CRICKET JOTTINGS^

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11685, 24 November 1923, Page 10

CRICKET JOTTINGS^

I N.S.W, TOUR DEFINITE

NOTES FROM FAR AND NEAR

LOCAL CONTESTS - HOW THE TEAMS STAND.

REPRESENTATIVE GAMES THE PLUNKET SHIELD. Wellington v. Auckland, December 25th. 20th, 27th, at. Wellington. Wellington v. Canterbury. December 31st, January Ist, 2nd, at Wellington. Wellington v. Otago, January 18th, 19th, 21st, at Dunedin. JUNIOR MATCH. Wellington v. Canterbury, January let and 2nd, at Ohristohuroh. The Plunket shield matches are near - i at hand, and in a week’s time Welling- ~ ton* should have about 18 probable players, practising at special nets.- The other three provinces have already made the preliminary selection. So far many of last season’s prominent players have not yet struck form, and this makes the task of the selector all the more difficult. Still it must he remembered that in 1920 Bardsley, the famous Australian batsman had an average of only four runs in club cricket before the Sheffield Shield contest, but made a double centnffy in fßb flfst match"; Will history repeat itself P Mr Tucker will have a great deal of _ trouble in selecting his attack for the „ firqt match. At the present time Welling- ,. ton is in great need of a good slow ~ Lgirler, as well as a trundler who can _ send them down at express speed. Of " medium paced men there are plenty, but of these only Brice is worthy of representative honours on bowling alone. Then last but not loast —all the representative men will have to bp excellent fielders. In fact no man should be ~ considered for selection unless he is on expert in two departments of the game. This is the motto in Australia, and Wellington will have to meet the Cornstalks this season. The appointment of Mr Ken Tucker as ” sol's selector of the New Zealand team was a fitting complement to a player who has rendered yeoman service to the game in New Zealand. It is over twenty years ago since he was considered by Warner, the great English captain, to he without a peer fat New Zealand as far as batting was concerned. The rptxrintment also shows that the New Zealand Council have sounded public opinion on the question of having a player on" the selection committee.'

NEW 80UTH WALEB TEAM NEW ZEALAND TOUR. The announcement during tho week - that the arrangements have been completed must have been received with gratification by ail followers of the game in this county. The team that is coming across will contain players that >re good enough to play for their country. They will be for the most part young players, and they need no recommendation. One has only to recall vivid recollections of past, visits from Australia. So far the actual personnel of the team has not yet been announced, but it is almost certain to he selected from the following:— C. G. Macarthy. C. Kelleway, R. C. M Boyce. W. Bardsley, R. Bardsley, K. McCredie, A. Punch, W. G. F. Brown, J. W. Anderson, J. M Gregory, O. P. Asher, A. P. Wells, A Ratcßffe, A. - 'Kippax, H. Carter, H. L. Collins, C. C. O’Connor, H. Davis, B. B. Foraberg, H. L. Hendry, J. M. Taylor, O. £. Nothling, L. Wall, T. J. E. Andrews, S. Everett, A. A. Mailey, B. L. McCoy, W. A. Oldfield, A Gray, G. Morgan, D. Mullarkey, Ji. Cranney, J. D. Scott, •A. Thatcher, W. L. Berry and' A. G. MoyeS. Eleven of these players have od Australia in test matches since the • war! toria intend to send a team to India and Ceylon in the same manner: — Referring to the proposal that the 'V.C.A. may send a team to India in the event of the Board of Control’s sanction being given to N.S.W. to send a team to New Zealand this summer, Edgar Mayne, the Victorian Elevon captain, stated in an interview that he had been in communication with prominent players in India and Ceylon for some considerable time. Crickoters in India and Ceylon express their -keenness at such a visit, and Mayne said that he could and would get a team together if sanction were given. At least eight players have already expressed their willingness to join a team, even in an unofficial way. It is fairly ; certain that if N.S. Wales goes to New Zealand, a team of Victorian cricketers will go to India—either officially or wiseIt seems as though they have passed a vote of no-confidence on the Board of Control. OTAGO’S TEAM. Otago has made an early start in the preparations for the coming rep. season. Lest week -the following players were chosen to practice for the Otago-Cantor-bury matchAlloo (2), Worker, Dickinson, Dunning, Fraser, Shepperd, Gallard, Blamoree, Knight, McMullan, Conradi, Torrence, Casey, Cherry, Baker and McGregor.

