CRICKET

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 15, 15 December 1937, Page 7

CRICKET

NOTES ON THE GAME. By “Point.”) With the holiday break in club cricket approaching, interest is naturally quickening in the programme of representative matches in which Manawatu players will be figuring. First among" those is the annual Town v. Country match in Wellington and in that side there are included five Manawatu cricketers. Though that number may appear to bo large, the names of ten players outside the Manawatu were published as being “not available” and it is reasonable to suppose that the Manawatu contingent would have been smaller had several of those ton been free to take part in the match. THE HAWKE CUP. While Manawatu last season faced some unpromising situations in the Hawke Cup defences —the side rose to the occasion each time—it seems that this year the Taranaki team will make a strong bid for the trophy. The dates scheduled for the match are December 25, 27 and 28. The Taranaki province has an imposing group of players, and if all are available a very strong side should be seen in Palmerston North. Donnelly and McCoy, the latter a slow spin bowler, Boon (formerly'of Poverty Bay' and Canterbury') as a wicketkeeper, Christensen, with his fast lefthand deliveries, and Betts as an allrounder may fill five of the eleven places. Of those who may be included, in the Manawatu side, who have been batting consistently well-? The thought does not bring to mind any group of batsmen who may be expected to provide the backbone of a useful score, although the converse of the reflection is more promising in that several of the Manawatu bowlers, both fast and slow, appear to be in form. The announcement of the team will be awaited with considerable interest. REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES. Provided Manawatu retain the Hawke Cup, the programme of matches in which the players will participate may be classed only as a heavy one. Five challenges are allowed and the next in order are: Nelson, January 1, 3 and 4; Rangitikei, January 22, 24 and 25; Poverty Bay', at the end of February; and South Auckland, at the end of March. All have notified their acceptance of the opportunity to challenge, with the exception of Nelson, and inquiries are now being made as to whether that challenge will be taken up as certain arrangements have to be made by the Manawatu Cricket Association before Christmas for the New Year game, because of the holidays between Christmas and New Year. In the event of Nelson not taking up the challenge it might be expected that Rangitikei would be asked to move their challenge forward to the New Year and the open date might he awarded to the Hawke’s Bay Cricket Association, which is very keen to challenge this year, but was precluded from doing so by the fact that Poverty Bay accepted their opportunity'.' By reason of the fact that the Hawke’s Bay area enjoys a holiday on January 22 it is possible that if Nelson did not wish to challenge the Hawke’s Bay Association would bo given the option of challenging at that period. On January 12 and 13 the Wellington Country Districts team will be on trial against the Canterbury Plunket Shield side at Palmerston North, and the decision next year as to whether there will be a fifth Shield district or not will depend to a large degree on the showing made. There is also a possibility of a match against the Auckland Plunket Shield team, while negotiations have been going forward for a match with, the winners of the trophy The Manawatu B team will be meeting Horowhenua on January 22. a boys’ team will play the Wanganui Bovs’ Club on December 31 at Palmerston North, and the Wanganui junior representatives will be in Palmerston North on January 1, with a return match to be played on January 22. The Auckland junior representatives will be playing a team chosen from outside the senior A grade on January' 5 and 6. For a Goldfinch and Cousins Cup match the Feilding Cricket Association has been offered December 27 or January 3, a suggestion that the game be played on December 18 not being accepted as club matches will be in progress that day in the Uty ' OLD BOYS v. Y.M.C A. Though tiie Old Boys team hold a lead of 80 runs over Y.M.C.A., the match is still imbued with a largo amount of interest on account of the former having lost five wickets for 13 runs in 'their second strike. The fading light suited Spclman and Murchison, and together they caused some consternation- among the opposition. Waters’s 70, not out, was. an outstanding effort and with his bowling of 6 for 17, places him again among Manawatu’s leading players. Although he gave one chance fairly early in his innings, be was aggressive once lie bad bad a “sight of the hall.” Gatley'’s 29 was run up in short time, although among his boundary' shots were some mishits. Cameron’s 44 for Y.M.C.A. was an attractive strike. He played all the bowlers with confidence, a beautiful off break by Waters eventually' proving his undoing. Murchison was unlucky' to go out leg before wicket. Outside of Cameron and Rabone (12) the rest of the Old Boys team did not reach double figures, owing mainly to Waters’s excellent medium paced deliveries, which broke beautifully' from a consistent length. N. Gailiclian, at the other end, w-as ouite content to keop the runs down. Marriott, brought on to rcliey'c Gailiclian. yvns unluckv in not talcing a wicket yvit-h his first ball, a catch to square leg being dronped bv Waters. CTTY v. UNITED.

With conditions all in their favour, the City team, playing against United on Saturday, registered their highest total of the season, being all out at the close of play for 317, writes Mr G. Wheatley in his commentary. The scoring was fairly well distributed, six batsmen getting 20 or over. 0, McVicar topped the list with 89 and again proved himself a most reliable opening batsman. Although very patient at the commencement of his innings, later he became more aggressive a.nd scored freely. The partnership with the writer added 130 for the third wicket. S. McVicar and Ward also shaped ably, with Nairn and Hearsey running into the tyventies as well.

Only four bowlers were used by United, and throughout a long afternoon in the field they stuck to their task admirably, J. Gallichan finishing with the best figures. This was the result of his accurate length early in the innings. He was expensive, caused by the batsmen leaving the crease and getting to the pitch of the ball, but later lie was able to pin the batsmen down, which brought him results. Berquist, who captured the first three wickets, made the ball swing appreciably into a right-hand batsman. As the wind was not favourable for him to bowl into, he was bowled correctly, with the breeze, but in my opinion his direction was too far outside the batsmen’s legs. By bowling outside the off stumps and swinging into the wicket with three close-in fieldsmen and two covering deeper fieldsmen, he

would have been more difficult to score ■from and probably would have obtained better results. Cockery supplied the fast attack. For one of his physique it is amazing the number of overs and length of time that he keeps going without diminishing his pace. He was bowling just as fast at the end of the day as at the beginning, and at times he bowled really well. Several catches might have been taken off his bowling, but it is inevitable wjth this class of bowling"that cateljes at .times are dropped in the slips. The work in the field during a long afternoon was , quite good; two fine catches were held by Cockery and Penman. Lynch deserves a. word of praise for the excellence of his fielding. Untiring and always on the move, he saved many runs by his smartness and quick returns. His ability to return the ball with either hand is a great asset, and one which is rarely met with. Quite a lot of throwing at, the batsma.n’s wicket was indulged in, with the batsman standing a few feet out of his ground. Rarely have I seen a batsman run out in this manner. More often does it give away runs, and incidentally spoils a good piece ot ne ing.