DACRE’S BIG HIT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 4 October 1927, Page 3

DACRE’S BIG HIT

IN JESSOP’S LAND WHY GLOUCESTER SIGNED ON A N.Z. CRICKETER CHELTENHAM CROWD LIKE HIM. Quite a hit, in more senses than one, was made by C. C. Dacre, the vice-captain of the New Zealand cricket team against Gloucester at Cheltenham, states a London correspondent. “Not even Hammond, after his superb innings against Hampshire at Cheltenham, was applauded so heartily as was C. C. Dacre. the New Zealander .after his daring 64 against Gloucestershire,” states one English critic who was present. “The home team had made 148 with some difficulty, and as there was a strong probability that Parker would be very dangerous when the effects of the roller had worn off. Dacre was sent in first to hit if possible. He wasted no time in preliminaries In the first four overs from Sinfield and Parker, he made four fours hv clean powerful drives and a big on-drive tor six. After another bi? on-drive for six, Dacre drove the next ball high and straight to long on. where Neale dropped the ball, and the unfortunate Sinfield’s five overs produced as many as 53 runs. 21 being made off a single over.” Chronicling the game the Gloucester “Echo’ states that Dacre and Dempster in the first twelve minutes put on 33 runs, and then Dacre was missed with his score at 33. The 50 went up at the end of seventeen minutes, and Dacre reached his 50 a few minutes later, the total then being 57. When he was dismissed he had made 64 out of 82 in 28 minutes, his score including five sixes am] five fours. The crowd simply rose at him when he returned to the pavilion. During the partnership Sinfield bowled five overs for 53 runs, and Parker five for 27 and one wicket. PARKER ON HIS METTLE. The duel between Dacre and Parker was fascinating (says another critic), because it is many years since any batsman has dared to attack Parker on a wicket which gives him help. Indeed, it is so long that Mr. H. E. Roslyn and Mr. .1, G. Coates, two prominent Bristol journalists, who have seen the Gloucester-matches for many seasons, cannot remember the last occasion when a man stepped out to him deliberately and smote him. At Cheltenham Parker was keeping a beautiful length against the two New Zealanders, Dacre and Dempster. and making the hall go across the wicket. But Dacre boldly stooped out tn him and spanked him hard several times, an off-drive for four being a magnificent hit. Parker gave no sign whatever that he was perturbed or even interested, and he did not even alter his field although ho had no man at long on. But he bowled n little faster and .keeping the hall just short of n length curbed Dacre’s enthusiasm. ,Dacre had very little of him for two overs. In the fourth over Parker tempted him witha well-nitched slow, and Dacre hanged him to the boundary. In the fifth over Parker tempted him three times. Dacre drove him straight for two. lifted him nearly straight for six oyer the spectators, -and then skied him to Dipper at mid-on, who when nearly over-balanced /brought off a surprisingly good catch. With all their admiration for Parker. Gloucestershire men would have been glad if the duel could have been prolonged a little while.