FAST SCORING WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE. Mr Walter Rothwell, the Central Cumberland cricketer, who pilots tho teams across to Tasmania, and otherwise shows very ardent interest in cricket, sends me details of a very wonderful performance, says “Not Out ” How is this for sensational scoring? In tho Northern Districts Second Grade junior competition, Dundas B made 172, to which Pennant Hills B replied with 175, their innings terminating at 4 p.m. on the second 'day’s play. The second innings of Dundas commenced at 4.10 p.m., and at 4.35 p.m. it was declared closed with 145 runs on tho board without loss of a wicket. Only six overs were bowled, which shows that the rate of scoring averaged exactly three runs per ball. E. Spurway made 121 not out, his scoring stokes being: 262444241141 66 414 114446264162666 6. His partnor, R. Miller, made 20, inclndfing one 6 and two 4’s, and there were four byes. Hie bowling averages are interesting: Wells, 2 ovors, 37 runs; Small, 2 overs, 41 runs; Smith, 1 over, 31 runs; Sharp, 1 over, 32 runs. This phenomenal hitting brought its reward, as Pennant Hills were dismissed for 75 15 minutes from time. Surely this must constitute a record for rungetting? This astonishing feat takes some beating. In a match, Trinity v. Mercantile, at Cairns, Queensland, in February, 1910, L. C. Quinlan soared 101 not out in 18 minutes. He went in at 4.41 and retired not out at' 4.59, his hits including eight 6’s. Full scores of the innings were published in "The Refreee” at the time. C. Haddock scored 100 in 30 minutes for Goodna v. . Ipswich Grammar School in 1918. In England W. Hyman scored 359 in an hour and forty min- ' utes, the bowlers including E. M. Grace, then an aged veteran w!ho trundled lobs, which the batsmen hit in all directions. It may ly mentioned also that Trumper scored 51 in four and a half minutes. SHOTS AT RANDOM PERSONAL AND GTNERAL “Tom’’ Lowry finished up the English cricket season with an average of 35.54 for 44 completed 1564 rang, and his highest score 161. IV. Hill-Wood, who was a member of Maclaren’s team in this country, came through the season with an average score of 36.06 1 for 30 completed innings, his tally being 1082 and his highest score 116. A matter for speculation—Will the Thoradon senior team have a score book to-day? E.« A. McDonald, the Australian test bowler, who went to England to play in the Lancashire League, has decided to settle down permanently in the Old Country. During last season ho took 112 wickets at a "cost of. 6.6? runs a piece. TRAGEDY. I dropped it!—a sitter (They wanted but five) \ And he was their hitter 1 I dropped it—a sitter— The memory bitter Will ever survive. I dropped it ... a sitter— They wanted but five! - J. M. TAYLOR A BRILLIANT YOUNG BATSMAN. It was cabled over on Monday that the young Sydney University player, J. M. Taylor, scored, a brilliant double century in first-grade cricket there. The young batsman, who went to England with the Australian team in 1921, and who will probably visit New Zealand, is one of the most popular men with companions of bat and ball that ever visited England. His modesty, personal charm, and youth win for him frien.ds on every hand. His superb' brilliancy in the field, where he is tireless and most zestful, ever trying, and his excellence with the bat, won him his position in the last two series of Tests against England. Some cricketers may be said to be of an individual fighting type. Johnny Taylor is different. A team cricketer, he is the sort of player who whips into it in the field, .or at the wickets when the stress is hottest, as keen on saving oi making a run as though the fate of the match depended on it. Most really highclass international players team cleverly when thevpolish is applied to the side by a skilled leader. Teams composed of *uch players will invariably defeat those in which individualism predominates with other things equal. Johnny Taylor first came into notice in cricket by his great batting and fielding for Newington College. His feats with the bat stand apart in the annals of Newington right down through the years back to the days when the late Mr Joe Coates was headmaster. From the school eleven he went into the New South Wales Colts against the Victorian Colts, topping 200 m the match, and making a very big stand with Frank Buckie. He had just advanced into the Sheffield Shield team of the State when war broke out.

After the war Johnny Taylor, as member of the A.I.F. team, helped to make history. The cricket of that team was the basis of the great victories won in the last two seasons by Australia against ESngland. He played in all ten Tests against the Motherland, scoring over 80 in an innings in at least seven of them, getting the rnns in England as well as in this country. Added to this his fielding was magnificent throughout. Last summer his catching of C. E. Parkin at cover in the closing test match on the Sydney ground was one of those things that never wither in the memory. He moved quickly across to a very hard stroke square with the wicket and just getting his outstretched hands to the ball, held what looked an impossible catch.

Johnny Taylor’s highest innings in the Sheffield Shield is 187 against South Australia; his highest against Victoria is 118; his highest aigainst the English team 107 not out for New South Wales. He has not yet reached hie top in firstclass cricket, but, all going well, should do so next season, when he will he. associated with the Sydney University eleven. Since returning from the tour abroad with the Australians, he has taken up dentistry at the University, and that should mean that his cricket practice will be obtainable under the best of conditions. At school he showed” striking brilliancy, and he is expected to reveal this Duff-like dash and success in firstclass cricket, when he once again accustoms himself to going for the ball on the fast, true wickets of the homeland. He is at present captain of the University team, of which Nothling, the wellknown footballer, is a prominent member.

