Cricketers Are Now In Sparkling Form

Northern Advocate, 29 November 1939, Page 8

Cricketers Are Now In Sparkling Form

Arneil Scores, First 100

Under the worst conditions of the season, Whangarei cricket sparkled at its bast on Saturday. Batsmen shook off the lethargy which had cast a pall over previous days in the sun, and some remarkably fine innings were played, incidents tumbling over each other as players on the various grounds in turn brought off feats of derring do. Bowlers are still a little stiff about the shoulders, but the fielding generally reached a high standard, more particularly as the ball was greasy. Some of the catches taken would qualify the men responsible for engagement in a juggling act. The First Century.

Russ Arneil’s century will be remembered, not so much because it was the first of the season in Whangarei cricket, but because of the manner of its making. Arneil won the game off his own bat for Services, playing for his team rather than himself all the way through. Cutting is almost a lost art on concrete. but when the right ball came along, Arneil was not afraid to apply this daintiest of all scoring aids. His full-bladed drives and clever placements between fieldsmen lent a touch of genius to his innings. Almost in the veteran class, Arneil is a shining example in the art of stealing runs, his backing up and judgment being admirable. In the days when he was a member of the first Northland team ever to take the field at Eden Park, Arneil was a dominating force in local cricket as batsman, keeper and bowler. Playing on the grass at Te Kuiti, and assisting Maniapoto reps, last season, he made a lot of runs and gathered in over 100 wickets.

As a bowler he relies too much upon changes in speed and break to be really effective on concrete, and Old BoysNomads, particularly Cole, meted out severe treatment on Saturday. Artistic Jennings. Although he fell 21 short of the coveted three figures, “Dick” Jennings thoroughly deserved the honour against Onerahi. The bowling with which he had to contend was more varied and of greater variety, and his stroke-making was truly sparkling. When Jennings is in form there is no more attractive batsman in the district, no one dealing with the ball outside the leg stump with quite the same artistry.

In his 79 there were 11 boundaries

Jennings learnt his cricket in a school where lofting the ball into the air is simply not done. The only occasion upon which he gave a chance was when he snicked one to second slip and was out.