CRICKET WEAK IN BATTING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVI, Issue 21244, 14 January 1939, Page 18

CRICKET WEAK IN BATTING

South Canterbury Players Lack of Determination Disappointment with the standard of batting in South Canterbury is again the taste left after last Saturday's senior matches in, which the highest score by a side was not many over 100 and it served to give Star an innings win. So far this season 200 has been passed only on one occasion, and that was on a perfect wicket and against a weakened attack. There appears to be only one or two batsmen in the province to whom 30 is not a big score, and there are almost none who feel that a century is within reach. Although the bowling is fairly strong, there are no bowlers whose form is so consistently devastating that runs cannot be scored against them. At times the wickets are blamed. In the early part of the season the wickets were not in good order, but they were so slow that any tricks could be seen happening in time to cover them. In the last few weeks the wickets have been fast and the excuse has been made that they were a rarity and batsmen must become accustomed to them before runs could be made. Batsmen cannot be given the benefit of the doubt both ways, and the only conclusion to be drawn is that there are few men who have the ability to adapt themselves to differing conditions and also few men who are capable of making more than about 20 runs without more or less giving their wickets away. There is nothing more certain than that the bowlers have not been entirely responsible for the dismal failure of the batting. Returning excellent figures Saturday after Saturday the bowlers themselves would admit that half their wickets are given to them by thoughtless batsmen and careless strokes. Part of the trouble might be that batsmen are not sufficiently ambitious and consider a score of 40 a mammoth effort. Runs have been difficult to obtain with long outfields, but even allowing for runs lost in that manner an examination of the personnel of teams would reveal far too many men who have an average of about 5 or less. This for senior grade is disgraceful. Of course this is not a true indication of the material available, and every match shows men with good style and a good eye failing to make runs because they lack thinking power at the crease. Coaching would aid them, but above all a batsman should remember that every ball a bowler sends down has a purpose, or should have a purpose, behind it, so that every stroke a batsman makes should be shaped to meet that constantly changing idea in the bowler’s mind. Rather than natural ability and stroke equipment South Canterbury’s batting lacks brains and determination. Star’s Good Win After its defeat by Timaru in the first match Temuka showed better form in each match and appeared to be one of the best teams in the competition. However, Temuka offered little opposition to Star last week and by its convincing win, even over a weakened opposition, Star proved its right to be runner-up in the championship ladder at the end of the first round. With only a few points separating it and Timaru, the position should be full of interest in the second round. Taylor, who was the mainstay of the Star attack, has been the man most responsible for his team’s position this year, and his bowling has been excellent. Taylor usually begins by bowling well at fast pace and slowing down. After a few overs he bowls more medium than fast. In this way he can bowl for long periods, and with constant variation is continually worrying the batsmen. He bowled well in the match against Auckland and should be a strong force in South Canterbury cricket for some time to come. Thomson’s Fine Display Both in batting and bowling Thomson, captain of the Old Boys team showed good form last Saturday. He bowled for a long period in Timaru’s innings and kept a good length, although in the latter stages he lost his sting. In batting in the second innings Thomson made a stubborn stand when the loss of wickets at the end of the day would have been serious, and in addition he took a great catch. With a fair wind blowing Thomson was swinging awkwardly when he was bowling, and some of the balls he sent down were beauties. His only fault on the whole day would appear to have

been the lateness with which he used Kane. When that shrewd veteran came on he immediately caused the Timaru batsmen trouble and he finished with excellent figures. The match is yet in doubt as Old Boys is 20 odd runs behind with only one wicket down. With a good start and more use of Kane as a bowler they might yet force a win. TEST CRICKET DISTINCTION PAYNTER ENTERS SELECT BAND Eddie Paynter, the Lancashire lefthand batsman, was the hero of the first Test match between England and South Africa, played at Johannesburg in Christmas week, and joined the small band of players who have made two centuries in a Test match. His scores were 117 and 100. P. A. Gibb, the Cambridge University batsman and wicketkeeper, who also plays for Yorkshire, very nearly did the same thing, his scores being 93 and 106. The game was a heavy scoring one, and was left unfinished, with the honours going to England. England made 422 and 291 for four wickets (closed), and South Africa 390 and 108 for one wicket. Another feature of the match was that Walter Hammond, England’s champion, completed an aggregate of 6000 runs in Test cricket. This exceeds the aggregate of any other player, the only ones to make more than 5000 runs being J. B. Hobbs with 5410 and D. G. Bradman with 5093. Bradman, of course, has played fewer games than have Hammond and Hobbs, and has a far greater average. Hitherto A. C. Russell and H. Sutcliffe have been the only players to make two centuries in a Test match between England and South Africa. Sutcliffe has also accomplished the feat against Australia, so that he has a unique record in this respect. Paynter and Gibb were making their first appearances against South Africa in a Test, so that they have the further honour of making a century in their first game. Paynter, of course, has made three-figures against Australia. They were the only English batsmen who did much in this game, for the next best scorer was Hammond with 24 and 58. Verity, four for 61, and Goddard, three for 54, were England’s most successful bowlers. Gregory Back To Form The best hand of the match between New South Wales and Victoria was played by Gregory, and everyone was delighted to see this lad back to something like his best form. He was confident from the start, and made his strokes with precision and sometimes with great force, and never seemed to be in difficulties. On-side play, as usual, was a feature of the innings, but he did not neglect the off-side, and made many powerful and attractive strokes there. He was more like the Gregory of two years ago than we have seen for some time. His 71 were made in 122 minutes. Scared of Bradman Queensland’s cricketers must almost tremble with fear when Don Bradman goes out to bat against them, for his record at their expense is as amazing as most of his records in cricket. For New South Wales and South Australia he has batted 19 times, been not out three times, and scored 2416 runs at an average of 151 an innings. Eleven of these 19 hands have produced threefigure scores, including the world’s record of 452 not out, and others of 200, 253, 233, 246, and 225. Six of the 11 centuries have been made in his eight hands for South Australia. Against this they have had the satisfaction on two occasions of dismissing him for a “duck,” which the bowlers of no other State have been able to do more than once. Victorian bowlers also have ample reason to fear him, for his record against them is now 2938 runs at 122 an innings—2o6s for New South Wales, and 873 for South Australia. Eleven of his 24 hands have brought centuries, including 340 not out, 220, and 238 for New South Wales, and 357 for South Australia. Curiously enough, the bowlers of the State for which he is now playing were the ones to keep him down to something like reasonable figures when he was playing for New South Wales, for his record against them is only 1269 runs at 63 an innings, with only three century scores. England would be delighted if she could keep him down to such figures in the Test matches.