CRICKET

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 31 December 1927, Page 10

CRICKET

Dec. 30—Otago v. Auckland, at Auckland. Dec. 31 —-Canterbury v. Wellington, at Wellington. NOTES. G. L. Weir, who captained Mount Albert Grammar School last year, is with Mr. E. C. Beale’s touring team. He is, it is said, likely to be recalled to join the provincial side against Canter, bury. Though only 19, he has been the Eden Club’s most successful bowler. He keeps a fine length with a slaw medium ball, swings from either side, and makes pace off the wicket. He is generally regarded as the most promising bowler discovered locally since Allcott first came into prominence. Weir has no club batting average, as he /has four not-out innings to his credit for 104 runs.

Auckland is very strong this year and the 'City’s cricket followers feel confident tnat on Eden Park wickets Auckland can account for iboth -Otago and Canterbury, and that when the eleven goes South Wellington will have no more than an even chance of neutralising the defeat of last January. The New Zealand batsman, J. E. Mills, of Auckland, has, said Mr. Beale to the writer, returned a vastly improved player. He enforces much more power into his strokes and is altogether much sounder than when he left. Playing at Hamilton this week he hit up a dashing 215. • Daylight saving is said to have given a great fillip to the game in England, and during the past two seasons cricket has been played wherever there is a vacant piece of land. Away in the grey days when W. G. Grace brought his first eleven to Australia, J. A. Bush, also of Gloucester county, was wicket-keeper. Going in against Warrnambool his wicket was skittled first ball, but he helped the umpire to fix it up again, and remarking to the local wicket-keeper, “Somehow, I never could play a trial ball,” went on batting. In a short review on the life of Sir Neville Lyttelton, the spectator happily refers to the important part played by cricket in his career. Such is the soldier’s love of cricket and his respect for those who play well, that it is related his good influence and authority were helped by his being the best cricketer among them, playing on the spirit that makes cricket the best “leveller,” whether in village cricket, in .Hagley Park or garrison matches on matting pitches at Gibraltar.” A tribute to the coaching of E. H. Bowley was paid by -Mr. E. E. Nalder, chairman of the executive committee of the Auckland Cricket Association. In complimenting Whitelaw and Cashmore, the opening batsmen for the Auckland Grammar School, both of whom scored centuries, Mr. Nalder, who was one of the umpires, said that he recognised Mr. Bowley’s coaching in almost all of the boys’ strokes. Whitelaw’s century was also the subject of praise by Mr. De R. Worker, the wellknown New Zealand representative player, who coaches the Napier High School team. The innings, he said, contained only one or two slight blemishes, and was one of the best he had ever played in a school match.

WELLINGTON CLUB RECORD

The score of 557 for nine wickets made by Midland last Saturday week beats by one run the club’s previous record put up against Rivals on January 9, 1897. A photograph was taken of the score-sheet showing the full details of the Midland innings, against Rivals, and one of the copies is in the possession of Mr. R. I . Steele, who was then secretary- of the club, and. who, strangely enough, was present in an official capacity (that of umpire) to see the old record broken last Saturday. The outstanding feature o:f Midland’s big innings in 1897 was the double-cen-tury partnership for the second wicket by Lash and Williams. The latter made 135 and the former 180, and other scores were: S. Tucker 9, Warren 22, Lawes 21, W. Tucker 33, R. Blacklock 28, -Staples 38, Holdsworth 0, Weyboume 40, U-pham 3 ,not out, and “extras” 47; total 556. A method of dismissal very rare in cricket is shown in the details, Blacklock being out for “obstructing the field.” An interesting point about the scores is that many strokes realised five apiece, whilst one hit realised seven runs. In those days much more running between the wiewets was necessary owing to the length of some of the boundaries. Midland’s scorer at the time of the record in 1597 was Mr. I. Ilya ms, whose death occurred recently. PONSEORD’S -GREAT RECORD.