ENGLIBH BEABON INTERESTING REVIEW. In publishing some of tho loading batting and howling averages for the English season, the “Athletic News" makes some comments that will interest Australians who follow what is being dona by possible Test men of the near future. It says:— Once more, E. Hendren heads the nver- - «nd maw iustifiably he considered

the most consistent batsman in. Englam since the war. For four years out o. the five has he been, the premier baUman. Thus in 1919 his. aggregate wa. 1655 runs, average 61.29: 192(1, 2520 runs, average 61.46; 1922. 2072, average 66.83; and 1923, 3010; average 77.17. Never before has Hendren reached such an aggregate. He joins such an exclusive circle as that of Hay Ward, Abel, K. SKanjitsinhji, C. B. Fry, and John. Tyldesley, while with 13 centuries in a season he equals Fry (1901) and Hayward (1906). Truly Hendren ha® bad an amazing year, and yet in representative matches •he has accomplished very little. His Christian prefix, which is E., stands for Elias, but cynics declare it should, be "Enigma" Hendren. Anyway, he is a delightful scorer on most occasions. Makepeace, Sutcliffe, Dipper, Holmes, and Bowley have never scored so many runs. Sutcliffe had the honour of scoring 119, the last century of the season, for the Rest of England against Lord Cowdrey's team, who escaped defeat by two runs. The Rest required 152, and had 75 minutes. They failed by two, having lost only six wickets. ’Twas a dramatic finish. THE BOWLERS OF THE HEAR. Of regular bowlers three Yorkshire men occupy the first three places, but only Maurice Tate and Cecil Parkin have secured over 209 wickets. The po9t-war record of Rhodes is extraordinary. For three years out Of five he has headed the average with: 1919, 164 wickets, average 14.42; 1920, 161 wickets, average 13 18; and 1923, 134 Wickets, average 11.54; while Roy Kilnor and George Macaulay have never had such success. In spite of these Yorkshire tmunptus our young friend, Maurice Tate, must be considered the premier bowler of the year, for last season his complete return was 119 wickets for 17.42 each, so that his bag has been increased by 100 wickets, and his average reduced iby 3.45. This is the finest achievement since class matches were resumed, and should give All England hope for the future. Parkin and Richard Tydlesley have surpassed all their figures. In the last match Frank Woolley, with three wickets, brought his total to three figures, and has for the third year in succession obtained ranlk as a double first, the statintics being: 1921, 2101 runs and 167 wickets; 1922, 2022 runs and 163 wickets; and 1923, 2048 runs and 101 wickets—deeds to be proud of. The surprise, however, beyond comparison, is the case of Root, tho Worcesterhire acquisition, who has captured 170 wickets for 20i runs each, hut last year his 41 wickets cost 26.68 runs apiece. The bowlers who have secured 100 wickets, besides those given in the tables below, are J. W. H. T. Douglas 146. Ryan (Glamorgan) 109 Pearson 111, Astill 114, Durston 111, and Newman 148. Of these Dongles, Pearson, Newman, and Astill have also scored 1000 runs. Altogether the past season increases •hope for the future of English cricket, although we are still short of pace in the attack, with tho result that our batsmen are not at home to fast bowling. The play against the West Indies proved this beyond doubt.

