CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 November 1924, Page 11

CRICKET.

FIRST “REP.’ ’MATCH. NORTH V. SOUTH TARANAKI. (By “Light Blue.”; Ten a.m. Saturday, weather permitting, will see the start of the first representative match of the season, Wiieu North and (South Taranaki will try conclusions on the sports ground. The North team was announced on Monday, and 1 think it will be generally admitted that the -selectors, have done their work well, considering the early stage of the season and the talent available. The team is certainly a well-balanced combination, but whether it is strong enough to defeat the Southern team is a moot point. South are very strong tl.-is year, and if their full team is available,* I rather fancy their chances, although I feel confident that they will be given a good run, despite the absence of Lash, who is unavailable, and the probable absence of Lambert, who played for Stratford last week-end. The selectors are to be congratulated in giving McLean, the High School boy, a chance to win his spurs. Bottrill has been, chosen to lead the team, and in this connection the following article by the .cricket writer of tlfie Free Lance is interesting:—“l do not advocate that the various pricket A®sp-. ciations in New Zealand should select, the captain of their representative team before the selectors get to work, but tß c method adopted by the Board of Control has a lot to recommend it. When a team is being sorted however, the selector or selectors Should have in view the man wanted to \ captain the team, and he should be appointed, so that the ifoeet results possible might be obtained I from the eleven players put: on paper. I hold further that' those selecting teams should consult with the proposed captain before definitely announcing the elevens, simply because it will all depenji ©n how the players fit in with his ; thjepries what success- will: follow their 'doingS on the field.; . 1 don't care how, good a pla’yer may be, if he has not got jtqe t eaßl spirit he is no good as a representative player.” ' HIGH SCHOOL V. NEW PLYMOUTH. Last Saturday’s weather in New Plymouth looked doubtful in the morning,. i'll! '■ h

bitt as the day wore on an improvement took place, and the afternoon was quite fine, although the atmosphere was rather oppressive. School are to be congratulated on their very fine win over New Plymouth after being 90 runs down on the first ■innings. New Plymouth resumed their second innings with the score at 57 rues for two wickets, but the side was all out with an addition of 42 runs. McLean caused the “rdt” and two good wickets were thrown away .by ridiculous run outs. .School fielding was first class. With 190 runs required to win, School settled down to steady batting, and Fookes and Grant gave t'he side a go<xl start. Mahraj, who came in at the fall of the first wicket, was badly missed first ball by 'Ferry, but afterwards gave a Very attractive and stylish display in compiling 33 runs. Grant made 28 runs in a very painstaking manner, and it is largely due to his effort that his side won. Five wickets \Vere down for 94 runs when Loveridge and R. Fletcher became associated, and the score mounted quickly until G. Clarke took Loveridge’s leg stump with a good break. McLean. Strombom and Buicik were quickly dismissed, and Mackay came in with 42 runs required. To the surprise of all kept his end going and with Fletcher runs came freely, t wenty rtwo runs were wanted when Mackay drove a ball straight to Akers nt long on but it was put on the carpet, and New Plymouth’s last chance was gone. »Aniidst tiib keenest excitement the score gradually mounted until Mackay, with a puli past mid-on, got the winJi.’Ug ruq. 11. Fletcher, in getting 39 no-t out, showed his finest form since coming t) school, and despite, very keen bowling and fielding played a chanceless innings. Mackay and Fletcher were the- week-eiid ‘‘heroes” at school. OLD BOYS V. WESTERN PARK. ■Old Boys easily converted their first •ir.nings deficit of four runs into a splendid won by 153 runs. got the first ►century of the season, and played a chanceless innings. He shaped in - -his ■usual free style until within the ninetflCSi '• but the last htiif-dozen runs almost took thirty minutes to compile'. With three figures on the board he hit one hard to Quie'kfall at square leg. and he took a- very hard chance. Botfrrill ■(<36), Pearson (30) and Ocbornc (22 not out), shaped well and gave, the score a good lift. Eadie again got -the best figures with the ball, but the other trundlers were expenoive. Park fielded feirlv -well.

The Park could dolittle against the Okl 'Boys’ bowling, and Pearson ajid Bottrill came out with fine figures. B.ittrillb average was 1 considerably spoilt by Machu who, going! -in last, 'lift.' him (for four fours in succession and finished tip with 23‘ not out. Old Boys gave little > a way-, in the field; and ••brilliant cflitches were taken by Kerr and Laefi. ; JUNIOR/ qRADE. '■ : ' 'Junior cricketers ’had a : godfl’ day at New Plymouth last Saturday, and' sbpie very creditable Scoring was done. There Were'several ‘ scoi’ds of over 30 rb'ne, and in the bowling department soino start-, ling ’ Averages ' were secured’. ■ Borough Council are getting 'a good side together tend‘are to be ‘l‘ongr‘a'tulat.ed oh their first win. High School B, ITafibour. Works and Western- Park also secured J good wins. Cameron, the Harboni- Works ’eftband bowler, woiild be a decided acqiij-,

sition to Western Park seniors and it would be a goed move for the latter club to try him out on their next match. In addition to keeping a splendid length he can turn the ball well from both sides of the wicket, and is also a. very fair batsman. WAS. IT CORRECT? A correspondent writes to The Field (July 10. 11*24): “In your notes o-f Juno 26 yon refer to the case of H. M. Morris, who kicked a ball and ran for a legbye, ■’but was recalled .by Chester, the umpire. You say, ‘As far ae we know, noWdy has hitherto attempted to run for the kick.' You have forgotten the classical instance as related in The Walkers of Southgate: ‘An umpire being required at the Oval, a message was sent to Lord’s, as-king that one should 'be sent. After a time okl Jemmie Dean waddled on to the ground. He was, of coiiise, asked at once, “How's the match, at Lord’s going oni” to which he replied very gravely, Oh. capitally. Lord C—— (who was a sticker) and Mr. ’aa been in for art an hour; they gets nd runs, but. just as I left the ground his lordehip kicked a beautiful leg-bye”’” Was anything technically wrong with the running for a run after kicking the ball? It would bo interesting to know which law was .infringed. A GOOD STORY. In a new book on Yorkshire cricket he has just published, Mr. E. W. Pullin (Old l\bori tell<s many stories rich, in humour. Here is one that brings in Sammy Woods, .the Manly athlete who, v hile at Cambridge University, played for Australia against .England in a Test match 34 years ago:—• Edward \\ ainwrig'ht. the famous slow bowler, telL the story: “We were playhg Somerset at Sheffield, and I happen•e<lu 10 -i b< L b °wlir-g well pitching the nail wide of the off-stump and breaking back a roof or more. .1. had got a few wickets, and Mr. Sammy Woods, looking on in the pavilidn, kept asking p i a y. ers as they came in why they did not stop by deliveries with their legs., at the same time showing how it Should be done. ..E\ont-ually Mr. Woods came iin himself, and. suiting the action to the .word, kept Jiis bat on his shoulder, and stepped .to the offside of the w'i(*ket to stop the ball with hie legs. But ho •forgot to keep his legs close together, and the ball, nipping between ’them, clean bowled him.”