NOTES ON THE GAME.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 9, 8 December 1937, Page 15

NOTES ON THE GAME.

(By “Point.”)

Palmerston made a bold bid when they declared at the commencement of the second day’s play against Y.M.C.A. and attempted to carry the day on an outright win. The attempt failed, but there was much in favour of the move. In the first place, the team was one man short and the five leading batsmen (all chosen to practise for uie representative games) had lost their wickets. _ The position was most unpromising with only four wickets to fall and 67 runs up in reply to a total of 214. With anything nice luck, a dry wicket, and a fast ttuwler to use, Palmerston had the possibility of dismissing the Y.M.C.A. side for only a moderate total, and then they had the use of their five best batsmen again in an attempt to knock up the ■required total. As it happened, the bid for a win might have succeeded but for the fine opening stand of Cameron and Edlin, who put on 72 runs before the first wicket fell. Cameron’s batting may well be judged by the fact that he hit 9 fours in a total of 49, Edlin reaching the boundary twice in 21 runs. Hatch, the following batsman, hit 4 fours in 22 runs. The second Y.M.C.A. wicket fell at 81 and the next at 105. Thereafter, with the exception of Rabone (24), Pritchard proved too much for the batsmen with liis fast deliveries. For t’*o addition of only 44 runs the rest oi the team were sent from the batting crease. It is most probable that but lor the opening stand the Y.M.C.A. side would have gone cheaply and the way would have then been open for Palmerston to settle down to attempt to make up the leeway. Pritchard took the last two wickets in his fifteenth over, three having been maidens. He left the field with an average of 6 for 33, just over two runs an over. In addition, in four of his overs only one run was scored, and he secured wickets in his sixth, eighth, twelfth, thirteenth, and fifteenth (2) overs. A remarkable feature of Pritchard’s bowling was witnessed when he dismissed Rabone. The batsman was clean bowled and one of the bails was picked up about three yards from the boundary, the game being played on the wicket nearer the main gates. Pritchard also topped the batting list for Palmerston in their second innings with 31, a score that included 2 sixes and 2 fours.

Robertson was the other Palmerston bowler to take wickets, securing the remaining three for 39 runs, there being only 10 men in the Y.M.C.A. team. Robertson sent down 6 overs but his average was badly spoiled by Rabone, who made the last over read: 4, dot, 21, dot, 4,4, 4,4, the batsman thus taking 22 runs off the one over. He scored a couple of singles and then his wicket was skittled by Pritchard. .*

With the Y.M.C.A. innings finished, the match lost the greatest part of its interest until it became evident that there was a possibility of Y.M.C.A. taking the outright win. The two opening batsmen for Palmerston went at the “Devil’s Number,” and then tile rest followed without any major contributions. With a side depleted by two (Hollier then having left the field owing to the mishap in which he injured a finger) Palmerston just failed to pass the required total, and Y.M.C.A. secured the eightpoint win. Murchison proved to he the destructive agent, and his 6 for 31 was a very fine effort He was used to the extent of 14 overs, and two of those were maidens. His bowling was consistent and he was keeping the ball low. From several points of view the match was more than usually interesting. UNITED’S DEFEAT.

Securing 6 wickets for 36 runs, Downes proved to be the mainspring of the High School attack when United entered on their first innings. United were all out for 90, a figure much below expectations, although no great reliance is placed on hopes for a big score when a team is facing the School side. An impression was given by the behaviour of the ball in Downes’s hands that this player lias a very thorough understanding of the High School pitch and uses it to perfection. The balls which disconcerted the United men had a tendency to shoot, and the pitch itself has been described as being quite different in character from those at the Sportsground. At the latter place the wickets are consistently hard all througn wnen dry, with the result that the ball develops a little “lire.” On the High School pitch, however, it lias been noticed that while the surface might be quite hard there is a suggestion of softness, or deadness, underneath, and that point has been suggested, in discussions on the School team’s performance, as one of the contributing reasons for the School’s great displays on attack. As a case in point, OUiver, one of the United opening batsmen, was clean bowled by Downes with a ball that kept peculiarly low. liabone, with his slow left hand spin deliveries, was bringing the ball through about a foot high, instead of wicket high as one would expect at the Sportsground. Bowling of that style takes a little dealing with and the match displayed again what an exceptionally good attacking unit the pair make. It will be remembered that I. Hearsey, who played for Old Boys after leaving High School, and is this year turning out with the City team, secured a very creditable “bag” of wickets in his last half season at school. When he commenced playing at the Sportsground his bowling averages suffered somewhat (although he is getting back to his old form now) and it would be very interesting to see Downes bowling to competent batsmen on the Sportsground. The performance of Hearsey lends colour to the view that the High School wicket differs from those on the Sportsground oval. CITY-OLD BOYS MATCH. When the City team continued their innings, requiring 13d runs with 7 wickets in hand, against Old Boys, too position became more difficult on Leet’s hitting over an “in-swinger” from Gallichan, writes Mr G. Wheatley, the groundsman coach, in Ids weekly commentary. Gavey and the writer added 30 runs, when the latter was bid-

liantly caught by Brace, low down at short square leg off Galliohan. Hearsey, after making a promising start, was out in a like manner. These catches were the result of excellent anticipation. Gavey, a consistent batsman, contributed a valuable 24. He made several fine strokes, backward of point, reaching the boundary on each occasion. Then Hardie and Nairn became associated, both playing good cricket. At this stage City’s hopes were revived. However, Harriot, who was called on to bowl for the first time, effected a separation, making a fine one-handed catch from a hard drive by Nairn. This was the beginning of the end, as the. next two batsmen were run out. Hardie was batting very well at the time. This innings should give him confidence for future games. Nairn, who made the top score, played a bright innings and seems to be at his best when playing freeiy. The Old Boys bowlers, headed by N. Galliclian (who bowled very well), stuck to their task and gave little away. The members of the Old Boys team also deserve congratulation for their fine display of fielding in which tlierq was hardly a blemish. Williams’s display behind the wickets was also good, being both neat and effective. Old Boys, in their second venture, lost four wickets quickly, but Gallichan and Brace, becoming associated, put an end to any hope of City’s turning the tables. Gallichan .delighted the spectators with some fine wristy strokes, whilst Brace was content to keep Iris end intact. Throughout this game (which was on the pitch nearer the river) the prevailing westerly wind was blowing. Bowlers from the pavilion , end were able to- swing the ball a considerable amount, away from a right-handed batsman. As the representative wicket is-at right angles to the Saturday wickets, conditions there with the same wind blowing, would be Totally different. Bowlers of the type of Murchison, Massey (Wairarapa) and also left-hand swing bowlers, whose deliveries go the same way, have been singularly successful in bowling into the westerly on the representative wicket, but when they are bowling into tlie same wind on the Saturday, wickets it has a tendency to straighten the ball up. Therefore, in this case such a bowler would not have the benefit of his natural ability, and should be put on to bowl with the wind. Almost any moderate right-handed bowler, with length and direction, can keep the other end going until the sheen is off the new Dali. This end then should be ideal for leg-break and left-band bowlers. In Sydney the prevailing wind is a north-easterly breeze, coming from the direction of fine leg. Leg-break and left-hand spin bowlers pray for this wind and invariably take wickets when bowling into it. But this type of wind is rarely in evidence on the representative wicket, and that is probably why one or two left-hand spin bowlers, prefer to bowl with the breeze. The various captains should study this question, as it is very important. Suitable winds to certain types of bowlers can be as valuable as a damaged wicket.