NOTES AND COMMENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12096, 25 March 1925, Page 9

NOTES AND COMMENTS

PLAY REVIEWED FEATURES OF THE GAME. The first test is over . and New- Zealand is now looking forward to the* second. The result has been a little disappointing, in view of the fine showing of .the major associations against the visitors, but there is no doubt that on the play the best side won. The only department *Sf the game in ’which New Zealand equalled them was in the bowling—that is the two mainstays of the New Zealand attack, Dickinson and Mcßeath were equal to any two of the visitors. This, of course, is high praise for the Dominion’s pair, but! -tihey (have fully merited it. Had they' in the first innings had a fielding side of the calibre of the Victorians to support them: they would have come through with, much better figures and might have won the game for their ride.' It was the unevenness of the hatting Aid the lost chances that lost for New Zealand their chance of victory." ■ visitors Ratting. Yesterdav’s cricket was very interesting, although from the way in which the visitors attacked the bowling the issue was never in doubt. Ellis and Austen were a patient opening pair, but no true lover of cricket would have called their batting dull. In fact the match on the whole wa» full of interest. Woodfull, however, was again the hero of the innings. He was a little more forceful than on the previous day, and he came out of his crease todrive more frequently. For hia fifty he was at the wickets 66 minutes, and he hit four boundaries. He never gave the semblance of « chance and hardly played a weak stroke. When he stepped up to meet the bowlers he did not seem to he taking the risks usually attending such aggressive tactics, but met the ball with the full four and a-half inches .of blade and punched it hard. Unlike Willis, be did not play the characteristic hook shot of the Australians, but scored most of his runs with' drives and cuts varying from square to late. A delightful shot of his was a carpet drive through the covers which did not give the fieldsmen a chance and hit the fence with a thud. FORCEFUL PLAYER. Willis hit three fours during his short but merry innings. He booked Mcßeath twice to the boundary with well-timed shots. He seemed to be quite at home to the left-hander, but contrary to expectations did not play Alloo’s slows with such decisiveness. He w:-,fi continually putting his .pads in front of the Otago man’s deliveries, and this proved to -be his downfall. A big off 'break saw him with his hat poised in the air endeavouring to stop the ball with his legs but it beat him badly and found the stumps. Hartkopf’s three boundaries Were three clean straight drives with plenty of power behind him. He shaped much better than in the first innings. NEW ZEALAND IN THE FIEiLD. The Now Zealand fielding was much better than in the first innings and .special praise must be given to Alloo and Dempster. This pair Were the only standing New Zealand players in this department of the 'game right through the match, and they won the two trophies given-for t}ie best fielders. Dacre must have run.them closely for tlie prize, while McGirr did well at times. Both these players, however, spoilt their Chances by dropping a catch apiece. Mcßeath did not show the sting of the first jnnings in his bowling but he kept the batsmen watching him carefully.'-: He howled very few loose balls;-‘and he was .well supported by Dickinson, who still retainqd his pace. The bail with, which he skittled Mayne was “and out of the box.” Alloo bowled well and showed that he might have been nsed. more. He used his big (off break to’ advantage, and, kept the' -batsmen watching him closely'. Bo has been one of the successes ofithe match.. Blunt was never dangerous and never looked like getting a wicket. ON THE IMPROVE MR BEAN SPEAKS. HIS VIEWS ABOUT NEW ZEALAND CRICKET, Taking into consideration the play in the Test match and the matches against the provinces I can safely say that the standard of cricket in New Zealand is much higher than I was led to believe when I left Australia, said Mr E. E. Bean, the manager of the Victorian team to a “Times” reporter. “Some of the players have shown very fine form indeed. I do not want to name any particular players, but I would like to say that' I was agreeably surprised. ' GREATEST HANDICAP. “Your greatest handicap here is the lack of good wickets, both for playing and practice. The wioket we have just/played oil approximates more closely the Australian wicket than any other we have played on, and I think thar you will, have even greater improvement; in your play when your playerr. are not handicapped by bad wickets. “Ire l ;Australia we find the Merry Creek soil: the best for the preparation of wickets.’.’ - BELLI SOIL. “What about the famous Bulli soil?” asked the reporter. “The Bulli soil is becoming exhausted and the quality is not the same as it used to he. An instance of liow a wicket can be improved may bo learned from the methods of the Fitzroy Club m Melbourne where the wicket had been giving dissatisfaction for years. The club ploughed up the centre of the ground and put down a sub-soil from Merry Creek. The oxperivnout was most successful, and I. have been informed

by the best judges that the Fitzroy Club have a wicket second to none. “ONE. SHOT PLAYERS.” “If players are continually looking for ‘shooters’ in the second and third innings of matches they become one shot batsmen. Tlie greatest improvement in Victorian cricket was made in the seventies, when the clubs had got together a little money and paid more attention to the wickets. “Your cricket is well controlled bore,” said Mr Bean. “and. I am sure '.hat your day is coming. I would like to say that we have heeff* treated hospitably since our arrival in <New Zealand, and have been piling up happy memories and a store of reminiscences.”

HANSFORD’S VIEWS

ALSO SEES IMPROVEMENT. Mr V. S. Hansford, who was given a wonderful ovation by the big crowd at the Basin Reserve on Saturday, aud who is on his fourth tour of the Dominion. Has had more big match experience than any other member of the. team, also emphasised the need for good wickets. “In cricket,” he said, “there is no royal road to success. It cpmes by practice that must he carried out regularly and seriously. In Australia we pay great attention to details, and I think this is where the New Zealanders are lacking. We have long ago realised that to make a name in the cricketing world we must take the game seriously, and must have the best conditions under which to play. PRAISE FOR DACRE.

“Yes, I can honestly say that I can see a distinct improvement. in cricket in New Zealand,” he said, in reply to a question. “There is. a fine improvement since my last visit in 1921. You have a number of fine players amongst the young ones, and in 'Canterbury am, Otago we were favourably, impressed with the showing of the junior members of the teams. T do not like men tioning any particular players, but I must say that if Dacre had. the opportunities there are in Australia he would develop into a player of the highest class. H® is a natnral cricketer. ’ PUBLIC SUPPORT. “What you want here is more public support. The crowd in Wellington was very good, and they showed a good knowledge of the game, but I am told that Wellington crowds are great ones for sports gatherings of any kind.” In answer to a question, Mr Rans-for-d said that .he considered that a tour of Australia by a New Zealand team, especially IT the players were young, would do a great amount of good and help the game considerably. The exchange -of visits with other countries was one of the best methods of improving the standard of the game. “OLARRIE” GRIMMETT. Speaking of C. V. Qrimmett, the exNew Zealander, Mr Ransford said that he was almost a moral for the next Australian team. “Clarrio is a fineplayer and a fine sport,” he said, “and he deserves all the success he gets. Ho is quiet and unassuming, and nothing will rattle him. He is an object-lesson of what it Is possible to do by conscientious attention to the game.”