CRICKET

Southland Times, Issue 22728, 2 November 1935, Page 14

CRICKET

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

(By

“Onlooker.”)

SENIOR RESULTS. Marist, 57 and 90, defeated Old Boys, 73 and 38 —four points. Union, 178, defeated Invercargill, 50 and 86—four points. Appleby, 188, defeated Colts, 84 and 135—two points. Just as the opening day a week previously provided reason lor enthusiasm, so did Saturday’s cricket (in the senior games) give way to disappointment. The standard of play all round was poor, and where the result appeared to be obvious there was present that holiday feeling which can spoil good cricket. Had it not been for Marist’s recovery from a seemingly hopeless position there would have been nothing to write about at all, except, of course, the drabness of the cricket generally. Why such a state of.affairs should have existed so early in the season is beyond comprehension. It is hoped the lapse is only temporary. Despite the poor cricket served up at the Showgrounds there was a fair interest in the finish of tire MaristOld Boys’ game. It looked odds on Old Boys taking out a good win, however. Had they taken advantage of their splendid position early in Marist’s second innings the result would never have been in doubt. As it was, a tired feeling appeared to prostrate the fieldsmen and Brittenden and other Marist batsmen took the opportunity to get runs. And they got just enough to make the task an awkward one for Old Boys, who appeared to lose sight of the fact that they would have to bat on “a fourth innings” wicket which had been reduced to a mud hole through rain and play on it. If ever an example of the uncertainty of the game was forthcoming it was here, and Old Boys turned out to be the victims of circumstances more or less fostered by themselves. It will probably act as a blessing in disguise, for Old Boys are not likely to be caught that way again. On the whole the showing of the Marist batsmen was a poor one, and but for Brittenden, and a lesser degree Baird, Marist would have been in a bad way. Brittenden played a typical captain’s knock, and he is to be congratulated upon his effort. In the early part of his innings he was prone to let the ball hit the bat, but when the wickets were falling fast and victory looked like going to Old Boys without a fight he got down to it and scored fairly freely. Brittenden took risks. He had to succeed. All the same there was a refreshing touch about his aggressiveness which could have well been emulated by the other batsmen. Brittenden drove well and put plenty of wood into the on shots. He did not always get full value for his ground shots, but when the fielding slackened he got more than value. Alan Baird did not shape too comfortably at first. After settling down, however, he played confidently and played a big part in helping his captain to get much-needed runs. He seemed to play all over the ball which bowled him.

McGowan was not at home to Uttley’s bowling, and after scoring eight in laboured fashion he succumbed to a “nibble” on the off stick. McGowan is a fast wicket batsman and he is not likely to be seen at his best until the weather and wickets improve. It was a good catch which Scandrett took to dismiss him. Bert Walsh, who is now a veteran in the game in Southland, cocked one back to Scandrett before he settled down.. I can remember when conditions similar to those of Saturday suited Walsh down to the ground. He is essentially a defensive batsman and slow wickets suit him. He should get runs during the season. The out-cricket of Old Boys, with few exceptions, was wretched, and actually cost them the game. It was not good to see men of the calibre of McKelvey, Scandrett and Hawke (all representative players) making so many mistakes in the field. Scandrett and Hawke failed to take advantage of fairly easy chances presented to them, while McKelvey was slow and tardy in the field. Uttley was not one of those who were not worth their salt. His energy in the field was exemplary. Uttley also proved his worth as a bowler. He took five Marist wickets in the second innings, making a total of nine for the match.

