CRICKET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22822, 5 March 1936, Page 4

CRICKET

By Slip.

NEW ZEALAND AND THE M.C.C. ■ ; TEAM ' V ;V. The fact that New Zealand should have been able to perform so well in the last two matches in which it has met the M.C.C. team should have restored confidence in/the Dominion’s cricket, tor there can be no question that the visitors, judged by New Zealand standards at any rate, are a very strong combination. It has been demonstrated that New Zealand’s main weakness is in catching in positions behind the wickets, and it has yet-to be shown that the selectors have made a real effort to. strengthen the side in this respect. They have clearly had in mind, in the choice of New Zealand sides this season, the prospective tour of England next year, and they can scarcely have been impressed by the fielding, the unreliability .of ' which has always been the weakness of cricket in this country. If a player cannot be relied upon in the field the value of his performances m other departments is very seriously reduced. The unsatisfactory condition of New Zealand fielding is shown by tire fact that it was necessary in the match in Auckland to field W hitelaw in the slips. He has never been regarded as a reliable fieldsman, and his failure m the slips gave the Englishmen the advantage of a good stayt. This alone was, sufficient to enable them to establish a first innings lead.' 1 It is for this reason that a versa-tile-fieldsman of Knight’s type may be counted unlucky in not getting a chance to represent his country. _ For the-final match against the Enghsnraen, which is to bo commenced at Christchurch to-morrow, the selectors have again made changes, omitting Moloney, Matheson; Cowie, and Blandford in favour ot Blundell,, Roberts, Hadlee, and Jackman. Moloney’s performances, for all the promise that he. has given; have hardly reached expectations, and the decision to give Hadlee' a trial after his fine century ngainst Otago appears to be well justified; His weakness has been uncertainty against fast bowling, and if he can demonstrate his ability to score against tins kind of attack, the Canterbury man, who is playing in only bis second year ox representative cricket, should assure himself of a place in the front ranknf New Zealand batsmen. Blundell and Roberts, the latter of whom was not available for the third match, should present a much stronger attack than Matheson and Cowie while Roberts’s ability with theibat will compensate for the loss of Matheson s services in, this department. The dropping of Blandford in favour of Jackman, however, i s inexplicable. Blandford, though bis work was not prefect in Auckland, is. on the showings of the two men in Dunedin, incomparably the better ’keeper, and he is in addition a first-rate batsman. Of the men who have retained their places, Whitelaw and Griffiths may be counted somewhat fortunate. Had the former not made a good score for his province against the Englishmen, Ins retention would have been difficult to justify. In the last match, however, he is likely to be in his natural position ot opening batsman. Griffiths probably owes hi a place to the absence of any other slow bowler who might be developed tor the forthcoming tour of England. V Klmes, recovering from a period _ot staleness, played a spectacular part in the Auckland match, and he was assured of a place in the final game. Pleasure in his performance is marred by regret that he missed the century by only one run. He probably had previous misfortunes m mind when he changed Ins style in an effort to reach the century. Against \V eiUngton in the 1933-34 season he scored 92 not out, and last season against the same province he was dismissed at »*•, He has usually performed well on the Auckland wicket. It was there that he first showed his ability as a representative player by scoring a valuable. 46 at a late stage of second innings in the 1927-28 season when he was a very voung colt, and his best bowling performance for the province was ns five for 40 ofi 30 overs against Auckland on .the Eden Park wicket m the 1933-34 be The’ Englishmen’s large score in the match which was concluded on Monday was not unexpected, though it might haxe been reduced by stronger fielding, ine Eden Park wicket, it was anticipated, would offer the visitors greater scoring opportunities, though the slow rate of the run-getting showed-that they have learned to respect the New Zealand bowling. Parks, Smith, Barber, and Hardstaff are an opening quartet who might score, well against any side. Hardstaff s unfinished innings of 147. gave further proof of the outstanding ability which is expected to gain him a place in. the next English team to visit Australia, ? The New Zealanders now appear to have gained the measure of the. English attack, though, in Baxter, they will still have to face the finest opening bowler seen in this country for many years. It would not be surprising. if his extraordinary ability to ‘ do things with the now ball made him a test match player. A GOOD RECORD

For a player who has been regarded as a bowler and merely as a useful batsman to have well downjhe list, the record

of the Aucklander A. M. Matheson in representative cricket this season is exceptional. , , , , In Blanket Shield matches he had a batting average of 49 for three completed innings, and in the match between New Zealand and the M.C.C. team last weekend he was undefeated in each innings with scores of 20 and 50, acting ns opening batsman on the second occasion. Hia record, therefore, is six innings, three of which were unfinished, with . a highest score of 92 and an aggregate of 217. his average being 72.33.

SENIOR MATCHES Club matches this season have suffered through an unusually large number of interruptions from the weather ami other causes, ami the time available last batin'dav. when play was limited to one day * and rain still further curtailed the matches, was not sufficient to allow a decision'to be reached in any game. ' The opportunity was given to bndcock and ■ Saxton, however, to stage one ot the most remarkable opening performances in many seasons, the pair being undefeated when the innings was closed at 228 alter less than two hours’ play. Club cricket in Dunedin provides few examples of high scoriim" of this type, probably owing to the fact that most of the teams possess af least one bowler of class, and an openip* partnership of even 100 is infrequent.

