CRICKET IN ENGLAND.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19001, 25 October 1923, Page 4

CRICKET IN ENGLAND.

PAST SEASON REVIEWED. YORKSHIRE’S SUPERIORITY STRONG ARRAY OF BOWLERS. The English cricket season of 1923 has been one of fully sustained interest, in spite ■of the fact that the general superiority of Yorkshire put the championship outside the range of speculation (says an English', paper). The second place, too, was never in doubt after play was in full swing. Notts clearly could not catch ' Yorkshire, and were most unlikely to be caught bj auy ol the four or five counties competing for the third place. The fight for that third place was close and constant, and brought five club* into the running. Never has there been a season when the counties were more sharply divided into two grades, eight at each end of the scale, with Somerset as a go-between. The feature of the Yorkshire play was the strength of the attack, both in bowling end in fielding, including the placing of the field; and this was followed up by a consistent steadiness in batting and a belief that victory was always possible. Almost always it was attained. The one defeat (apart from the first-innings reckoning) was only by three runs, and in that game Notts had all the best of the wicket.

Yorkshire ended by winning more county matches than any county team has ever won in a season. In Rhodes, Roy Kilner, Macaulay. Robinson, 15. R. Wilson, and Waddington she had an array of bowlers who subdued most of her opponents more or less before they went in to bat.

RACE BETWEEN THREE COUNTIES. Notts did well, but not so well ns at one time seemed possible. Her bowlers were decidedly beyond the county average, and m Payton and Vvhysall she*wad safe and attractive bats, while George Gunn was safe enough to break the hearts of most bowlers. Mr Carr proved a breezy, fearless captain; and Oates, the wicketkeeper, was a great success.

Kent, Lancashire, and Surrey ran a neck-and-neck race after the season was well advanced. Hobbs retained his style, if not his full effectiveness, and Surrey had a rc serve of sound batsmen; but the attack was not strong enough, though Mr Fender proved himself a horn captain and a fine all-round player. Kent had excellent help from woolloy and J. L. Bryan, hut she lost often enough to make her play seem patchy. Lancashire had sterling help from Makepeace and the Tyldesley family, but Parkin’s bowling did not quite answer expectation. THE HERO OF THE YEAR.

Sussex had a most interesting season, and proved an attractive team to watch. ’ The hero of the year emerged in Tate, a vigorous bat and a dangerous and most energetic howler. His record of wickets taken tops the national score. Tie strikes the onlooker a? a thoroughly hearty player who deserves all the success he gets. Bowley did well, and Mr Gilligan by his play and his captaincy alike, was one of the marked men of the year.

Hampshire had a snorting team from whom one never knew what to expect; they played some fine games, seemed at times to be coming well to the front, and then fell awav. Though they found a fast bowler in Mr Shirley, they need more variety in attack, though nobody can throw a stone at that pair of consistent triers. Kennedy mid Newman, two of the hardestworked cricketers on the country. Mead was again a f-ewev of resistance in • the hatting line, whose - hack as he returned to the pavilion gladdened the hearts of his opponents. CONSISTENT AMATEUR BOWLER. Somerset had fine assistance from Messrs M’Brvan and M. D. Lyon, and in Mr J. C. White has the most consistent amateur howler in England. The countv, has some creditable successes, and plays with a hreezv air. Middlesex was distinctly disappointing, notwithstanding her batting strength. Mr, Mann will not retrieve the county fortunes till lie can command a much stronger attack. Among the personal successes in the counties on the lower half of the list must he mentioned the oantainoy of Mr G. R. Jackson for Derbyshire and the help he had from Mr W. Hill-Wood; the persistent energy of Colonel Douglas in the cause of Essex, backed by the howling of Mr G. 41. Louden and the batting of O’Connor, ;> verv hopeful addition to the eleven: (he all-round form of A still for Leicester, shire, and the veteran TCing. wilh vhe bowling of Gcnrv; the batting of M. K. Foster for Worcestershire, and the howling of Root.

The visit of the West Indian team was somewhat of a surprise. Thev proved themselves the eouals of the lower counties on the English list, and in Mr Challnner they have a bat to take rank with our best. The sMson' a plav. on the whole, has shown that cricket fullv retains its hold on the I’nelish race, and has a vitality in plav which promises well for the sterner competitions (hat are in store.