CRICKET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20672, 21 March 1929, Page 4

CRICKET.

By Slip. SENIOR COMPETITION. Lfist Saturday saw the conclusion of the senior competition. This season's winners proved to be Old Boys, who achieved the fine performance of winning the shield in their first season in Senior Grade. They are to be congratulated on their win, and there is no doubt that they were the most consistent side in the competition. A gratifying feature was the improvement shown by Dunedin and Carisbrook, who tied for the position of runner-up. These teams were at the bottom of the list last season, but they have made great strides, which they should continue when cricket comes round again. CARISBROOK SHAPES WELL. Carisbrook had no difficulty in passing Grange's total of 142 and were 80 runs ahead on the first innings. Blunt was in scoring mood, shaping brightly in carrying his score of 22. made on the previous Saturday, to 535. His innings gave further evidence of an almost complete return to form. Douglas batted solidly in taking his score to 29, but wickets fell quickly until Spackman, Clark, and Proctor began to make merry with the bowling at the end. They were responsible for a substantial addition to the score. There was an interesting contest among three Grange bowlers, Elmes, Lemhi and Galland, each of whom had averages of just over 12. Galland was quickly out of the running, but the other pair were showing good form. Elmes was iu particularly good fettle, and he finished on top with a good average of three for 32, but Letnin was not far behind with three for 45. None of the other bowlers troubled the batsmen. Grange made a much better stand in their second venture, Knight showing excellent form in scoring 51. Galland quickly added 21, and then Boyd and Baxter made a lengthy stay Which lasted until stumps were drawn. Boyd was never sure, but he kept his wicket intact and had 41 to his credit at the end of the day. Baxter shaped well in scoring 31. and showed that he can hit hard. Blunt gave seven bowlers a turn with the ball. Dunning again showed good form, and his 16 overs cost only 26 runs The best of the others was Groves, who started very well and finished with an average of two for 19. DUNEDIN’S WIN. By a margin of 54 runs Dunedin heat Albion on the first innings. Ritchie, in adding another 20 runs to his score, shaped well, driving hard to the off. Cherry was also in good form, but he did not pass double figures. Dunedin had the game won when Torrance went to the wickets, and he delighted the onlookers with his lusty hitting, his score of 39 including seven fours and a six. Albion used six bowlers, of whom Shepherd was the Hardest worked. Silver and M'Gavin each took- two for 21, Vorrath appearing in a new role, keeping the batsmen quiet and finishing with an average of two for 6. The fielding of Vorrath in the slips was one of the features of the innings. He took three fine catches, his best being that with which he dismissed Sinclair. It was a right-handed catch low down and was really one “out of the box.” Albion fared much better in their second venture. Shepherd (56) and Vorrath (47) giving the side an excellent start. Shepherd was again free and crisp, taking his total runs for the season over the 500 mark for an average of 51.4. The nearest aggregate to Shepherd is Allen’s 187, and this fact shows how much Shepherd has meant to the side this season. In addition, he has taken 27 wickets,Allen being next with 15. Yorrath gave a very solid display. Allen added a useful 19, and the last two batsmen, Binney (19) and Barron (26 not out), hit out at everything that came along. The most successful of the bowlers was Cherry, who sends up leg breaks. He took three for 76, disposing of Shepherd. Vorrath, and Allen. Shepherd treated him severely, but the others were much more respectful. Strang was always sure in the field and| let nothing pass him. He also took two catches. THE TEST MATCHES, • New Zealanders _ will rejoice with the Australians in their victory in the final test match. It has proved that the Commonwealth players are capable of much better things than the early tests showed, but the result of the series as a whole had shown beyond doubt that the English-' men can field the better side. If the results have done nothing else, they have taught the Australian selectors a lesson which they are not likely soon to orget. Of the slow rate of scoring sufficient has beep said, but we on- this side of the Tasman are left with a feeling of thankfulness that we still preserve what Clem Hill describes as “ the first principles of cricket. The total number of tests played has now reached 119, England winning 46 and Australia-48. The remaining 2o have been - drawn. England has won the : ashes on 13 occasions and Australia When Hendren secured 169 in the first test, he joined the band of cricketers who have scored over 1000 runs in tests. At the end of the series Hendren’s total stands at 1308. J. Ryder, the Australian captain, reached 1000 runs for tests in the first innings of the fifth test. His total is now 1060. ’ By scoring three centuries in this seasons.tests (111 second test, 107 third, and 102 fifth), Woodfull joins the select company of J, Darling, J. B. Hobbs, W. Armstrong, and C. G. Macartney, the only other batsmen who have made three centunes in a senes of tests. Hobbs has performed this feat twice. nt T7 Be c«red five centuries If n n - ,¥ q has thus equalled the record of C. G Macartney, A. C. MacLaren. and Trum P e r’s six centuries a ?t the rec w d for Australia. Hobbs holds the record for England with scored his twelfth in the fifth test this season, and earned the distinetion of being the oldest batsman (English ■?L A W aa) to ” ake a century m a Was 46 < ? n December 16 last. now Slx centuries to his to Hobb? 18 SeC ° nd ° n the English list mark* of *H« d teat , Ho l ,bs topped the 3000 of „ ru ? s made in tests with Austt? ?’. Db 18 the first batsman to do so His total now stands at 3335. The record for Australia is held by C. Hill, who S all scored 2660 runs against England Hammond established a record for most THE AVERAGES. The following batting and bowling averages are complete for the five teats:— ENGLAND.

