Parkin was Charlie Chaplin of Cricket

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 565, 18 January 1929, Page 6

Parkin was Charlie Chaplin of Cricket

Loved a “Rag” A GREAT BOWLER The greatest comedian who ever came into first-class cricket was, without a doubt, Cecil Parkin. Me could ( be relied upon to keep the crowd laughing, not to mention the players, and there seemed no limit, both on and off the Held, to his antics and buffooneries. Me was also a very great showman, and it was not so much his tricks, amusing as they were, j that enabled him to get away with it so much as the way he put them over. Above medium height, dark, lissom and slim, he had humour written all over him. Me was always looking for a laugh, though I sometimes thought he sacrificed his objective as a cricketer for the requirements of the moment as a comedian, writes J. (•• Fender, in the “Sporting and Damatic News" (London). Unconventional Bowler Not the least of his many ways of provoking such laughs was the way in which he got his wickets. He was. of course, a great bowler. His methods were unconventional, but ingenious. Mo relied upon violent variations of i speed and spin, coupled with an almost impeccable length. He could bowl x ! fast medium ball with anyone. But be j had another and faster one which was ■ fast. On the other hand, he some- I times bowled one so very slow that j the batsman, having jumped out of his ground and missed the ball, had almost time to attempt another stroke before the ball reached the wicketkeeper. On a good wicket he relied mainly upon variations of pace. Frequently he beat you by the difference between his ordinary fast one and his really fast one. On a wet wicket, as on a good one, he had a remarkable ability to make! the ball pop. This taken together with his ability to turn the ball, and a length which ' allowed the fielders at, short leg to stand very close, without' danger to life and limb, enabled him to achieve some remarkable performances. Me had a wonderful energy, and employed every ounce of his energy all the time. Me took a rather long run, but his action was very easy and his unflagging vitality compelled the interest and attention of spectators and players in an equal degree. With the bat Parkin might, I think, have been really useful, had he ever been serious. He preferred always to rag someone—either the crowd, the fielders, or the batsman the other end. Irrepressible Conjurer Off the field, he was just the same —at all times the life and soul of the party. Me was, incidentally, no mean conjurer, and I remember one night at Adelaide, during the tour of 192021, coming down from a banquet to find “Cis,” as he was called, on his knees in the great hall at the foot of the grand staircase, with all the J hundred or so guests round him, doing sleight of hand tricks with three felt hats and three corks, on the marble floor. I always think of him as a great irresponsible boy, with absolutely no harm in him, for all the embarrassment his passion for a joke sometimes caused. Parkin liad a most fertile imagination. This, allied with his command over the ball, placed him in a high class as a bowler. Me was supreme, in his freak style, and capable on English wickets of bringing about the downfall of the greatest batsmen in the country. REGATTA NOMINATIONS POWER CRAFT INCREASE GOOD RACING ASSURED Entries for the Auckland Annivei ca*.. Regatta, winch closed last evening, sm..V , a uelimte increase in all kinds 01 po».vr ' ci alt, compared with last year s Humiliations. The regatta takes place on I •January 2D. Entries lor the sailing events are wen up to standard. Indications are that the regatta will be an outstanding success, it was decided last evening to give boat owners until noon to-day to suomit turtlier nominations. Following are the entries to hand last evening:— YACHTS A Class.—Victory, Ariki, Thelma, Ngatoa, Rawene, Prize, Moana, lorangi, Ida. B Class.—Gloriana, Ivotiri, Windward, Mahaki, Waione, Lady Wilma. C Class.—Dorothy, Owhanga, Speedwell, Eulalie, Delville, lona, Alexa, Wairiki, Queenie. E Class.—Moutere, Naiad, Maybelle, Rover, Malioe, Dolphin, Mirage, Cynthia Lucy. H Class.—Starlight. Celox, Starloch, Awatere, Why Not, Mistletoe L Class.—Lovelight, Valeria, Rahiri, Otira, Malua, Rakoa, Kokiri, Muia, Waima, Marie, Venus, Varuna, Mowai. N Class.—Winifred, Isabel!, Wairere, Matarlki, Wyoming, Wayward. M Class.—Maroro, Maratea, Manene, Mischief. Mawhiti. Matarere, Maia. S Class.—Cyclone, Mascot, Sea Sleigh, Waitui, Mistral, Namu, Atangatai, Aratu. Star Class.—Moa, Ola IV., June. V Clas. —Leveret, Desdemona, Mystic, Scud, Magic, Sea Crest, Sunbeam, Wild Wave, Surprise, Secret, Ngarie, Tui, Drone, Rita. Y Class.—Fay, Anita., Spot, Mighty Atom, Jupiter, Romp, Sea King. Caprice Ji., Bronzewing. Valencia, Opah, Oreti, Sea Rover. T Class.—Meteor, Eleanor, Shalimar, Tamure, Hapuka, Maybelle, Kismet, Marie, Manu, Ivy, Ola 111., Joan, Mizpah, Ramona, Sheila. Z Class.—Kitty, Delphine, Ace, lola. X Class (Lipton Cup).—Avalon, Janet. X Class (Ross Cup).—Avalon, Janet. THE POWER CRAFT Launches, over 12 knots.—Lady Margaret, Pal o’ Mine, Ramona, Tarua, Eros, My Girl. Speedboats, open.—Pegasus, Fleetwing, junr., Spot, Miss Olevedon, Hobo, Bonzo. Speedboats’ Championship.—Same as open speed. Launches, under 9 knots.—Peggy R. Nurmi, Myria, Fantame, Daisy 8011, Cobar, Phyllis, Ngaroma. Young Zealandia. Launches, 9 to 12 knots.—Ramona, Irene. Outboards, Auckland Anniversary Regatta Championship.—Miss Tamaki, Rose Marie, Baby Joy, Miss Akarana, Cnancit. Hum Bug, Fleetun, Taylor. fi Outboards, B Class Handicap.—Miss Tamaki, Rose Marie, Miss Akarana, Baby Joy, Chancit, Hum Bug, Fleetun, Taylor. THE POWER CRAFT Outboard Runabouts.—Nymph, Miss Stanley. Rainbow, Reita, Elto, Gay. Outboards, open.—Miss Tamaki. Rose Marie, Vave, Misjs Arawa. Miss Akarana, i: Devil. Hum Bug. Fleetun, Taylor, The Hawk. MANUKAU CRUISING CLUB TO-MORROW’S HARBOUR RACES Harbour races for yachts and launches will be - held to-morrow by

