THE CRICKET CRITIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 843, 11 December 1929, Page 13

THE CRICKET CRITIC

Enter England! The long looked-forward to tour of th© Marylebone Cricket Club s side to Xew Zealand has begun at last. Generally regarded by cricketers as the most powerful side from the Homeland yet to have been sent to this country, the tour of Gilligan’s men may well prove to be one of the great outstanding events in the Dominion’s cricket history. Two Months’ Cricket For the next two months cricket interest throughout the length and breadth of the land will be concentrated on the doings of the Englishmen. Auckland has a long wait ahead before Gilligan’s men reach the Queen City, but that should make their ultimate irrival all the more interesting. By the time February comes, the strength of the visiting side will have been gauged pretty accurately, and the fate of the other provinces will be known. * * * Wellington’s Chances The Wellington-M.C.C. match will be commenced on Friday next, and the following Saturday, Monday and Tuesday have been allowed for the fixture. Critics in the capital agree that Mr. W. S. Brice, the Wellington selector, has chosen a very fine team to meet the Englishmen, and one which should give a really good account of itself. It was expected in some quarters that the .selection would be confined to players in the city competition, but, as Wellington is entitled to draw upon various country associations, Mr. Brice has called upon three players from the country and made the side a provincial one, following the same course as for Plunket Shield matches. * * * Lowry Captain According to Wellington exchanges, Tom Dowry will captain the Wellington men. No more experienced player could have been selected for that position, apart altogether from the question as to whether or not Tom is an ideal captain. The success or failure of Wellington will be closely watched in Auckland, as the Auckland representative team will travel South later in the season for its Plunket Shield fixture with the men of the windy city. * * Parnell On Top The fifth series of matches in the Auckland Cricket Association’s 1929-110 senior A grade competition, which were concluded on Saturday, provided no unexpected results in any of the three matches which were played out. although with a little more luck Y.M.C.A. would most certainly have turned the tables on Grafton. There ar© now only two more series of matches to bo played before the first round concludes, and Parnell, now at the top of the table, bids fair to take the championship for the season. Eden Unlucky The present holder of the championship, Eden, was most unlucky on Saturday, when its match with North Shore was abandoned on account of the weather. After compiling the biggest single innings total of the season to date, the Edenites were in an impregnable position. They would almost certainly have clinched a three-point victory, had the weather held, and had also more than an ordinary chance of getting a four-pointer. Thus Shore escaped with two points, where it would have been lucky to have received one, and Eden’s progress to the front rank was further postponed. * * * Features of Saturday’s Play Saturday’s on and oft play saw many individual triumphs and failures. Not th© least among the former was the fine not out innings of the ex-Auckland representative. Metge. for University against Parnell. Professor P. W. Burbidge, in scoring 20 at a time when the students badly needed runs, put up his best effort at the batting crease for many a month, and Coach A. P. Wensley gave a fine all-round exhibition for Parnell by taking six wickets and scoring a bfeezy 74 not out —his highest score to date in Auckland club cricket. The Y.M.C.A. match, with its thrilling finish, brought a triumph for Captain Len Elliott, who hit up the 70 which took the Young Mon to within striking distance of Grafton’s total. * * * The Otago Team The announcement that three of New Zealand’s most prominent cricketers, Blunt, Shepherd and Dickinson, will be unable to travel to Auckland at Christmas for the Otago-Auckland Plunket Shield game cannot but come as a disappointment to followers of the game in this city. Without these three the Otago team will bo but a shadow of its real strength and without presuming too much (it is always dangerous to presume in cricket) it appears as though Auckland will not have a, hard task to win its first shield game of the season. When Otago visited Auckland last, two years ago, Auckland won by six wickets. Dickinson and Blunt did not play on that occasion. * * * Monk for Auckland Seven of the 12 players selected to make the trip to Auckland, played for Otago against Auckland, at Dunedin, last season, when the match was drawn, very much fn Auckland’s favour owing to rain. The new men are J. A. Dunning, the Rhodes scholar who Played for Auckland last season, Clark, J. Jacob, last season a Canterbury reT»rM«r.tnUv., \v. Vorrath. McMullan is well known in shield mutches in New Zealand. Phil Monk, formerly a Mount Albert Grammar School player, who later played for North Shore, and was transferred to Dunedin two years ago, will return to his home city wearing the Otago cap. G. L. Weir was at the Mount Albert Grammar School during Monk’s day there. The Auckland Team Although it is evident from the talent available that Auckland’s first Blunket Shield team this season will he a powerful one, there are probably not more than four players who can be regarded as certainties for final selection. These four are: J. E. Mills. A. F. Wensley, P. E. Whitelaw, and C. F. W. Allcott. Whether or not the selectors will again play Rowntree ' —as a wicket-keeper still the best in the Dominion—remains to be seen. The inclusion of S. A. R. Badeley, a fine bat and promising wicket-keeper in the 21 players for practice, however, may indicate that the selectors have

not made up their minds on this point, or that they are giving unusual attention to the question of a reserve wicketkeeper. Then there is the case of three Eden batsmen, Gillespie, Postlcs and G. E. Weir, all representatives last season, who have as yet been unable to strike form. Players’ Averages Following are the batting averages of the 20 Auckland city players selected to practise, up to and including the fifth series of senior grade matches concluded last Saturday:

Gregory, not Crawford In our reference on Friday to the fnrthf>nrrnm? tour of the Auckland touring team to Invercargill during the Christmas and New Year holidays, it was stated that C. G. Crawford would be playing against the team, for South Canterbury. However, it is Gregory, who is well remembered in Auckland, where he played for Canterbury in the memorable Plunket Shield match at Eden Park two years ago, who will be one member of the South Canterbury team. * * * Memento of Tour The Orient Line, on one of whose vessels the R.TM.S. Orford, 20,000 tons, the M.C.C. team travelled from England to Australia, has issued a wellarranged pamphlet which might well serve as a memento of the visit of the team to the Antipodes. The booklet contains a brief “Who’s Who” of the team, summarising the records of the various members of the team in firstclass cricket. There is also a double page of pictures of the M.C.C. men and an itinerary of the matches played in Australia, and to be played in New Zealand. Keen Play at Papatoetoe One advantage of asphalt pitches is that, provided rain is not actually falling, cricket can go on without the wicket playing tricks on the batsmen. This was well demonstrated at Papatoetoe' on Saturday, when two of the scheduled games were played out with keen enjoyment in spite of the inclement weather. The conclusion of the senior B match v. Parnell provided players and spectators alike with a thrilling finish. Everyone knew that only a few more runs would give Parnell the victory, and batsmen and fielders alike were straining every nerve for victory. Reg Dow, like the good skipper he is, made a valiant effort to carry the day for his team, but just failed by four runs. The third graders had no game, as All Saints cancelled the match owing to the weather. The fourth graders had a good match with Victoria, and were defeated on the first innings. * * * R. C. Torrance, the veteran Otago representative cricketer, is to manage the Otago Plunket Shield team on its trip to Auckland at Christmas. <1 * * Petty Thieving There have been numerous cases of petty thieving in cricket pavilions at Auckland recently, and the case of one junior grade player who had £2 8s and a new cardigan and new pair of boots removed from Victoria Park on Saturday last was brought to the notice of the management committee of the Auckland Cricket Association last evening. The problem of dealing with this type of thieving is a difficult one, and the committee decided to warn players against the habit of leaving valuables in pavilions. Thakabau for Fiji E. T. L. Thakabau, the Fijian batsman who knocked up 91 in his first innings in senior cricket on Saturday week last, is leaving for Fiji on a holiday next week. The management committee of the Auckland Cricket Association last evening refused to grant the Eden Club permission to play him in the senior 13 grade on Saturday—an application made because he would not be in Auckland for the second Saturday of the senior A grade match. BEALE’S CRICKET TEAM £25 GUARANTEE BY A.C.A. A decision to contribute a sum of up to £25 on any financial loss which may result from the tour of Mr. E. C. Beale's Auckland touring team to the South during the coming holidays was made by the management committee of the Auckland Cricicet Association at its meeting last evening. Several weeks ago Mr, Eeale forwarded to the committee a complete record of the eight tours undertaken by liis sides in the past, and in the ensuing discussion the question of the financing of these tours was introduced. As Mr. Beale himself was absent at the time at the annual meeting of the delegates to the New Zealand Cricket Council at Christchurch, the whole question of the control and financing of the tour tentatively arranged for the holidays this season was referred to a special sub-committee consisting of Messrs E. E. Nalder, J. H. Watts, N. C. Snedden and P. Shaw for a report. On behalf of this committee, Mr. Nalder last evening made the recommendation that the £25 bo granted subject to loss. Mr. Nalder also stated that in future associations being visited by the Auckland touring team should be prepared to contribute a fairly substantial amount toward the costs of the tours. Mr. P. Shaw (Eden) asked Mr. Beale if it would not be possible for his teams to do something more in the Auckland Province. The position of the Poverty Bav Association, as an instance, was serious, Mr. Shaw said, and if Auckland did not do something for them it would have to tell them to go and loin the Wellington Association. "We might have another Allsopp in such