The 75 Marist left Old Boys to get to win was just two times too many. Old Boys made a poor start and apart from mild fifth and sixth wicket stands really never recovered. The wicket had the Old Boys batsmen beaten and the Marist bowlers did the rest. It was strange that Scandrett as captain of the Old Boys’ team should put Mullen and Polson in to open the . innings. The conditions really required the sending in of experienced batsmen. The result speaks for itself. Marist’s fielding, especially when the game switched in their favour, was a treat to watch and deserving of the result it brought. Every man was on his toes and no chances went begging. No fewer than seven catches were accepted. Campbell and Derbie “struck oil” right from the start, and once on top they stayed on top. Campbell had practically all of the batsmen guessing. His was a good performance, as was Derbie’s. On similar wickets the Marist attack must be regarded as strong as anv in the competition. Union had no difficulty in accounting for Invercargill. The latter’s.second innings never really threatened danger, and once Sievwright and Carswell were separated it was all over. Sievwright impressed me more than any other batsman in Saturday’s games. The wicket was slow and tricky, but he played like a - batsman used to batting under these conditions all the year round. His defence has improved out of sight and instead of dragging when he drives he now goes through correctly and puts plenty . of power behind his shots. When going strongly Sievwright is'one of the most attractive batsmen in Invercargill. Carswell lost a-lot of runs by not punching the bowling. He watched the ball well and played correct cricket just the same. More ginger into his shots will improve his batting. Marshall bowled steadily for Union and came out with very good figures for a fastish bowler on a dead wicket. He had a couple of chances lost off his bowling. Appleby made certain of a first innings win against the Colts, features of which were Spence’s batting and Marchant’s enterprise between the wickets. For Colts in the second innings Warburton batted well to get

57. T. C. Lowry will probably make his first appearance for Wellington to-day. Mr G. Mansford, Mayor of Palmerston North, and president of the Manav/atu Cricket Association, is evidently optimistic about the game there, as, in a speech at the opening of the season, he told assembled players that if G. Wheatley, the new coach from Sydney, turned out to be as good as expected, Manawatu would in a year or so hold the Plunket Shield. W. E. Merritt, who has returned from three seasons in the Lancashire League, considers New Zealand may just beat the English team, and C. C. Caere, who has been playing county cricket with Gloucester, thinks the team not quite as strong as that led by Harold Gilligan, lacking such outstanding personalities as K. S. Duleepsinjhi and F. E. Woolley. Both, however, agree that the side is one capable of playing bright cricket likely to please the crowds in New Zealand. The New Zealand Sportsman reports that R. Hatch, the Manawatu Luzt

bowler and one of the most promising in New Zealand, has accepted an appointment in Australia and was to have left Palmerston North this week. Hatch will be a decided loss to New Zealand cricket. He played against Southland in the Hawke Cup match last season. . . Tire Victorian Cricket Association has been disturbed recently about the poor attendance at inter-State matches. The members of the Association apparently think that the ball to ball broadcasts are responsible for the crowds staying away, and have banned such broadcasts in future. Only summaries at stated times will be allowed. Some of the critics state that it was no wonder people stayed away, as the slow play was no inducement to come and watch cricket. We write, of course, twelve months before the final selection, but we believe that the M.C.C. team to Australia next year will be something like this: G. O. Allen (if fit) R. E. S. Wyatt, H. D. Read, C. F. Walters, R. W. V. Robins, E. R. T. Holmes, Hammond, Mitchell (A.), Leyland, Verity, Bowes, Ames, McCorkell, Pollard or Perks, Washbrook or Oldfield, Todd and Wellard. If Sutcliffe is in the form of this year and his leg is sound, he will obviously have to be seriously considered, and we believe C. T. Ashton to be such a magnificent fieldsman that, with his forcing batting, he will be a strong candidate, if he can spare _ the time to play next season.—“ The Cricketer.” Now that he is stationed in Wellington J. Newman, the former Nelson and Wellington representative left-handed cricketer who played for New Zealand against D. R. Jardine’s M.C.C. team in the 1932-33 season, is able to play for the Midland Club without the necessity of flying from Nelson to Wellington each week-end. “One of the things I have learned in the last few years,” said W. E. Merritt, the former Canterbury and New Zealand slow bowler, when he was in Wellington last week, “is to use my head in trying to find a batsman’s weakness, and then to use some discrimination in bowling to that weakness. In coaching, one needs to be able to keep on bowling a length to that weakness so that the batsman can correct it, but in match-play if you bowl a couple of balls to the man’s weakness and the batsman manages to scrape out of trouble against them you need to bowl him something different for a while before trying to exploit his weakness again. Don’t keep on feeding’ his weakness until he remembers how he should play the stroke and begins to play it with confidence. The bowler’s job is to get the batsman out, not to play him in.” W. E. Merritt, who has come out to his native New Zealand to act as coach for the Canterbury Cricket Association this season, now holds bowling records for two clubs in the Lancashire Cricket League, While he was with the Rishton Club he broke its record for the greatest number of wickets taken by a bowler in one season. This year he broke the record for his\present club, East Lancashire, by taking 116 wickets in the season. The record he broke had stood for over 30 years. The cost of his 116 wickets was little more than 11 runs each. He also finished second to G. Headley—whom he regards as one of the best three batsmen in the world—in \he batting averages for all the league clubs. Merritt has been reengaged by the East Lancashire Club for the next three seasons.