the Manukau Cruising Club over No. 1 course. Entries and handicaps are as follow: Yachts (limit boat to start at 2.30) — Sylvia, on wind, scr, off wind scr; Myra, scr, scr; Aoma, scr, scr; Waiapu, 4m, 2m; Champagne, 4m, 2Jm; Sea Gnome, Sea Horse and Miss Mack, 7m, 6m; Hetty, 14m, 10m; Sea Lion, 25m, 18in; Mist Maid, 25m, 18m. Finishing time limit, 7 p.m. Launches (limit boat to start 10 minutes after scratch yachts)—Miss Clevedon. scr; Dione, 14m; Karma, Surprise, Pal o’ Mine, 15m; Rainbow, 20m; Regal, Katui, 32m: Hinemoa, 34im; Almora, 35Jm; Mermaid, 35m; Wanderer, 38m; Mavis, Cremorne, Vera, 45m; Salome, 47m; Ramona, 49m; Tawera, 51m; Grace, 52m; Imp, 53m.

CLEM HILL SURPRISED AUSTRALIANS FOR TEST RICHARDSON, 12TH MAN (Australian and N.Z. Press Association J LONDON, Wednesday. Mr. Clem Hill, in a cablegram to the “Daily Telegraph,” comments upon the Australian team selected for the fourth test match against England. He says lie is greatly surprised that Andrews is preferred to Richardson as 12th man. Though Richardson has failed with the bat, still he is Australia’s best fieldsman regardless of where he is stationed. The inclusion of Blackie and Oxenham again is beyond comprehension, says Mr. Hill. Had the selectors seen Wall they would have been impressed. He is the fastest bowler in Australia at present, though he is only 23. Unfortunately for Australia the selectors are hundreds of miles away from each other and evidently one selector does not carry much weight with the other three on matters which they have not seen. Mr. P. F. 'Warner makes no comments on the Australian team, but says he believes England possesses a tail with Geary, Tate, Duckworth and White in spite of their showing at Sydney. The latter half of the hatting was strengthened by the inclusion of Ames instead of Duckworth.