CRICKET

Southland Times, Issue 19123, 15 December 1923, Page 12 (Supplement)

CRICKET

(By “Twelfth Man”). The feature of the Marist-Union match on Saturday was the brilliant batting of Driscoll and Dixon. Fielding soundly and having plenty of useful bowlers to rely on, Union got rid of Marist if one excepts the fine score standing to the credit of Driscoll. The Marist batsman, who is now batting at the top of his form, gave a delightful exhibition. He was never at a loss and the only blemish on his innings was a chance behind the sticks about midway through his innings. He hit one six and eleven fours, and manoeuvred the bowling very clearly in his partnership with the last man. batted very soundly for his 28, and was very good on the leg side. He hit five fours. Dixon, who had previously been bowling well but without much luck, secured good figures, while J. Hamilton with his slows bagged a couple cheaply tit the finish. Opening for Union, Dixon started right off the reel by punching Wilson’s second and third balls to the fence. Coming back to the concrete after a good record at Home, he did not seem to be able to accustom himself to the pace of the concrete up till Saturday, consequently his big score last week-end was long over-due. He played a beautiful innings, being especially severe on anything short-pitched. His only chance was just before he passed the half century. His best shot was one past point at a sizzling hot pace, while he was very strong on the leg side. The power he put into his shots on a heavily grassed area may be gauged from the fact that he hit fifteen fours in a total of 78.

J. Lilley and Sparks ably seconded his efforts, being content to keep up their end and score off the loose stuff. Sparks got out through making a half cock forward stroke, failing to get his left shoulder over the ball. The half cock stroke, usually a dangerous stroke for a young player to get into, is correctly played by Driscoll, who is very strong in wrist work, and consequently finds it a useful scoring medium per a slight push on either side of the wicket.

In a match at Goulbourn the other week Marulan wanted runs against the town side in quick time. So they sent in Aubrey Sieler, better known as county tennis champion. The bowling was not weak, either, but Sieler after 14 balls had been bowled had 45 runs to his credit, including 4 sixers, and 4 fours. Off the last six balls he got 30 runs—3 sixers and 3 fours. The feature of Wednesday’s cricket was the long partnership between Poole and (Seddes, an association productive of 117 runs before a separation was effected, and but for the fact that the Appleby veteran strained a thigh muscle and consequently was unable to move between the wickets with his accustomed alacrity, it would have probably yielded a good few more runs. Poole had hard luck in just missing the coveted century, being well caught by Walsh, who possesses a very safe pair of hands, particularly in long field. He batted in his usual aggressive style and had the bowling hard put all the time, although the

Marist fielding was not as clean as it might have been. Poole hit a sixer and 11 fours. Geddes batted very nicely. He is one of the very successful Boys’ High School team that Mr M. Alexander had brought to such an excellent pitch of efficiency before his departure for Napier. Another good innings was played by Leek, one of the most promising boys in the club. Most of the Marist side had a turn at the j bowling crease, the young left-hander, Nis- i bet, being most successful. “Slip” in Otago Daily Times has the fol- i lowing reference to a player well-known in this part of the world:“A welcome improve- I ment in Cherry’s play was noted. Cherry I is a young player, and his earlier performances were for that reason all the more disappointing. Saturday’s exhibition was a faultless one, in which not a single chance was given. He compiled 67 quickly, and justified his selection to practise for the Otago rep team.” The cricket at Queen’s Park cn Wednesday was not very interesting, batting collapses by both sides producing very mediocre scoring. Invercargill had the fairish total of 67 up for three wickets, thanks chiefly to Dr Brown and. Cook, when the rot started to set in. and the side was all out for 107. Dr. Brown batted very well. He was more careful than usual and his 40 included only four boundary hits.

