Cricket.

Southland Times, Issue 18759, 20 December 1919, Page 9

Cricket.

(By "Short Leg.") The team picked by the selectors (Messrs Battersby, Irwin and McGrath) to represent Southland against Otago at Christmas time contains many new names, several of the older players who have represented the province in past years being unable to make the trip. Despite this fact the team should give a good account of itself. The bowling with the inclusion of the Mcßeath .brothers is considerably strengthened and there are plenty of changes available, giving a good variety that should be able to adapt itself to any wicket. The batting strength of the team is a doubtful quantity, only two of those chosen (Raines and Poole) having batted with any consistency during the season, but given a good fast wicket Camm, Kavanagh and Hamilton A., should help to swell the total. The fielding should be good and in this department of the game a high standard helps considerably in keeping the ■rore down. Taplpy behind the wickets has not been keeping anything like the form that ho is capable of, and on Wednesday allowed 10 byes out of a total of 70, allowing "Mr Extras” to finish with the second highest score.

The number of runs missed by bad running between (he wickets on Wednesday was very noticeable. Raines is a particularly bad offender in this respect and missed a number of easy runs through not backing up. It is a mistake for a batsman to wait in his crease until his partner actually hits the ball, by that time he should he a few yards down (he pitch in readiness for any eventuality and not merely waiting at home to watch the result of the stroke. By good backing up many runs are added to the total without any danger to either batsman of being ryn out, a decision that invariably follows when batsmen wait too long before making up their minds what to do. Let the local batsmen show a little more enterprise between the wdekets and the results will probably surprise them. Last Saturday’s games ended in a win for I.C.C. against Appleby,’ while Union and Waikiwi played a draw. Appleby, without the assistance of A. Poole, was unable to make much headway against Doig and Giltyrtson, the only batsman to roach double figures being Wesney who put on 11 before being well caught in the long field. 'Doig secured six for 10 and Gilbertson four for 24. Doig and Gleeson opened for I.C.C. and hoisted 33 before the former was taken by Wesney well out, Gleeson was batting confidently when given out l.b.w. and his total of 32 included seven fours. The only other batsman to reach double figures was Gilbertson, who included tlyec fours in his total of 24. Washer and Leggatt were the most successful Appleby bowlers, getting four for 28 and four for 12 respectively. A feature of this match was the fielding, every chance being accepted, and some neat catches were brought off. Against Waikiwi, Union put on 148 and occupied the wicket for the larger part of the afternoon, the bowling averages of the Waikiwi frundlers suffering considerably. Raines put together 50 before he was dismissed by a good catch by Brown. His score was the result of careful batting, and never at any time did he take any risks, being content to wait for anything loose. His strokes were mostly on the off, scoring by placing between point and cover, with an occasional drive past mid-off. Pope was responsible for 16, and as an opening batsman he is improving considerably/ being steady, and when be has some more experience will be a ’keeper of some ability. Already be has the happy faculty of keeping the extras down and on Saturday only allowed one bye out of 59. The other Union batsmen to reach double figures were Rowe (11), Lilley (13), and Maxwell (11). Waikiwi had iost eight wickets, for 59 and of this total Kavanagh had 39 to his.credit, hitting nut freely and scoring his runs in good style. The other batsmen could not play Dixon with certainty, and he finished up with an average of five for 9. The wickets on Saturday were an improvement and the recent dry spell should further improve them. Showers of varying severity visited Sydney, says the Referee when spe # aking of the Returned Soldiers v. N.S.W., and, 'affecting the wicket, robbed the contest of spine interest through the handicap to N.S.W., who hatted first, and were oil out on the first day (Friday) for 190. The Diggers made merry’ on Saturday, the little Gordon champion, C. G. Macartney, giving of his best in a most charming innings of 138, With 400 on the hoard for six wickets, the Soldiers’ skipper closed the innings, end N.S.W. in a second knock lost three for 156, so honours of the game rested with the men of khaki.