CRICKET

Taranaki Daily News, 9 December 1926, Page 4

CRICKET

PLAY IN NORTH TARANAKI TOWN AND COUNTRY MATCHES. (By “The Man on the Terrace.”) FIXTURES AHEAD. December 18.—North Taranaki juniors v. South Taranaki juniors. December 17, 18 and 20. —Town v. Country, at Wellington. December 21 and 22. —Minor Associations v. Wellington, at Wellington. December 18 and 20.—New Plymouth Boys’ High School V. Nelson college, at New Plymouth. First week in January.—Nomads v. South Taranaki, at Hawera; Nomads v. North Taranaki, at New Plymouth. Country cricketers enjoy their game in its proper spirit even more perhaps than those in the town. To the country player cricket is rightly only a game such as has been played for generations on the village greens of England. This “village green” spirit is the true one in which to regard .the game but to anyone interested in the science and technicalties of the game, there is something lacking. For this reason there was not a gyeat deal in the two Town v. Country games arranged last Saturday. Goodwill was there and sportmanship but not alas! good cricket. The games served to show up the disparity that exists in the standard of play of Town and Country players. In both matches the Town players were victors by a good margin. The match played at Pukekura Park was distinguished by the success which attended the batting of B. Lash who was only four short of his century when he got his leg in front to a straight ball from Gilmore. His batting •was a curious mixture of good and bad strokes. One liked the way in which he picked up the ball that landed near tris feet. There was a quick turn of wrist and the ball was turned nicely to leg. .But other strokes, particularly a cross bat swing to a good length ball, would have driven a stylist to despair. Many strokes were uppish and landed clear of the field. But in spite of these blemishes the innings was a notable one. If the younger Lash can develop the forward stroke with a freer swing, he will be a force in local cricket. If not. his batting will always be cramped and unattractive. Six other batsmen contributed double figures to Town’s score of 239. Jones was as energetic as usual in' scoring 38 before he was run out in attempting a risky single. Strombom added 21 to the score with some nice strokes and C. Lash reached the same total before a good length ball from Gilmore beat him. The fielding of the Country team was noticeably weak while in the latter part of the day the bowling became -slack. Gilmore gained the best figures with four wickets for 32 runs. As to the batting C. Foreman’s innings of 42 not out and Shallard’s of 23 in the first innings, were the only ones to merit notice. C. Foreman was vigorous against the loose bowling while Shallard was cautious. Tn the second innings it was almost ludicrous to see the efforts of the Country players to hit the slow breaks from Dykes.

The second game was played on the High School ground between Country B and Schoo], the idea being to give the boys a try out in view of their match with Nelson College next week. The game could hardly be called a test for the boys for there was a lamentable difference in the standard of the two teams. School scored 216 in their only innings and found it easy to punish the erratic howling of their opponents. So .varied was the Country bowling that full tosses and long hops predominated, especially alter the first hour's play. Beck showed a return to last season’s form in scoring 58. He opened quietly but later hit out- hard and lifted several half-volleys to the boundary. Fletcher did the same in scoring 48 and went out to a wild hit at a yorker. Galbraith, Eookes, Batger and Larkin helped to swell the total. Of the Country team’s efforts with the bat and in the field little- need be said. In the first innings all were out for 25 and in the second for 63. A strenuous game would have benefited the boys a lot but Saturday’s match cannot be taken a's a criterion of their true strength.

Following is the position of the teams in the North Taranaki competitions to date:— SENIOR GRADE Matches 3-pt 2-pt T’l Pl’d.Wins.Wi ns.Loss.Pt-

