NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12093, 21 March 1925, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS

COVERING THE WICKET VICTORIAN TEAM HOOTED. There was an unusual scene at. the beginning of the match yesterday. The crowd had"' been , misled by advertisements in the newspapers which said that play would commence at 11.30, and a large number had a half hour to wait. The umpires" went .on to the field at 12.5, and they stood there for several minutes and ye£ the-visitors failed to put is an appearance. “HURRY UP VICTORIA.”

“Hurry up, Victoria!” was an incessant cry. When the umpires went back to the pavilion, there was a fresh outburst. “Have you got the wind up?” “Are you going to let them win by default?” were some of the . remarks.

At* 12.30 the umpires again appeared, and when the Victorians walked on to the field they were hooted loudly. Had not. Mr T. AV. Leslie spoken to the crowd,, stating that they were not the only ones who paid to see the match, the scene .might have been even worse. The delay was caused by a conference between the two captains on the covering of the wicket. Mayne, the captain of the Victorian team, wished- to have it covered in case of rain, hut Patrick Would not agree to this, holding that the M.C.C. rules applied to New Zealand. He had not been made aware of the fact that the New Zealand cpuncil had sanctioned the covering of the'wicket:

Interviewed by a “Times” reporter,, Mr. E. E. Bean, the manager Of the Victorian team, said that the “follow on” rule, the covering of . the wicket,, and other matte/s had been disebsseej hy members of the‘a-eam and tlio. New Zealand council at a meeting in Christchurch. The visitors pointed out what rain would mean to New Zealand under the M.C.p. rules,- but decided to leave the matter in" the hands of the council* 1 ' ' . _ " “When "we arrived here yesterday,” sajd "Mr Bean. “I asked the groundsman what the position was in regard to covering l the wicket. He replied that be had 'been covering it, having been advised that) by the secretary of the council that the wicket was to he covered. We naturally inferred that "tiffs" was to he for the whole match. HOAV DISPUTE AROSIj. “It was after Patrick had won the toss that the discovery was made that the covering was only to be done before the ’match started* After considering thb "matter it was agreed to follow the Australian conditions—-that the wicket he covered any time during the game.” ; ' NEW ZEALAND FORM.' 1: The New Zealand , batting was not Inspiring, especially after the fine showing by all the major provinces.: The wicket rolled out hard ■ and trite, and was greatly in the batsmen’s'favour. The bowling did-not appear..to be anything exceptional, although "it must "be con* ceded that AVallace and Liddicutt especially kei>t a fine length. AVallace seemed a little .faster than usual. CAUSE OF DOWNFALL. ' The chief cause of New Zealand’s "doiv'nfall' wa3 the tendency of the batsmen; to play the off theory which was advantageously employed. Hiddleston, ",Dempster* Patriok,- and: McGirr and Blunt" were either 'caughb" in slips Or behind the: sticks. ," The same failure has, been notioed before in big cricket in New, Zealand, qsMpiglly against visiting teams. It is hh'pfed that our batsmen will restrain themselves more when howlers are sending" down stuff outside.: the off stump. Hiddleston gave the. brightest display, of the New Zealand side, but he had yet to prove that it was only a, flash in the pan". He ,commenced by late cutting* Wallace crisply for - four, and. he played both Liddicutt and Wallace with confidence.. His shots through the slips were well tiqjied, hard and clean, while he drove well to the off. The. shot ;which caused his dismissal, however, was a weak one. , . SOUND AND SOLID. /

Worker was very sound, but after a solid display went out through playing a half-hearted shot to Liddicutt. Hitherto he had played both men with confidence. Both Liddicutt and AA’allace howled round the wicket to him; but this seemed to suit the Otago man, who swung through well, meeting the ball with a square blade. His. off driving was very clear and well timed. Dacre was disappointing. He commenced With a squai e-cut for three off, Wallace, and also placed Liddicutt to mid-on nicely for the same number or runs. The crowd were looking for a sample of his Auckland form, but they yvere disappointed. He made a weak shot to a ball fi’Om Liddicutt, and sent an easy catch back to the bmvie,r’s hands. VALUABLE INNINGSBlunt played very slowly, -getting, his 39 runs during a stay of 116 minutes at the crease, but he played the right game. When lie lost Worker he saw Dempster, Patrick and McGirr follow quickly, and wiiiv six wickets down, for 106 New Zealand's chances looked anything but bright: He gave a couple of chances during his stay at the crease, but otherwise ibis form was sound. He left the' off stuff alone, and used his fet well to Hartkopf, although this bowler heat him m the end, DEMPSTER INJURED. Dempster received a knock on the leg at the beginning of his innings, hut he never looked at hqme. and went, out to. a catch , t off a rising ball On the Patrick had thd misfortune to tip one that kicked up off the pitch* The ball went into hands, arid it was a case of exit Captain Patrick. McGirr was another who fell to off tlieorv. although m his case he attempted to repent an off .drive that had gone to the boundary. The time he failed to get light over the ball, and edged it into' slips.; ALLOO’S FINE .DISPLAY. Alloo ,'silenced his critic* 'Apart from his shaky display nt times to Hartkopf, he played sound cricket. He did not take any risks, but he hit hard anything that was loose. Two late cuts for four off Millar and a leg glide off AA’allace were perhaps tho best of his strokes. He thoroughly deserved every run ho got. I Condliffe batted better than expected. and Dickinson looked as if he might Stay, until AVallace. who was "brought on again, clean bowled tho Otago man. Mcßeath played a

bright knock for :15, getting nice off drives.to ; the .boundary, ■ It is worthy of note that the five wickets , put on • 85 runs, and the last five 141. Runs were’ scored/.at the rate of one per minute. THE BOWLING. Wallace, who sent t down, 18'overs, kept a’ good length to v tfie never'seemed to tire. ■■■ while .Liddicntt was very accurate, varying his pace and break. . if urtkopf was in fair, form, but he looked more impressive.; because the batsmen failed to. use their feet -to him. . r' ' , '•< The Victorian fielding was_very keen, and prominent Were Ransfard, Woodfull, Mdyne, and ■: WilKr. . Wallace’s catch, with which' he dismissed MoBeath, was a brilliatii*«ff prfe.® The .baJL was hit hard' and low, and the .dived for it and held it amidst'loud applause. JThe match will be resumed to-day at 12 o’clock., '