TO DAY’S GAMES

THE SELECTED TEAMS. The following club teams have boon selected to take part in this afternoon’s games:— INSTITUTE OLD BOYS. Senior—J. J. Rodgers, Banks, Dempster, Nelson, James, Prince, Burt, Massey, Malcolm, Foley and Griffiths. Junior A—Calvert, Andrews (2), Holz, Bilby, A. Spolsky, T. Barr, Condliffe, Burbidge, Exton, and C. Rogers. Junior C—Finlayson (2), Lochore, Lambert, Le Compte, Dawe, Williams, Orgood, Bosher, Whinham, Guest; emergency, G. Griffiths. Fourth—A. S. Barr, Cade, Caulton, Douglas, Eyre, McClelland, Noot, Pinkerton, Quin, Ritchie, and Turner; emergency, Simpson. THORNDON; Senior —Phillips, Taylor, Warne, A. Martin, Ellern, Hyder, Leggatt, Williams, Carruthers, Mason, Brook. Junior A—Audinwood, Cox, Bremner, Ell, Fouhy, Cookson, Martin, Tarrant, Butcher, Dwan, Jeffs. Junior C—Salmon, Hark Humphries, Wilson, Andrews, Mallet, Cox, De Sousa, MacDougall, Adams, Norris. Third—Rogers, Davis, Collins, Hendry, Prince, Wareham, Taylor, Burns, Anderson, Fowke, Metford, Thompson, R Brimer. Y.M.C.A. Senior—Henderson, White, Condliffe, Westbrook, Jones, Haughey, Cox, Bowyer, Murphy (2), Almao. Junior A —Henderson, Andrews, Sugden, Price, Fletcher, Lyham, Lamason, Thomas (2), Mabin, Smith. Junior B—Harper, Francis, Jacques, Guy, Gray. Spence, Flackett, Fete, Leadsman, Hopkirk, Gudsell.' Third A —Gillies, Pvlo, IFAudney, Mitehelson, Franklin, L’Estrange, Rainsbottom, Hall, Wilson, Beck, Long. Third B, A—Duffill, Anderson, Greig, Bush, Asplin, Wilson, Fowler, Murie, Silver, Doherty, Hosking, Whitehead. Fourth—Worthington, Bale, Macdonald, Pulgford, Guthrie, Thornton, Kirker, Kircher, Milne, Mcßride, Cutler, Dorrian. ' Third B, B (St. Mark’s) —Birch, Fry, Kellington, Siverson, Seamer, Peddie, Kent, Smith, R. Matthews, H. Matthews, Savoury. STOP OUT. Intermediate Boys—R. Dunn, Mills, Larsen, T. Lawson, B. Lawson, Ogg, Moore, W. Dunn, Madson, Cummings, Bromley. Senior Boys—Howat, Cullen, O’Donnell, Moore, Abbott, Hodson, Hitchen, Johnstone, Lewis, J. Dunn, Proudfoot; emergency, Wiggins, Thompson. MIDLAND. Senior —Baker, Bruce, Hutchings (2), Johnson, G. Gibson, Clark, Cooper, Judd, Patrick, Little. Junior (A—A. Cunninghame, Moss, Fauthorpe, Auld, Porteous, Watson, GilI christ. Hatch, Halley, Hewitt, O'Connor. Junior B—-Bramley, Fletcher, Mackay, i J. Cochrane, McKinnon, Lake, Brennan, Eves, Smith, Edgar, Snimmons. Junior C—Howard, Goff, Clements, Bentley, Batchelor, Williamson, Corniack, Gray, Hilton, Bennett, Thomas. Third A—Aldridge, Benton, Hutchings, Garnham, Kraft, Mclntosh, Prondfoot, Waterhouse, Williams, Dillon, Miller. WESLEY. Junior B.—Brabin, Schrader, Hearne, Reid, Mabin, Tolan, Pago, Abbott, McDeonj Keenlyside, Gardur Third B.— Cross, Macklin, Gifford) Corley, Thompson, Brandon, Bell, Bull, Watson, Tindill, Glossop. VACUUM OIL COMPANY. Andrews, Cottrell, Duok, Gibson, Jardine, Mclntosh, Toomer, Wheatley, Walsham. White, Wilson. STOREMEN. No. 1 team. —J. Hayden, H. Hurcombe, T. Lundon, J. Mills, B. Ryan, D. W. Rugby, C. Bolton, S. Poole, T. Fitzgerald, D. W. Johnston, F. Neal, H”. iidlm. No. 2 team. Lowe, Ryan, Wynne, Roddy, Hawley, Nicholas, Chamberlain, Squarer, Durant, Cass, Barr; emergencies, Wright, Burn. ST. JAMES’S. Pringle, S. Ramsay, A. Ramsay, Kite, Haigh, Myorscough, Watkins, Turner, James, Shand, Macquilham. ST. MARK’S. Cummins, Jackson, Seamer, Meich, Shepherd, Douglas, Rubick (2), Hancock, Const idle, Mawson, Dyhrberg. ST. THOMAS’S. Junior A.—Bennett, Bolt (2), Faber, Fisher, Fuller, Hearne, Hester, lleevo, Reyliiig, Purvey. Junior C. Bedell, Bell, Bradshaw, Clark, Dawson, Guy, Lawrence, Perkins, Preston, l’udnoy, Welsford. Thiid grade.—Same team as last week. Senior Boys.—Wright, Dickey, Cromie, Fisk, Jackson, Elliott, James, Perkins, Guise, Paget, Mann, Watson, Biggs. Intermediate A.—Osborn (2), Gillespie, Rex, Smithson, Highet, Rogers, McParlane, Morgan, Sandlandt, Cjirrie. Intermediate C.—-Davis, Allott. Up-

Institute Outright win .... 0 First inns. win. 1 u X D. 0 . pts. 3 Wellington ... o i 1 0 3 Midland ..... i 0 0 Petone a 0 0 6 Hutt 0 l 0 4 Y.1I.C.A. „ 0 1 X 0 Old Boy* .. 0 0 a 0 0 “ Thorndon ., ..... 0 0 a 0 0