WITH BAT AND BALL

Taranaki Daily News, 19 January 1933, Page 10

WITH BAT AND BALL

CRICKET IN TARANAKI NEED FOR CONSTANT PRACTICE. SATURDAY’S PERFORMANCES.

(By

“Umpire.")

When the rain fell at New Plymouth at 4 o’clock last Saturday afternoon, it left the two batting teams in the senior matches in very sound positions. With New Plymouth 145 for four and Western Park 191 for three School and Old Boys have big hurdles in . front of them for next Saturday. . . Western Park’s/ innings was just .another example of how aggressiveness will usually prove more profitable than ■ defensive play. Had Western. Park commenced’ cautiously, knowing the match to be a two-day one, they might have been all. out. for half their present three-wicket score. The Old Boys bowling suffered from lack of versatility on Saturday. Stevens could not be said to be bowling in form and Kirwin was not available for the duration of play, and the attack devolved upon Elmes and Harris. The batsmen took risks and gaye chances which were not accepted. Dropped catches soon allowed the score to mount, and Quickfall’s 67 was knocked up in quick time. Spedding’s 82 .not out was a good innings, and although it was not without its blemishes the. youthful Park player will deserve the 18 he needs for his century.

High School Weakened. The High School attack could not afford, to be at all weakened for the New Plymouth match, and the inability of H. Fopkes to attend made the task of the others harder. Nevertheless the boys had a grip on the game when three wickets fell for 33, only to lose it again in the partnership’between Purcell and C. G. Clarke. With only one more wicket obtained the score reached 145. Purcell, with 67 not out, is another colt who appears to be. making good. Promoted last season from senior B grade, Purcell had a good innings of .nearly 100 in a holiday match at the new year. Last week he overcame to a great extent a tendency to pull balls off the middle stump and played good shots all round the wicket. With two potential century-makers taking up their stance on Saturday, there will be even added interest in the continued matches. Bowler Turned Batsman?

Although all Taranaki cricket enthusiasts know C. G. Clarke as the province’s best fast bowler, Clarke has a better average this season than any other North Taranaki player. In four innings for New Plymouth he has scored 16 not out, 37 not out, 24 and 22 not out— a total of 99 runs in four innings, three of which were unbeaten —an average of 99. C. G. is not a brilliant, batsman, nor would one suggest he would altogether retain a place in the team for his batting alone, but the fact remains that the 99 runs have been made in steady fashion, ‘ and the fact that he has been not out three times indicates a good defence. Nevertheless, if this sort of thing goes on C. G. Clarke may soon be opening with Nasmith for Taranaki! Need for Practice. There is one ma;tor in North Taranaki cricket that needs urgent attention by players in all grades, and that is regular attendance at practices. The New Plymouth clubs are all alike in this respect; night after night there are but a handful at the nets, and yet everyone goes to the ground on Saturday expecting to hit up double figures or take wickets, not having seen a bat or ball since the previous week. Enthusiasm and assiduous practice against better bowlers will bring the weakest junior a repertoire of shots in time that will make him a candidate for higher grades, and players must recognise that they are forfeiting chances of . , senior grade by ignoring practices. It is realised that when weather conditions spoil play to the extent that occurred before Christmas enthusiasm must wane, but .when clubs have to join forces at the nets, as has been the case recently, it is time players were “shaken up.” Kaponga Drop Back. Hawera A’s surprise defeat of Kaponga has altered the position of the South Taranaki competition, which is now very open. Old Boys should now be the team that will have to be beaten, and except on a bad wicket this will not be easy. Dormer Sadly Missed.

Kaponga sadly missed Dormer on Saturday. In the first place after dismissing Penny, Hawera’s most reliable rungetter, and Jennings, for no runs the home team shotlid not- have permitted the recovery that took place. No chances could have been taken with Dormer’s bowling, and it is doubtful whether Hawera would have reached 190. Then his batting would have made ‘all the difference when Kaponga tried to catch up that 128 runs which with S. Betts making a “duck” they found impossible. Court also would have solidified the batting, which fell on the shoulders of Reg Eden, who played one of his best -'innings of the season. Sturrock in Form.

Last season Sturrock, Old Boys, established himself as the best spin bowler in South Taranaki by taking 42 wickets at an average cost of 10.4 runs. He had not played this year until last Saturday, when he. was largely responsible for Stratford B’s downfall. His length was a little erratic but he sent down many good deliveries. With practice he will be as dangerous as last year. Kivell Doing Well.

Kivell was easily the best Stratford B bowler. An unusual type of lefthander, he is very steady and is very difficult to score off. Unfortunately for Stratford he failed to come to light in the batting department, Sturrock beating him with a beautiful ball. Duke Makes a Century.

Though he had a pretty fair amount of luck there was merit in Duke’s century for High School against Hawera B. It was the fifth three-figure score in South Taranaki this year and Duke’s highest in club games. It included 14 fours. This colt has a really good style on which to build, and his belated recognition as fit for representative honours has apparently acted on him as a spur. All being well he should develop into one of the best batsmen in the province. Soundness in judgment, footwork and timing is what he needs to master; he has the strokes now.