CRICKET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23082, 7 January 1937, Page 4

CRICKET

By Slip

FIXTURES February 5,6, 8, and 9.—Otago v. Canterbury. at Carisbrook. February 12, 13, 15, and 16.—Auckland v. Wellington, at Auckland. THE PLUNKET SHIELD The position of the teams in the Plunket Shield Competition is as follows: Pts. Auckland: One outright win and one loss on the first innings .. 10 Canterbury; Two wins on the first innings g Wellington: One win and one loss on the first innings .. .. .. 6 Otago: One loss on the first innings 2 RECORD-BREAKING DISPLAY Though the match between Otago and Auckland came to a dull and disappointing conclusion it will remain none the less memorable, for the spectators on the first day had the rare

privilege of seeing a world's record established when W. Carson and P. E. Whitelaw- put ®n 445 for the third Wicket. It was a huge score, which would be remarkable even if it were made by players of world-wide repute and is the more astonishing when it is remembered that New Zealand-

ers play under conditions that do not encourage great proficiency in any department of the game. , The Carisbrook wicket at its best is a batsman’s paradise, and it was the Aucklanders’ good fortune to obtain the use of it when it was in perfect order. There must be few wickets in the world on which so many runs have been made in proportion to the use which it is given. The record aggregate for a match in New Zealand (1905 runs in the game between Otago and Wellington in the 1923-24 season), the highest score for an innings (752 for eight wickets by New South Wales against Otago in the 1923-24 season), and the highest score for a fourth innings (495 by Otago in the histone match' against Wellington) have all been made on this ground, and Carson’s score of 290 on Thursday has been beaten only by R. C. Blunt’s 338 not out at Christchurch. ! Carson’s innings, not only in respect of the number of runs which he scored, but also iri view of the manner in which they were made was one of the greatest that has been seen in this country. Certainly no more sensational performance has ever been seen on the Carisbrook' Ground. Though it had been claimed in Auckland before the Plunket Shield matches were commenced that Carson was a prospective New Zealand representative. there could have been few people on the ground who had even heard his name. To their astonishment he revealed all the qualities of a great batsman. His power and stamina were backed by brilliance in stroke making, and he has only to prove himself under less favourable conditions to place himself beyond doubt as the greatest lefthander this country has produced. Carson, who is a nephew of W. Carson, a well-known old-time Otago cricketer, comes from Gisborne, and is only 21 years of age, though he has the physique of a much older man. He is reported to have made (50 odd runs against an Auckland side when only 16 years of age, and the Auckland authorities have had an eye on him ever since. It is taken for granted that he will go to England with the New Zealand team. “He is a second Clem Hill,” said an qld Otago representative who saw him play. “When he gets to England they will never let him come back.” Carson’s great natural advantages, brilliant footwork and stroke equipment, and the fact that he made his 290 runs in 268 minutes without lifting more than three or four balls, or giving a real chance, point to bis becoming the Bradman of New Zealand, and the fact that he is a left-hander must make him all the more valuable to a team. Otago emerged from the game without achieving much that could be regarded as indicative of strength in our cricket. What seemed to be developing into a good fight trailed off into a collapse, and the concluding episodes of the game created a depressing anticlimax to the great deeds of the first day. But the test matches in Australia have shown how even cricketers of world class react to conditions that are otherwise than favourable, and it is therefore not surprising that the Otago players should have failed in each of their games with the luck against them in respect of the weather and the wickets.

THE NEW ZEALAND TEAM

With four of the Plunket Shield engagements concluded, the constitution of the New Zealand team which will tour England is now more clearly mdi-

cated. The least of the selectors’ worries will be finding batsmen, but it is obvious that the choice of bowlers will cause them a good deal of anxious thought. The standard of the attack is not going to be as high as could be desired, and from this fact emerges very clearly the necessity of ensuring that the bowlers are backed by the greatest possible fielding strength. While there are several players ot whom one could say, “ He should get a trip Home,” the selectors can approach their task in only one way. and that is by endeavouring to assemble a balanced team. The experience of the Englishmen in respect of opening batsmen has shown how important it is that the side should be well equipped in this respect. Those who have been successful as openers this season include Whitelaw, Moloney, Page and Hadlee, but as true openers Kerr and Whitelaw stand out as the best that this country can produce. It is a pity that Whitelaw does not possess a belter reputation as a fieldsman. If he were more strongly equipped in this respect he could be regarded as one ot the certainties for the trip. The finding of left-handers should occasion no trouble, for the Aucklanders Carson and Vivian stand out selections. That Carson should have been discovered will make it more difficult for Elmes to find a place in the side, but he must still be well in the running. more especially as he is a sup field of class. . . The selectors must be watching tor opening bowlers, stock bowlers, at least one left-hander, and a slow bowler. Among the openers Cowie. Parsloe, and Silver stand out. Paisloe, among the players, is considered to be the best of the openers. He has shown at Carisbrook that he can bowl remarkably well, and he responds well, as must any bowler of his type, to earl success. Cowie is a steady type, but is a poor fieldsman, and for that reason is handicapped to an extent that must make it hard for him to obtain selec tion. Silver had good averages m Wellington, and must have had much better figures against Auckland had he been well handled. More especially as there is no bowler with real pace m the country, he must be considered as definitely in the running for he has not only youth, but brilliant fieJdim, ability, in his favour. Roberts is assured of a place as a stock bowler, and Vivian will be the left-hander. Mulcock, the new Canterbury bowler, may be considered as one of the stock men, but only two slow bowlers stand a chance. They are Griffiths, of Wellington, and the Otago man Groves Neither is in the Merritt class, but Wellington opinion is reported to oc that Groves is the better of the two. No bowler ever had a better chancthan Groves. Good figures against Canterbury would make him a strong candidate for the trip. _ There are persistent rumours that T. C Lowry is to be captain of the sick, but they are difficult to believe, for there could be no justification for th appointment of a player who has for so long been out of touch with , cricket in the playing sense. As manager and adviser, however, there S* be no better aPPOtntmenh The obvious choice for captain at the moment is Page, , w |?° Ithe°reing excellent form, and has the re quirement of previous knowledge of English conditions as well as being able to set an example in field Tt will not be possible to give me team the services of a would in the class of James, and it would not be surprising if the A n a* choice was Tindill, who is a good left-hand “the meantime it is a safe guess that Kerr, Page, Hadlee, Roberts, Car son, Vivian, and Wallace will be in the final selection.

