CRICKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18021, 21 February 1922, Page 5

CRICKET.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

It is gratifying to know that tin Management Committee of the New Zealand Cricket Council has definitely decided to play a, North v, South leland match this season. Many seasons hare elapsed since the last inter-island match was played, and the revival of the contest, in view o! the fact that no foreign matches have bee.o. arranged this season, is in the best interests of the game. It was generally anticipated that the match would be played at Wellington, but owing to the Basin Reserve not being available for a Saturday match until April, it was decided to play tho match at Chrkchurch on March 10. 11 and 13. Mr. Ken Tucker, tho well-known ex-Now Zealand representative cricketer, has been appointed selector of the North leland team, and Mr. A. Martin, who was recently in Auckland as manager of the Otago team, was appointed 6elecwr of the South Island representatives.

Tho contest should create a great deal of interest, and with the best players in both islands engaged, tho game shou»d bo of a high standard, and productive of good cricket. The team to represent North Island, if the best players are availab»o, snouid form a strong combination, including as it will, the pick of Auckland and Wellington, which provinces, have proved superior to Canterbury and Otago in Pmnket Shie.d matches this season. The South is.anu, however, is expected to be wea represented with tho best of tile Canterbury and Utago players, and a closo and interesting game may be looked for. Another item of good nows m cricket circies is the announcement tnat negotiateaa nave been completed lor the visit to JNow Zealand and Australia of a strong hngn.sh amateur team next season. Mr. A. C. MacLaren, the famous Engi.Bh captain, is responsible tor tee combination, and that fact alone, if nothing more was forthcoming, is a sufficient guarantee that the team Will be of tho highest class, and will include the best of tne Eng.ish amateurs available. Mr. MacLuron has assured the New Zealand Council that the team he is bringing to New Zealand is, in his opinion, tho strongest amateur side that has left England, including a majority of the team which defeated the Australians at Eastbourne last year. In that match the English amateurs wcro deposed of for 43 runs in the first innings, but made a great recovery in the second, compiling a total of 3116, of which 6. A. Fauikner played a splendid innings for 163, and A. Aehton a, solid utrike for 75. Australia, compiling 174 in the irst inmnge, and 167 in the second, was defeated by ,28 runs—the first defeat of the tour., Tais was A. C. MaeLaren'fl last match .in lustclass cricket. As the English captain refers to the fact that the players for the New Zealand tour will inolude a majority of the team which 'defeated the Australians, it is interesting to note the personnel of the English side, which was as follows :-M. K. Foster, G. A. Faulkner, G. Ashton, H. Aehton, C. Ashton, A. P. F. Chapman, M. Falcon, G. E. C. Wood. A. C. MioLaren, C H. Gibson and W. Brearley. > It is practically certain we have heard tne last of the proposed Australian team's tour of New Zealand. The New Zealand Council has received correspondence from Australia which makeß it clear that no toam is coming this season. The committee expresses regret that, in spite of its efforts, the tour has not been arranged.

The Olub Championships. The weather was fine and the wickets generally in good order for tho continuance of club championship matches on Saturday, but there was nothing of a startling character in the batting, which was lor the, most part lacking in enterprise and Buffering » trifle from over oautiousness. This spirit appears to have entored players of late, and it comes out in their batting. Ono dojs not •wish to encourage the reckless hitter, but it would improve the standard of play and players if a little more daring was infused into the batting. On wickets that are in any way treacherous, where the ball plays all manner of tricks it is not possible for batsmen to devolop daring and dash, all their interests being concentrated on tho ball and what it is going to do, but on fast, true wickets, where the ball comeß along, true as the wicket itself, the batsmen have a chance to open out and develop a variety of strokes. In club championship matches this season the batsmen as a raw have not made the most of their opportunities on good wickets, and, from sheer lack of confidence and enterprise, therr>, is a tendency to over cautious cricket, making good bowling difficult, and true wickets appear treacherous. This is tho impression that some of tho batting has conveyed this season, but fortunately this is not always the case; there have been several sound exhibitions by teams and individuals during the season. ..' .., i mi i • There was nothing specially brilliant In tho batting on Saturday, and the team, scores were moderate, but sovoral fine, individual I performances were registered, whioh relieved somo of the games from mediocrity. Bovrlers, too, though not having a great deal to assist them in tho wickets, performed well, and secured fair figures. The match between Eden A and Parnell was not remarkable for any snow of brilliancy in the batting, and with one or two exceptions was marked by considerable restraint. The opening batsmen started well, but with the disposal of the first four wickets, the- remaining batsmen, with, one exception, appoared to play over-cautiously, and many strokes that might have been made good scoring shots wore played defensively or without power and precision. This may be accounted for in a measure to the good length bowling of Dorrington and the slow break bowling of McLeod, but the batsmen appeared to make the attack more difficult than it was. Another reason advanced for the lack of enterprise in tho batting is that the wicket was playing queerly, and the bail teauircd careful watching. That is cortainly true, and is a reasonable explanation, but, notwithstanding, there was a tendency to make the bowling and the conditions nure difficult than they wereThe baiting of Cummmgs was steady at the outset, and he developed his strokes as he got the measure of the attack, but ha did not appear to bat with hie customary power and precision. He played several fine show on tho off. his driving being particularly good. With his score at 20, Cummings drove one from Anthony high to .the outfield, whore McLeod failed to accept the catoh. Going on, Cummings carried his scoro to 26. when he played one up to C. Badeley at rcd-off. Gillesme played a good innings or 34, scoring well on the kg side 'before.succumbing to a catch by Dow at short leg.

