CRICKET

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18203, 2 March 1929, Page 11

CRICKET

(By “STUMP”)

Good progress is being made by lie Auckland Girls’ Cricket Associa .ion, and it has now been granted affiliation with the Auckland Cricket Association.

Although the game between Otago and Canterbury, ended in a draw, the honours were decidedly with the southerners. Otago’s second innings score of GO2 for eight wickets is one of the highest ever made in Plunket Shield games. One of the features of the game was Roger Blunt’s double century. Another noticeable feature was the large number of extras on both sides.

Three times in the last four innings in the Tests has Ryder been associated in a century partnership for Australia’s fourth wicket—l6l with Kippax in Melbourne, and 126 with Jacksoh and 137 with Kippax in Adelaide.

An English critic passes caustic comment upon the practice of covering test match wickets in Australia. He says: “In 1902 Victor Trumper batted marvellously on sticky wickets in this country. But he could not have learned his magnificent stickywicket batting technique if at that time Australia had favoured the vicious practice of covering the turf.”

The series of matches completed on Saturday last did not produce any surprises, nor were there any outstanding batting performances. The three leading teams, Zingari, Celtic and Timaru each secured three point wins, and they are now left to fight out the championship.

J. Eush, tne promising young lefthand batsman, who plays for North Shore, bids fair to follow in the foot-

Umpiring in English first-class cricket these times is so efficient that the following, as the opinion of a member of the West Indies team, appearing in a Trinidad paper, is surprising, though it is fair to add that other members of the team praised the work of the English umpires:—“Umpiring was of a big order in a majority of cases, but there is a goodly section of the English crowd (in one or two cases opinions being expressed in the press) who felt that the pace bowlers of the side did not get their due in some cases. Mistiming of the speed merchants of the West Indies was a common occurrence, particularly in a particular test, and some of the appeals seemed from the ring to be more than wholly justified. Any early decision in some of the matches might have changed the whole complexion of the game. Bift one instance takes the cake. A batsman goes in. When about to take his guard the umpire sings out, ‘Two inner, going away to leg, four runs to come.’ If this is not partiality 1 do not know what else

steps of J. E. Mills (says the Auckland “Herald”). He played a fine innings against Ponsonby last Saturday, and his graceful style is very similar to that of the Eden batsman. Should he retain his form next season Bush will go very close to representative honours.

The Wellington Cricket Association is becoming concerned over the dwindling gates at the Basin Reserve, which have been steadily falling away during the last three or four seasons, and they art anxious (says the “Dominion”) to ascertain why and to find a remedy. With ovSr half the season gone and only about three more matches to go the receipts are about £4 0, against £9 0 last season, whereas three or four years back -hey were as high as £l5O. They are having a conference with the director of reserves on Friday on the subject of ground charges.

Parnell may not be the leading eleven in the senior competition (says the Auckland “Star”), but they have something that no other team ran boast—a lady scorer. Miss Alison Hall, who registers the successes and failures of the men that play the game under Hughie ' Duncan’s captaincy, has the reputation of being as neat as any scorer that ever takes up a pencil at Eden Park. And what is more, she is as accurate as the master clock at Greenwich. There is never any argument about the figures or totals that are entered in Parnell’s score book.

T. Carlton who took five wickets for 6 4 and none for 4 2 for South Australia against England recently, is not unknown to New Zealand. He was resident in Canterbury for some time prior to and during the war period. He came from Victoria with his uncle, W. Carlton, who was coach in Canterbury for two or three seasons immediately prior to the war. T. Carlton played for Canterbury for several seasons, and also represented New Zealand iq 1913 and 1914, both in Australia and at Home. He played for the South Island against the North in Christchurch in 1922. He returned to Victoria at the end of the 19 27-22 season in Christchurch, and later transferred to South Australia.