AVERAGE OF RUNS PER WICKET. The following table shows the runs scored for England and Australia in each of the_ five tests. The average of runs per wicket, which is in favour of England, is also given:— England. Australia. Runs. Wkts. - Runs. Wkts. First test .. 863 18 188 17 Second test .. 652 12 650 18 Third test .. 749 17 74S 20 Fourth test .. 717 20 705 20 Fifth test .. 776 20 ' 778 15 Totals 3757 87 3069 90 Average of runs per wicket: England, 43.12; Australia. 34.10. Net average in favour of England: 9.02. Note.—ln the first innings of the first test Gregory was unable to bat for AustraliiK and in the second innings Gregory and Kelleway were not available. Ponsford retired hurt in the first innings of the second test, and was unable to beat in the second innings. AVERAGES.

THE OTAGO COACH. Dear “ Slip,”—l quite agree with some of the remarks made in the letter by ‘‘Who’s Whoappearing in your column of last week, but I do not taink any good would be done to cricket geneially and to Eastman in particular il the association _ had published its reasons lor dismissing Eastman. Eastman, I take it, depends on his coaching for a living,' and if the association thought, as “ Who’s Who ” evidently thinks, that Eastman’s coaching ability was not up to the standard, do you hot think that the assoeia tion has done Eastman a kindness by not making its reasons public? For argu-' ment’s sake, take Eastman’s first year. He strained a muscle right at the beginning of the year arid was practically an invalid for the rest of the season. Yet, I presume, the association paid him his salary. In my opinion, so far as his coaching for that year was concerned, he was not worth a £lO note. Now, do you not think that he should have in some way made up for the lost time of the previous year? But what happened? Instead of arriving in Dunedin on his due date, he was spending a day or two in Wellington. Then, again, just as his services were required, he cracked up again. Apart altogether from his coaching ability, one is inclined to ask what his physical condition will be next year. In the first instance he should never have been lent to the parent body for the match in Wellington, and he .also should never have gone to Invercargill with the Otago team. He himself, if he had the coaching of Otago hoys at heart, should have pointed out to the association that he could do better work by remaining behind. He was brought out from Home. I take it, for the sole purpose of coaching, and was receiving a good salary, and I maintain that the association .was wrong in sending him on tour at the expense of the coaching fund. In ny opinion, a coach’s time is all too short, and he should be kept strictly to his work. I / am in agreement with "Who’s .Vho ” in his remarks about the Colts’ team. These boys were considered unfit for their respective senior club teams, and yet were considered by the association as fit to

