INVERCARGILL CRICKET CHAMPIONSHIP

Southland Times, Issue 23141, 6 March 1937, Page 21

INVERCARGILL CRICKET CHAMPIONSHIP

Old Boys Leads a Close Competition

(By

“Twelfth Man”)

So Old Boys is ahead in the Invercargill first-grade championship competition. The management committee of the association apparently thought better of its request to this club to accept two points for High School’s default and took the responsibility of deciding its own problem itself. There was no discussion published, but players generally will be satisfied that a definite ruling has been made. Whether a side should be awarded four points for a default in a one-day match is another question, but no doubt the association had its difficulties and took the best way out. . The position at present, then, is that Old Boys leads Union by one point, with Marist and Appleby close up. After today’s play, it is probable that the lead will be increased. Invercargill is in a sorry position against Old Boys at present, and if the first day’s play is a reliable guide, there should be a four-point result. Union is in a rather similar position against Marist, although it has more hope of saving the day than Invercargill. On form so far, however, neither team deserves to win or to avoid a four-point defeat, and Union certainly does not deserve to hold its position at the head of the championship list. Little Good Cricket Conditions were more suitable for Rugby football than for cricket last Saturday and there was little cricket that was above a poor standard. Marist established a useful lead, .'gainst Union as the result of two good individual performances. N. McGowan bowled accurately and steadily to take seven wickets for 23 runs off 24 overs, and then when things were going badly for Marist with the bat, M. Collins came to the rescue and swung the game definitely in Marist’s favour. He did not begin at all well, but there was a lot of loose bowling sent down to him later on and he showed appreciation by some clean hitting. Earlier in the innings McGowan had clouted a series of long hops to the fence, but these were the only bright interludes of the afternoon’s play in this match. Union scored only 69 and Marist has lost seven wickets for 120 (Collins 52 not out). The Old Boys-Invercargill match also had only one or two bright spasms. The best of them was the batting of F. Johnston, of Old Boys. Usually a willing hitter, he took things very quietly for a long time. Somebody had to, because Old Boys had made a very ordinary start despite a patient and valuable innings by L. M. Uttley. N. A. Mitchell swung his bat vigorously and to some effect, and after he left Johnston began to drive with great power. He is a strong batsman ' and his timing was excellent. He was i not hitting cleanly on the leg side, but he drove several sixes over the I bowler’s head. His 62 was a splendid j innings and it was ended by a splendid , catch by W. E. Ruff. Johnston at last hit a short ball on his legs fairly hard, but Ruff dived in from deep square leg and held a brilliant catcm The total of 160 was a good one in i the cricumstances, and Invercargill’s reply was most disappointing. A. G. Pickard found a length right away. He was making the ball get up sharply occasionally, but poor batsmanship had something to do with his figures of five wickets for five runs. He continued in the same strain and finished the day with six of the nine wickets that fell for only 12 rims. Invercargill’s score was 58 for nine wickets, so that Old Boys will start the second day with every chance of forcing an outright win. . The Ashes The topic of the week has been the fifth Test and its result. It has been an extraordinary series and it has ended in D. G. Bradman’s greatest triumph. He and his team have broken

fresh records and, making all allowance for the luck of the toss in the deciding match and the rain which made the Englishmen’s task harder, they proved the better combination in a tight finish. The accounts of the last match or two suggest that Allen’s, team is tired. Modern first-class cricket is a gruelling business, particularly in Australia, and the Australians seem to be better equipped for it. To win so definitely after losing the first two Tests by big margins was a great performance, and Australian supporters will obtain considerable satisfaction from the fact that the colts of the side proved themselves. Australia seems ,to be able to produce youngsters with the big match temperament, and their success this year is very encouraging. The New Zealand Team *

The interest taken in the Test has eclipsed that shown in the final selections for the New Zealand team which is to make a strenuous tour of Great Britain this year; but there has been criticism further north about the omission of P. E. Whitelaw, K. F. M. Uttley, E. Mulcock, N. Gallichan and I. B. Cromb. An examination of the bowling and batting averages of the 14 players who have been chosen is interesting and enlightening. It shows that .Whitelaw, winner of the Redpath Cup two seasons ago, was fourth in the I Dominion averages this year and scored the third biggest total of runs. Uttley was fifth, and both were ahead of D. A. R. Moloney. , The figures which cover the season s Plunket Shield matches are as follows: — New Zealand Team Averages I Batting

c 1 O tn 7s £ to ■5 W. Carson (A.) 4 0 290 500 125.00 A. W. Roberts (C.) 3 2 75 120 120.00 M. Wallace (A.) 4 1 133 279 93.00 D. Moloney (W.) 6 0 190 389 64.83 W. A. Hadlee (C.) 5 0 194 249 49.80 M. I>. Page (C.) 5 0 83 228 45.60 E. W. Tindiil (W.) 6 0 133 228 38.00 G. L. Weir (A.) 4 0 53 138 34.50 M. Donnelly (W.) 2 0 38 60 30.00 H. G. Vivian (A.) 4 0 46 112 28.00 J. A. Dunning (O.) 6 1 45 105 21.00 J. L. Kerr (C.) 5 0 27 74 14.80 B. Griffiths (W.) 4 1 *18 32 10.67 J. Cowie (A.) 2 0 3 3 1.50 •Not out. Bowling RunsWkts. Avg. J. Cowie (A.) 240 19 12.63 A. W. Roberts (C.) 119 5 23.80 J. A. Dunning (O.) 329 13 25.31 H. G. Vivian (A.) 314 11 28.54 W. Carson (A.) 106 3 35.33 B. Griffiths (W.) 303 7 43.28 G. L. Weir (A.) 117 1 117.00 M. L. Page (C.) 12 0 — W. A. Hadlee (C.) 18 0 D. A. Moloney (W.) 26 0 — The Best Ten (Including New Zealand players) Batting M .S c d C/5 S? c Z o E* W. Carson (A.) 4 0 290 500 125.00 A. W. Roberts (C.) 3 2 75 120 120.00 M; Wallace (A.) 4 1 133 279 93.00 P. Whitelaw (A.) 4 0 195 309 77.25 K. F. Uttley (O.) 6 2 145 302 75.50 D. Moloney (W.) 6 0 190 389 64.83 D. Garrard (A.) 2 2 *45 61 61.00 J. Ell (W.) 4 1 *89 167 55.67 W. A. Hadlee (C.) 5 0 194 249 49.80 M. L. Page (C.) 5 0 83 228 45.60 •Not out. Bowling (Four or more wickets) RunsWkts. Avg. J. Cowie (A.) 240 19 12.63 M. Graham (C.) 99 5 19.80 N. Gallichan (W.) 235 10 23.50 W. 0. Mappiebeck (C.) 165 7 23.57 A. W. Roberts (C.) 119 5 23.80 E. T. Mulcock (C.) 312 13 24.00 C. Parsole (W.) 271 10 27.10 L. R. Spring (A.) 140 5 28.00 H. G. Vivian (A.) 314 11 28.54 R. Silver (O.) 295 10 29.50