CRICKET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19617, 22 October 1925, Page 4

CRICKET.

; By Slip. I THE SEASON’S PROSPECTS. Everything points to the club season, Avhich opens ou Saturday, being a most successful one. Tho officials and players ot the various clubs are showing much keenness and enthusiasm, practices have been ■well attended, several new teams have been entered in tho different competitions, and ono and all are eagerly looking forwarcito the commencement of club matches. the winning of the Plunket Shield last season by the Otago representative team and the fine performance put up by our men against the Victorian visitors brought an added prestige to Otago cricket, and one gratifying feature of these successes was the increased public interest iu the game. _ Provided favourable weather is experienced this season there is every reason to hope ' that cricket will liecomo even more popular. The matches of the New Zealand team in Australia will lend added interest to the season’s cricket, and it will be interesting to see lioav our men shape on the fast Australian Avickets against tho crack State teams. Up to the time of writing no neAV players ot outstanding ability had joined anv of the senior clubs, but most of tho old hands Avill lie out again, and some keen contests should be Avitnossed. Grange, last year's champions, Avill again field a strong side, and should be bard to beat. Les Chadwick, Avho stood down last season, is turning out again, but the North End Club has lost the services of Collett, tho left-hand bowler, who has joined Christian Brothers, and Milncs, a promising bowler. Avho has been transferred to OpTiiam. J. Kenny, the old Otago representative. has gone back to the Dunedin Club, Avith whom he played before joining Grange. Tho following players will probably comprise the First EleA-en :—Conradi, Oalland, Chadwick (2), M'Mullan, Jackson, M'Gregor, Knight. A. W. Alloo. Brown, and Randall. The Grange Club has a large membership, something like 80 members being on the roll, and there have been big attendances at practices. Twenty-four new juniors have joined tip with tho club. Six teams have been entered in the various grades, including a Bovs’ League team. That keen enthusiast, Mr W. Rowland, is still secretary of the club, and has an equally enthusiastic assistant in Mr T. Hitchcock. The. Albion Club is in a flourishing state, and officials and players are lookin'* forward keenly to the coming season.' Keast, Avho is notv a resident of liiA-ercargiH. will bo Jtu’ssiiig- from tho First Elven, and veteran Harry Siedeberg has, I understand, riven the game best. The genial Rev. E. O. Blamires, tho successful Otago skipper, ami Jim Shepherd. AA-ero both at the nets last Saturday, and these two will again form tho backbone of the senior elei-en. The team wil l be much Avcakened on Saturday owing to tho absence of Shenherd anj Barron, who will bo out of town. The First Eleven will be fairly strong in batting. but it is sorely in need mf a good bowler, preferably a left-hander., Tho selectors will piobnbly choose the senior team _ from the following players:— Blamires, Shepherd, Barron, Kenny, A. Blair, Anderson, Caskle, Duncan, Sr'! 801 ?;' Cook, _ M'Gavin, ' and MTvor, Wilson, 1 a promising Avicketkeeper, played for the. Grange second last season, and provided he gets a transfer,, should have a good ctmnce_ of finding a place in the seniors. The club will have four teams in the competitions. Albion supporters are proud of the fact that their popular president, Mr J- J. Clark, has been appointed president of the New Zealand Cricket Council. On Labour Day Mr Blamires proposes taking a team to Milton to play the local eleven. The prospects of the Dunedin Club are much brighter than they have been for some years. A couple of seasons ago this club could muster only two elevens, but this year there has been an influx of new members, and the club is in the happy position of being able to enter five teams, including a boys’ League team. The membership now totals about 60 playing members. The official opening on Saturday Avas a very suocissful function, there being a. largo attendance of players and supporters, including a number of ladies. During the afternoon refreshments Avere served by tho ladies. The club has laid down two now concrete practice Avickets on tho l?rmcos street side of the Oval, and also has me Use of the fine new pavilion erected there. Taa - o old members, Les Grigg and J. Kenny, have rejoined their old club and another Aveleomo addition is A. Sinclair, a promising colt from Carisbrook. The senior team will bo a sound side and av ill probably bo made up from the following players:—Torrance, Casey, lUrang, Cherry, Kenny , M’Cardle, Punch. Sinclair, Grigg. Anderson, and Symcnvls. W. Higgles, the ex-Otago representative, Avho now resides at Waikouaiti, is also likely to turn out iu a few games for the club. W. Sfriing, a keen enthusiast, has organised a team to play at Palmerston on Labour Day, and the following players will leave Manse street by motor lus at 8.30 a.m. on Monday Torrance (2) Bennett. Baker, Strang, Grigg, Otto. M'Sotiley, Ridland, Glover, P. Harris, and Swan. The Dunedin Club is- fortunate in haAing such an able and energetic secretary us Mr Len Casey. It is chiefly owing to hi;-, efforts that the membership has ,so largo’y increased and tho finances of tho club h.U’c been placed on a sound footing. Owing to the Carisbrook Ground not being ready for play iho members of the Carisbrook Club have not been ale to practice on their ground, but the Dunedin Club generously granted them tho use of its practice wiokrts on the Oval, and this opportunity of getting into form Avas much appreciated. New players, who are reported to have joined the club, are—Sandman, a useful bat from Auckland, and brother of the well-krjown Canterbury representative, and Green, a Avicketkeeper, Avho is said to have played senior cricket for tho Balmain Club in Sydney. Another likely member is Dr Reid, a sound batsman