RECORD PARTNERSHIPS

The breaking of another Plunket Shield record partnership was in sight when Page and Hadlee made their fine opening stand for Canterbury against Wellington on Saturday. When they were slparated at 235, however, they were four runs short of the record established by Dempster-and Dustin for Wellington. The record partnerships in Plunket. Shield cricket are as Wicket.- —239, by C. S Dempster and W Dustin, for Wellington against b y W-A. Baker and B. J. Kortlang, for Wellington against Otago, 1923-24. ■■■ Third Wicket. —445, ; by W. Carson and P. E. Whitelaw, for Auckland against Otago, 1936-37. fourth Wicket.—27B, by M. L. Page and A. W. Roberts, for Canterbury against Wellington, 1931-32. Fifth Wicket.—l 97, by C. Dacre and C. Alcdtt, for Auckland against Otago, IQ9R-97 Sixth Wicket.—lß4, by DC. Collins and H. M, M'Girr, for Wellington ag Seventh t Wic’ket—l74* by C. A. Suedden and A. Anthony, for Auckland against Canterbury, 1920-21. Eighth Wicket.—ls 4, by K. C. James and F. T. Badcock, for Wellington against Canterbury, 1926-27. Ninth Wicket. —115, by E. H. L. Bernau and K. C. James for Wellington against Canterbury, 1923-24. Tenth Wicket.—lß4, by R. C. Blunt and W. Hawkesworth, for Otago against Canterbury, 1931,-32. NOTES The dismissal of O’Reilly and Fleet-wood-Smith for “ ducks "_ in the Australians’ second innings in the third test match was not the first instance in which both opening batsmen in a test have failed to score. When Jardine’s team visited New Zealand in the 1932-33 season the first test at Christchurch began sensationally, England s opening batsmen, Sutcliffe and Paynter, both being dismissed by the first ball which they received. F. T. Badcock had Sutcliffe caught behind the wicket with the first ball of the match, and when D. Smith, also of Otago, was given the ball at the other end, he bowled Paynter with his first delivery. L , . At the luncheon adjournment during the Auckland-Otago match on Saturday the president of the Otago Cricket Association (Mr A. H. Allen) presented Carson and Whitelaw each with one of the balls with which they made their record stand. The three tests to be played by the New Zealand cricket team during the tour of England this year will be played under the/'general conditions current for the All-India tests last season. This includes the application of the special instructions for firstclass umpires as far as possible. The admission charge to the tests will be 2s, as was the case during the New Zealanders’ 1931 visit. The charge for admission to county matches with the tourists will be not less than Is. Several questions were satisfactorily answered in the match in Melbourne between Victoria and Queensland. The sensational bowling of L. O'B. Fleet-wood-Smilh (writes J. Worrall) proved conclusively that the operation to his bowling hand has been successful. In the first frinings of Queensland he bowled better perhaps than he has ever bowled before. His length was much more accurate, there was an entire absence of those irritating and run-producing long hops and full tosses which marred his bowiing a year or more ago. He bowled slightly faster than before, and he spun the ball with effect. He had every batsman guessing, and his three victims who fell leg-before-wicket were tricked by a straight break which, with care-fully-disguised action, came straight through instead of turning sharply, as the batsman expected. The wicket was slow and unresponsive, and his figures. 10 overs, two maidens. 17 runs, and seven wickets, were the result of remarkably clever bowling. In the second innings he took eight for u.

The press box at the Brisbane Cricket Ground is separated from the general public in the stand by a wooden rail on each side, and the public had a tine view of a great array of former test players who were doing duty as newspaper men (says an Australian writer). England was represented by two former captains in C. B. Fry and A. E. R. Gilligan Jack Hobbs, who acted as captain on one notable occasion, was there, too. Former Australian test men were M. A. Noble. C. G. Macartney. W M. Woodfull, W. H. Ponsford. A. A. Mailey, V. Y Richardson. A. F. Kippax. and H. L. Hendry, W. W. Armstrong was also using the pen, but ho did not patronise the press box. Another there was O. W. Bill, but he has not yet gained test status. Assuming these men were all in their prime, could we produce a world team to defeat any eleven chosen from them? I think we could safely say “No.” The one thing lacking would be a wicketkeeper; otherwise wc would have a wonderful array of champion batsmen and bowlers.