Issue Appears Open In First Shield Match

Northern Advocate, 15 January 1948, Page 3

Issue Appears Open In First Shield Match

REPRESENTATIVE CRICKET

THE first Dargaville Shield cricket match of the season between Mid-Western and Northern Wairoa at Maungakaramea on Friday and Saturday brings together the two teams which put up the best showing against Rodney—Northland champion in recent years—last summer. Mid-Western’s feat in lifting the Northland premiership trophy surprised most followers of the game but, as it was the infant association’s first challenge, its success was highly popular.

Form in both Northern Wairoa and Mid-Western has not been particularly impressive this season and, on the eve of the game, the issue appears to be very open.

A peep into the records of a few months ago shows that Rodney scored 377 for nine wickets declared when it defended the shield against Northern Wairoa and that the challengers replied with 300. A tine innings of 157 by Len Wyatt for Rodney was followed by commendable efforts by six Northern Wairoa batsmen who put up a gallant effort to overtake the holders' imposing total. HIGH SCORES LAST YEAR Openers Bowmar and J. Matich made 30 and 54 and then Mahon got 40, Simons 47, Murdoch 49 and Berry 41. Two of these men. Bowmar and Berry, are not playing this week. They have been replaced by Worthington, who comes into the side as wicketkeeper, and by D. Smith, a medium-pace bowler. Successful trundlers for Wairoa against Rodney were Mason 3 for 100, Walden 3 for 54, L. Sloane 2 for 49, and Murdoch 1 for 48. The challenging team on this occasion has been more or less picked on form shown last season as Mason is the only cricketer on the other side of the peninsula who has performed consistently this summer.

His average with the bat is 45 and. in a trial game at Dargaville last week-end, he shared the bowling honours with Radich. In this match, the bowlers were verymuch on top with few batsmen displaying any real ability. Several of those chosen for the Maungakaramea game, however, are proved run-getters and it is quite on the cards that they can rise to the

occasion and make the Mid-Western bowlers earn any success. McMahon. Mason and Simons are probably the best Wairoa batsmen. WEALTH OF BOWLERS Its opening bowlers will probably be Radich and Matich and these will be supported by medium-pacers in Mason and Smith and slow spinners Dickson, Sloane, Walden and Murdoch. When Mid-Western annexed the shield it disposed of Rodney in its first innings for 133, Ellis Child 4 for 25, Hawken 3 for 28 and C. Bint 2 for 8 did the damage. Mid-Western replied with 305 (Ellis Child 157, Howie 26. C. Bint 25, B. Child 23) but Rodney showed its true worth in its second knock when 369 runs appeared on the board after 165 minutes’ batting. At stumps, Mid-Western had lost seven wickets for 112 and again it was Ellis Child who dominated the scene, scoring 67 not out when the home side looked like snatching the game out of the fire. BROTHERS’ RESPONSIBILITY The Child brothers, Bryan and Ellis, arc regarded as the batting back-bone of the Mid-Western team and they will probably carry a big responsibility on Friday and Saturday. Hawken was not available for selection, but a newcomer to the side from Maungatapere who should do well is Charlie Nisbet, a proved run-getter and a Whangarei rep. last season. He was also a useful change bowler. The defenders have several men capable of pegging down a good length with the ball. Horn. Massey and E. Child are medi-um-pacers and Woolhouse, Nisbet, Stevens and Bint are potential wickettakers.