CRICKET

Southland Times, Issue 20963, 21 December 1929, Page 18

CRICKET

(By

“Onlooker.”)

REPRESENTATIVE FIXTURES. December 25 and 26.—Southland v. Otago (Junior game) at. the Showgrounds. December 28 and 30. —Southland v. Auckland at Showgrounds. January 4 and 6. —Southland v. M.C.C., at Showgrounds. NOTES AND COMMENTS L. G. Clark (I.C.C. B) leaves Invercargill to-day to join the Otago team en route to Auckland. Invercargill cricketers wish Clark every success and feel sure that he will acquit himself with credit.

It is doubtful if Clark will be seen out with a Southland team this season. It has been whispered that he will be playing in another centre before the season ends. Another I.C.C. “B” man in R. W. Coupland evidently found favour with the Otago selectors. Coupland was selected to play for the Otago team to meet Beale’s Auckland team at Dunedin but has advised the northern Association that he is not available. The most amusing part of the selection of Clark and Coupland for Otago teams is that they were selected “on the blind' so to speak. Otago’s selectors have not seen either in action this year, but pick both. Still, this is in keeping with the inconsistency of Otago’s rep. team choosers and anything may happen before the season ends. Next Saturday the match between Beale’s Auckland team and Southland will be commenced. The team chosen to represent Southland is a good one, but not the strongest in the province. Probably the following week, when the M.C.C. game will be played, the team will be strengthened by the inclusion of Lynch, Diack and Southern.

An unusual, but most sporting, incident occurred in the Appleby I.C.C. B game on Saturday. H. Thomas (Appleby) went to the wickets anil was given out. l.b.w. to the first ball he received from Doig. Thomas had played the ball, however, and wore a surprised expression as he left the wickets. A hasty conference of I.C.C. men led to Doig withdrawing his appeal and the umpire, Mr Johns, repealing his decision. Neither Doig nor the umpire saw or heard the ball hit the bat, hut were satisfied that they had erred. The action of the I.C.C. captain (L. Scott) and men in apprising the umpire of the position was very sporting indeed and greatly appreciated by the Appleby men. The Union and Appleby captains both won the toss in Saturday’s games and invited the opposition to take first use of the wicket. It paid in one instance and failed in the other. Gordon Johnston made his re-appearance at the bowling crease for Appleby on Saturday. Johnston has just recovered from his recent accident, and though still slightly hampered, has not forgotten how to send his swingers down. He did not get any wickets against I.C.C. B, hut bowled exceedingly well and had the batsmen puzzled watching the flight of his “tail-enders.” Johnston makes the ball swing and dip more than any other bowler in Invercargill.

Harry Sherriffs, who has represented Southland on several occasions, turned uot for Appleby on Saturday and demonstrated that he has lost none of his old form by scoring 26 with the bat and fielding splendidly. Sherriffs was once a force to be reckoned with as a bowler and with a little practice will be a decided acquisition to Appleby.

It is difficult to account for I.C.C. B's collapse against, Appleby. Only nine men batted, but none of them shaped at all well. The wicket played well ami the bowling, though fairly accurate, had no terrors in it. Most of the batsmen failed to watch the flight of the ball and were too prone to play to the pitch of it. Against swing and spin bowlers it is absolutely imperative to watch the ball right up to the bat. Appleby were not asked to extend themselves to overtake I.C.C. B’s total. Still, their batting was not over-impressive. Like Appleby, I.C.C. B possess a good attack and bowlers of the calibre of Doig and Coupland are not to be treated too lightly. Bowling against the wind and grade, the veteran Doig had all the Appleby men playing him and with an ounce of luck he would have finished with better figures than two for 46. Several Appleby men were dropped off his bowling.

Coupland secured four wickets, all clean bowled. He kept a fair length and sent down very few loose ones.

In top-scoring for Appleby, H. Thomas compiled his highest score in senior grade cricket. Thomas was uncomfortable facing Doig, but played all of the other bowlers well and scored freely mostly by onside shots. This player is keen and fields well and now that he has got a good start with the bat should do well for the side in future.