’TWAS A GLORIOUS VICTORY. IMPRESSIONS OF WANGANUI GAME. (By “Spectator.”) The momentous event in the cricketing world of Taranaki is the capture of the Hawke Cup from Wanganui and the triumphant bringing of the coveted trophy to the garden province for the first time. . ft. may safely be predicted that the vietqry will have a far-reaching effect on cricket in this province, and the members of the team for many years to come will be able to look back with a feeling of glowing pride on the year 1926, secure in the knowledge that they achieved a worthy feat, one indeed that was hardly expected of them. In looking back on the match one is struck with the apt illustration it afforded of the glorious uncertainty of cricket. The spectator can select a seore or more of incidents, any one of which could be named as the deciding factor between victory or defeat. Had a certain catch, for example, from Bernau on Saturday afternoon not been dropped, the match might easily have ended on Saturday night with Taranaki winners by a big margin. Had Petty appealed for an l.b.w. decision against Bernau on Monday morning the margin of victory would certainly have been much greater. Had the several chances given on Monday not been neglected an earlier and more conclusive finish'would have resulted. . On the other hand, Wanganui must heave many a sigh of regret when they think of the other kind of “ifs.” If only Orr had won the toss and had the opportunity of tatting first, if Clarke had not been given the benefit of the wind on Saturday morning, if Orr had not been upset by the applause when in the act of playing Clarke, if the weather had been wet on Monday, and last, but by no means least, if Dempster had not been run out by the remarkable throw-in by Lay—a throw-in the like of which has seldom been seen before, the verdict might easily have gone the other way. ALL HONOUR TO CLARKE. Taranaki has certainly to give Clarke the honour of having been most instrumental in winning the match. From his onslaught with the ball in the first innings, when he took seven goo< wickets for a total of only 16 runs, Wanganui never recovered, having to fight a losing battle all the way. And it is greatly to the credit of the losers, especially Orr, Bernau and Treadwell, that by the luncheon adjournment on Monday they had so far recovered as to make a victory for them quite a reasonable possibility. The scores made by the Taranaki team were consistent, the difference between the totals being only ten runs. The three substantial scores were those of Kingston (64), Nasmith (56) and Cole (38), all being very valuable contributions made in different individual styles. Nasmith, Kingston and Clarke played themselves into the Country team by the performances in the Wanganui match, and deserve heffrty congratulations.

There was no more meritorious allround performance in the match than that of Cole, who played a sterling fighting innings in the second strike, while in partnership with Petty, and bowled with wonderful consistency on Monday. His two wickets in the last of 28 overs were a well-justified reward for solid trundling. BIG PROGRAMME AHEAD. The programme of representative matches ahead of Taranaki prnnri'v's to

be fairly full, if the first challenge for the Cup can be sustained. The result of the match at Wanganui shows that two players at (past, and possibly three, can with advantage be dropped when the next selection is made. Lash must go in, and one would like to see Monaghan and Brown given a trial. Of the members of that team that went to W anganui two players whose selection might have been criticised, Petty and Grayson, fully justified the confidence placed in them, and unless they lose form should find a place in the next selection. Bottrill made good, as he generally does when called upon to do so in a big match. It was a strange thing that he was not asked to bowl in Wanganui’s second innings, for even if his slows might have cost a little at the hands of Bernau and Treadwell, his experience and past performances surely warranted the experiment of putting him on in an endeavour to break up the well-established partnership that added 193 runs. PLEASING RESULTS. If there is one way more than another in which the Wanganui trip achieved good, it was in the bringing together of North Taranaki and South Taranaki. The scores and bowling averages show how much the team has been strengthened by the inclusion of players from both ends of the province, the ties binding the province being strengthened by the excellent spirit of camaraderie that prevailed. A pleasing feature of the trip was the determination on the part of the team to keep fit, and win the match at any price if possible. Strict hours were kept, with no "celebrations” of any kind during the course of the match. No reference to the trip or to the victory would be complete without reference to the indefatigable work, .keen interest and efficient control of the Ream’s manager (Mr. T. H. Bates), who (went to no little trouble and expense for jthe sake of the Taranaki team. AUSTRALIAN TEAM’S RETURN. A WONDERFUL FAREWELL. (From Our Own Correspondent.) London, Oct. 7. Loaded with souvenirs and presents for friends, the Australian cricketers have sailed for home. Hundreds of people saw them off in London, and they were given a wonderful reception in Liverpool before going aboard the liner which *was to take them to Canada. The players had a busy time during their last few days in London. Presents were simply showered upon them, the last to be received being a liqueur stand for each member of the party. One that especially pleased Sydney Smith, the manager, was a silver tray from Yorkshire admirers.

