CRICKET.

Patea Mail, Volume XLIV, 24 November 1920, Page 2

CRICKET.

(By 0.5.) The next Cooper Cup match takes place on Saturday, when the Patea Seniors journey to Wavcrlcy. Hitherto .the weather has been anything but cricket weather, and it is small wonder that none of the team has struck form yet. Later on, when summer arrives, if ever it docs, and the team can practice, the club should be able to give a good account of itself, as it has some keen and enthusiastic members, who, with a little practice, would be top-knotchcrs. Talking- about practice reminds one that there was a paragraph in the papers recently anent the learn, at present in was a sermon in itself to cricketers. The paragraph read somewhat as follows: "The English team arrived in Sydney ycslenliij-, and were accorded a civic reception at the Town Hall, afterwards adjourning ( 0 the Oval for practice." Think of it, you would-be cricketers, who handle a bat once a week, sometimes less, and then expect to make runs! Here is a team of the world's finest batsmen who know practically all there is to know about the game, and who have just finished a strenuous season at Home, on reaching Australia, where they are playing everyday, they lind it necessary to practice to keep up to form. The batsmen make runs, and the howlers take wickets partly because they know the game, but principally because they practice. In cricket, as in most games, the eye plays an important part, and the moro practice a batsman has tho better docs his eye become, until he can take the length of a ball immediately it has left the bowler's hands, and makes his stroke accordingly. If first-class players, with a season's continuous cricket."behind them, need practice, how much more do local players who have not handled a bat or ball for months. Moral: If you want to succeed, practice, practice, practice, otherwise there can be only one result — failure. With regard to the local players, as we have said before, the talent is there; it only requires bringing out by practice.

The local club is badly in need of the services of a regular umpire, and also a scorer. Will any old cricketer or enthusiast volunteer, and help the game along. The club has been very fortunate so far in obtaining the services of players as umpires and scorers who did not happen to be playing in the particular match, but it Avould.be better if the club had not to "trust to luck" to find someone good enough to act. PATEA I. V. AVAVEKLEY I. The following Avill represent the Pa tea- Club in its match at AVaverlev on Saturday:—Harding, Haniel, Cunningham, Weir, Findhvy, McDonagh, Campbell, Gibbs, Martin, Onnsby and Norton, PATEA 11. V. WAVEPLEY IE The Patea junior team to play the AVaverley juniors at Patea v. ill be as under:—Mclvenna, Tibbitts, Murray, Illingworth, Black, Charteris, Larcombe, Elder, Stnvcrs, H. Cronin. Emergencies: Keane., Cooper, Power, Oakley, Jenkins.