Whelan's Good Display. The best display of batting wa ß that given by Whelan, who played a splendid innings for 40, made by powerful, driving on both sides of the wicket. He timed the bowling with certainty, and made stroke s, scoring shot. He hit seven fours, and was eventually out to a catch by , Anthony at point. It was a good dashing to a degree, but totally devoid of reckless hitting. , , . Brooke-Smith was quiet, and was out in attempting a fine cut. playing the ball on to his wicket. Heighway did not show his usual form, but Harvie shaped well in comoiling 28 not out—a score which he made the pTevious Saturday against . North Shore. Harvie is certainly sn, acquisition to Eden, for in addition to batting he bowls a good ball Tho bowling of Dorririgton and McLeod was a feature of attack. Dorrington kept a Bglendid length, and was difficult to score off. Out of 12 overs on.y 18 ™s were scored T off him, and ho secur d two Wickets. McUod also, puzzled the batsmen, and captured four wickets for 24. . Parneil made an unfortunate start, losing Anthony from a smart, throw.-in by BrookSmith and Moore retiring owing to a nasty krfock on the fore-finger, of hU.ba ting hand fZ a bumpy ball. Mooro will be able to resume his innings next r Saturday, and with possibly better luck. V. Badeley did not £how his usual form and was easily deposed of by Taylor. McLeod batted well during tho short time he was at tho crease, compiling most of his runs on the leg. aide. Spence and Somervell were early disposed of. the former being out to a catch by Gillespie at square leg, and Somonell was caught at the wicket before he had acored. C. Badeley ia not out with 23 to fan credit, but Parnoll is not in a good position with five wickets down for 83. Horspool'B Third Century.

Grafton made «, good showing against Univoraity in compiling ,260 in the first innings, out it was practically the effort of one batsman, E. Horspool, who played a nno innings lor 152—his third centust/ in recent olub matches. Horspool gave a splendid display in his own inimitable stylo, and played all tho bowling with the greatest confldenco His shots on the leg side and his high driving were features of a good strikeApart from Hoispool there was not a great deal in the Grafton batting. Patterson, the ex-Canterbury cricketer, however, batted well for his score of 32, scoring freely with sound shots on the log side. Baker compiled 30 but his batting was not impressive. Allcott ran to 15. and Sloman also reached double figures, but the remaining batsmen failed lamentably. Five batsmen were responsible for 240 out of a team total of 260. and five batsmen witii extras were responsible for 20! Player was the most successful bowler for University, securing five wickets for 65 runs. Univorsity did not make a very good start in their first innings against Grafton, the .first wicket falling at 19. when Graham was bowlad by Graham. Tho light was bad when University was batting, but improved later and held good to the drawing of stumps, when University had lost four wickets for 106. Lusk played a good innings for .56, scoring well with crisp shots on both sides of the wicket, and with an occasional leg glance. Lusk is in tho veteran stage, but has lost little of his form in batting. Goodwin played a dashing innings for 21. scoring freely with powerful shots all round the wicket. Eden B did better than was expected Against Y.M.C.A., at Reinuera on Saturday, compiling 161 runs for nine wickets. Eden did not start' well, tho first two wickets falling cheaoly, but a useful stand by Poa. ties and Blair improved the position, and 60 runs were on at the fall of tho sixth wicket. • Another partnership . by, Saunders and Blair waa responsible for the addition

