GREAT BOWLERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23080, 5 January 1937, Page 13

GREAT BOWLERS

DOWNES AND FISHER SUMMARY OF PERFORMANCES The meeting of Otago and Wellington cricket teams at the recent match and the fact that the southerners were credited with having a good bowling team recall the doughty deeds of two of New Zealand's most famous bowlers who played for Otago—Alick Downes and Arthur Fisher. They retired from representative cricket 25 years ago this season. Alick Downes (writes Ben Iveson in the Evening Post Sports Post) was an outstanding footballer and cricketer when a mere youth. He was about 18 years of age when he played for the Alhambra seniors in the days of "Chummy" Noel, Esquilant, Billy Elder, Jim M'Cleary (who hailed from Wellington), Gus Restieaux. "Massa ' Johnston, and W. T. Ross, and when he played for Otago against Stoddart s British team and for the South Island against the visitors of 1888-9. Downes was a slow right-arm bowler and Fisher a fast left-arm—a formidable pair in any provincial team. Fisher in addition was an excellent bat, while Downes, always eager to hit out. often put up good scores. Downes first represented Otago against Canterbury in 1887, and thanks to .the effectiveness of his bowling (five for 34 and none for 20) and that of Billy Carson, Otago beat Canterbury for the first time in three years. Jn 1889 Downes sprang into fame lor practically disposing of Auckland for 48 runs, taking seven for 22. Against Auckland in 1893 he took five for 35 and six for 46 (11 for 81), and in the same season against Hawke's Bay he captured seven for 32 and seven for 71. Against Wellington in 1894 Downes secured four for 36 and seven for 31. In 1895 he was chiefly responsible for Canterbury's defeat, taking four for 48 and six for 46, and assisted New Zealand to victory in the same year. Downes and Fisher bowled' unchanged in both, innings against Canterbury in 1896, the former taking seven for 12 and five for 28. In this match Canterbury made 27 and 49. In 1899 Downes toured Australia with the New Zealand team. On that tour he captured in all 14 wickets at an average of 27.3. the average of Erny Upham. of Wellington, being better.

Against Canterbury in the same season his figures were three for 21 and seven for 43 (10 for 64) and in 1900 against Auckland his figures were seven for 36 and five for 72 (12 for 108). Against Trott's Hawke's Bay eleven he captured seven for 51 and six for 60, and in 1904, at Dunedin. against Wellington, he took six for 52 and four for 41. In 1905 against Canterbury he collected seven for 57 and five for 58. Although he had been just on 20 years in active representative service, Downes finished up with good figures in 1906 against England, Armstrong's Victorian team, and Canterbury. In 1911 Downes retired from representative crricket after 24 years' service—a New Zealand record. Incidentally, other long representative honours are T. D. Kingsland (Southland, 1878-1900), 23 years; F. Wilding (Canterbury, 18811901) 21 years; and Jimmy Baker (Otago, 1886-1906), 21 years. During his 24 years of bowling for Otago Downes captured 261 wickets at a cost of 13.7 runs each, and for New Zealand 29 wickets at an average of 27.3. In batting Downes scored 903 runs for Otago (highest score 70) for an average of 13.8 in 71 innings, and for New Zealand 181 runs (average 11.3). Arthur Fisher first played for Otago in 1890 against Canterbury, but his two wickets cost 54 runs. In 1891 against the same province he captured one for 19 and eight for 35, and in 1892 against Hawke's Bay his figures were three for two and three for 16; in the same season against Canterbury, four for 14 and three for 23; and in 1895 against New South Wales, six for 33 and three for 42, winning his New Zealand cap that season. In 1896, against Canterbury, he took three for 14 and two for 17, and against the Australian team he put up a great performance—six for 39 and five for 39. He followed this up with nine for 50 in Queensland's first innings and seven for 11 against Canterbury. For New Zealand against Queensland he took five for 20 and scored 50 not out. Against Lord Hawke's team in 1902 (playing for New Zealand), he had good bowling figures and also against the Australians in 1905. In 1906, against the M.C.C., his bowling (for New Zealand) was four for 25 and five for 61. New Zealand won this test by 56 runs. Some of Fisher's other bowling figures for four against Canterbury (1903), five for 29 against Canterbury and six for 25 against Southland in 1904, six for 36 against Southland in 1899, three for 18 against Auckland in 1900. five for 50 against Auckland in 1908.

For Otago Fisher took 253 wickets for 3413 runs, average 13.4. and for New Zealand 19 wickets for 526 runs, average 27.6. Batting for Otago. he scored 1144 runs (highest score 79) for an average of 14.6 runs, and for New Zealand 148 runs for an average of 13.4 per innings.

Otago and New Zealand could well do to-day with such another pair of marvellous trundlers as Alick Downes and Arthur Fisher.