Dargaville Shield Match At Omaha Tomorrow

Northern Advocate, 23 January 1947, Page 2

Dargaville Shield Match At Omaha Tomorrow

CRICKET

The first Dargaville Shield match of the season between the holders, Rodney, and Whangarei, being played at Cmaha tomorrow and Saturday, will more or less dominate the interest of Northland cricket enthusiasts this week-end.

It is fitting that it should be sandwiched between the Australia-England tests and Plunket, Shield matches, which will command the attention of all the following week-end. The Whangarei team leaves for Omaha by cars early tomorrow morning in time to be there for a 10 o’clock start.

The post-war revival of cricket, particularly in Whangarei and districts further north, has given the coming match an added interest.

The ability or otherwise of Whangarei to dethrone the southerners will be watched very closely by more than those resident in the district of the challenging association, particularly in view of the pending matches with the Northern Wairoa and Mid-Western associations and perhaps other challengers before the close of the season. The general revival is reflected in the fillip given the shield competition which languished considerably during the war years. NEW CONCRETE WICKET The Whangarei-Rodney game is to be played on a new concrete wicket. Except for the Portland ground, the Whangarei players have become accustomed to matting on turf at Kensington Park and the added pace off the concrete is liable to upset batsmen not experienced in such conditions.

It is rather difficult to take the Jubilee match played in December as a line on the prospects in the shield game as the Whangarei team has been considerably reshuffled. Seven changes have been made and the new side is generally considered stronger than that which was beaten on the first innings in the one-day fixture at Kensington.

The Rodney team has also been re vised.

In the Jubilee game, Whangarei was dismissed for 90. the chief contributors being Hook, with 44, and E. Dunn 12. Both these batsmen and tlje two most successful Rodney bowlers, Dunning '4 for 18) and W. Dunning <2 for 19) are playing tomorrow. RODNEY’S REPLY

Rodney reolied with 122. W. Dunning 36. Anderson 20. L. Wyatt 17 and Vinond 11 all being in the field again.

Hewlett (5 for 37) and Izzard (2 for la) have failed to gain a place in the siderable disappointment to many folshield side, a fact which caused conlowers of the game.

J. Drake, who will again form the spearhead of the Whangarei attackbowled particularly well in the Tubilee game and finished with 3 foi 39.

When Whangarei went to the crease a second time, they hit up 106 for five wickets. Hook and Dunn again being the most able run-getters.

Hook retired for 59 to his credit and Dunn made 11.

The teams for Omaha are:

Rodney: W. Dunning fcaptain), J Dunning. R. Dunnig. L. ,J. Wyatt, I. Wyatt. E. Wyatt, F. Anderson, N, Vipond. B. Andrews and A. Armour.

Whangarei: G. Hook (captain). E, Bunn, J. Drake. If. James. C. Nisbel. W. Wilsdn. R. Jennings, C. Jackson • T . Palmer. D. Ferguson and C. McLeod.

No Senior Club Games

There will be no senior club matches in Whangarei on Saturday, staged at Kensington Park and also a The Town v Country match will be junior club game, Albion v Combined Services.

Mangonui Draw

(Special) KAITAIA. This Day The following matches will be play ed in the Mangcnui Cricket Associa lion's competitions on Saturday:—

Senior: Mangataiore v. Victoria Valley; Peria v. Kaitaia; Nomads a bye. Junior: Mangataiore v. Nomads Peria. a bve.

Selection Of Country Team

The Northland Cricket Association 'received a letter from the Bay of Plenty body at its last meeting seeking its views on the selection of the country team which plays a town team at Auckland each season.

Bay of Plenty are keen to change the method of selection in the hope that old and previously tried players will not be chosen for what is considered by rural cricketers as a very important game. The matter was deferred till the next meeting in order to get the views of affiliated sub-associations on what is considered the most practicable method of selecting the country team. The matter was discussed by the Whangarei association at a 'meeting before Christmas when the feeling was expressed that preference should be given to young players instead of to veterans as was the case in the last match. The Northland association then took no action when the question was brought before it. DARGAVILLE SHIELD GAMES Two further challenge dates for the Pargaviilg Shield have been approved by the Northland Cricket Association. Northern Wairoa will play on February 14 and 15 and Mid-Western on March 21 and 22. If the support of the sub-associations is forthcoming, the North v. South match is to be played at Whangarei on March 14 and 15.

Congratulations were extended to the Rodney, Whangarei and Hobson associations on the excellent performances of their teams in the Auckland Country Week tournament.

REP. MATCH AT EASTER The Whangarei association has invited an Auckland City and Suburban team to play a Whangarei representative side at Kensington Park in a twoday game on the Saturday before Easter and Easter Monday. Tire metropolitan association has been asked to send an eleven considered about the same strength as a first grade club side in the city. The recently revived Mid-Northern Association was granted affiliation.

A donation of two bats from Wisemans was accepted with thanks. These are to be presented to the best allround coll in the senior and junior grades.