the Victorian. Hardly a ball was missed along the ground, and the backing-un and throwing-in were first-rate. Even at the end of a gruellino- day, the fieldsmen were still cutting them at the fence and saving fours, and the visitors won golden opinions from everyone for their grit and determination. It was almost impossible to individualise, for every man in the team was on Ins toes right through, and the spectators were not slow to show their appreciation HENDRY’S GREAT INNINGS.REAL CHAMPION. Hendry’s was a masterly innings the knock of the champion he undoubtedly is. He took charge of the New Zealand attack from the start, and played practically every shot, and played it well. His off-shots were

particularly severe, and when the field was packed to stop these he showed his resource by playing the ball hard to the on-side' The way. in which he used his feet and got on top of the hall outside the off-stump was an ob-ject-lesson', and the New Zealanders were the first to congratulate him on his success. He did not give a chance until lie was 280, when he was obviously caught behind the wicket off Cunningham, but was given not out.. His 325 is easily a record against New Zealand, and should strengthen considerably his claims for inclusion in the Australian side.