I places as Dargaville,” Mr. Shaw said, j Mr. Beale, however, was satisfied j I that he could not get the same class |of player to tour if the visits were { restricted to the Auckland Province. His teams on occasions had met the Wellington colts and the Canterbury colts, which were more in the nature of first-class matches. After the recommendation of the sub-committee had been carried, Mr. E. E. Nalder (chairman) on behalf of members of the management committee wished Mr. Beale the best of success on his coming tour, and expressed the hope that it would be a successful one financially. TOURISTS WANTED TO PLAY FOR A.C.A. AT CHRISTMAS MEETING OF EXECUTIVE ‘‘lf we don’t get more players, we will have to cancel these trips. There has been practically nothing done among the clubs.” i Thus Mr. P. Shaw, on behalf of the country sub-committee, reported on the prospects of the tours to be undertaken to Wliangarei and Thames at Christmas time, at the meeting of the management committee of the Auckland Cricket Association last evening. The sub-committee has previously recommended that these trips be made by A.C.A. teams, but Mr. Shaw stated that to date only seven volunteers to make the trips had been received. The lists will be kept open till Friday next, and club delegates were urged to place this before the members of their clubs. Mr. W. Harwood, the secondary schools representative, advised that the Christchurch Boys’. High School team would arrive at Auckland on Saturday for its Heathcote Williams Shield match, with the Auckland Grammar School (holders) on Monday and Tuesday next. This match will be played on Eden Park No. 2 wicket, play commencing at 10.30 on the first day and 9.30 on the second day. Mr. Buff and Mr. Nalder have been appointed umpires. The transfer of J. Harding from the City Club to the Western United Club was refused, owing to the opposition > of the City Club. The application of the Waikato Cricket Association for a match with an Auckland team at Auckland on Christmas Bay and Boxing Bay could not be granted, because Auckland has a representative match with Otago at Eden Park on those dates. The names of the following umpires were submitted to the Canterbury Cricket Association for that body to select two to officiate at the AucklandCanterbury Plunket Shield match at Eden Park early in the New Year: Messrs. Buff, Somerville, Turton and Poulton. COACHING THE REPS. On the recommendation of the coach committee, the committee decided to suspend the coaching of club players by A. F. Wensley from this week onward till the conclusion of the first two Plunket Shield games. The coach will devote his attention solely to the players picked for representative practice. The Eden Club was granted permission to play H. G. Vivian in its team on December 14, provided a certificate was received from the headmaster of the Mount Albert Grammar School giving his consent, as the school year would not end till December 17. All grade competitions will be closed on December 21 for the Christmas and New Year holidays, and will not be resumed till January 9, 1930. IYA was granted permission to broadcast the Plunket Shield matches at Eden Park. MATCHES FOR SATURDAY Following are the fixtures for Saturday:— Senior Grade A. —United Suburbs v. Eden, Eden Park No. 3; Y.M.C.A. v. Ponsonby, Eden Park No. 2; University v. Grafton, Eden Park No. 1; Parnell v. North Shore, North Shore. Senior Grade B.—North Shore A v. Balmoral, North Shore; North Shore B v. Eden, Victoria Park; Parnell v. Ponsonby, Eden Park No. 4; King's Old Boys v. Y.M.C.A., King’s College; University V. Papatoetoe, Papatoetoe. Second Grade A.—Parnell A v. Northcote, Northcote; Grafton v. Balmoral, Domain No. 4; All Saints’ v. Windmill, Victoria Park; Stanley Bay v. Mount Albert, Stanley Bay; Tamaki v. Western United, Victoria Park. Sfecond Grade B.—City v. Takapuna, Takapuna; Epsom United v. Ponsonby, Victoria Park; North Shore v. Parnell B, North Shore; United Suburbs v. University, Domain No. 5. Third Grade A.—All Saints’ v. North Shore, North Shore; Balmoral v. Papatoetoe, Papatoetoe; Eden v. King’s College, King’s College; United Suburbs v. Windmill, Domain No. 9; University v. Western United, Victoria Park. Third Grade B. —Power Board v. W. Domain No. 14; Education Board v. Telegraph, Domain No. 12; Mount Albert v. Swanson, Swanson; Northcote v. Point Chevalier, Domain No. 10: Tamaki v. Dilworth, Tamaki. Third Grade C.—Aotearoa v. Y.M.C.A., Domain No. 16; Henderson v. Victoria, Henderson; Parnell v. Birkdale, Birkdale; Kauri Timber Company v. Turners and Growers, Domain No. 13; Cambria, a bye. Fourth Grade A.—Mount Albert v. Excelsior, Mount Albert; All Saints’ v. “Herald,” Eden Park No. 5; North Shore v. Y.M.C.A., Victoria Park; Telegraph v. Point Chevalier, Point Chevalier. Fourth Grade B.—Aotearoa v. Roskill Wesley, Point Chevalier; St. Stephen’s v. Grey Lynn, Outer Domain No. 1: Takapuna v. Olympic, Domain No. 8; Victoria V. Western Springs, Point Chevalier. GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION Following is the draw for matches to he plaved under the control of the Auckland Girls’ Cricket Association on Saturday:— _ . Senior Grade.—Y.W.C.A. v. University. No. 1: Training College v. Hockey A, No. 4; Grammar Old Girls, a bye. Junior Grade.—Technical v. Takapuna, No. 3: Hockey B v. Grammar B. No. 2; All Saints' v. Y.W.C.A. B, No. 5 TEAM TO PLAY M.C.C. AIREY REPLACES FOLEY Press Association WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Airey will replace Foley in the Wellington cricket team to play the M.C.C., as Foley has suffered an injury. WHANGAREI REPS. TO PLAY NORTHERN WAIROA From Our Resident Reporter WHANGAREI, Today. The following cricket team has been ■ chosen by the sole selector, Mr. H. 1 Flewellyn, to represent Whangarei against Northern Wairoa in the first ; sub-association match this year, which ; will be played at Dargaville on Satur- ; day:—E. T. Gash (captain), R. Stevenson and B. Jones (Whangarei), C. Hewlett and L. Meredith (Onerahi), H. • Gaulton, F. Seccombe and B. Swinbourne (High School), E. Kerr (Railways), W. G. Grove and J. Hewin ; (Nomads). E. Brainsby (Nomads) is twelfth man.