The fielding of the I.C.C. B men was very poor. Apart from dropped catches, there were too many misfielded ground shots. A run saved is a run gained. Coupland and Abercrombie have given the B’s a good start in the second innings and, should they continue this next Saturday, Appleby may be kept busy in the field. At present the southenders are in a fair position for a three-point win. It was a coincidence that both wicketkeepers in the Hawke Cup match, Nelson v. Marlborough, were former All Blacks (says the Nelson Evening Mail). M. Woods, who was behind the stumps for Marlborough, was last seen at Trafalgar Park in 1902, when he played five-eighths for Canterbury; while J. H. Parker was wingforward in the 1925 All Black team. For the first time on record New Zealanders have headed the bowling averages for both Cambridge and Oxford Universities in first class cricket. E. D. Blundell, of Wellington, headed the Cambridge averages, and W. G. Kalaugher, the New Zealand Rhodes Scholar, headed the Oxford averages, Kalaugher, playing for the London Optimists,, in a cricket tour in the South of England, took 31 wickets at an average of 9.6 runs. Some record scoring was witnessed in a club game in Sydney a fortnight ago, five overs producing 108 runs. Bowling to Dr R. N. Bettington and A. P. Wells, Gilkes, a slow bowler in the North Sydney team, was clouted all over the paddock (Hampden Oval), and over the fence too as the following details of Gilkes's five consecutive overs show: 2 4 4 1 0 4 1 0--4 4 0 0 1 4 1 4 —1 1 1 4 0 1 4 o—l 1 0 8 0 2 8 0-8 8 1 4 8 1 8 4. It will be noted that in Australia a hit over the boundary counts eight and the 8-ball over applies there. Here are the. ages of several of New South Wales’s most promising colts: A. Marks, 18; S. J. McCabe, Ij); A. Jackson, 20; D. G. Bradman, 21; W. C. Andrews, 21; A. H. Allsopp, 21; A. Fairfax, 23. Slow bowler Gilkes, of North Sydney, had a [>eppery experience at Hampden Oval, bowling to Dr. R. H. Bettington and A. P. Wells. They trounced every ball he sent along, and, thanks to wretched fielding, particularly so on the ground, the bail was continually hitting the boundary. In one over, which brought 42 runs, were four I

hits over the fence for 8; Bettington—--8 8 1; Wells—4 8 1; Bettington—--8 4. Bettington's first two B's were over the fence in the same spot, close to the main entrance, where the terrace spectators are seated. The first was off a full toss, and the second off a shortish ball. Wells' four should have been a catch at straight hit. The ball was travelling, but the fieldsman should have taken it. Bettington’s third 8 was far the best hit he made, the ball clearing the fence behind where the first two B’s landed, and pitching in the street. This, and few other overs, were reminiscent of Victor Trumper’s exploits on the same ground, states the Sydney Referee.

Messrs Driscoll and Mills, of the Grounds Committee, are determined Io have good wickets prepared for the forthcoming rep. games. The area they have pegged for the big games is looking well and they are working on it daily to ensure a good surface for the wickets. They have also prepared a piece of turf for practice wickets and it is hoped to get on to this on Tuesday and Thursday of the coming week.

The result of the first day’s play in the Union-I.C.C. A game leaves I.C.C. in a very good position and they should have m> difficulty in securing at least a two-point win. According to reports the wicket was anything but good and I.C.C.’s total of 20b must be regarded as a meritorious one. As against Appleby, Southern again got “Doc.” Brown's charges out of trouble and in view of' his present form with the bat it. is (unfortunate Southern is not available for the Auckland game next week. Southern, I understand, had a life first ball, but the umpire negatived Union’s appeal.

Cox materially helped Southern to weather the storm at a critical stage and later in the innings Dr Brown demonstrated that even on a bad wicket Union’s attack is probably the weakest in the competition. The colts are better than a fair all-round side and threaten to annex the senior competition for the second time in succession. They are keen and certainly deserve success.