from Milton. E.'.rdsloy, a promising allround player, -will probably have to stand down this year owing to an injured leg, nild Fraser, a solid batsman, will not be available. Worker, Dickinson, Duncan, and Douglas are turning out again but Romsden is a doubtful starter. The -club has a largo membership, and will have six teams in the various competitions. The revival in interest in the game has affected some of the veterans, too, and some of these old-timers have formed a team, and are anxious to “come back” and prove that they can still wield the willow effectively and bowl with some of the guile that made their names famous in the cricket world a decade or two ago. This veterans’ team will not play club cricket. Tut desires to play friendly games on Saturday afternoons against some of the teams in the country districts within reasonable nqotoring distance, such as Palmerston, Milton, Dunback, Seacliff, etc. Some of the players who have signified their willingness to play are: —J. Baker, A. Downes, X Hope, F. ' Williams, W. Butler, G. Rcstieaux. H. Harraway, G. Austin, L. Jfeel, W. Beal, G. Crosbie, G. A. Wycherley, W. Mackereey, and D. Smyth. If any country teams wishing to play the veterans will communicate with “Slip” the matter will receive immediate attention.

THE NEW ZEALAND TEAM. : The New Zealand selectors (Messrs Caypill, Patrick, Snedden, Brice, and Williams) have chosen a fairly strong team for tho Australian tour, and little fault can bo found with the selection. Tho side is- composed chiefly of experienced players, no fewer than 12 of the 14 chosen having represented New Zealand in previous matches. Oliver and Crawford, the two Canterbury colts, are the only members of the team who have not played for the Dominion in test cricket. Canterbury, with six players, has tho largest representation, Otago and Auckland each having three, anil Wellington two. ]n 'batting the team is sound rather than brilliant, and after some practice on tho fast, true Australian wickets tho batsmen should give a good account of themselves provided they do not find the occasion too big for them. Blunt, Patrick, Dempster, Hiddleston, Worker. Dacre, and Alloo have all performed well in big cricket, while Crawford and Oliver afg two of the most promising young batsmen in the Dominion. The bowling strength of tho team is not very formidable, and the bowlers will be faced with a heavy task in dismissing the crack Australian batsmen on tho billiard table wickets across the Tasman. Dickinson’s inability to make the trip has further weakened this department of tho team. The regular bowlers are Cunningham (fast medium), AllcoU and M’Beath (left-handers), and Alloo (medium). Blunt, (alow) and Hiddleston (slow' to medium) are useful change bowlers. The outorioket should be of a high standard. Oliver, Dempster, Crawford, and Dacre are brilliant fieldsmen, while Alloo, Worker, and Patrick are also very sound in this department of the game. Rowntrco, of Auckland, the only wicketkeeper chosen, is it) the first flight, and provided he does not jitcet with injury the team will bo well served behind the uticka. Patrick, of Qm-

terbury, who has been chosen as captain, is an astute leader, ant] he is undoubtedly the man best qualified for the position. Seven Otago players' were asked if they were available for the trip—namely, Shepherd, Blamires, M'Mullan, Alloo. Dickinson, Worker, and Douglas. Shepherd, who would have been a certainty for the tour, was, unfortunately, unable to spare the necessary time.

Jl'en members of the team played against Victoria in last season’s tests, and their scores were as follow; —Alloo (51 not out, 1, 33), Blunt (39, 77, 4, 17), Cunningham (4), Dacre (8, 42, 3), Dempster (2. 45. 49 32 not out). Dickinson (14, 7, 13), Hiddlestou (22, 1. 33, 6), M'Beath (15, 10 not out. 3), Patrick (1, 4, 12, 0), Worker (34, 36, 55 6). lr* bowling M‘Bcath took five for 79, one for 51, and one for 64; Dickinson, four for 109, one for 48, and two for 75; Alloo, none for 40, one for 16, and none for 34; Blunt, one for 25, none for 13, none for 35; Cunningham, one for 72; Hiddlestou, none for 20, none for 16; Patrick, none for 12.

Only two New Zealand teams have previously visited Australia, the first in 1899 and the last in 1913. The former team played four matches, winning one, losing two, and drawing one. The members of the side Avere: J. Baker (who headed tho batting average), A. Downes, A. H Fisher, D. Reese, H. Lusk. F. Ashbolt, I. Mills, A. Sims, E. Upham, F. S. Frankish, G. Mills, C. Boxshall, and 1,. T. Cobcroft. Tlie 1913 team defeated Queensland, Avas defeated by Now South AA T ales and Victoria, and played drawn games against South Australia and the Melbourne Cricket Club. The following Avere the members of the team:—D. Reese. H. Tattersall, D. Sandman. N. f. Sneclden, T. Carlton, R. G. Hickmott, L. G. Ilomus. L. G. Taylor, B. J. Turkwell. W. R. Patrick, .1. H. Bennett. C. Robinson, C. Boxshall, R. Somervell.