REMARKABLE BATTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20898, 13 June 1931, Page 9

REMARKABLE BATTING.

THE TEAM'S AVERAGES. DEMPSTER'S FINE FIGURES. MERRITT TAKES 50 WICKETS. The conclusion of the match against Somerset, the tenth of the New Zealand team's tour, leaves 0. S. Dempster easily at the head of the batting averages. In 12 innings, including four not-outs, he has the remarkable average of 100.37 for a total of 803 runs. To date Dempster Has made a double century (212) against Essex, and three other centuries as follows 106 not out v. Hampshire, 129 not out v. Glamorgan, and 101 not out v. Cambridge. R. C. Blunt is next on the list with a total of 411 runs for 12 innings, including one not-out, giving him an average of 37.36. He is closely followed by J. E. Mills who, in 11 innings, has totalled 404 runs at an average of 36.72. W. E. Merritt and H. G. Vivian are the only other batsmen with figures over 30. Merritt has been four times not-out and Vivian on two occasions. One of the disappointing features of the tour to date is the failure of J. L. Kerr to return better figures. In 14 innings he has an average of just under 20 runs for each. The other colt, Vivian, was also expected to do better, over half his runs being made in one innings of a century. Together with G. L. Weir, both Kerr and Vivian can be expected to 6Core more freely on really fast wickets. The bowling averages are headed by A. M. Matheson, who has taken 14 wickets at a cost of just on 16 runs each. Matheson could not take part in some matches owing to straining, a muscle in his leg, otherwise his tally of wickets would probably have been larger. I. B. Cromb, who ha 3 shown particularly good form with the ball, has captured 25 wickets at a cost of 16 runs each, and in the matter of aggregate wickets is next in order to W. E. Merritt. Already Merritt has taken 51 wickets at an average of 17.66—remarkable figures for a bowler of his type. His performances to date as a trundler compare very favourably with those of Dempster as a batsman. The success of slow bowlers of Merritt's type against English batsmen is exemplified by the fact that Blunt has 20 wickets to his credit. The averages of the New Zealand team up to the present match against Gloucester are as follows: BATTING. Ins. N.O. H.S. R. A. C. S Dempster . . 12 4 212 803 100.37 R C. Blunt . . 12 1 120 411 37.36 J. E. Mills . 11 92 404 36.72 W. E. Merritt .. 9 4 35* 166 33.20 H. G. Vivian .. 9 2 135 218 31.14 M L Page .. 13 1 113 355 29.58 T C Lowy ..12 1 101' 31G 28.72 R O. Talbot . . 12 1 66 2&5 25.90 G L Weir .. 13 1 100' 306 25.50 L b!" Cromb .. 8 1 52* 164 23.42 J h. Kerr . . 14 88 278 19.85 K. C. James .. io i « m 12, C. F. \V. Allcott . 5 2o o9 11-80 A. M. Matheaon .44 13* 2''Signifies not out. » BOWLING. Wickets. Runs. Average. A. M. Matheeon . 14 222 . 15.85 I. B. Cromb . . 25 40/ 16.23 W. E. Merritt .. 51 901 G. L. Weir . . . 17 395 23.2-i R. O. Blunt .. 20 52G 26.30 C F. W. Allcott . 7 225 32.14 M. L. Pago .. 5 RO. Talbot .. 6 333 5a.50 H. Cr. Vivian 2 1/6 88.00 T. C. Lowry .. 15