Sports Commentary

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26582, 3 October 1947, Page 7

Sports Commentary

By The Sports Editor

Cricketers Prepare

Although interest in Rugby will be maintained by the North-South Island match at Invercargill to-morrow, the season in Dunedin has concluded. Cricketers have allowed no time to elapse before changing over, and most clubs will hold their opening practices to-morrow.

8. Sutcliffe’s Intentions B. Sutcliffe, the brilliant lefthanded batsman, will finish his course as a physical education specialist at the Dunedin Training College just before Christmas. It is understood that he will return to Auckland in preparation for a posting in the new year, but that he will assist NorthEast Valley in the competition matches in Dunedin in the former half of the season. It is also believed that he will be available for the first two matches of Otago’s Plunket Shield programme. Sutcliffe’s magnificent form in Plunket Shield cricket and in matches against the M.C.C. were the features of last season.

Versatile Player T. R. O'Callaghan, who has been chosen to replace R. W. H. Scott as full-back for the North Island in Saturday’s match at Invercargill, will thus join the ranks of those players who have represented both islands at Rugby football. He first came into prominence as a member of the Air Force team in Christchurch in 1943, and subsequently represented the South Island in the second five-eighths position, his dashing play arousing favourable comment. After service in the Pacific, O’Callaghan returned to his home province, Westland, and last year captained the representative team. He was an emergency for last year’s interisland game. Since going to Auckland at the beginning of the present season he has been employed as a utility back by his club, Marist, and has several times deputised for Scott in the Auckland team. He played a brilliant game against Taranaki recently, scoring 17 points, including an excellent try.

Success in County Cricket T. L. Pritchard, tjre former New Zealand fast bowler, did well in his first full season of county cricket for Warwickshire. He took 87 wickets for the county at an average of 25.32 runs a wicket, his highest score being 81. In all matches he took 93 wickets in 825 overs for an average of 25.06 runs. In the county averages he finished below E. Hollies, a good professional bowler, who took 96 wickets, but in the general averages, although Hollies with 116 had the greater number of wickets, Pritchard had the better average by a few decimal points. Pritchard for unexplained reasons was out of the county team for a time in July and early in August. His batting at times was more than respectable, and he even opened the county’s innings once or twice. He played 35 innings for the county.

Campaign for Rowers The Otago Rowing Club's "Learn to Row ” campaign is at present under way and will continue until Sunday, October 19. At present 10 novices are receiving instruction in the rudiments of the sport. Qualified oarsmen are on duty at the clubhouse every night of the week and on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings to coach anyone who may desire to accept the club's offer of three weeks' tuition in rowing. Two practice fours are being used to coach the novices, but as from the week-end another boat will be on the water for their use.

Wickets Being Prepared An indication that winter sports are almost over and that summer sports will begin in a few weeks has been provided in the city in the past few days by the activities of workmen of the City Reserves Department. They have been busy top-dressing the wicket areas on sports fields, although the Rugby and soccer goal posts remain m position. The majority of the playing fields are showing a good growth of grass owing to the warmer weather and recent rainfall.