Going on late, Lilley collected six Invercarvill scalps at a small cost. He bowled very steadily and often bowls a better ball than he appear to do. his left-hander’s turn and accurate length being his chief characteristics. Austin bowled particularly well throughout his ten overs, and was undoubtedly the mainstay of the attack. Dixon and Barlow gave Union a gcod start and with Lilley and A. Hamilton helping the total on to the tune of 2/49, 3/71, Union looked to have jhe first innings result well in hand. Then Dr Brown went on with his slow off-breaks and the spin proved toe much for at least four who went out to hit him. Union have 20 to make with two wickets in hand in order to beat their opponents on the first innings, so it can be. seen that the game is at a very interesting stage. Dixon batted pretty well, but not up to the standard of the previous Saturday and after he put his bat out of action, could not get going again. . Dr. Brown had taken five for 12 in 7 overs when time was called. He fowled an irreproachable length and got a good deal of spin on to the ball. Lance Pellew, the brilliant young Australian batsman who was out this way with RansforcVs team a year or two back, has answered the call of business interests and in future will be located at Clare, which will mean gopd-bye to big cricket for the present. The two outstanding features at Wanganui’s Hawke Cup victory against Manawatu were undoubtedly the dual performances of Holland and London, according to “L.8.W.” in Wanganui Chronicle. The former bowled very ably, keeping on unchanged through each innings. In the first session he bowled twenty overs for seven wickets, costing 72 runs, and in the second he sent down fourteen overs for six wickets, and for 42 runs. On the first day he delivered thirty-three overs! Tljis double feat should gain for him a place in the Wellington representatives Holland’s claims have been repeatedly advanced, but it almost seems a waste of time endeavouring to impress on the “heads” elsewhere the local bowler’s qualifications. Compliments are always gratifying, but they are especially so when they come from such an influential person as Sir Francis Bell, says “Not Out” in Wellington Post. Last week Messrs Wilson and Buck, of the local Management Committee, had occasion to wait on Sir Francis, and that gentleman, after discussing cricket generally, asked how Wellington was off financially. When he was told that the local association had a credit balance of over £lOOO, he expressed himself as being highly delighted, and he paid a tribute to the work that had been carried on by Mr Wilson in the interests of cricket in Wellington. In the old days, when he saw a member of the association coming into his office he (Sir Francis) invariably madb a dive for his cheque book, but he was glad to know that those lean days had passed. Mr Wilson during his long association with the game, has dene much good work, and it is well recognised even by those who may have occasion at times to disagree with views expressed by the chairman.

There is some talk in Melbourne of the chances of a Melbourne Grammar School bey, B. W. Dunlop, for a place in the State eleven. There is nothing new in such a happening coming to pass, Clem Hill, Victor Trumper and J. M. Taylor being players, who represented their State at the schoolboy age. Young Dunlop, who has a brilliant record in public school matches has in 9 innings this season scored 680, average 85. He has scored a century in five consecutive matches and in addition to his batting is described as a fine field at cover. Now and then the statement is made that some of our English bowlers get their swerve by enlarging the crack of a new ball with their thumb nail, but any trick of this sort becomes insignificant beside the work of the American baseball pitcher (says a London paper). Within the scope of the Yankee pitcher’s machinations may come such monstrosities as the “split ball,” the “sailor,” the “shine ball,” and the “emery ball.” The methods by which these freak deliveries are obtained are in /reality unfair, and the way in which they are managed is guarded as a trade secret. Every now and then some “cagey pitching ace” is detected as a cheat and a deal of soiled linen is cleaned before public. Here are some of the ways by which a baseball pitcher succeeds in perfecting a delivery which breaks several ways in the air, or skids off the atmosphere, to the discouragement of the hitter. One man has a supply of vaseline in his glovp and daubs a lump on the ball before he hurls it. Another pitcher applies a wad of chewing gum to the cover of the ball, and a rival chews a nasty mess of coffee grains, tobacco, and liquorice to a thick paste and anoints the ball. Resin rubbed over part of the uniform furnished another means of giving an artificial twist; a finger ring with a filed surface and a strip of emery paper fastened inside the finger were other tricks. One pitcher was long undetected, for he had a roughened buckle on his belt and “unconsciously” rubbed the ball against it. The Gore Cricket Club opened its se’ason on Wednesday with a match against the representatives of the Balfour Club on the Gore grounds. Gore went in first, and were dismissed for a total of 29, the only batsman to reach double figures being Scott, who made 12, not out. Shirley took 5 wickets for 9 and S. Lynch 2 for 3. Balfour then went tp the wickets and compiled UJ2, the principal scorers being: J. Lynch (53 not out), J. Smith (46) and S. Lynch (34). Hammond took 4 for 50, and McSoriley 3 for 46. Gore’s second innings resulted in 54 runs being scored for the loss of seven wickets, Hammond (15) and Thomson (10) being the principal scorers. A return match will be played in February. BIG SCORING IN DUNEDIN. Saturday was a day of records in Dunedin cricket when Carisbrook topped the five hundred mark for the loss of three wickets. The Otago Times scribe has been delving into old records and gives the following interesting details: — The highest aggregate New Zealand score for any one match was registered at Christchurch in 1896, when United and Lancaster Park, in» a senior cup match, made 1124 for 38 wickets. Carisbrook’s performance in scoring 517 for one afternoon’s batting is probably a record; for three wickets the probability of the establishment of a record is even more pronounced. Midland, playing at Wellington in 1896, made 510 in their first innings, but this extended over two days. About 10 years ago Otago, playing against Southland, scored nearly 600 in one innings, and in one day, the late “Syd.” Callaway making over a century.

