CRICKET

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19373, 23 December 1932, Page 10

CRICKET

PROFESSIONALS IN PLUNKET SHIELD TEAM. By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, December 22. Exception has been taken by Otago to the personnel of the Wellington team, because it includes Dempster, McGirr, and Lambert. Otago bases its objection to all three playing for Wellington at one time, on the rule relating to the inclusion of professional cricketers in Plunket Shield teams. There is a rule which precludes more than one professional being included, but it applies specifically to non-resident professionals, i.e., overseas players engaged to coach in New Zealand without becoming permanently resident here. The question was referred to the New Zealand Cricket Council authorities, and a ruling has been received that the inclusion of all three in the one team is quite in order. Du Chateau has replaced Foley in the Wellington team. FRIENDLY MATCH. Star juniors v. “Herald.” at Anzac Reserve at 2 p.m. on Saturday:— Dickel. Newman, Cooke, Davey, Holden, Williams, Thomas, Tutty, Grant, J, Halkett, Marsh. “Herald”,—Harding, Direen, Morgan, Hall, Dewar, Gaffaney, Smith, Harvey, Mangos, Johnston, Griffiths, Downes, Gunderson. THE SYDNEY BARRACKER. SOUTHLANDER’S COMMENT. A Southland cricket official, Mr D Parry, of Bluff, who saw the First Test in Sydney, has supplied the “Times” with some interesting comment on the match. Dealing with the ban-ackers, he says:— Generally speaking, the holiday spirit seems to be the keynote of Sydney crowds. Good humour prevails on all occasions and there is no suggestion of malice in the remarks passed even when ban-ack is most pronounced. “There is a delightful impartiality about this barracking (just as there is about the applause). No player is immune. One of their own men is just as likely to be the butt of their witticisms as is an English player, but in either case only a man with a soured outlook or a total lack of humour could take exception to the jests roared across the ground. Remembered afterwards, the gags may seem commonplace; but heard in the correct atmosphere and surroundings—as, for instance, those obtaining at a Test match—they fit in perfectly and add enjoyment to the occasion; and this is understandable when it is remembered that the great bulk of spectators, male and female, young and old, know the game from A to Z, and therefore understand also the point of each remark. “One thing which strikes the visitor is the rapidity with which the whole crowd notices certain happenings. One might be tempted to ascribe this to a kind of mob telepathy until one remembers he is amongst an immense crowd of experts. Then it is all plain. One incident will serve as an illustration. When Woodfull and Jardine went on the ground and tossed the coin both merely glanced at it and tinned away. A man near me said Jardine won. Immediately about fifty people in the vicinity confidently stated that Woodfull had done so. And they were right. Apparently they were familiar with some little characteristic of the Australian captain which supplied the clue. That will give an idea of how cricket and cricketers are known to Sydneyites. The Great “Yabba.” “On the first day of the Test the barrack was new to me and I enjoyed it immensely. Among all the voices one was outstanding. It was powerful, but by no means unpleasant, and seemed to be produced with litt'.e effort. I had not heard of “Yabba” then, but that night at a talkie show he appeared in a newsreel and gave a brief talk from the screen, to the delight of the audience. He stated that he had not missed an important cricket match for the past 46 years and didn’t mean to miss one for the next 46. I knew immediately who owned the voice among the Hillites. "A player with an unusual name is a ‘win’ for the crowd and his name is soon twisted. Thus Jardine has become “Sardine” and Verity "Variety,” while on the first day Pataudi was “Potato” and on the second “Gandhi.” Whenever he heard himself called by the name of the Indian, leader Pataudi raised his cap to the crowd. That evening a newspaper stated that he disliked being labelled “Gandhi” and the sporting spirit of the crowd was evidenced by the immediate dropping of the nickname. Pataudi became “Rajah” and remained so to the end of the game. “Every movement in a match is watched intently and any unusual incident excites comment. Once when Voce was bowling he tripped and fell over the wicket. Of course there was a delighted roar; and a voice from the Hill asked if Voce was wearing Maurice’s boots—an allusion to Tate's sizeable feet. When Larwood went on to bowl he carefully stepped out the distance for his run. As he started off

to do so the crowd with one voice began to count his steps. At twelve he stopped and gazed at the crowd. The counting immediately ceased and there was a hush; but as he resumed his stepping out it started again—‘thirteen, fourteen’ and so on till the distance was measured. Then the bowler began vigorously to mark the place with his boot. ‘Don’t go down in the mine, old man,’ came the voice of Yabba; and the sally caused a big laugh, the crowd remembering that Larwood is an ex-miner. (Wall by the way, bowls from the same mark). During the Sutcliffe-Pataudi partnership the latter would walk up and , have a few words with Stucliffe and I this too provoked comments from the evergreen Yabba, such as ‘Don’t bother telling him, Potato, he knows already,' or ‘Tell him after the match, it’ll keep.’ "When Sutcliffe settled down into a barren patch of batting, barracking of both bowlers and batsman became frequent and free, Yabba, of course, leading in criticism. The comments from the crowd were the brightest patch in the afternoon. Sutcliffe, batting stolidly, received a lot of advice and information, He was ‘wanted on the telephone’ or at the gate or in fact, anywhere but at the wickets. He seemed

content all the time to merely pat the ball back to the bowler. Yabba stood it for a while and then: ‘Now. now, ’Erbie, don’t get reckless!’ he cautioned in a mock anxious voice; a simple remark, taut there was a lot in the way he said it. Grimmett also received advice from Yabba, such as: ‘Thats right, Clarrie; just keep ’em there while I go for Ironmonger.’