CRICKET

Southland Times, Issue 19099, 17 November 1923, Page 12 (Supplement)

CRICKET

(By

“Twelfth Man”)

The Biggar street ground was a good deal below par on Wednesday. The grass was much too long, the bowling creases and portions of the ouifield rough and bumpy, and the edges of the pitch in need of trimming. Conditions were mostly against the batsmen, the two innings played being worth at least a-quiarter as much again. A. Hamilton and Barnett gave Union a splendid start. Both played steadily and took a good deal of the sting out of the bowling before Duthie touched Barnett s leg pin—one for 67. Driscoll was the fifth bowler tried and success came his way almost at once. Aided by high-class catching by Lenihan in the long field, he rapidly went through the side.

A. Hamilton (55) played a nice innings. He opened a trifle unsteadily, but soon settled down into his best form with some clinking shots on the off.

Nisbet is the makings of a pretty useful left-hand bowler, but it is surely asking too much yet to start him off as if he were one of the stock bowlers of the side, while Duthie and Walsh are too much alike to be put on together. Graham and either Walsh or Duthie would be the best pair to open with. What largely accounted for Driscoll’s success was the eagerness of several batsmen to pelt him out of the ground, instead of which long field was provided with chances. Paton played him better than anyone, stepping back and punching him across to the off.

Walsh was the least expensive of the five bowlers tried, while Graham, who was swinging nastily at times from leg, bowled better than his figures credit him with.

Marist collapsed in a most unexpected fashion against the bowling of Fogo and Dixon, probably the most effective club pair in any senior team in town. Then the two stonewallers, Mahoney and McDermott, got together and defied every effort to shift them. Fogo bowled 15 overs for 22 runs, neither batsmen showing the slightest desire to hit. It was not very edifying, but the pair were playing the right game from Marist’s point of view. Hamilton handled his changes well, but it was only an occasional loose one on the leg that the batsmen would touch.

An ex-Appleby man played a useful part in Riccarton’s win against West Christchurch on Saturday. A Christchurch Star writer says:—“Riccarton tried frequent changes of bowlers. During the course of West’s innings sixteen changes were made, five bowlers being tried. Langbein finished up with the best average, namely, three for 45. He bowled 14 overs, two of which were maidens. Langbein is by no means a brilliant bowler, but he is steady and keeps a good length. Therefore, he is a useful man to Riccarton, who are not particularly strong in bowlers. Otago has made an early start in its preparations for the coming rep. season. Last week the following players were chosen

to practice for the Otago-Canterbury match:—Alloo (2), Worker, Dickinson, Dunning, Fraser, Shepperd, Blamores, Gallard, Knight, McMullan, Conradi, Torrance, Casey, Cherry, Baker and McGregor. Warwick Armstrong reappeared in grade cricket in Melbourne last Saturday week. The big fellow took four for 52 against Collingwood. Invercargill collopsed against Union last week, while the latter had the benefit of a century by J. Hamilton. Although he gave one or two chances, Hamilton played some fine strokes and there are few better batsmen to watch than these two brothers. Invercargill were making heavy weather of it until Bell went on to bowl. The veteran completely altered the complexion of the game, as he is quite capable of doing if he strikes a length with his left hands trundling. He disposed of HamilI ton by one of the most brilliant catches this season and the remainder of the Union batsmen found great difficulty in doing anything against him. The Wellington Dominion records an interesting incident in Wellington:—“Henderson clean bowled Stainton with no-ball. Umpire Dan McKenzie gave the call, but was a trifle late in calling. The instant a bowler has delivered a no-ball, the umpire should call it in a loud voice, in order to give the batsmen a chance to jump and hit with all his might for a grand slam out o' the ground. He takes no risks, as he ca* not be bowled, caught, or stumped off tl strike. But if the umpire does not let hii. into the joke instantly the glorious oppor tunity has vanished. Mr McKenzie is an officer in the Boy Scouts, and should have a good word of command. Next time he calls “No-ball!” let it be in a voice of thunder, which will cause the starlings to rise in affright from the roofs of Wellington College. The batsman is entitled to benefit from the bowler’s mistake.” J. M. Taylor, Sydney University captain and Australian Eleven player, ran up a century in Sydney grade cricket a fortnight ago. The batting in this match must have been worth watching—Taylor and E. R. Rofe put on 194 in partnership in 110 minutes. Jack Gregory has been ordered to take things quietly till Christmas, when the “quack” will have another look at the unsound limb. It is considered that the big fellow has a good chance of coming through all right. The Wyndham Club had its opening match last Wednesday, veteran Darcy Raymond, one of the club’s most loyal and best supporters over a long term of years, bowling the first ball. The Invercargill Southern Club will play Wyndham in the country to-day. THROWING THE CRICKET BALL. Rivalry in returning the ball to the wicketkeeper is still keen among certain cricket club enthusiasts, although boundary hits have diminished interest in this important branch of fielding (says an exchange). George Giffin, from the most distant part of the outfield, could jerk the ball from the hip, and it would travel along the ground right into the wicketkeeper’s hands, and seldom more than a foot on either side of the stumps. Some of the greatest cricketers have been wonderful throwers. W. G. Grace, at an athletic sports meeting at The Oval, made three successive throws of 110, 117 and 118 yards. George Bonnor, the Australian giant, is credited with a throw of 136 yards; and Marsh, the aboriginal, put up a record of 138 yards. The story is told of Spofforth, that when he was in the west of England a Plymouth man was backed to throw the ball against anybody for £5 aside. His winner threw well over 100 yards. His backer, a burly gentleman farmer, turned to Spofforth, as the winning throw was measured, and said: “What do you think of that for a throw?” “It is not bad,” replied Spofforth, carelessly. “Not bad,” exclaimed the other, indignantly. “I should think not, indeed.” “No,” said Spoff, quietly, “it is not a bad throw —but nothing to make a fuss about.” “Well, I’ll lay you £5O you can’t equal it.” “Done!” said the demon, tranquilly. “I’ll take that bet!” And without taking off his jacket the famous bowler took the ball and sent it three yards further than the Plymouth man. The farmer’s face was a study as he paid the bet.