The men, too, were overwhelmed with applications for autographs. During the five months they were in this country, ecah player signed at least two hundred photographs of himself, and autographs by the thousand. Mr. Smith told me that the team has also autographed a thousand bats. As was only to be expected, all sorts of rumours were current as to members of the team returning to play in this country next year. It was reported that both Ponsford and Richardson would appear in Lancashire League cricket, and there is little doubt that tempting offers were, made to them. Another report was that Collins. and Ellis, the reserve wicketkeeper, intended to come back and start business in partnership. Sydney Smith told me that it was untrue that either Ponsford or Richardson contemplated returning to England. Collins also denied the story that he was going into business with Ellis. But he declined to say whether it was his intention to set up business here On his own account. Colonial cricketers in the past, who have made their home here, have used the Lancashire League merely as a stepping stone to the Lancashire county team, playing for two years until qualified by residence. But if any more Australians even think of adopting this plan, it would be well if they first made certain if they will be accepted by Lancashire. For the county have changed tl.eir attitude in regard to the colonial player. Their ideal is to confine, the team to Lancashire-born men, and, though it cannot be attained at once, it is not the intention to admit any more outsiders. At -the same time it is not an auspicious reflection that Macdonald, the Australian fast bowler, played a big part in their championship success this year. NOTES. Gate receipts on the M.C.C. team's tour of India are likely to suffer because Arthur Gilligan will not consent to games being played on Sundays. Critics have taken Gilligan to task for his decision, pointing out that playing on Sunday is an established custom. Gilligan’s reply is that his team has visited India to raise the tone of cricket, not to win matches.

M. A. Noble, whose cricket comment commands more respect than most, told a farewell luncheon party in England that spin-bowling would, have to be cultivated again if the game was to come baek to its old standards ; and Noble is right (writes a Sydney Bulletin correspondent). The googly and' swerve obsessions have lowered the general standard of bowling in both Australia and England. The fad of cultivating the swerve at the cost of length and pace off the pitch has ruined hundreds of young bowlers. Its best exponents can do nothing with it, save with the new ball, unless wind conditions assist; in fact, the swerver’e chief use is to catch an opening batsman while the gloss is on the ball, or to try an over or two whenever the new ball eomes out. Great spin-bowlers of the past, like Turner and George Lohmann, did not rely on special contingencies to get wickets, but raked them in on all sorts of pitches against batsmen whose like are not now seen on every Test arena. Good-length spin-bowling is the marrow of attack in cricket, just as the straight bat is the marrow of attack (or defence) in batting. How rarely do we see a young player being instructed in the art of bowling (says London Sporting Life). Ever since the game restarted the rising generation has been inculcated with the idea that, whatever else they do, they must not bow! fast. We have known young men who were built for it deliberately discouraged from cultivating speed, with no advantage to their bowling, which, unnaturally restrained, all too frequently lost length. Apart from A. E. R. Gilligan, we have had no amateur bowler of speed who has been, at alt : successful since the war. The days when we possessed such men of speed of W. Brearley, N. A. Knox, and C. J. Kortright. to only a few. seem gone. never to return. And it is largely rhe fnntt of «.hr>o'« eennhing.

High School 3 1 2 — 7 New Plymouth 3 1 1 1 5 Western Park 3 — 2 1 4 Old Boye A .. 3 — 1 2 2 Old Boys B 3 — 1 2 2 Urenui .... 3 — — 3 — JUNIOR GRADE NORTHERN DIVISION. M.P. 3-pt 2-pt T’l Wins. Wins. Dn L’t Pt. Waitara 8 4 3 — 1 18 Technical Schoo 7 5 1 — 1 17 Old Boys .... 8 1 3 1 3 10 Council B 7 2 1 1 3 9 High • School B 7 1 — — 6 3 Band 7 — — — 7 — First round matches still to be played: Technical School v Council B. WESTERN DIVISION. Matches 3-pt 2-pt TT Rl’d. Wins.Wine.Loss.Pt. Okato 8 4 2 2 10 Council A 8 3 3 2 High School A 7 2 3 2 12 Western Park 7 2 1 4 8 Avenue Road 8 2 — 6 6 New Plymouth 8 — 1 7 2 First round match High School A v Western Park. COUNTRY ASSOCIATION. Matches T’l Played. Won. Dn L. Pt. Tikorangi .... 6 6 — — 12 Iarurutangi ... 5' 3 — 2 6 Brixton .... 6 3 — 3 Egmont Village 5 1 — 4 2 Bell Block 6 1 — 5 9