play senior grade under Eastman. It was a most unfair position to place the boys in as well as Eastman. In regard to the personnel of the Otago Cricket Association, I think it speaks well for the men, who not only spend money on cricket, but who are also prepared to spend their valuable time in the interests of . the game. The pity is that there are not more such enthusiasts. “ Who's Who” must recognise that cricket is not so popular with the public as our national football game, Rugby, because cricket is more scientific and harder to learn and understand than Rugby, which draws a gate to an ordinary club match every Saturday of over £IOO. Cricket, therefore, is in a way dependent on these generous men. Where would Rugby be if it had to depend on similar gates as those which cricket draws? Then, again, who better could “Who’s Who” suggest on the association than old representative cricketers^ —men who have done good service to cricket generally, and who understand just what is required? The coach I would like to see the association engage is the player who .s past his best days, but who has been a firstclass performer. We want a man who would be prepared to come and reside among ua all the year round and be one of us at a guaranteed yearly salary, say, for five years. It is not likely that such a one would be prepared to break up his home and start afresh unless he was offered such terms. He would then be in a position to continue coaching right through the year. Under these conditions you would find that it would not be long before his coaching, would be seen to the best advantage. This cannot be so with the coach who is engaged for a season, who is ■ generally a county player, and who must rush Home for the commencement of the season. At least half that coach’s salary goes in travelling expenses backwards and forwards, and he also cannot have the coaching of our boys to heart the same as one who resides among ns. By engaging such a coach as I suggest you would have all his time—not, as at present, a few months in the year, ai » part of that time travelling after the Plunket Shield.—l am, etc,. Purely a Coach. NOTES. The fielding points for the last match of the season were as follow: CariSbrook 6, Grange 4; Dunedin 4, Albion 3; Old Boys 4, Colts 4. Points for the match Old Boys v. Colts, which was not played, were awarded on the teams’ respective averages for the season. The Colts had played seven matches for 28 points,, and the Old Boys seven matches for 30 points. Grange wins the trophy, the totals being as follow:—Grange 38 points,' Carisbrook 37, Albion 36. Old Boys 34, Dunedin 34, Colts 32. Some remarkably fast scoring was done by a batsman >in the First Grade B cricket match between New Brighton and East Christchurch on Saturday. R, Bishop, of New Brighton, scored 82 runs in 15 minutes. Receiving 21 balls, he scored off 19 of them, missed the twentieth, and was bowled by the twenty-first. Bishop hit seven sixes. Priest, the stylish Carisbrook batsman, does not appear to ’be able to pass the thirties. His last five scores have been 37. 36, 36. 34, and 36. The Cricket Association acted’ wisely in allowing ’the members of .the Colts’ team to return to their junior teams on Saturday. Several of them put up good performances, Heeuan scoring 44 and Miller 49.

Leyland Hammond' .. Hendren .. Sntcllffo Hobba .. ., Jardine Mead .. Batting. In.N.O. H.S. Buns. ..2 1 137 190 »,1 251 905 .. 0 0 169 472 .. 7 0 135 355 .. 9 0 142 451 ..-9 1 98 341. Av. 190.00 113.12 52.44 50.71 50.11 42.62 Tyldealey .. Chapman .. Larwood .. Tate .. ,, ¥ O .* 7 .. 8 0- 31 0 50 0 70 0 54 4 20 4 *30 1 60 out. 52 185 173 26.00 23.57 21.62 White .. ., 8 70 76 95 Duckworth .. Geary .. ., .. ft 8 * Not 15.20 13.57 Bowling. Wkts. Runs. 1ft . 477 25 760 18 728 17 603 5 287 O 10 Av. White .. .. Larwood .. , Tate Hammond .. 30.40 40.44 40.76 57.40 Leyland .. 0 11 —

AUSTRALIA. Batting, In. N.O. H.S. Runs Av. Jackson .. .. 0 104 270 69.00 Bradman .. .. 8 1 123 468 66.85 Fairfax .. 1 0 05 65 65.00 Ryder .. .. .. 10 1 112 492 54.60 Woodfull .. .. 10 1 111 491 54.55 Kippax .. .. .. 10 0 100 311 31.10 Hendrv .. .. 0 112 227 28.37 a’Beckett .. .. 4 0 41 104 26.00 Nothling .. 2 0 44 52 20.00 Hornihrook .. 2 0 26 44 22.00 Oldfield .. .. 10 2 48 159 19.87 Oxcnham .. .. 5 0 39 88 17.60 Grimmett .. .. 9 3 *38 95 15.80 Wall .. .. 0 9 9 9.00 Richardson .. 4 0 27 35 8.75 Blackie .. .. .. 0 3 *11 24 8.00 Kelleway .. .. 1 0 8 8 8.00 Ponsford .. 3 1 6 13 6.50 Ironmonger .. 4 0 4 5 1.25 Wall . * Not out. Bowling. Wkts. Runs. .. 8 189 Av. 23.62 Blackie .. . ■ 14 444 31.71 Ryder .. . 5 170 35.80 Hendry .. , 8 329 41.12 Grimmett 23 10.23 44.47 Gregory .. 3 142 47.33 Hornibrook . . 4 193 48.25 Oxenham .. 7 349 49.85 Ironmonger 0 306 51.00 Fairfax 2 104 52.00 a’Becketfc .. 2 216 108.00 Kippax .... 0 ■16 Nothling .. 0 72 Kellcwnv .. 0 77 —

