CRICKET NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19783, 2 November 1927, Page 16

CRICKET NOTES.

STARTING MATCHES LATE. PLAYING TO A TIME-TABLE. LEG-BEFORE-WICKET APPEALS. Although some allowance may fee made on an opening day for the starting of cricket matches a few minutes late, the captains of teams should see that this does not develop into a regular practice. It is annoying to the spectators who have paid their small contribution to see an afternoon's cricket. Another had habit players had on Saturday last was dawdling over their afternoon tea. In one match at Eden Park there was an interval of 20 minutes between the innings, instead of ten. When the Summer Tune Bill provisions are put into operation there will be a compulsory afternoon tea adjournment each Saturday of a quarter of an hour's duration. It is to he hoped this length of time will not be exceeded.

The decision of the Auckland Cricket 'Association to play its matches to a definite time-table this season may have an important bearing on the decision of the various championships. In the games commenced last Saturday no decision has been reached on the first innings. and so if rain falls on the second day the eight teams w.il all gat an equal cumber of points. The great - point about the scheme is that captains should make the most of. their advantages c« the first day, when a first innings lead may mean winning the match. In cases where rain prevents play on the first day, but the second day is fine, there is sure to be some lively cricket', as the teams will be striving their hardest. for a one-innings lead. A Dissatisfied Club.

The Akarana. Cricket Club was evidently dissatisfied with the decision of the Auckland Cricket Association that its two tes.mj should remain in the junior grade for the coming season. Akarfma entered a team in the senior B competition, but, when the association decided to limit the number of teams in this grade to eight, two of the ten entrants had to be put down a grade. Balmoral did not appear to have very high credentials for entering such a grade, and bo it .was dropped to juniors. Akarana •was not displaced until the whole situation had been thoroughly gone into. It was a question whether Y.M.C. A. or Akarana should be moved up into the senior B grade. Last season Y.M.C.A. and Akarana won the A and B sections iTfospectiVely "of the junior competition. A3 Y.M.C.A.'s performance was regarded as the better' one this team was given "preference over Akarana.. Cooper, the Eden slow break bowler, could cot strike a length against North Shore on Saturday, and was never troublesome to the batsmen. He overpitched several deliveries, which proved cosily to his side. He failed to take a wicket at a cost of 33 runs. Gillespie's Brilliant yielding.

TL Gillespie, captain of the Eden senior fcleven, sets a fine example to his team as a fieldsman, and without, doubt ranks ■with the best m the field in New Zealand. On Saturday Saunders, North Shore, was dismissed as the result of a brilliant boundary catch by GillespieSaunders, who was batting with vigour at the time, opened his shoulders to a ball from Butler Running 40yds,, Gillespie just got there in time to bring of! a sensational catch, which was warmly applauded by both spectators and players. Later Gillespie threw Cole bourne out from mid-off by a smart' piece of work.

The Weir brothers had a day out against North Shore on Saturday, and between them were responsible for the dismissal of seven of North Shore's batsmen. G. L. took five wickets for 54 rum and A. two for 66. A. Weir accepted a nice catch in the slips from Fraier off one of his brother'? deliveries. Prior to the opening of the season it ■was announced that N. C. Snedden had decided to retire from representative cricket- If he continues to 'bat ns he did on the opening day it may be frond that the decision was a . little premature. Ok a very bad wicket Snedden batted as well as anybody on the day, and he wis going well when canght out off a ball which kicked up. Presentation to Coates. *

Last year Mr, W. E. Vercoe, a vicepresident of the North Shore Cricket 'Clnb, donated a challenge cup for the best bowler in the senior team. This was won by R. Coatcs, and the presentation was made during tbu afternoon tea interval at North Shore on Saturday. Mr. E. Aidridge, Mayor of Devonport, in making the presentation, said cricket was a game which should be encouraged by every right-thinking person in New Zealand. The Domain Board had the game at heart, and would assist wherever possible. "For a small place like oors, we have turned tint a great cricketer in Dacre, 1 " said Mr. Aidridge, "and we hope to turn out many more Daeres in the future." Coates was also the recilient of a small miniature cap, which e will keep. Many cricket enthusiasts were disappointed at the heavy defeat the New Zealand team suffered in Sydney, but when.one sits <lown to analyse the position the performance of the New Zealanders was a very creditable one indeed- They had been off the boat but a few days, and could not possibly have been in form.. They were pitted aga;n£t what was practically the State's strongest Bide, hat even then the big New South Wales score was mostly made by four men—(Gregory,/ Andrews, Kiopax and Judeson. New Zealand totalled /-just a few ram short of 300 in each innings, scores which were by no means bad against such a strong attack. Views on i.b.w. Decisions.

' Mr. W. Maltbv, Te Poke, writes as follows with rfgard to I.b.w. decisions:— "In reply to yonr article last week suggesting two * lines from crease to crease from just outside the off and leg stnmps to enable the umpire to see better, and also give the bowler a better chance of gaining an l.b.w. derision, by allowing an appeal for a ball pitching just outside the stump, I have umpired for a number of years in the best club cricket in England, which included the leading amateurs and professionals. 1 have always understood and ruled that a ball • pitched about half the width of a ball outside the off or leg stump, and going straight through, would have hit the ' stamp on the outside, as J consider it pitched on the wicket, and a batsman stopping it with his pads is out I.b.w. This gives t??e bowler ,about lOiri. of wicket This was explained in the press at Home a number of years ago by a leading player." Harold Larwood, the well-known Notts and England fast bowler, was married recently by special licence at the Basford .Register Office to Miss Lois Bird, of ITuthwaite. The wedding had been kept a secret, and only two of Larwood's personal friends were present. Larwood, who is 22, had sprained his knee in a trial imatch, and on his return from the honeymoon at Blackpool was to have undergone an operation. In the season just ended, though his jilay was interrupted twice through injuries, Larwood had 100 wickets to his - credit, with an average of 16.96. These j were the best figures among the 17 j bowlers who secured 100 wickets, i