Worker was unfortunate in not reaching a double century, which he missed by only six. The highest individual score for a New Zealander was obtained in a Canterbury club match between West Christchurch and St. Albans in the 1915-16 season, when H. B. Lusk made 334, not out. In the 1913-14 season J. N. Cradford, playing for Australia against Temuka, compiled 354. W. W. Armstrong, in the Australian-Auck-i land match in the 1905-06 season, made 1335.

Nothing remains to be said about Worker’s display but to repeat that it was excellent ; it was not marred by one weak stroke, and it was composed of a capable execution of every stroke. All three— Worker, Duncan, and Dunning- played cricket that made history. Their display lacked nothing, and it will long be prized as one of the treasures in Dunedin cricket. At the ■ beginning of the game Duncan, who was i playing more leg balls than Worker, scored the faster, and at one stage was 20 ahead of his partner. Then Worker seemed to have matters all his own way, and in a very short time he was leading Duncan by 20. The two then drew together, and scored their centuries in the same over. Duncan was bowled by Blamires, who sent down a medium-paced ball after several slow ones. Albion’s fielding was very sound and only two chances were given all day. The wicket was in perfect order. CRICKET ON THE VELDT. Living alone in the back veldt—sixty miles from any town, and a two hours’ drive to the nearest “dorp” (village)—it has not always been easy to get a game that I love better than any other—cricket, (says an Englishman in South Africa). But I have rarely missed a season—one makes light of distance in South Africa—and I have even travelled a thousand miles to see a Test match. My difficulty used to be to get regular practice—for there arc no cricketing enthusiasts aremnd me. Among my natives was a youth whose real name was Xalatane, but whem I called Hendriks for short. I decided to teach him to bowl. He was of medium height—wiry —full of energy—very keen. My wicket was a paraffin tin on a box. My “pitch” a bit of an old road. I explained things to him—showed him where to pitch a good-length ball—how to deliver it—and I premised him threepence every time he hit the tin when I was batting. A broad grin, showing two rows of perfect white teeth, spread across his face. This was more interesting than herding calves at five shillings a month. In strict cricket Hendricks would occasionally be “no-balled” for throwing; but I said nothing—all I wanted was a goodlength ball, and this he gave me. If it was a throw occasionally it was only what his ancestors had done with coconuts perhaps. And so, in the middle of a hundred miles of veldt, the only two beings to be seen at odd hours were myself at a paraffin tin, and Hendriks bowling at it. . . . - He got three and ninepence off me the first week. One thing I noticed was that if I was away from the farm fcr half a day or so the paraffin tin was a different shape from what it had been when I left. But I said nothing—l liked his keenness, and he was certainly giving me tip-top practice. He learnt to vary his pace—learnt breaks; and the “pitch”! Sometimes the ball came shoulder high, sometimes shot past my foot—one had to keep one’s eyes open—expect anything. That threepence a wicket was a great idea—it made us both try very hard. By cart and by car I would have to travel from 160 to 200 miles for a match, but, the game was worth it; and if, perchance, I knocked up a score I knew that thing.