CRICKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18323, 13 February 1923, Page 5

CRICKET.

1 M.C.C, MATCH. I February 17, 19, and 20.—Play Auckland at Eden Park. * ' i NOTES AND COMMENTS, I The English cricketers are in the final stages of the New Zealand tour. The intervening days before the final match, against • Auckland, whioh commences on Saturday, > will be spent at Rotorua. Tho members I of the team are due a.t Auckland on Fri- . day. At the conclusion of the .contest they will return to Sydney to play a series of > matches before sailing for England. ; Mr. A. C. MaoLaren, captain of tho Eng- . lish team, has been most unfortunate on the present tour, having contracted a knee > trouble in Christchurch from which he has I suffered, more or less, for several weeks > past. MaoLaren was unable to take part in either of the last two tests, and the side ' materially felt his loss, not alone as a batsI man, but as a captain and leader, whose . every action in tho field is that of a real cricketer. The moral effect of MacLaren on his young players is most marked, ■ and ' while he oan advise them - before they take > he field and guide them through difficult I situations, he is not actually on the field. t and with the English cricketers this counts for much. Mr. MaoLaren. with the man--1 ager, Mr. H. D. Swan, and Mr. A. C. WilI kinson, will return to Sydney by the Niagara Bailing on Saturday. They will be ' joined later by the remaining members, who ' are looking forward to their return visit i to Sydney, where they had a royal time on find off the field. L . Early Australian Hatches. I Memories of the first match against New South Wales, early in December, linger in the minds of the English cricketers, who hope to realise in the return match against New South Wales that their first exhibition against a strong' side, which included no fewer than eight international players, was not a mere flash of brilliancy, but a token i of what might be expected. The tour of New Zealand has probably done more for the English players than for the New Zealand cricketers who opposed them, and no question of lack of practice may now be advanced as a reasonable explanation for any lack of form such as was apparent in the earlier matches _ against Western Australia, South Australia, and Victoria, before they met New South Wales. In the latter contest the English eleven showed distinctly fine form against one of the strongest sides New South Wales has "placed in the field thi« season. The return match against Auckland is exoiting a deal of interest, and hopes are entertained that it will be favoured by fine weather, which was. unfortunately, denied the players in the first match in December, causing the game to be abandoned when in an interesting position, after the second day. With a view to encouraging patronage, the New Zealand Council hae reduced the charges to the ground to one shilling, and to the stand to one shilling, plus a penny amusement tax. This should materially help publio interest, and a large attendance is anticipated during the three days' play. The Auckland Eleven, The team selected to represent Auckland is a strong side, and differs only in one particular from that which did service in the opening contest against the English eleven. The" - batting should be the outstanding feature, for every player selected is capable of making runs, and it might, with truth, be said that the side can bat right down to the last man ; The only ohango in the present team is, that Hor."pool, who was twelfth man in the first team, goes in in place of Whelan, .who has been chosen as a first reserve. This should make for .strengthening; of the, batting, as Hnrspool has been showing particularly good form this season, and might reasonably have been included in the first selection. R. W. Rowntree. the wickpt-keeper, who was incapacitated in the oneninT match, «nd was more or loss hors de combat m the first, test at Wellington, has, by rest and treatment. made a good recovery to be available for the furthcoming contest. Rowntree has no eaual in New Zealand as a, "keeper. His safe hands and smart stumping are worth incalculable runs to his side, even were he not to make runs,with the bat. In the event of Rowntree failing to take the field, a fine reserve in W. Garrard, of University, has been chosen, so that no concern need be expressed regarding the wicket-keeping, for Garrard's form justifies his inclusion in the team. ~ , . , ~ The bowling of tho Auckland team should be sound. In Allcott. Smith. Snedden, R. Garrard, and Player,. it has infinite variety. The real weakness is, of course, the lack of a fast bowler, but Auckland is not alone in this respect. The fielding abilities of the local players are undeniable. In C. Dartre, tho province has one of the beat, if not the best, fieldsmen in New Zealand. Were he to fail at the batting crease and do nothing with the ball, Dacro would still be worth his place in any _ team for his smart stopping, clean picking up, ana accurate returning. Taken all through, the present team should put up a good performanew against th* ' English eleven, who are not unconquerable, but whoso reputation appears to be the undoing of many New Zealand cricketers. For the rest, the Auckland team has only to "play the game." and play it keenly, .to satisfy the publio and justify its selection. The match, it is interesting to note,- will commence on Saturday morning, giving, weather permitting, throe full days' cricket, and eliminating any danger of a drawn game. Players will meet for practice at Eden Park at 4.80 p.m. to-morrnw. Wednesday, and Thursday evenings., There will be no practice on Friday t evening, players holding themselves in readiness for the commencement of play on Saturday, TEST MATCH AVERAGES. The averages of the English and New Zealand players fn the three test matches are as follows:—