To-day will see the commencement of the final series of games in the South Canterbury Cricket Association’s competitions. On form Zingari should carry off the championship, but there is a possibility of an interesting situation developing. At the present time Zingari have 18 points, Timaru 15, and Celtic 15. Zingari and Celtic will meet on the Park wicket this afternoon, and in the event of Celtic securing a threepoint win, and Timaru defeating Temuka by a similar margin, all three teams will be level. Zingari have everything in their favour, for a drawn game on a two-point win will give them the championship. Both Celtic and Zingari have been showing fine form this season, and there should be a good attendance at the Park this afternoon to witness the play.

The wonderful performances of Hammond have been on the lips of every cricket enthusiast, and already one writer has made the claim that he is the greatest batsman of all time. Opinions, of course, will vary on that point, but certainly no other batsman has ever approached his wonderful test match performances. In seven test match innings in Australia he has scored Sol runs, and as he has been once not out he has the remarkable average of 141.85. It will be seen that he has an excellent chance of putting up the unique perforin a nee of scoring 1000 runs in one series of tests. An interesting item about Hammond’s early career is published in the Isle of \\ ight County Press as follows :—Walter Hammond, the young Gloucestershire professional cricketer as a boj spent many months during the wai#at Wroxall. He lias played football fer Kyde, and at one time, when resident in the Portsmouth area, might l;.\c qualified for the Hants County Cricket Club. He went for two years to the Portsmouth Grammar School and played cricket and football in the- school elevens, as well as occasionally assisting teams at Portsmouth and in the island. His education was completed at Cirencester Grammar School, where lie broke school records by scoring 365 not out. His father, a majors the R.A., was killed in the war, ai% his mother still resides at Southsea. The rumour that Hammond offered his services to Hants County C.C., but was turned down, is denied, though Lord Tennyson, the county captain, writing in the “Daily Chronicle,” deeply regrets that Hammond’s services were not taken advantage of by Hants, and adds: “Somehow or other he was overlooked by our committee and went to play for Gloucestershire.”

During the progress of the fourth test match between England and Australia at Adelaide, G. Geary, one of the English bowlers, left the field suffering from a strained thigh muscle. What subsequently transpired between Geary and members of the Board' of Control formed the subject of the following special article, telegraphed from Adelaide by the representative of a Sydney paper on February s: Shortly after Geary retired from the field on Saturday afternoon Mr B. V. Scrymgous, a member of the Board of Control, and chairman of the finance committee of the Adelaide Oval, and Mr W. H. Jeanes, the secretary of the Board of Control, entered the Englishmen’s dressing room. Geary was being massaged in consequence of a thigh muscle strain. Mr Scrymgous had a copy of the rules governing test cricket and proceeded to explain that Geary would not be able to bowl if he returned to the field that day. Geary Fas astonished at the invasion and returned a curt answer, adding that he had come out to play cricket like a sportsman. Mr Jeanes asked Geary if he knew to whom lie was talking, and told the Englishman that Mr Scrymgour was a member of the Board. His remarks were like a red rag to a bull, and after a few words from Geary the visitors left the dressing room and .reported the player to Mr F. C. Toone, the English manager, who decided not ta take any action. The rule in question was introduced as the result of the famous Barnes incident during Warner’s tour. Barnes on that occasion left the field, and returned refreshed after a shower bath. Where Scrymgour and Mr Jeanes blundered was in entering the Englishmen’s dressing room. They had no authority to act as they did, and the matter was one primarily for the captains concerned. In any case, there would have been very little chance ot Geary taking the field, and for him to have bowled again would have been out of the question. In fact, it might have been to Australia’s advantage to have him on. The English manager, Mr F. C. Toone, declined to make any statement except that as far as his team was concerned the incident was closed. It is understood that the matter has ended satisfactorily, “explanations” having been tendered.

