CRICKET NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20441, 18 December 1929, Page 21

CRICKET NOTES.

SCHOOL'S SPLENDID RECORD.

MOUNT ALBERT GRAMMAR

ENGLISHMEN'S TOUR OPENED,

By defeating King's College last Saturday week Mount Albert Grammar (School achieved the enviable distinction 0 f winning (he Auckland secondary schools' championship for tho fifth year in succession- Considering that this year one member only, H. G. Vivian, remains out of last year's eleven, this is a meritorious performance. Following is tho fchool's record in school matches during the last fivo years:— 1925 Captain, V. C. Butler. First {earn: No matches. Third team: V. [Auckland Grammar, won on first innings .fcv 24 runs; v. Sacred Heart College, won by an innings and 137 runs; v. King's College, won on first innings by

223 runs. ' 1926.—Captain, G. L. Weir. First team: V. Auckland Grammar, won on first innings by 76 runs; v. King's Col-

lege, won by'ten wickets. Third team

jV. Auckland Grammar, won on first in- / ninps by 54 .runs; v. King's College, won on first innings by 5 runs; v. Auckland Grammar B, won by an innings and 332 runs; v. King's Collego, won by an innings and 81 runs; v. Whangarei High Echool, won by ton wickets. E. G. Bush's Year. 1927.—Captain, R. G. Bush. First 1 team: V. King's College, won on first innings by 230 runs; v. Auckland Grammar, won on first innings by 117 runs. Third team: V. Auckland Grammar B, iron by default; v. King's Collego, won ©n first innings by 114 runs; v. Auckland Grammar, won by an innings and 61 runs; v. King's College, won by nine pickets; v. Whangarei High School, won >Jby an innings and 299 runs. 1928.—Captain, J. N. Frascr. First / ieam: V. King's College, won by an innings and 101 runs; v. Auckland Grammar, won on first innings by 53 runs. Third team: V. King's College, won on first innings by 80 runs; v. Auckland Grammar, won by an innings and 86 runs; v. King's College, won by 230 runs. 1929.—Captain, H. G. Vivian. First team: V. Auckland Grammar, won by an innings and 110 runs; v. Sacred Heart College, won by default; v. Takapuna Grammar, drawn; v. Whangarei High School, won by an innings and 72 Third team: V. King's College, won on first innings by 53 runs; v. Technical College, won by an innings and 44 runs; r. King's College, won on first innings bv 23 runs; v. King's College, won by an innings and 4 runs.

Summary of Games. P. W. L. Dm. Kine's College .13 13 0 0 Auckland Grammar . » < 1 " AVhangarei High School 3 3 0 0 Sacred Heart College 2 ~ 0 0 Auckland Grammar B 2 - 0 0 Takapuna Grammar 1 0 " Technira! College ..1 1 0 Tot-lis . - - - 30 23 1 1 The following old boys have played in F°ninr cricket Senior grade A: V. C. Butler, G. L. Weir, L. E. Vivian, and E. S. Ellis (Eden); H. T. Webb, P. J. Monk a,, d D. Webb (North Shore); C. P. C. Shea (Grafton); M. P. Clark (Y.M.C-A.)'; R. G. Bush (University); I. N. Wat kin- (United Suburbs). Senior grade B: R. C. Aickin, R. Brohey, I. J. Cantley, 0. S. Hintz, E. S. Howell, G. R. Newdick'. H. Barnes plays in the senior grade of the Suburban Association. ,V. C. Butler and G. L. W r eir have played lor Auckland and P. G. Monk for Otago. Englishmen's Strength.

The rather inconsistent performances of the M.C.C. team in Australia created the impression in New Zealand that Gilli.gan's side was not, a particularly strong one. Those' who held that view, however, had not taken into consideration the exceedingly bad luck experienced by the tourists on the other side of the Tasman. The defection of Bowley alone was a serious blow to the combination, depriving it of a great opening batsman and one of its slow bowlers.

The Englishmen's display against Wellington' dispels any idea that the team is not up to expected strength, r Of course, cricket is a funny game, and if New Zealand can place its best eleven in the field—and this is doubtful with Dickinson and Allcott being unable to obtain leave to travel—it should give the visitors an interesting match. One thing appears certain and that is the public of New Zealand is going to eee some very enjoyable cricket before the tour is over. Duleepsinhji has started off the right foot and it only remains for Woolley to strike his best form. Earle and Bsrratt, tho hard hitters of the team, are sure to please the spectators. The first Plunket Shield match of the 1929-50 season will be commenced at Eden Park on Tuesday next when Auckland will meet Otago. It is very unfortunate that Blunt, Dickinson and Shepherd will not be present with tho visitors. However, they were not here two years ago when quite an interesting game ■was played.

Opportunities for Players

The Auckland public will he anxious to see. how its representatives fare in this first match, as (lie game against Canterbury follows the week afterwards, •with games against the M.C.C. and Wellington in February. Badelev and Elliott .■will have the opportunity of proving themselves in representative cricket, while the others, and the two mentioned also for that matter, will have a great chance of playing themselves into one of the New Zealand test teams.

The Canterbury team to meet the Englishmen at Christchurch on Tuesday, ( Wednesday and Thursday of next week is comprised practically of young players. .There is a strong secondary schools' I flavour about the side. Burns, Cromb, Merritt. Page, Powell and Harris (twelfth nmn) are all High School Old Boys, while Hamilton, faster and Talbot are expupils of Christ's College. That leaves 'but Allen, Robeits and Sinimonds apart from old boys of the two schools. High School's quota will be increased when the team comes north, as Harris will replace Hamilton and C. G. Crawford, another old boy, becomes twelfth man. The Christchurch Boys' High School seems destined to provide Canterbury .with its leading cricketers for many years 'to come. Apart from . the many good players in the Old Boys' Club there is much highly-promising material in ihe pesent Hi»h School eleven which lifted the Heathcote Williams Shield from Auckland Grammar School in the match played at Eden Park on Monday and yesterday. Biittenden, Fisher, Cobden, Dawson and Parsons, in particular, showed they possessed outstanding cricket abilitv.

A peculiar feature of the game was that the scoring was all done with the figures 3, 3 and 7. High School's innings realised 371 runs, while Auckland reversed this total to 173, and in its second xu« pings made 73.-