CRICKET

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 21 January 1928, Page 10

CRICKET

LOCAL COMPETITIONS. NOTES AND COMMENTS. Very keen interest is being shown in the competitions this year, perhaps more than ever before. Though it was feared by some than the running of so many senior teams would lower the standard, this has not been the case, and some of the brightest cricket has been seen this year, better than for some time. And, in addition, one very interesting feature lias been the bringing out of many young players and their improved play, a feature that would have been impossible while tuey were playing juniors. The results nave more than justified the experiment of Sub-dividing all the players as was necessary to get the teams. It has also created a keener spirit of co-operation amongst the school players and the Old Boys, and has given much more opportunity for players to take part in the game. There have been many visiting teams this season and numbers of tourists keen on sport, and with one voice they have complimented the town on having such a fine cricket ground and ebmmended the Borough Council for their interest in and fostering of the sport. The cricketers are exceedingly fortunate. The ground has been a decided factor in mcreas ing enthusiasm in the game. The suggestion has been made on more than one occasion that as many matches as possible should be played in Hawera, just because of the groundThat was responsible for changing tne Old Boys v. Eltham match to Hawera, and it may be stated that all enjoyed the play here. A visiting player expressed approval of the utmost use being made of the Park ground. An interesting presentation of close on fifty years ago was recalled at the time of the cricket jubilee in Hawera some months ago, when records of all kinds were being gathered. This was a very handsome clock, of most unusual design, presented to Mr W. G. White, on the occasion of his marriage on November 10, 1879, by Hawera cricketers. Centuries do not “gmw on every bush 7 ’ in Taranaki, and the fine score »of 125 not out by Cyril Lash last Saturday is worth special mention. Ho can generally be depended on to get runs and this was a specially good effort because he played throughout the •whole innings and might have got the double century had there been anyone to stay with him. His ability to score is perhaps inherited, for many good totals stood to the credit of E. Lash, in former 'years.

This year will be of special and outstanding importance and interest to Australia and New Zealand for there will be a first-class touring team m both Dominions. A very fine combination of Australians will tour New Zealand, commencing on February, as soon as the Plunket Shield matches are completed, at Dunedin, and playing two tests, at Dunedin and Auckland. There will be a match against Taranaki at New Plymouth on March 7 and 8, and. against Wanganui on March 9 and 10.

Then the English team -will he in Australia at the end of the year and the beginning of the next year, to defend Australia’s challenge lor the “Ashes.” The most interesting feature -will be the taking of a Test from Sydney and giving it to Brisbane. Melbourne alone will get two. • The oftener one watches the various matches the more one is impressed with the failure of the majority of the bowlers to acquire length. Bowlers “rock” them down with all their power or try the break, from off oi from leg, but seem to forget that ail this is useless unless they can combine with it a correct length. As a fact, given ordinarily decent batting, the length bowler will give more trouble thuu tlie fust or tlie breuk. This fact was demonstrated very clearly in one particular instance a week ago. Without length there can be no success* This want of length is not confined to this country. An Australian critic comments on it and adds that the cultivation of the swerve is not doing anv good to our cricket. Any ordinary bowler, even third-grade juniors, can swing the new ball by holding it correctly. While the gloss is retained the “swinger” comes easily, and early batsmen are always in danger. The ease with which it can be bowled, and the temporary power which it gives over batsmen has caused many young bowlers to rush in to this style. As a result spin bowlers —who always were, and always will be, the most useful bowlers on any side —are not being developed. Australia would j?ive all its swervers for another McKibbin or Turner. That cricketers must consider business as well as sport was emphasised by Mr Dan Eeese, chairman of the Management Committee of the New Zealand Cricket Council, in addressing the conference of delegates. It had been suggested that when oversea teams are in New Zealand three test matches be played instead of two as at present, but Mr Reese argued that that would create difficulties in regard to securing leave of absence for players. If they were not careful, he said, some day they would have employers who would not have cricketers in their business.

The captain of the Otago team that 'went North was enthusiastic over the personnel of the team, and on his return stressed the great value of good fielding. This point has cropped up so often that it will be worth quoting his words. “We realised on this tour how essential good fielding is, and the team has come to the conclusion that a good fielding side with moderate bowling and batting strength will beat sides which are stronger in their bowling and batting, but lacking in fielding ability, and we would recommend to the association that certain nights be set aside for fielding practice for .players selected for representative practice. While our team did exceedingly well in this department of the game, there is still much room for improvement, and it appears to be keen to perfect itself in this department of the game. I think the association

. should use every effort to improve » fielding as much as posisble.” Other associations and clubs might adopt the suggestion with advantage to their players and so increase their chances of success.

"One great bowler we played against was Larwood. Most of you have seen Ebeling in action —well, Barwood is about three times as fast, 7 sain M. L. Page iu Christchurch the other day. “After the match you would se the grass actually burned in every place where his fast ball pitched. No wonder he finished at the top of English bowling. 7 ’ But the Christchurch skipper must have been exaggerating somewhat to emphasise tne pace of Larwood, for it would he impossible to bowl three times as swiftly as Ebeling. . There are many instances an the mstory of cricket of curious matches having taken place in various climes. Perhaps the most notable game of this description was the match arranger on Hareiield Common in the teoutli of England as long ago as 1527 between two gentlemen of Middlesex and a farmer named Thomas Trumper and his sheep dog, for whom Trumper batted. As was customary m those days, a considerable sum of money had been placed on the match and the encounter caused a great deal of interest in the neighbourhood. The Middlesex men scored 3 and 3; Trumper 3 and 2 not out for himself and 2 for the dog, the latter pair winning by two wickets. The credit for the victory was fully shared by the sheep dog, who always stood near his mastter when the latter was bowling. The moment the ball was hit he kept his eyes on it, and started after it with all speed.. On his master running up to the wicket the dog would carry the ball in his mouth and put it in 'his master s hand with such wonderful quickness that the gentlemen of Middesex found it very dilficut to get a run even for a very long hit. . When the New Zealand cricketers played their one-day match in Ceylon, Merritt and James were associated in a performance which equals a record of 30 years standing. (In a match between Gloucester and Somerset at Cheltenham in 1593, W. H. Brain stumped three batsmen off three successive deliveries of C. L. Townsend.) Ceylon scored 149 for four wickets, and then the luncheon adjournment was taken. The fifth wicket fell at 191. The next man in was stumped first ball off Merritt. The next two batsmen were also stumped by James off the first ball they received from Merritt, who thus obtained the “hat trick 77 with the assistance of the wicket-keeper. The match between Otago and Wellington, which is now in course of play, will have an important bearing on the question of the possesison of the Shield. A win to Wellington will put them level with Canterbury and leave the final decision to the meeting with Auckland. If Wellington lose that they will be level and the possession will be based on averages. The system applied in deciding the holders of flit Shield when teams come through the series of matches with the same number of wins is the same as that adopted in Australia for the Sheffield Shield, the scores for and against being averaged and the issue decided on the net average. Under this system Canterbury would appear to have little or no chance of holding the Shield, as their net average is minus 0.35.