CRICKET

Hawera Star, Volume L, 7 February 1931, Page 10

CRICKET

THE GRAHAM CUP NORTH v. SOUTH DRAW i One of the events in cricket which attracts an outstanding interest in Taranaki is the match for the Graham ' Cup between the representatives of South and North Taranaki. North i have held the cup for two years but this year it was felt that, while the bowling of the Southern players was not strong, their batting was better and more even and consistent than had been the case for a considerable time. On that they pinned their faith and it appeared to be borne out by the result for with only eighty runs to secure, South had seven wickets to fall and the batsmen in when time was called were going well and after the trouncing given by the previous players, were scoring fast. The draw was a good deal in favour of South. The scoring was high on both sides and this was to some extent expected ed. It was also well spread and only one of the sixteen batsmen going to their wickets failed to get double figures and this one was run out. Nasmith and Stan. Giddy, both consistent run getters, were outstanding for the North though the former was not nearly so accurate or confident as usual. The latter played a very careful innings. Of the South bowlers, Okaiawa easily bore off the palm for three of them, Penny and the two Edens, annexed seven of the eight secured, two being run out. All the team hut Hughes had a turn with the ball. The latter is a very useful change howler and might well have been tried.

South Taranaki, with time running against them, had to score much faster than North to give them any chance of getting the 293 runs needed for victory before stumps were drawn. They went for the bowling in great style and were shaping like winners when time decided the issue and the draw meant the retaining of the cup by North Taranaki. TOWN V. COUNTRY. The other match last Saturday was] what was termed “Town v. Country” but the latter term included Stratford and Eltham, so that the term was a kind of generalisation. Hawera v. the Rest would have been more correct. And Hawera had a day out for they were able to declare with the toss of seven wickets for the satisfactory total of 209 and then to dispose of the opposing eleven for only 82 runs. The outstanding innings was that of T. Young who in making his 75 played one of his best innings and showed really fine form. Hayes played a characteristic innings of 38 and Jennings laid the wood on very effectively and was still going strong when his skipper, decided to declare. Bandford for the Rest- is to he congratulated on a solid stubborn innings of 37 not out; that tvas nearly half the total. He had some luck but was fully entitled to his success. Without him the team would have made a sorry exhibition. The bowling honours for Hawera were well distributed but Hayes secured the exceptional figures of three wickets for one run and could have been used earlier to advantage. NEW ZEALAND TEAM-

Commenting on the teams selected to tour England, Dr. \Y. E. Herbert, ot : Wellington, who travelled largely with the 1927 team, expressed m no uncertain words that the essence ol : a cricket team was the impression it left not only on the held, but also oil the held. The last team, he said, had been sent away with due apologies, but if this year’s selected players went away under good management with the idea that they were not only going to uphold the reputation oi New Zealand as real cricketers—;sent away this time with no apologies—but were out to beat every county and also win the Test match, they would receive an amazing welcome in England, and would do a service in advertising New Zealand that no other branch or athletics could do. Dr. Herbert mentioned that lie had followed the 1927 New Zealand cricket team during the greater part of its tour of England, “it was a badlypicked, ill-balancecl team,” lie .said, T ‘and was pushed out of New Zealand them —a reputation that only a man on jvith due apologies. Nevertheless, they had left a wonderful reputation the scene could truly appreciate. The welcome this year’s team is to receive is going to be wonderful ,and J hope the young members of the team will not lose their heads. it will he something they have never experienced before. 1 hope you will not think that my cricket enthusiasm has run away with my discretion when I state definitely that one of the finest advertisements that New Zealand could have in spite of the economic depression is to put New Zealand definitely and successfully on the cricketing map. “1 know .1 will not be popular when I say that England does not want an All Black team. They are cricket and Soccer enthusiasts in England, and it is only the universities and public schools that, understand Rugby football there. I believe the day will come when ‘cricket’ on and off the field will he the distinguishing characteristic of the British Empire.’' A correspondent (“Old Representative Cricketer”) writes to the “Even ing Rost” (Wellington) expressing surprise at the non-inclusion of 11. M. M’Girr in the New Zealand team for England, and, in giving details of M’Girr’s fine performances this season, suggests that the selectors have shown “a lamentable failure in judgment to drop such a clashing, consistent, and prolific scorer as M’Girr, who is at present at the top of his form and just the man to enthuse flic; spectators of Old England.'’ The correspondent adds: “As the tour will be arduous and a full programme of matches has been arranged, it would much strengthen the team if M’Girr were sent Home as one of the players.”

An old cricketer, having heard of the likelihood of another batsman being added to the New Zealand team, makes the following comment : —“lt is

not the batting that wants strengthening; it is the bowling. In my opinion tht; selectors erred in the first place in not having another bowler instead of one of the batsmen. If another batsman is taken, then all I can say is that it is another instance of the just claims of players of other parts of New Zealand being sacrificed to the selfishness of Canterbury.” The team is due to reach England on April 28 and will begin the tour a week after with the match against Essex. Many of them knew the late Mr. 11. T. Douglas and will regretfully miss him when they meet the county team he led so often and so well. They will play all England at Lords one June 27 and an England eleven on September 5. These will he the outstanding fixtures of the tour. SOUTH. AFRICAN TEAM. Another tour of imperial importance and one that- attracts much notice in every part of the world where cricket is played is that of the South African visit to Australia. They will reach Australia in October and will begin with the match against Australia on October 22. The Tests will be played at Brisbane—November 27; Melbourne