ALBION SENIORS. ' Batting. Shepherd .. Inns N.O. H.S. Runs Av. .. 10 123 514 51.40 Caskie ., .. 4 1 63 115 38.33 Vorrath 6 1 47 113 22.60 Silver .. .. S 4 52* 89 22.50 Hamilton .. 7 3 26 79 19.75 Allen .. 2 103* 187 18.70 M‘Donald 6 47 103 17.16 Simmers 8 1 37 119 17.00 Barron 10 1 28* 151 16.77 M'Haffio 6 24 64 10.66 Binney 9 1 25* 84’ 10.50 M'Gallum .. . 6 2 18 32 8.00 Rlach .. .. 4 12 29 7.25 Duncan 5 19 29 5.80 Clouaton 2 — 6 10 5.00 M'Gavln 6 1 7 8 1.60 ♦ Signifies not out. Bowling. 0. M. R. W. Av, Vorrath .. .. ' 6 3 6 2 o.oa Caskie .. .. 6 2 28 3 0.33 Rlach ., .. 7 1 28 2 14.00 Shepherd 206 46 563 27 20.85 M‘Gavin .. .. 75 25 209 10 20.90 Allen .. .. 100 20 326 £1.73 Clouaton 62 4 98 4 24.50 M-Hafflo .... 46 11 123 5 24.60 Silver .. .. 118 21 370 12 30.83 Duncan .. .. 11.1 25 290 8 36.25 Sltfimera .. ... 36 6 117 1 117.00 Binney .. .. 7 1 23 — — ALBION. Second Grade A. Batting W. Rlach .. Inns. N.O. H.S. Runs Av, 8 1 96 311 44.12 H. Miller .. 2 1 31* 41 41.00 Johnstone .. 3 1 29* 58 29.00 Churchill, sea* L3 70 264 20.31 W. Wallace .. 13 1 89 216 18.00 R. Silver .. 3 — 42 49 15.33 Slmipers 1 - 15 15 15.00 Churchill, jun 13 1 65* 117 14.75 Holden .. 12 83 172 14.33 Robinson .. 13 66 174 13.37 Lawson 8 32 07 12,12 Williams 2 15 19 9.50 Hendry 8 2 16 45 7.50 Sanders .. 13 5 17* 58 7.25 Shepherd 9 1 6 25 3.13 Kelly .. .. 2 0 2 3 1.50 L. Silver .. 1 1 1 1.00 Signifies not out. Bowling. W. Wallace.. o M. R. W. 64 12 190 14 13.57 Johnstone 25 3 70 5 14.00 Holden .. .. 1 05 21 325 21 1549 Robinson 69 8 295 18 16.39 Churchill, jun. 20 2 68 4 17.00 Churchill, sen. 146 36 346 16 21.60 Riach .. .. 60 8 234 10 23.40 L. Silver 12 5 29 1 20.00 E. Williams 12 2 44 1 44.00 Simmers 11 1 44 1 44.00 R. Silver 12 1 48 1 48.00 Jackson .. .. S ' 23 H. Miller 3 — 12 — ‘ GRANGE SENIORS. Batting Galland. A. . Inn. N.O. Runs. H.S. Aver. . 9 1 500 ‘ 218 62.50 M'Mullan, J,. . 7 - 287 120 4100 Morris, B. . . 5 1 162 63 38.00 Boyd, A. 10 1 269 81 20.8e Elmes. C. ... . 9 249 164 27,66 Knight, A. , 10 227 51 22.70 Baxter, A. . . 6 2 53 31* 13.25 Tomkinson, S 8 2 76 32 12.66 Chadwick, C, 10 108 33 10.80 Ewart, J. . 6 1 37 15 7 40 Lemin, G. . 6 2 29 17 7.25 Dey, 0. .. . . 5 2 19 8 6.33 Breen, A. . . 2 1 2 2* 2.00 Hanning. J. . . 1 2 2 2.00 MKay, K. . . 2 1 1 .50 * Signfies not, out. Bowling Elmes, C. R. W. O. M. Aver. . 476 40 249.3 06 11.00 Lemin, G. . 330 25 167.5 55 13 20 Galland, A. . 307 22 134.2 38 13.95 Baxter, A. , 60 4 18.5 5 15.00 Knight, A. .. 353 M'Mullan. J. 24 . 20 1 152.5 3 , 47 17,65 24.00 Bey, 0. .. . 141 3 45.4 11 47.00 Morris, B. 9 2 Tomkinson, S. 4 3 2 Breen. A. 5 — 2 1 ' M'Kay, K. . 41 ■ . 10 Hanning, J. 6 — 1 — — Boyd, A, — 2 2