M.C.C. TEAM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20965, 3 March 1930, Page 8

M.C.C. TEAM

NEW ZEALAND TOUR COMPLETED AN ENTHUSIASTIC SEND-OFF. STATEMENT BY ENGLISH CAPTAIN. I ADVICE TO UMPIRES. (Special to Daily Times.) WELLINGTON. March 1. Having completed their New Zealand tour, the M.C.C. cricketers, with the exception of G. B. Legge, 6. F. Earle, and E. W. Dawson, who have gone to Taupo for trout fishing, left by the Rangitane to-day on the return trip to England. There w'as a large gathering of cricket officials and • other enthusiasts at the wharf, where the cricketers were given an enthusiastic send-off. . Among those present were members of the New Zealand Cricket Council and the Wellington Cricket Association, The tourists indicated that they had had a delightful time in New Zealand and regretted that they were unable to spend more time here after completing their matches, the, last of which ended on Thursday at New Plymouth. Throughout their tour they had seen much promising material for the building up of New Zealand’s teams. Some of the visitors were of the opinion that C. S, Dempster was fit for a place in a - world team. One of the bowlers with whom they were impressed was N. Gallichan, of Manawatu. The M.C.C. captain, Mr A. H, H. Gilligan, stated that he would give a considered opinion of the play and the players in New Zealand during the voyage and would collaborate with Mr F, E. Woolley and Mr K. S. Duleepsinhji in drawing up a report which would probably be forwarded to New Zealand from Panama.

“Our tour has been a most enjoyable one, and, apart from the bad weather encountered, everythin}; has gone along splendidly,” said Mr Gilligan before leaving to-day, “ Our best thanks are due to all our kind friends in the various centres who have entertained and looked after us, and we all carry away never to be forgotten memories of .New Zealand. We hope some day to pay another visit to New Zealand. I and my team also appreciate all that the New Zealand Cricket Council has done to study our comfort and to arrange our tour so that we have been able to visit several of the wonder sights of New Zealand. Wairakei, Rotorua, and the Waitomo Caves, mere names before, are some of the finest and most weird and fascinating eights ever seen by any of us. Cricket in New Zealand is no doubt on the up grade, and I feel sure that the benefits of, this tour will be felt in the next few years. What is wanted is experience. There are many very promising cricketers in the Dominion who want to be taken in -hand and given coaching on the right lines. We met several good young bowlers, who were spoilt by having badly placed fields. Much can be learned by all young New Zealand cricketers watching a captain like Lowry placing and arranging his field to suit each bowler and to block each batsman’s principal scoring shots. It has been veryevident to us that immense good has been done by those English coaches who have been visiting the various centres. It is, indeed, a pity that more centres cannot afford to engage regular first-class cricket professionals. One serious hindrance that until it is put right must retard the progress of cricket here is the umpiring. No young cricketer, nor for that matter any- cricketer, can play his natural game when he has no confidence in an umpire, and bad umpiring can absolutely wreck a promising young batsman’s cricket. We all realise the umpire’s difficulties m New Zealand, as he only occasionally gets practice in umpiring, but the ignorance of many concerning the Ibw rule of giving proper decisions regarding catches at the wicket, stumping, and run out points to the fact that the situation is a serious one. A first-class umpire in England once told me that the two most difficult decisions to give were a close run out and a catch at the wicket on the leg side. In his opinion a Ibw decision was easy to give providing the umpire stood in the correct place, concentrated on each ball bowled, and knew that he could interpret correctly the rules. Ido therefore appeal to all umpires to try and improve their umpiring and general knowledge. of the rules of the game, for, without their doing so. New_ Zealand cricket can never go ahead as it should aud must go. I should like to pay a tributte to those umpires who officiated in the test matches. V\e were all impressed by their fairness and knowledge of the game, and our best thanks are due to them.”