CRICKET COACHES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21940, 25 October 1934, Page 18

CRICKET COACHES

AUCKLAND ENGAGEMENT ~ L. F. TOWN SEND ARRIVES SERVICES TO DERBYSHIRE BADCOCK FROM LANCASHIRE / Following in the footsteps of wellknown Sussex professionals, A. K. Relf in pre-war days and, more recently, E. 11. Bo'A'lcy. J. Ltmgridge and A. F. Wcnslcy, the Derbyshire professional L. l'\ Townsend arrived from England by the Rangitiki yesterday to fulfil his engagement as player-coach to the Auckland Cricket Association. Although Townsend has been on- several cricket tours overseas, this is his first visit to the Dominion and he is looking forward to a good season's cricket. Another well-known cricketer, F. T. Badcock, coach to the Otago Association, was also a passenger on the Rangitiki. returning to Now Zealand after a season in England as professional to the Werneth Club in the Central Lancashire League. Townsend was met on arrival yesterday by the chairman, Mr. W. I{. Fee, and members of the management committee of the Auckland Cricket Association, in addition to H. G. Vivian, a member,of the 1931 New Zealand side in England, against which Townsend played for his county at Derby. He is anxious to obtain some practice and to start coaching as soon as possible. OS Spin Bowling Townsend, who has a very quiet manner, said he had not been quite as successful last season in England as he had been in the 1933 summer. In spito of this he scored 1200 runs and,, took SO wickets,/assisting his team to gain third place in the county championship. • During the 1933 season, Townsend, in air first-class matches scored 2224 runs and took exactly 100 wickets. He gained the distinction of having his portrait published in Wisden's Almanack as one of the five cricketers of the year, tribute being paid to him as a "first-rate batsman, thoroughly well equipped, a very good medium-paced right-hand bowler and a sure field." He has toured the West Indies and India with M.C.C. teams. ' ' Those who have seen Townsend in action hold that his off spin bowling should prove a valuable object lesson to young Auckland cricketers, particularly as there is a shortage of good spin bowlers in club cricket at present. Badcock's Good Season An excellent season in League cricket < was enjoyed by Badcock, who narrowly missed establishing a record for the Central Lancashire League. He scored 9GO runs and took 128 wickets. Wet weather toward the end of the season robbed him of his chances of obtaining the "double" of over 1000 runs and 100 wickets, a feat which has not yet been accomplished by any player in the league. . * *' The club cricket in the northern leagues is of a much higher standard than New Zealanders have been led to believe," Badcock said. "Each club has » professional, who must be .an allrounder, and the games, tohich start at ' 2.3 C p.m.: aiid finish at 7.30"p.m., are V always keenly contested. It is good, bright cricket and you have to go for your life." Badcock referred to another system of competition conducted, in the ,evenf. ings, play starting at 6.3o'pan. and * concluding at 9.30 p.m. The games were played on : a system of suspended inn-; ings, each, side batting only once but" .suspending its innings-after a certain number of "runs" had been scored. The games were played on consecutive fevenings until they were? completed and produced most entertaining cricket. The long dusk in the north of England made' conditions quite favourable for evening cricket. ' Badcock left for the South by train last evening, as "he wishes to take part in a club match in Dunedin on Saturday. . . V> ."" " ■