CRICKETERS’ RETURN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19691, 19 January 1926, Page 7

CRICKETERS’ RETURN.

NEW ZEALAND TEAM’S ARRIVAL. VAUABLE EXPERIENCE GAINED. (Psa United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, January 18. Bronzed and tanned, but bearing little other evidence of their strenuous 10 weeks’ tour, the Auckland members of the New Zealand cricket team arrived by the Niagara after the most successful visit yet paid to Australia by a Dominion eleven. All three —C. C. Dacre, who acted as vice-captain during the trip, C. F. W. Allcott, and H. D. Gillespie—state the trip was most enjoyable from every point of view. The experience gained was of inestimable value, and everywhere they went the Australians were the personification of hospitality, and spared no efforts to give the team a good time. D acre said the team had improved wonderfully during the trip, more especially in regard to batting, this being shown by the large number of centuries scored. Allcott is the most improved player in the side, he said. Dacre is emphatically of the opinion that New Zealand batsmen are much more enterprising than the Australians. "We showed during the tour,” he said, “ that we had a greater variety of shots. The Australians play all their shots in front of the wicket, and very seldom use the leg glance, while cutting is practically a lost art. They say themselves that if these tours are repeated at more frequent intervals, and if our cricketers receive proper coaching, Neww Zealand cricket will improve marvellously. At present, however, any New Zealand side would be soundly beaten by the best Australian State team.”