TE AROHA BEATS MANAWARU. [BX TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.) TE AROHA. Monday Playintr criclwt on the looal recreation ground on Saturday, Te Aroha defeated Manawaru in a one-innings match by 67 runs to 48.

■ M.C.C. i BATTING. Ins. N.O. Runs. A v. A. C. MaoLaren ,. 1 1 200 200.00 J. C. Hartley ..2 1 76 7(5.00 T. C. Lowry .. * .. 4 0 258 64.25 J. F. Maclean -.4 1 150 50.66 A. C. Wilkinson . . 4 1 144 48.00 A. P. Chapman .. 4 0 152 88.00 C. H. Titchmash .. 4 0 113 28.25 F. 8. Calthorpe . . 4 0 88 , 22.00 D. F'. Brand . . . - 8 0 64 21.33 G. Wil'on . . . .. 4 0 57 14.25 A. P. Freeman ..8 2 14 14.00 C. H. Gibson . . 2 0 25 12.50 BOWLING. Buna. Wkts. Av. F. S. Calthorpo . . . . 226 14 16.14 A. P. Freeman . . . . 413 18 22,94 C. H. Gibson .. .. 425 18 23.61 D. F. Brand . . . 187 6 31.33 J. C. Hartley ... 13 0 — NEW ZEALAND. BATTING. Ins. N.O. Runs. Av. H. Lambert .. .. 4 1 118 38.00 D. C. Collins .. .. 6 0 198 88.00 C. C. Dacre- . . 4 0 121 30.25 C. Allcott - . . . . 3 1 54 27.00 J. S. Shepherd . . 6 0 159 26.50 E. H. Bernau . . . . 187 7 26.71 R. C. Blunt . . . . 6 0 147 24.50 J. S. Hiddleston .. 2 0 43 21.50 D. R. Gar'Mrd . . . 6 1 104 20.80 N O. 8' Milan <. 4 0 73 18.25 , h'. H. ilcGirr .4 1 49 16.33 "E' McLeod * • • 2 0 31 15.50 W S. Brice . . . . 4 0 58 14.50 J. W. Condliffe . . . 8 0 4 *1.33 H. ■ Cat© .. -. 2 0 2 1.00 8. G. Smith . .. 2 0 0 — by BOWLING. , / Runs. Witts. Av. E H. Bernau .. . . 187 7 26.71 J. McBeath . .. 31 3 27.00 J. S. Shepherd . - . . 8* 3 28.00 N. C. Snedden • .. .. 86 3 28.66 R. C. Blunt . .. .. 86 1 36.00 D. C. Collins .. .. 36 1 36 00 H. M. McGirr .... 192 5 88.40 W. S. Brio© .. .. 210 5 42.00 C. .-Alloott 188 3 62.60 D. R. Garrard .. .. 152 2 76.00 H. Lambert .... 9 0 — J. S Hiddleston .. .. 14 0 - S. G. Smith . . .. 68 0 —