CRICKET

Southland Times, Issue 22508, 16 February 1935, Page 14

CRICKET

NEWS AND NOTES

(By

“Onlooker.”)

Senior games commenced a fortnight ago will be concluded this afternoon. In the “A” section Marist are in a good position against Old Boys, and Union should have littlb difficulty in overtaking Appleby’s first innings score. r l'he second week in March is tentatively set down for Southland’s challenge for the Hawke- Cup. Whether the southerners meet’ Manawatu or Marlborough will be decided by the result of the Hawke Cup game at present being played at Palmerston North. Local cricketers will regret to hear that G. Brittenden, who shaped so well for Marist against Old Boys a couple of weeks ago, has had a spell in hospital. The illness, fortunately, was not a serious one, and Brittenden should be able to resume his cricket before the season ends.

Mr J. McMullan, who managed the Otago team which visited Southland last week-end, was one of Otago’s best left-handed batsmen of his day. He still plays senior cricket and is one of Otago’s selectors at the present time. The writer well remembers a brilliant 157 not out Mr McMullan made for Otago against Southland round about 1918. I had cause to. “Mac” used my wood, a £3 10/- Wisden. and returned it at the end of the innings well bruised and “bent.”

The topic of the week has been Southland’s outstanding performance against Otago. Before the game, on paper, it looked as if the 1935 Southland side would go the way of most local teams pitted against Otago. At least that was the opinion of a number of pessimists who have linked themselves up with Southland cricket for many years past. The enthusiasm for the game of these men is undoubted, but when it comes to summing up the prospects of Southland teams there is generally to be found a weakness in their make-up. And they will not see that there are possibilities in the material representing the province. They conveniently forget that our lads are often forced to play out of their class, so to speak, and make no allowances for them. Fortunately these same youths have at last worked out their own salvation, and are able to square their shoulders and tell the pessimists, mostly the old brigade, that their judgment has been wrong and that there still is hope for Southland cricket. Saturday's performance was a knock-out!

G. Dickinson, the Otago captain, paid Southland cricket a fine compliment after the game when he stated that the game had improved not 100 per cent, since he was here a year ago, but several hundred per cent. He was surprised at the improvement in the batting of the Southland players, and for their information he was sincere when he said that he was “flat out” as far as his trundling was concerned. The team were triers all the way and what Southland had earned in runs they deserved.

It was very pleasing to hear this from Dickinson. He is a good judge of cricket and cricketers, and apparently satisfied himself that Southland cricket was definitely on the upgrade. While Southland’s batting was good, we cannot conceal the fact that improvement will be required in the outcricket. The fielding generally was not up to senior standard and the bowling and wicketkeeping were very ordinary. There were exceptions of course. In the fielding department the coach, W. Patrick, set the team a splendid example by his keenness oft the mark, anticipation of the batting, and clean picking up. He had some running to do too, but never slacked. Indeed Patrick played a leader’s part in every way, and there is no doubt that his influence must ultimately have an excellent effect upon the boys. A. Pickard was another exception. His bowling was magnificent in patches, and had certain chances been accepted there is no knowing what results he might have achieved. He bowled tirelessly in the heat and was never really “collared.”

J. Purdue also had a hard day of it and must have been a very tired man at the conclusion of the innings. He ■".•as not so steady as usual and sent down an unusually large number of short ones. He was inclined to overdo his pace and his length and direction suffered accordingly. Young Campbell had a bit of an ordeal for his first appearance in big cricket. Conditions were all against him at the time, but he threw them up and tried hard. More could not have been expected of him. Many were prepared to decry his performance, but he must be given at least another trial before being condemned. Had Milne been able to take advantage of one stumping opportunity Campbell might have won good figures. As it was he came off the field without a scalp. It was not his fault that success did not come his way. He is the type of bowler to get wickets against North Island batsmen.

Jack Milne did not show the form he has shown us in past representative games and at times did not appear to be happy taking some of the bowling. In my opinion the selectors made a mistake picking him for the wicketkeeping job. His hands have been bad and he has not had the necessary wicketkeeping this season. Hawke and Carson are more capable and must be considered for this position in future teams. Milne is quite capable of earning a place in the representative side for his batting, and he should concentrate on this in future. I would like to see pressure brought to bear to get Hawke away. He is easily the best of the senior wicketkeepers, and is a good scoring batsman as well.