The performance of AY. E. Ponsford is beating his own world’s record score of 429 by compiling 437 for Victoria against Queensland has been on the lips of every’ cricket enthusiast. It was a remarkable performance, a feat that only Ponsford could have accomplished. The nearest approach to the young Victorian’s score is 424, compiled by A. C. MacLaren for Lancashire against Somerset in 1895, and the best score in Sheffield Shield matches until Ponsford made his wonderful score was 365, not out, made by Clem Hill for South Australia against New South Wales. Ponsford has the remarkable record of having made 13 centuries in 18 matches for the Sheffield Shield. The following is a list of his performances in inter-State matches: —

LATE J. V. SAUNDEES

Tt is curious that the past few weeks should have seen the end of the life for several great "crickters of bygone days. The latest is ,T. V. .Saunders, of Victoria and Ail Australia. Saunders will always live in test cricket .history on account of being one of the principal actors in the memorable test match at Manchester, -when England lost by three runs. With eight to win and one wicket, to fall, there was an hour’s interval owing to rain. F. AY. Tate, of Sussex, was England’s last man, and he was tormented for a whole hour, knowing that if he had not dropped Darling in the long-field, the match would have been won. After snicking a good length ball to leg for four, Tate -was sent (o perdition by a shooter from J. V. Saun. ders, and the Kangaroo leaped. ONE-AEMED PL AYEE’S FE AT. A feature of the matches in the Geelong competition, when the fifth round was commenced, was the fine batting of Harrison, the one-armed player of Eastern. AVitli 35 he was top scorer for Eastern, who were all out for 93. Harrison played beautiful cricket, and at times punished the bowlers severely. He scored two four’s and four three’s.

A WOUNDED PHILOSOPHER.

Major AV. Troup, an old Gloucestershire cricketer, who led the county' team after Dr. AV. ,G. Grace quarrelled with the committee, tells a good story about AV.G. ’s popularity. Before a match -at Bristol one day, while “AV.G.’’ was having a knock at the nets, a too inquisitive spectator got in the road of a drive, and the ball struck him in the eye. “AV.G.’’ took him into the pavilion and put in ’one or two stitches, apologising as he did so for having caused the wound. “Oh, don’t apologise, you’ve done me a good turn said the victim.’’ “However do you make that out?’’ said the old champion, and to his amazement the reply’ came, “Just think of - all the free drinks I’ll get-telling the story.’’* It is a happy* man who can thus regard a blow in the ey’e from a cricket ball.

“AVE’LL THEOiAV IT UP.”

Not many cricketers now alive remember, when “Billy’’’ Midwinter played with South Melbourne. There is one, however, who does, and who will keep “Mid’s’’ memory green as long as he can recall any of the incidents of his cricket career. To enjoy’ properly any anecdote that may be told of “Mid,” it is almost necessary to visualise the bulk of him; his apparent leisureliness of movement; the feeling that ho induced in onlookers that he certainly would accomplish this aim; andthe measured manner of his speech. “Mid.” was described in one of the English papers, when he caught AV.G. Grace off Spofforth for 4, in one of the greatest epoch-making matches ever pla,yed as having forecast the result of “Spoff’s” bowling mentality upon Grace’s batting peculiarities, and having “placed” himself for the catch that ho felt certain must come. That was how “Mid.” affected those who watched him. Into the team in which this man played a y-oungster, just out of his teens, found his fortunate way. His pride can -be understood. His ambition to do something worthy’ of his gigantic team mate can be imagined only. South was playing Melbourne. Possibly The y'ouncster got his opportunity, he went into the field in a daze.

In his oral reminiscences he recalls only one incident in the match. AVhether he batted; whether South batted; whether the game was begun, or ended; or whether Midwinter, or others, or he, felt the ground when the earthquake was over lie cannot say. He docs know, however, and is very clear and definite in the memories, that “Mid. ” did bowl one ball; that some M.C.C. batsman —who it was doesn’t matter to him—spooned the very easiest of simple catches to him at square-leg; that in glee, and anticipated pride, lie made one movement of the catch and throw-up—and missed it. There was no hole large enough for him to crawl into, in spite of the terrible shrinkage that he felt, physically’ and mentally', when Midwinter, in characteristic fashion, walked slowly, but with purpose, across to “Jimmy 'Slight, at point, and said in a quiet voice,

