ENGLISH CRICKETERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20137, 24 December 1928, Page 10

ENGLISH CRICKETERS.

NEWCASTLE MATCH DRAWN

LOCAL PLAYERS IN LEAD. BETTINGTON BOWLS WELL. (Received December 22, 5.5 p.m.) NEWCASTLE, Dec. 22. The match between (lie English team find a Newcastle and Hunter River District team was continued to-day, and ende 1 in a draw. The local players had lost seven wickets for 282 yesterday, and to-day the snore was taken to 350 for nine wickets when (he innings was declared closed. England were all out for 281. Only ono innings was played. Tho Englishmen received a surprise when tho Hunter team declared their innings when nine wickets were down The man who did not bat was Stavratt The Englishmen received a greater surprise when they discovered that they were 69 runs short of the home side's scoro at the end of tho match. Tho slow bowler Bettington had a very successful day Ho captured four wickets for 96 runs, besides taking tlirco catches. At one stage his bowling aver nge was three wickets for 11 runs. Ho Mas also responsible for much fine fielding. That ho did not. get more wickets was not his fault. Several ridiculously easy catches were missed off his bowling. For example, Larwood was twice dropped and Bettington had Rendiren and [Ames tied up with his accurate length. Bettington was given a great ovation on returning to the pavilion. He seems certain of inclusion in tho next test match team, and it seems equally certain that two others of the local team will be seen in important matches shortly. Tate said ho was agreeably surprised by the quality of the local batting, bowling and fielding. Chapman, too, uttered similar sentiments. The wicket was perfect and there were about 10,000 spectators. Tho details of tho score are as follows: — NEWCASTLE. —First Innings. Osland, c Tate, b White . . . . 76 Cbmmins, b Tate 3 Hoy, run out .. 18 Henderson, st. Amos, b Hendren . . 60 Bettington, b Hendren . . . . 53 Barbour, b Freeman Davis, c White, b Freeman . . . . 37 Bramble, C Hendren, b Freeman . . 16 Oakes, st. Ames, b Freeman . . . 22 O'Brien, not out 19 Hill, riot out .. 17 Extras . . 7 Total for nine wickets . . .. 350 Starratt did not bat. Bowling Analysis.—Tate took one wicket for 54 runs, Write one for 71. Freeman four for JlB. Geary none for 45, Mead none for 30, Hendren two for 25. ENGLAND.—First Innings. Chapman, c Cummins, b Hill . . . . 19 Tyldesley, lbw, h Bettington . . . . 13 Mead, b Bettington . . .. 6 Ames, c Bettington. b Oakes . . . 30 Freeman, lbw. h Bettington .. .. 0 Hendren, b Hill . . . . , . 2 Tate, c Davis, b Oakes . . 49 ~U hite, c Osland, b Bettington . . J2 Larwood, c Bettington, b O'Brien . . 92 Geary, not out 23 „ Duckworth, c Bettington, !> Oakes . . 13 Extras 17 Total 281 Bowling Analysis.—Hill took two wickets for 55 runs, Henderson none for 17, Bettington four for 96, O'Brien one for 59, Oakes three for 22, Moy none for 15. !AUSTBALIA'S BOWLERS. SLAVE CHAINED TO GALLEY. OPINION OF ENGLISH CRITIC. (Received December 2.1, 0.5 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 03. The special cricket critic of the Observer says:—"ln cricket, as elsewhere, wn reap what we sow. For rnanv years it seemed tc us in England I hat the last person considered in Australia was 'lie howler. Matches of undetermined length, eight-hall overs, artificially prepared wickets, carefully protected front the ram, these left the howler like a fclave chair,cd to a. galley. "The root of tho trouble with Aus-' Italian cricket is tho glorification of the batsmen for tho attraction of the spectator, and the humiliation of (lie bowler to serfdom. Possibly the Australian associations have not thought out the effects, but they cannot longer bo blind to them. "They could not expect fhe events of tho years 1919-25 always to recur. Tho last team sent to England was manifestly deficient in bowling. Nothing shows the barrenness of the bowling more than lhe reliance on Blackio and' Ironmonger, who lire both beyond riiddle-age. "Australia's primary duty is fo search out young and competent bowlers and give them experience now, even if thev flre below the previous Australian standard. The strength of Chapman's company rests on afler-war players. Sutcliffe, Hammond, Jardinr, Chapman, Larwood. Duckworth, and ei'on Tate, are largely nfter-war players. The averfige age of these seven men is over 28 years. Larwood pre-eminently represents tho trill nn>li of youth. "To every cricketing country a lean period comes. England at the present Juomerit has great batsmen and bowlers, n successor to Strudwick, alertness in Ihe field, and a gallant leader, who is riever depressed or afraid, and is not inclined to talk too much."