It is quite clear that some time will have to be spent on fielding pracitce before the team departs for the north. Some of the boys do not know the first thing about anticipation and are slow movers off the mark. Young Spence was a bit of a disappointment in the field. He was safe enough when the ball was in front of him, but he was slow cutting off balls on either side of him.

Throwing to the wicket is another matter that the Otago game showed up in a bad light. Practice is required here.

Much has already been written about the batting of the team and it is no secret that the visitors were pleasantly surprised with the opposition they met. McGowan again proved his worth as an opening batsman and it is hard to believe that there are so many better than him in Dunedin at present. For several years past the writer has put forward'McGowan’s claims to recognition by the Otago selectors, but they have always fallen on deaf ears. Surely he will get some consideration now. Since the foregoing was written the Otago team to meet Canterbury in the final Plunket Shield match of the season has been announced and McGowan’s name is again among the missing. After what Mr McMullan, the Otago team’s manager, had to say about McGowan’s batting in the Otago-South-land game, there was every reason to hope that the Marist batsman would have made the Otago team. He is worthy of a place in any Otago team to-day, but for some reason or other the Otago selectors "will not have him. Jack Scapdrett and Reg Hallamore are two other batsmen who created a good impression. Both are stylish batsmen, but they have not the defence of McGowan. Enough was seen of them too to suggest that they would hold their own with many Dunedin plavers. ... The Gore representative, Macara, did not get a start, and because of his failure there are probably many who would, 'say to the selectors that he is

not worth a place in the team. They are wrong. Macara can bat all right. It must not be forgotten that he is a fast wicket batsman, and also that he scored a century for Southland on a shirt front wicket at Dunedin last year. He is entitled to another chance. When the team for Manawatu is chosen it is possible that men like McColl, Poole C. McKern ‘ , ..marshall, Hawke, Carson and McKelvey will be given consideration. Mitchell will not be available at cover and Poole must get this position. He is batting well just now and has representative experience. McColl appeared to have played himself into the last team, but missed. His fielding is good and his batting as good as anything about this season. As an all-rounder Colin McKenzie must get consideration, while the others mentioned are also entitled to tlie once over. There is some good material available, and perhaps further inquiry should be made about getting Don Cameron away. We must field the strongest possible team in the challenge game. The coach is satisfied we have the material and we must spare nothing to see that the team is given the best chance. Thus the Otago Daily Times: The members of the Otago team which played at Southland on Saturday, remark on the great improvement which has been made in cricket there by Mr W. Patrick, the well-known ex-Can-terbury and New Zealand player. Mr Patrick, as coach has some excellent material to work on, and is obtaining good results. The Otago bowlers did their best against the Southland batsmen, but they met with a very solid resistance.” PLUNKET SHIELD MATCH OTAGO v. CANTERBURY. The following team has been picked by the selectors (Messrs H. Butler, R. Torrance, and J. McMullan) to represent Otago against Canterbury at Dunedin in the match which commences on February 22:— V. G. Cavanagh, captain. F. T. Badcock. T. Chettleburgh. G. R. Dickinson. J. Dunning. C. J. Elmes. F. Kerr. C. Saxton. R. O. Talbot. F. Toomey. K. Uttley. L. Smith (twelfth man). Talbot, Toomey, and Kerr replace Leader, Clark, and Smith, who were included in the team which played against Auckland. THE WOMEN’S MATCH VISITING MANAGER’S APPRECIATION. Appreciation of the treatment accorded them during their stay in Invercargill is expressed on behalf of the English women’s team by the manager (Miss Green) in the following letter to Mr J. A. Doig, president of the Southland Ladies Cricket Association: Dear Mr Doig. We did so much enjoy our visit to Invercargill, and consider ourselves very lucky to have had the chance of doing so. We were very comfortable in the hotel, and both the bush picnic and the evening drive to Bluff were much appreciated by all the team. The match was great fun, and you really are to be congratulated on the local team’s play. Considering the comparatively short time the game has been started here amongst women, we thought the standard very good indeed, particularly the fielding, covering and throwing in. The whole game was most .enjoyable. We are very grateful to you for all the trouble you took to make our visit such a pleasant one, and we wish the team the best of luck in the future.

(Signed) H. E. Green, (Manager).

Before the visitors left Invercargill they presented Mr Doig with an autographed photograph of themselves. There appears to have been no doubt about the Englishwomen enjoying their stay here, and Southlanders have Mr Doig and his association, particularly Miss Stewart, the secretary, to thank for their efforts in getting the team here and entertaining the members.