SPORTING CRICKET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23225, 24 June 1937, Page 5

SPORTING CRICKET

NEW ZEALAND TEAM ACTION WINS PRAISE PERFORMANCES REVIEWED (From our own correspondent with the New Zealand cricket team.) LONDON, June 6.

New Zealand’s reputation for sporting cricket was enhanced by the matches against Lancashire and Northampton. At Manchester a declaration on the last day cost the touring team the match, but won the highest praise as a contribution toward the strong and growing movement for brighter cricket in England. At Northampton the batting was the best of the tour, and more in keeping with the traditions of touring teams from New Zealand.

The Lancashire game was distinguished by fine innings by D. A. R. Moloney (77 and 28) and M W. Wallace (46 and 92) The former played his usual unhurried game, but showed the soundness of stroke play that indicated the player in top form Through the unfortunate fact that the team not once made a really good start in its first eight games, he often arrived at a time when it was necessary to play with care to prevent a minor collapse developing, and it must be said that he answered the call every time The Aucklander has been brilliant in every innings, showing a fine variety of strokes made with great power He has exceptionally strong wrists and fore-arms and secures extraordinary power in his strokes for a player of his size. THE YOUNGER MEMBERS M. P. Donnelly, after scoring 13 and 29 at Manchester, went on to 89 at Northampton The last was a brilliant innings, brimful if confidence and aggression, with strong hooking, driving and pulling. W N. Carson also found form again at Northampton, thrashing the bowling in the second innings, when his form was even more convincing than it was in the first game of the tour against Surrey. The three youngest members of the team seem likely to be three of the most valuable, particularly as each is a fine fieldsman. Merv Wallace is especially brilliant at cover-point, and Martin Donnelly is the fastest thrower in the outfield to play for years for New Zealand. Bill Carson is a utility fieldsman, able to stand in the slips or at silly point, or anywhere on the off. If they retain the form they are showing now they will all play in the tests. W. A. Hadlee, another consistent batsman, scored 24 and 42 at Manchester. He was very slow, as were all the tourists on the first day The Lancashire Committee recently had the whole of its team “ on the mat,” telling them that if brighter cricket was not provided the engagements of all of them would be terminated. It is indicative of the batting of the tourists on the first day that one barracker advised in broad dialect, “ Tank ’em before committee." OPENING PAIR WANTED . For Lancashire E. Paynter, hero of the test in Australia when he left his bed in hospital to play a winning innings for England, played two very fine half-centuries. E. W. Tindill made a sound 47 for New Zealand and was promoted to opening batsman against Northamptonshire. In that position he was quite successful without being noticeably so. One of the problems before the management of the touring team, in fact, is the discovery of a consistently successful opening pair. J. L. Kerr will almost certainly be one. His innings of 24 and 83 against Northants were in the best style of his palmy days in New Zealand Nearly all the bowling, was pacy and he throve on it. He is easily the best player of fast bowling in the side, even, in this match, appearing to enjoy being rapped on the thighs by the fast bumpers of E. W Clark, the left-hand express bowler who is said to be faster than W. Voce, He was struck about a dozen times, but played some beautiful hook strokes off the fast bowler,

M. L. Page (one of the candidates for the position of opening batsman) H. G. Vivian and J. R. Lamason failed to show their best form in the first eight games, though the lastnamed made some good strokes in scoring 26 at Manchester and 22 at Northampton. G. L, Weir recovered touch on his birthday, making a methodical but sound half-century. His success was a triumph of resolution, for he went in determined to make runs and he stayed in till he succeeded, The captain and vicecaptain are too talented as cricketers for their early eclipse to last throughout the tour. Features of the attack of the team have been the consistently fine bowling of J. M. Cowie, the frequent successes of J. A. Dunning, and the praiseworthy persistence of A W. Roberts. The fast bowler will be the spearhead of the attack for the tests. He bowls at a good pace and usually with plenty of fire, and he is able to go on for long periods without tiring. If he is not overworked in the hard county matches he will be invaluable throughout the tour. Jack Dunning makes his medium-paced deliveries swing awkwardly mistiming of strokes leading to many catches close to the wicket. Alby Roberts has not been blessed with t he best of luck, for he has often bdaten good batsmen badly without bowling them, or had catches hit just out of reach of

fieldsmen. N. Gallichan has been the best of the slow left-hand bowlers, having more nip than “ Gift ” Vivian or Martin Donnelly. Even when he is not taking wickets he can be relied upon to slow the scoring. , „ . Playing cricket six dajfe a week does not allow much time for sightseeing, but the players have been able to accept a reasonable proportion of the hospitality showered on cricketers visiting England. Theatres are generally open to the players. At Manchester, Clapham and Dwyer, famous comedians, were performing and bumper houses were being drawn by Gracie Fields. The players also attended the Johnnie King—Jackie Brown title fight at Manchester, and went for a drive on Sunday to Blackpool. Several are golfers, and are offered the freedom of the best courses in each centre visited. At Northampton visits were paid to some of the great shoe and boot manufacturing establishments, and one evening was spent at a revue, “Swing High.” FORMER NEW ZEALANDER K. C. James, the former Wellington and New Zealand representative wicketkeeper, was an opponent at Northampton. He showed form in keeping with his high reputation in New Zealand. His wicketkeeping could hardly have been better, and his batting was excellent. He is popular and apparently comfortable in Northamptonshire, where he is considered to be as good as any wicketkeeper in England. He has coaching engagements in the winter, including a commission with Cambridge University. At Northampton, too, the team met “ Bill ” Reeves, one of the greatest humorists ever to wear an umpire’s coat. He is generally credited with being the originator of the famous cricket joke of the player who told the umpire he did not think he was out, and was gravely advised to look in next morning’s paper to see. His off-stage remarks served to lighten the burden of the day in the match with Northants. He exchanged banter with the players practically the whole game through. Doug. Prentice, captain of the 1930 British Rugby team in New Zealand, was a caller at Northants. He has recently been under the doctor through recurrence of trouble arising from a war wound, but is bigger than ever,'and looks well, and obviously cherishes very happy memories of his visit to New Zealand.