of 60 odd runs, and the score was. 121.when Saunders, who had compiled SO, waa bowled by Christian. Blair played a good innings for 63, scoring with fine strokes on both sides of the wickot, a particularly effective off drive being a U3eful shotThe Y-M.C.A. innings waa somewhat inconsistent, and four batsmen were practically responsible for tho day's score of. 138 for eight wickets- Miller was the principal contributor with 34, Christian batted well for 24, and Cullimore (18) and Innes 1)8) also batted well. This- match is left at an interesting stage, and the prospects are bright for a close finish. Ponsonby. after i bad start and a steady third and fourth wicket, developed a long tail in tho match against North Shore on the home wicket. Sneddon and Flynn, who usually open the Ponsonby batting and give the team a good start, failed to get Z'Jing, both batsmen being dismissed early. It was left to Righton and Smith to eavo the situation, which they did by careful cricket, the former playing a patient innings for 49, and Smith batting steadily for 60. Tho remaining batsmen, with tho exception of Lcikis, who compiled 12 not out, were disposed of cheaply, and tho innings closed for 177. Coatcji. the North Shore i fast bowler, was tho most successful trundler for his side, securing six wickets for 46 runsNorth Shore ha 3 lost four wickets for 99, i.nd, as usual, C. Dacre has come to the rescue of his side with a brightly-compiled 35. Elliott played a (rood innings for 37. and L. Dacre is not out with 11 to carry on next Saturday, The match is at an interesting stage, and a closo finish may reasonably be anticipated. The outstanding feature of a match playod at Adelaide recently between a team captame,) by tho Governor of South Australia and ono representing the police force was the form of W, Richardson, a younger brother of Arthur Richardson, of interstate fame. He took six wickets for 41 runs and then knocked up 48 with tho bat before retirins- In this match tho famous Clem Hill was bowled for a duck. Ihe (aihiro of the Wellington team to retain the Plunket Shield emphasises tho need for more strict attention to training methods as well as to the consideration, in choosing future representative teams, of players not lacking in confidence, says a Wellington writer. One reason put forward for Wellington's sound defeat is that the team had to face an attack of n. kind seldom experienced in Wellington. The slow bowling undoubtedly upset our representatives, and they wore unablo to produce anything of the kind in return. Then, too, the wicket differed from that at the Basin Reserve, and did not suit the bowlers. Tho outfield was not on a par with the Basin, and generally there waa a, strangeness about the condition?. All things considered, however, Wellington should have done much better, particularly in having first strike on the wicket. Mr. W. A. Oldfield, ono of the wicketkeepers of tho last Australian Eleven, intends to leave Sydney about tho end of this month for a trip to England. Toward the end of the tour of tho Australian Eleven in. England, Mr. Oldfield recoved a business offer which would have enabled him to play cricket for Lanoashire, but he refused it. The trip ho intends to make will extend over 6ix months, and on his raturn,to Australia he intends to go into business in Sydney. Warwick Armstrong, the captain of the Australian Eleven, wi»o has been assistant secretary of the Melbourne Cricket Club for 15 years, has resigned his position. When in Ecgland with tho 1902 Australian team, Armstrong became the friend of Mr. Peter Dawson, tho well-known Scotch distiller, and on each of the tours since then the fact that Mr. Armstrong was a member of tho Australian Eleven had opened the doors of Mr. Dawson's hospitality to the team. Last year Mr. Dawson entertained the Australians at ii river picnic on the Clyde, during which they were shown over the shipbuilding yaTda. As soon as Mr. Dawson heard that Mr. Armstrong wae retiring . from first-claw cricket, he offered to appoint mm as his special representative for Australia, and the offer was accepted. Mr. Armstrong w, make Melbourne his headquarters, and wilt continue to play with the Melbourne Cricket Club in pennant matches.

METHODISTS V. RAMBLERS. A match will be played to-morrow afternoon between teams representing the Methodist Conference and Eden Ramblers at Eden Park, play commencing at 2 p.m. The following will represent Eden Ramblers :—Arblaster, Camoron, C. Dacre. Gillespie Haivie, Jackeon. McCoy. Mills. Park,' Whclan. Williams; reserves, Beale. Kaldcr, H. Robinson.