Of George Wheatley, the veteran Balmain Cricket Club player, who has been engaged by the Palmerston North Cricket Club as coach, the Sydney correspondent of the Melbourne Sporting Globe writes: “An orthodox, yet forceful, batsman, well grounded in the principles of batting, he should help the snort in that part of New Zealand. He has had a long record with Balmain, broken only by a short period in the Gordon team, and for both he proved a very good run-getter. George, who graduated from the Leichhardt Rugby League team, was also a senior footballer of class. When on active service he was reported as killed, and the New South Wales Cricket Association published his obituary. George also had intentions of qualifying for an English county, so the cables told us, but he returned horn'' ” A Press Association message from Auckland stated that C. C. Dacre, the former Auckland and New Zealand representative cricketer, who has been with the Gloucester County Cricket Chib as a professional for several years, has returned to Auckland on a holiday visit. But there is good reason to believe that Dacre has not been reengaged by the Gloucestershire Club. Dacre’s health has not been of the best lately, and he has suffered with eyetrouble, says Sporting Life. He made some useful scores in the early part of the English season, but his scoring deteriorated, and his aggregate for 49 innings (once not out) for the county was 959. giving him an average of only '19.97. He did not score one century last year. Last year he scored four centuries, for the county and made a total of 1236 runs in 45 innings (once not out) at a.n average of 28.09.

THE“COUNTRY PLAYER”

WELLINGTON’S EXAMPLE.

In last week’s notes publicity was given to the plaint of the minor associations whose best players are not generally give the consideration they merit at the hands of the Plunket Shield associations. Following is a cutting from a Wellington paper praising, more or less, the Wellington Association for its part in fostering the country player. “Wellington is at present being held up as an example to Auckland, as the following from a pen of a Hamilton writer shows: — “ ‘Auckland, so far as cricket is concerned, has never won the reputation of being broadminded. It is altogether a travesty on the wisdom of their policy of selection that South Auckland players of the calibre of A. J. Aitken, O. McKenzie and S. A. R. Badeley—one of the finest all-rounders in New Zealand—should be repeatedly passed over in favour of city club members who have not justified inclusion. Wellington has a strongly contrasting policy and the Plunket Shield elevens that have come out from the capital have almost invariably contained a proportion of country players, such men as H. E. and T. P. Reaney and M. O’Brien, of Hawkes Bay, T. C. Lowry, the well-known New Zealand captain, and the clever bowlers J. Newman and D. Freeman, of Nelson, being regularly included.’ ” JUNIOR NOTES SIX CATCHES BY ONE PLAYER. For the third grade game between' Invercargill and Georgetown B played at Queen’s Park last Saturday the wicket was in very good order, considering the rain which fell during Friday night, but the outfield was fairly heavy. Invercargill opened first and made 122, of which Jordan batted strongly for 26. Botherway is showing promise as an opening batsman and has improved a lot from last season. The team is working well together and should put up a good showing for the year, but its fielding will have to be improved considerably. A feature of this game was the splendid fielding of Greentree, of Invercargill, who took no fewer than six catches. Bishop and Broad, of Invercargill, bowled consistently for four wickets for 15-and four for 14 respectively. Dickson batted strongly for Georgetown to make 33, but gave a few chances.