CRICKET

Southland Times, Issue 20903, 12 October 1929, Page 18

CRICKET

“Onlooker.”)

Club fixtures commence next Saturday. “Tubby” Holden. Southland’s Rugby halfback, has decided to play tennis—not Holden would be a useful man to Southland if he could be induced to play. Perhaps Mataura will rope him in and make‘him eligible for the rep. games later , in the season. . i ■ ' Clubs all over the province are displaying | much enthusiasm. The 1929 season promises ( to be a good one for Southland. \ . i Senior clubs made a commencement with | practices last Saturday. All of the town | clubs had splendid attendances. i There is a “Hawke Cup” atmosphere . about. Southland should certainly send a I team after the trophy this year. Should ; the Maroon caps wrest it from Manawatu they will only be recovering what rightly belongs to them. Southland hasn’t really lost the Hawke Cup yet! It was taken from them by the N.Z.C.G. because of Southland’s geographical position. Northern teams would not travel to Invercargill, and as a sop for the “pinching stunt,” Southland was temporarily raised to Plunket Shield status. That was many years ag Five senior teams have entered in the Woolbrokers’ Shield competition—Appleby, | Union, I.C.C. A, I.C.C. B and Bluff. ; The Showgrounds is in fair order just now I and some good wickets should be made i there this season. The “rep.” area has already been measured off. Messrs Gilligan, , Woollev, Duleepsinhji and team members j should’find the wicket to their liking in i January. . • I Severe! teams are stated to be taking advantage of the Labour Day week-end to travel into the country to try themselves out with our district friends. Appleby may go to Mataura, Union to Lumsden and I.C.C. to Gore. The Appleby wicket played very well for the opening practice game last week. The veteran, George Langdon, has been putting much work into this ground and hopes to get the playing pitches in the best, of order. Old Boys have entered a second grade • team in the competition. It will not be long before this club will be able to take ■ a prominent part in the disputing of the first grade championship. My friend “Senex” is still interested in the old game and shows his interest by forwarding me the following notes: Dear “Onlooker.”—Now that football is out and cricket is in, I venture again to send you a few notes. I have gleaned the information from various Home and colonial papers, but the comments are mine. Goddard of Gloucester and Voce of Notts put up first-class bowling performances in the recent English cricket season. Goddard was a failure as a fast bowler, but is now very effective with hight-hand spin. Voce is left-hand fast—an unusual combination and awkward for batsmen. With Voce, Barratt and Larwood, Notts is well off for fast bowlers. No doubt they helped a deal to win the county championship. Larwood seems to have fallen away. . Having three fast bowlers in Barratt, Nicholls and Worthington, our expected visitors should give New Zealand batsmen a lively time. Woolley, Bowley and Allom will vary the attack. Earle and Cornford are said to be respectively the tallest and the shortest English player. Earle is a hard hitter. I think Cornford is a wicketkeeper. Dr. C. E. Dolling (S.A.) and Messrs R. L. Jones (N.S.W.) and J. Ryder (Vic.) are to be the selectors of the Australian team for England. They are to choose players for a trial match in December, and to have selected the team for abroad by the end of January. . 'I am deeply indebted to “Senex’ lor his notes and will welcome such “copy” any time. Others are invited to contribute items of cricketing interest to this column.