WORKER’S GREAT BATTING IN PLUNKET SHIELD GAINS A WELL-DESERVED AWARD

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6853, 7 March 1929, Page 4

WORKER’S GREAT BATTING IN PLUNKET SHIELD GAINS A WELL-DESERVED AWARD

R. de R. Worker, the wellknown Hawke’s Bay batsman, has been awarded one of the autograph bats sent from. Enfl* land by Mr. Len. McKenrie, for — the most useful player in the Wellington team during this season's Plun k e t Shield matches. Worker was able to play in the Auckland match only, as during the pre- . vious holidays he had joined the happy band of benedicts, and was not available for selection. Ho, however, put up a very fine performance in the only match he played in, scoring 151 and 73, two excellent hits which had a very material part in giving Wellington the victory,

SPHERE are some followers of the game in Wellington who contend that Worker’s two innings were hardly to be compared with the continuously excellent performances put up by Lowry, Dempster and James, but on the other hand it has to be remembered that Worker’s two scores were compiled in a match in which Wellington was greatly in need of runs. Worker is unique in New Zealand cricket circles, in that he has played senior cricket in each of the four centres, as well as in several of the smaller towns of the Dominion. Although he learnt his cricket at Auckland Grammar School and played for Auckland, he never represented that province in Plunket Shield cricket, but he has played in Shield matches for Wellington, Canterbury and Otago. It is generally acknowledged that he was unfortunate not to secure inclusion in the New Zealand team which toured England recently, and but for a lean period just when the selection was in progress it is more than probable that he would have been included in that band of hardy pioneers.