The second grade match between Marist and I.C.C. was expected to prove a great struggle, but it was a disappointing affair. Marist had first use of the wicket and compiled 156 runs. Six batsmen got double figures and “extras” contributed 29. Lock, although he only got 12 runs played a very valuable innings, in which figured some pretty leg shots, usually his weak spot. He was at the crease for a long time and was primarily responsible for breaking down the bowling. Hallamore shaped very well for his runs and is fulfilling all the good things expected from him. Beadle picked out the loose ones in the tired attack ana secured a good double by taking three wickets for no runs in two overs. Reddington and Carroll were lucky to get runs and both were dropped several times. Maher hit out solidly for his 20. The fielding of the I.C.C. men was atrocious. They dropped many catches and their ground work, with two exceptions, was very slovenly. McKenzie secured five for 53 and bowled well although Jarvis gave the batsmen most trouble. He always required playing and was most unlucky in not having a better bag. When I.C.C. went to the wickets they put up a very poor showing, to score 60 and had it not been for McKenzie, their total would not have reached 20. The skipper laid the wood on anything loose but there were very’ few loose ones. He was missed when he had scored six but apart from this lapse, the fielding of the Marist men was of a high order and some rather hot ones were held. Carroll, four for 36 and Morgan two for 24 bore the brunt of the attack and both performed well, the former especially. He has a great average for the season and it is a pity he is not available to represent his province during Christmas week against Otago. He would provide great variety to the attack. Beadle came on to clean up the tail in gooa style. In marked contrast to the “extras” 29 in the Marist total, the Marist keeper gave nothing away. He has a fine understanding with Carroll and the pair work well together, although the keeper could with advantage come a little closer to the wickets. However, a run saved is a run gained and the Greens have met few batsmen with the enterprise to go out to Carroll and give the keeper his stumping chances. WHO WILL GO? AUSTRALIANS FOR ENGLAND. (By “Senex.”) Before the trial cricket match, expert opinion favoured Ryder, Woodfull, Bradman, Jackson, Ponsford and Kippax as “certainties” for the trip to England. I thought Ponsford and Kippax would need to show improved form before their places were secure. As they’ made a century each and out-scored their youthful rivals in the trial match their selection now looks probable. The six named would be expected to do most of the.run-getting, but could hardly be counted on for bowling, although Ryder used to bowl fast medium successfully, and Bradman is occasionally tried with his slow leg breaks. The Queensland all-rounder Ron Oxenhatn has earned a place. Grimmett will be taken as an all-rounder, but mainly for his “googlies.” If physically fit, Oldfield will be first choice for wicketkeeper, largely on his past expertness. I predict that Walker, the keen little South Australian, will be second stumper. Davidson is not out of the running, and is to get a tryout with the touring N.S.W. Sheffield Shield team. Hornibrook, the tall Queenslander, has ’ the best claim as lefthand bowler, and should be a good slip fielder. He has done fairly well on Australian wickets, and experts consider English pitches would suit him better. On the contrary, it is thought Blackie would not be so effective in England as in Australia. He is a “possible” rather than a “probable.” I believe in having at least one lefthand batsman and for this team I favour sturdy young Marks, who bats and fields well and also bowls lefthanded.

The fast bowlers continue to be disappointing. Alexander seems out of the running, and Wall is not showing the form he did against Chapman’s team. Ilalcombe is to play against South Australia and Victoria next month, and Everett is a member of the N.S.W. touring Sheffield Shield team. No doubt the selectors will keep them in view. Fairfax, all-rounder and medium-fast bowler, seems to have slipped, but may pull up again. I think a’Beckett would give him a go for a place if he were available. Australia's latest hope appears 1o be young Bill Howell, a spin bowler who breaks both ways, and is a vigorous lefthanded batsman like his famous father; but there seems to have been too much premature boosting of Australia’s young players this season.

There were several other players worthy of consideration on their play in the trial match. Whitfield, a tall South Australian fried for his medium swinging bowling, proved himself a good stylish batsman. Young McCabe batted and fielded well, and can bowl fast. Rigg is proficient as batsman and fielder, but does not bowl. Within a month, others may come to the front.