High School A secured their first win of the season on Saturday last, when they defeated Old Boys A. In the event of the first-grade competition closing on Saturday next, it is expected that a representative match against Ashburton will be played in Timaru. Tickets for the cricketers* art union are not selling as freely as desired, and it is hoped that all players in. their own interests as well as those of the game, will make a special effort before closing date. The total of 4174 balls delivered iq the Adelaide match is exceeded only by the 4209 delivered in the Melbourne match. Prior to this season the record was 3787 at Melbourne in 1924-25. Mcßeath was again in good form with the ball last week, taking seven wickets against School B. for 27 runs. It will be interesting to see how the country players fare against the ex-New Zealand representative this afternoon. During the luncheon interval on the last day of the Test match at Adelaide, a presentation was made to Hendren by Mr Fisher, president of the Cricket Association. It consisted of an artistic inlaid tray representing 3 4 different shades of Australian wood, and a walking stick of Australian timber. The tray bore the following inscription: “Presented at Adelaide to E. Hendren by Austraiain admirers on February 5, 1929, the occasion of his 40th birthday.”

Nothing succeeds like success, and the keenness of Southland cricketers to improve the standard of the game iu the south is deserving of every encouragement. The fact that the Southland Cricket Association asked that Eastman should give a talk to cricketers while the Otago team was in Invercargill speaks volumes for the enthusiasm of the southerners, and the Otago Cricket Association was only too pleased to make the arrangements necessary to secure such an object.

In giving praise to A. P. F. Chapman for the manner in which he haa captained the English team in Australia, a writer in a Home paper says: He took risks in going into action without a spin bowler. The gods smiled at his splendid optimism. He has handled his men judiciously. Better still, he has infused into them his own dauntless never-say-die spirit. England may have had cricket captains in the past of more than Chapman’s experience and subtlety. But seldom has she been led in Australia by a more courageous captain. The interest in the tests is by no means spent; Chapman is after Armstrong’s record. And every cricketer here wishes him and his men well.

J. W. Burrough has shown in his ‘first season’s cricket in New Zealand that he is a player of great promise, and one who should possess a good future in the gume, says a writer in a Christchurch paper. A master at Christ’s College, he joined up with Old Collegians this season when he came out from Cambridge University, where he played for the secohd eleven. He has not been very consistent, but has shown himself a fine all-rounder, and is generally reckoned to be unlucky to miss selection in the Canterbury representative teams. Burrough is a polished aqd finished batsman, his play suggesting solidness rather than brilliancy. He puts plenty of vigour into his strokes and possesses strong back-play. Onee he settles down Burrough is difficult to dislodge, and he scores well frojin any bowling. His best effort this season was a splendid century against Sydenham. He is also a good bowler, being a medium trundler with a littje swing. Generally he bowls straight up-and-down, maintaining an accurate length. He is a splendid fieldsman. As he is in the early twenties, a bright cricketing future avail him.

In'his cricket memoirs, J. B. Hobbs graphically describes the innings which gave him that honour so coveted by a batsman—his hundredth 100. Naturally, Hobbs regards it as an unforgettable innings and an unforgettable occasion—a time when feelings of doubt and the suspense of waiting for each ball made scoring slow and difficult. It was on the Bath ground in a match against Somerset, early in May, 1923, that Hobbs achieved this great feat. In the first innings he was caught close in at extra cover when he had made 19, and he says: “I went back sadly to the pavilion, sick with the world in general.” The play was full of incident in the second innings, and once Hobbs narrowly escaped being run out. “I shall never forget the struggle to get runs that day,” he writes. “It was not until I was within six of the century that I had any idea how near I was to the hundred mark. The scoring board did not show individual figures. Strudwick, who was standing by the scoring tent, held up six fingers. Then I suddenly grasped the position, and I became excited and anxious, desperately anxious. It is not just six runs between 94 and" 100; it is a terribly long journey, believe me. I could feel that the spectators knew the position. They were keenly watching every ball. Three singles— 97. Not a loose ball off which to get a 4! No one .threw me up one to hit, like one reads about in magazine stories. Ninety-seven! Again a single to cover point, which was run, and the return went away for two overthrows—loo. A terrific crash of cheering, and high above it I could hear the yells of my fellow-countrymen. I felt ready to laugh and cry. I had done what only the great Dr. W. G. Grace and my old hero, Tom Hayward, had done before me.” '