CAN EDEN WIN AGAIN ?

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 3, 25 March 1927, Page 12

CAN EDEN WIN AGAIN ?

CRICKET CHAMPIONSHIP ISSUE TO-MORROW MAY DECIDE Eden has its big chance to-morrow. This team has not been beaten this season. It has forged to the top by clear-cut merit. To-morrow, Eden will meet its old rival, Shore. The last time they met, Eden secured a win at Eden Park. Now, Shore is out to turn the tables at the Shore.

In one respect at least, both teams meet on an equal footing. Each has lost a New Zealand representative from its ranks. Dacre (Shore) and Mills (Eden) are playing for the Dominion against the Melbourne Eleven at Wellington. It is a moot point which side has sustained the greater loss, for if Dacre means more to Shore than Mills does to Eden, Shore have been able to fill Dacre’s place with Elliott, one of the star batsmen of last year’s victorious team. Elliott has been playing tennis this year, but he has only to strike form again with the bat to become an important factor in the game. The best feature from Shore’s point • >f view is that the game is on the home .ground. Shore is a hard team to beat .it home. There is an atmosphere about the Devonport ground that keys he home side up to concert pitch. If it man makes a “bloomer,” he hears about it. On the other hand, if he acquits himself well, his praises are ■sounded far and wide. It is easy to become a national hero at Devonport. On paper, Gillespie will lead a

stronger team of batsmen than Shore. Most of the side are capable of getting runs, especially Cooper, Postles, H. F. Weir, Butler and Gillespie himself, although he has not been in the best of form this year. Monteith, Player and Nettleton are a trio of Shore batsmen who ought to get a good few between them with the bat, while Gerrard is about due for a score. On the other hand, Frater will handle a strong battery of bowlers. Townshend has been in great form this year, and L. Johnson, Player and Coates represent as good a trio of club bowlers as it would be possible to find. Eden’s main bowling strength lies in J. L. Weir, Cooper, Butler and Simpson. Weir and Cooper especially have done well this season. Shore were well beaten last time, but it would be dangerous to base any assumptions on their batting collapse last time the two teams met. Shore learnt a lesson against impetuosity at the wickets that day, and Saturday will find them fighting hard to swing the scales back the other way.