“Tom Lowry's Boys”

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6628, 15 August 1931, Page 5

“Tom Lowry's Boys”

‘ 1 Cricketers in the * land of the silver fern must have held very modest views of the ability of their players, for they did not consider them good enough to take a trip to the Motherland until 1927, notwithstanding that lesser lights in the cricket world, like the Canadians, and Barsees from India, had come to the fountain-head for knowledge years before,” stated “Hambledoman” in the Liverpool Weekly Dost of May 9. About live seasons ago, he added, New Zealand awakened to the fact that their players, at least, were possibly good, and in 1927 they made the gTeat venture of testing their skill against English first-class cricket. Without “setting tho Thames on fire,” they revealed the fact that they were a fairly good team, playing altogether thirty-eight matches, winning thirteen, losing only five, and drawing twenty.

Their batting was their strong point. No fewer than half a dozen hit 1000 runs and over, with averages ranging from 31 to 45, and these were obtained in first-class matches. Their bowling, however, was weak. Their ground fielo ing and catching were fairly good. In K. C. James they possessed one of the best wicketkeepers playing. * No one can possibly forecast tile amount of success the team will meet with, but everyone hopes that tho bowling will pan out stronger than in 1927, for they have flown at higher game on this trip, as they meet England in a Test match at Lord’s at tho end of June. Only One Test. They wished for three Tests like the West Indies nad in 1928, but the authorities at Lord’s would not grant them this. I know that our legislators at tiic headquarters of the game were disappointed at tho poor show the visitors from the Caribbean Sea made in these important matches, and this has doubtless influenced them in limiting the Tests to a single trial of strength. I am in close touch with one of the greatest authorities of tho game in New Zealand, and writing a few weeks since, he told me that the side was promising, but lacked a fast bowler. Speed bowling was killed years ago, when despite his advice aad warning, the eight-ball over was legalised in Plunket Shield matches. The result was that fast bowling died away, and the authorities seeing the error of their action, brought the six-ball over again into force.

So far, matters have not yet had time to readjust themselves, and the present team does not contain a bowler of speed, though several are over medium pace.