Such a score as Badcock and Saxton made is almost unprecedented. Badcock, naturally the faster scorer, was able to pass the century by a comfortable margin, and it is unfortunate that the necessity for a declaration deprived Saxton of the single that would have enabled him to make his first 100 in club cricket. Nevertheless, it is a sign of Saxton’s progress us a batsman, that in spite of the extent of the scoring Badcock was able to outstrip him by only 23. runs. With Knight going for the bowling in his most forceful style Grange wasted no time in scoring 170 for seven wickets against Old Boys and declaring. Knight also took in three overs the three Old Boys’ wickets which fell. He is meeting with great success in the course of a season during which ho has displayed a willingness to return to his natural aggressive style. , F. Kerr, who added to me good club record with a score of 42 against Albion is one of -the province’s greatest batting hopes. One of the shrewdest local judges of cricketers predicts a great career for him. as did many who saw him play as a schoolboy in North Otago. He has already established a reputation as a club player, and with a little more luck he would have improved this season on a representative record which already gives considerable promise. There were definite signs of an improvement in Dunedin’s batting in the performance of the side against Kaikorai. Dunedin's score of 183 for eight wickets was its <best this season, Beason’s contribution of 60 being an outstanding effort. The positions of the teams are now as follows:—-Albion . 41, Colts 33, Carisbrook 28, University 26, Grange 24, Kaikorai 24. Old Boys , 21, Dunedin 7. NOTES Noursc’s hand was injured in the course of the fourth test match between Australia and South Africa, and this probably brought about his dismissal. He left the field to receive attention and upon his return tried to cut M'Cormick and snicked the ball to Oldfield, who accepted a difficult catch. A batsman should avoid leaving the field wherever possible (writes M. A. Noble). In passing from bright sunlight into the darker light of a pavilion and returning quickly to the sunlight, the eyes go through two periods of sudden change and are not restored to normal focus before play is resumed. Risky strokes should then be avoided for a few overs until the dangerous period has passed. The choice of the Lancashire Cricket Committee fell on W. H. L. Lister, to captain the county team in succession to Peter Eckersley. who has entered on a political career. Only 24 and a steadily improving cricketer (states an English

critic). Lister has all the qualifications to make a success of the job. On the few occasions that he led the team last summer he handled his men in style which pleased everyone. Lister’s appointment will naturally affect Ernest Tyldesley, who was a strong candidate for the captaincy." Will the great professional now retire altogether from cricket, or will he, at 47 years of age, endeavour to command a plage in the team as an amateur? ’ O’Reilly, who took five for 20 off 21 overs, was irresistible (writes M. A. Noble, commenting on the fourth test match between Australia and South Africa). It was one of the finest bowling feats- ever accomplished. His unprecedented success against the. Africans during this tour would suggest either that he is the wonder howler of all time or that South African hatting is much below test match standard. Apparently the Africans are not finding the great difficulty formerly experienced in playing Grimmett, but O’Reilly, remains for them an unfathomable quantity. F. R. Brown and M. J. C. Allom. the former Cambridge -bowlers, have offered to turn out regularly for Surrey next season. They have played for the county before, of course, but in Brown’s case he was rarely seen at the Oval last year, hut played for the Wimbledon Club team instead. We will not pretend that. Brown is going to prove the saviour of Surrey’s bowling (states a writer in the Daily Mail), hut he will clearly be a big help. Given a wicket on which he could, turn the ball, he might prove a .match-winner. At one time he was hailed as the legbreak and googly howler ’ England had been waiting for. He had the finger spin, wrist work and command of length for the job. He was put into a test team and seemed set for a big career, hut somehow he could not quite make the grade. There is still time, however, for Brown to settle down and jiistify all the good things that have been said about him. He is only 26. His success would be popular, as he is a cheery, happy-go-lucky fellow, well liked by crowds as a smiter of sixes. Brown’s cheerful outlook was shown hv the part he played in forming the “ Rabbits ” dub in Australia. He was sent out with Jnrdine’s team, hut did not get. into a test match. So he, Tate and other “left-outs” organised a club complete with rabbit-ornamented tic. Fleetwpod-Smith’s comparative nonsuccess in Africa has been a great surprise to many cricketers in Melbourne, who arc thoroughly aware of the eccentricities he can make the ball perform, even on a good wicket. From a private letter from the left-hand bowler to a friend in Melbourne (states a writer in the Australasian) FlectwOod-Smith is under the impression that . the middle finger of his howling hand is fractured For a long time he treated it lightly, persevering with it in the tests, despite the pain caused, hut had to recognise that he was doing neither himself nor his side any good by perseverance. He further sai’d that a long rest would be necessary, the probability being that he will not howl again on the tour. We are all hopefully looking forward to our googly lefthander worrying Lcyland and the other left-handers of the. English combination. With Fleetwood-Smith.fit and well, and the improvement in M’Cormick, wo should be well armed in attack. ■ . Members of the Albion Cricket Club made a presentation of a barometer to J, Shepherd during the adjournment in the Albion-Carisbrook match on Saturday Mr J. Abbott, who presided, explained that the gift was made in appreciation of Shepherd’s long service lo the club. He had been playing tor ~1 years. The day chosen for the presentation happened to be Shepherds fortyfourth birthday.