which, to the fieldsman whose world had turned upside down, sounded like a roll of thunder: “{Tell him to catch ’em. We’ll throw ’em up!” PRIDE IN YORKSHIRE. Yorkshire cricket crowds are notorious for locinp; one-eyed. Neville Cardus, perhaps the best writer on cricket in England, and certainly the most interestin'g,- recently ■■ told this amusing story. He wrote: “Cricket in Yorkshire is a sort of possession of the elan, a possession jealously regarded. ‘Our lads against t’ world’ is the cry. ,1 once- heard at Sheffield a man picking the England side to play Australia a year or two ago. ‘Well,’ _ he began, “tlia’ wants two good openin’ batsmen, and if Jack Hobbs is gettin’ too old. Percy Holmes num go in with ouir ’Erbert'(Sutcliffe); Then there’s Old roy d; ’e’s a good first wicket feller. And if tha wants a left-hander to stick (it and get runs, wlucre’s anybody better than young Leyland ? For howleirs—well, Kilner and Macaulay pick the’selves, and that can’t leave ‘Wilfred out. Struddy’s gettin’ on in years, _ so my wicket-keeper’s Dophin.’ At this point of our Sheffield man’s argument somebody from Lancashire said, with much sarcasm: “Whv doesn’t t’a nick all f Yorkshire side w T hile tha’s at it, and ‘a‘ don wi ’ dtp’ And the Sheffield enthusiast seemed pained; _ he had not corisciouslv been partisan in his choices. He re all v thought' he wa s 'p icking the best available players for England, w ithon t pre j u d ice • ” BOWLING. Every one cannot be a class bowler, but one thing all can do, and that is to secure the first essential, length. Speaking on this subject, Ponsford says: “The first thing a. lad who desires to succeed as a bowler must learn is to command a length. This is essentially the first and foremost thing in bowling. One has only to spend a few hours in the parks watching the youngsters play to discover that they do not realise that length is essential.- .We find them sending the- halt down fast, or, on the other hand, turning it. either way' without any idea of length. Most of the old length .howlers will tell you that they practised for .hours, just trying to pitch the ball on the same- spot. Some of them beeapie very expert, at this, and could pitch the ball almost on a. shilling piece. as the saying is, five times out of six. A good idea. is to mark a spot on the wicket which will give you a good length hall, and concentrate on this until you can say that you have complete control of your length.” FIELDING. There is no doubt at all that the art of fielding is not being cultivated as was the case somei years ago. One sees or reads of in every representative cricket match instances of faulty work that never should occur. This wa.s very marked in the hast Hawke Cup fixture this week, and is reported from every centre. Then, there is the outstanding instance of the weakness of the New Zealand team a® stressed by friendlv critics at Home. Surely it were worth

while for the associations and clubs to take rip the matter and- decide that practioe- shall be essential and that players will not be selected unless they are safe and: accurate and speedy in the fieri. It‘is proved in every match that hosts of runs are lost and many wickets not secured by faulty work in the field. But the move must come first from the clubs, for rep. matches are only a reflex of the various clubs.

JESSOP THE CROUCHER. At a. time wnen Gilbert Jessop. was the star attraction in Engish cricket and nearly every week .saw him hit up a century in even time or better, a busy-Englishman wrote to “The Times” complaining that having on three separate occasions'snatched a few Fours from business in the hope of seeing “the eroueher” in action he was most stupidiv deprived of the- pleasure because “some idiot in the outfield must needs catch him out just when Jessop was settling down, or rather, warming up

to his work.” In his.young days, the writer added, fieldsmen were not so particular as they are how about holding everything that comes their way, no matter what the consequences to the poor spectators may be. He related how one of the fie’dens in an Ox-ford-Cambridge match offered this* memorable excuse for a dropped catch, “Sorry, Walter, I was looking at a lady setting; out of a drag.” and he went on to remark how, in addition to showing the* more light-hearted spirit the game was conducted in in those days, the incident seemed to prove that the beauty of the cousins and* sisters of Victorian undergraduates was no less remarkable than that' of their Georgian grandchildren. That there were giants .in those days is (shown in the following quatrain:

There were spelndid cricketers then,

vou know; There were splendid cricketers then; The little drove for a mil© or so,- - And the tallest drove for ten.

In. N.O. JT.S. Huns. Avge. X.'S.W. .. 11 '2 352 1969 111.77 S. Aus. . . 1C. 0 214 1230 77.28 Queensland n 0 437 964 19.2.80 Tasmania a n 429 591 295.50 W. Aus. . . i 0 15S 158 158.00 35 o 437 4018 121.76