CRICKET.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18042, 6 February 1923, Page 6

CRICKET.

To the Editor of the “Timaru Herald.’’ Sir, —i'our sporting scribe is a little ungenerous in iiis description of the big game on Saturday. He heads the report with “Winners play for time.” They only adopted these tactics when three of their men were sensationally dismissed in ten minutes for 12 runs, and sure victory was turned into probable defeat. It stands to the credit of the Celtic team that instead of becoming dismayed they settled down to retrieve a precarious position, largely contributed to by their own. careless fielding. Your reporter sayß their dis T play was not exhilarating. That is a matter of opinion. To half the spectators it was very thrilling to see the duel between two of the best bowlers in South Canterbury, in McWhirter and Herdman, and two of the best batsmen, i in J. Kane and Angland, and because ‘ the batsmen won they should not be discouraged—and here let me say that players take a lot of notice of your scribo’s remarks, be they laudatory or deprecatory. In another sentence Harding is reported as “poking” at a ball. Harding is a young player, and remarks of this sort do not tend to encourage a boy. He learned his chicket in Sydney, where “pokers” are soon relegated to the grandstand. As a matter of fact Harding cut a fast ball from McWhirter into th© slips, and he was brilliantly caught. , My point in writing is to give the other side, and if your scribe was perturbed over the result he need not jibe at Celtic’s heroic effort to retrieve .their position. They were only following the example of some of England’s most brilliant elevens. Dr. W. G. Graces watchword to his men when m tight corner was “Dogged does it. Had vour reporter said “Honours were even, and Celtic were somewhat lucky to win” he would have summed the matter up •“Sgg&g'