ARTHUR GALLAND RETIRES

Southland Times, Issue 23437, 18 February 1938, Page 3

ARTHUR GALLAND RETIRES

FINE ALL-ROUND CRICKETER

It is with extreme regret that followers of cricket learn of Arthur Galland’s retirement from the game (states a writer in The Evening Star, Dunedin). It need hardly be added that the retirement is compulsory, for one can scarcely visualize “Gal.” looking on while he was sound enough physically to take part in a match. Unfortunately the strained leg muscle which he suffered in the recent Grange v. Albion match has proved so serious that the popular and capable player has definitely decided that it is impossible for him to take any further active part' on the playing field. The Grange Club particularly will miss its leader sadly. Galland was only 14 years of age when he joined the Grange Club, so that he has been playing for it for over 30 years. When J. N. Crawford was the Otago Association coach before the war years Galland was one of his most brilliant colts, and he progressed so quickly that he was selected to play for the province in the 1914-15 season. From that time on to 1930-31 he was a regular member and occasionally captain of the Otago team, and there have been few better equipped all-rounders who have worn the blue-and-gold cap. And Galland was, in the fullest sense of the words, an all-round player, for in addition to being a fine forcing bat he was a brilliant fieldsman in any position, a capable wicketkeeper who has filled that onerous post in intel-provin-cial as well as in club matches, and was a very useful change bowler. And in all he did Galland exhibited the keenest enthusiasm.

In big cricket his best performance with the bat was for Otago against Auckland at Auckland in 1925, when he made 44 and 115. This was his only century in Plunket Shield cricket, but he has passed the 100 mark on numerous occasions for Grange, the last being in the opening match of the present season. The record score for the North Ground to date is his, this being 218 against Albion. The nearest he has come to selection for the New Zealand team was in 1923, when he was twelfth man in the match against McLaren’s English team.

Grange’s fine record in local championship competitions is fo a large extent due to Galland’s leadership and playing skill, and he has had a great deal to do with the development of younger players, Elmes and Chettleburgh being shining examples of what can be done by encouragement of the right kind. As a member of the Otago Cricket Association Committee and of representative selection committees, and lately as one of the association’s official coaches, Galland has given service with the same keenness and enthusiasm as he brought to bear on the field. Not only his fellow players, but the cricket public will miss the active, flannel-clad figure of Arthur Galland.