CRICKET HUMOUR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22619, 6 January 1937, Page 15

CRICKET HUMOUR

TWO FAMOUS ENGLISHMEN VALUE OF NET PRACTICE I recently spent an enjoyable and amusing evening in the company of Pat Hendren and Andy Sandhani, states an English cricket writer. It was enjoyable to hear theso two confirming one another's stories of cricket experiences both at home and on tour, and amusing to hear them fencing with one another. Referring to Hammond's bowling feat with the new ball in Australia, Hendren commented that every bowler really bowled better with tho new ball, to which opening batsman Sandham retorted, "What do you know about the new ball." . Sandham has a dry humour which ho reveals at tho most unexpected moments. When Hendren referred to a remarkable slip catch lie made in his Younger davs to dismiss Sandham was sorry to do it," he said—Sandham chipped in with the remark, ihe only one I ever edged." Both agreed that the fastest bowling and the fastest wicket they had ever had to face was Constantino bow ling on the wicket at Barbados. Many worn ihe anecdotes of cricket on toni in the West Indies that they told, probably tho best being Hondron's of a match in which he had made a lot of runs and volunteered to surrender his wicket to one of the locals if ho went on to ho\flJ. Hendren had a blind swipe and the ball sailed over the pavilion and landed on tho roof of an adjoining house. "Look what you've done," cried the bowler, disconsolate. "The man who lived in that house has died." "Well, what does that matter?" asked Hendren. "Well, you gone and wake him up," was tho reply. 1 was interested to hear Sandham discuss the value of net practice. Ho suggests that a bowler cannot really bo judged in the nets. The net acts as a guide, and ho says lie has seen many a bowler perform creditably in tho nets and be all at sea in tho middle. On tho other hand, a batsman who can hold his own on an indifferent wicket in the nets should obviously ho able to shine on an immaculate wicket.