SUBURBAN NOTES The two-day representative match against Thames will command the interest of suburban cricketers during the Christmas vacation. The game, which will start on Boxing Bay and continue the following day, should produce a keen contest. The Auckland XI. is obviously not the* best that could be fielded, the object being apparently to give some of the most promising colts a try-out for later representative fixtures. There is a good leavening of older players, though on paper the team is much stronger in bowling than batting. The greasy wicket seemed to upset the Ellerslie batsmen on Saturday, three of usually the most reliable Viekets falling for 33 before play was abandoned for the day. The Stallworthy brothers were bowling exceptionally well, but it is extremely doubtful whether the lbw decision should have been given against Hollis, when he stepped in front of one delivered by E. Stallworthy, who was bowlinground the wicket. A roar of applause went up from the spectators when H. Watts, the Green Lane fieldsman, effected one of the most brilliant catches seen this j season and dismissed Turner, one of the opening Harbour batsmen, on Saturday. Watts took a liot return at mid-on after a spectacular side leap that commanded the admiration of even the dismissed batsman. Breese, of Harbour Board, started in to punish the Green Lane bowling in characteristic style on Saturday. He displayed some pretty wrist work in glancing Seccombe’s deliveries to leg, and exceptionally good judgment in placing forceful carpet drives past mid-off, Once he narrowly escaped being stumped, but the incident did not reduce his scoring rate and he was banging away merrily, having reached 25 when stumps were drawn. HOUSE MATCH A house match was played between a team from The Sun and Nestle’s, Ltd., at Victoria Park yesterday and resulted in a win for Nestles by nine runs. In its first innings Nestles compiled 92 runs (Gerrard 55, Sheffield 10). Second innings, 104 for 6 wickets (Gerrard 47 not out, Underwood 30, Sheffield 11). The Sun, first innings, 11S for nine wickets (Sallum 42 not out, Bergman 31, Gresham 13 not out). Second innings, 75 (Spicer 38 not out, Edmonds 11).

In. N.O. H.S. Tol. AV. Mills (Eden) 4 1 185 61.66 Wensley (Parnell) 182 60.66 White law (Parn.) 4 0 134 176 44.00 Horspool (Grafn.) 6 0 104 255 42.50 Garrard (Varsity) 3 91 108 36.00 Allcott (Grafton) 6 0 SI 198 33.00 Matheson (Vars.) 4 58 29.00 Anthony (Parnell) 1 40 114 28.50 Martin (Suburbs) 0 46 81 27.00 McCoy (Parnell) 0 78 146 24.33 Hay (Parnell) .. 0 41 97 19.40 Lyon (Y.M.C.A.) 0 33 96 19.20 Monteith (Pons.) 6 0 42 114 19.00 Prater (Shore .. 5 0 91 18.20 Smeeton (Vars.) 4 0 18.00 Postles (Eclen) . . 4 41 13.66 Lang ton (Eden) 4 16 8.00 Gillespie (Eden) 4 II 6.50 Weir (Eden) 4 11 Rowntree (Grafn) 4 0 8 2.00 * Signifies not out.