The Tests in England.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17781, 26 February 1926, Page 4

The Tests in England.

The cricketing public of New Zealand will cast their eyes Homewards during the winter months, and the form of the Kangaroos will be followed with the keenest interest from the beginning of hostilities in May. The Test match programme will open on June 12 at Nottingham, the second Test will be played at Lord’s on June 26, the third at Leeds on July 10, the fourth at Manchester on July 24, and the last at the Oval three weks later. The old system of three-day matches will be adhered ,to, but in the event of the rubber depending upon it, the final match at the Oval will be played to. a finish. The hours of play in matches between the various counties, and the Australians will be from 12 noon to 6.30 p.m. on the first and second days, and 11.30 to 5.30 p.m. on the final da} r , with an extra half-hour if demanded when there appears to be a chance of a definite result.

An Innovation. As Mr A. Mullinger, the Auckland scorer, took his seat at the commencement of the Plunket Shield match at the Basin Reserve, Wellington, on Friday' morning, Mr 11. M. M’Girr came along with a good-sized cow-bell, and proffered it to the astonished Auckland scorer. “ What is this for? ” asked Mr Mullinger. “ This is for the scorers to ring after every over,” explained Mr M’Girr. “If > r ou did not look so serious, I would imagine that 3-011 were joking,” said the Aucklander. “ Who says that the scorers have to ring a bell at the end of every over? ” “It is an order of the Management Committee of. the Wellington Cricket Association, and as such must be carried out," said Mr M’Girr. “ All right,” responded Mr Mullinger, “ you get the Wellington scorer to ring the bell: I certainly refuse to do it. The umpires count the overs, and I most certainly am not going to dictate to them.” The Wellington scorer, Mr B. Warwick, good humouredly fell in with the innovation, and the bell, which had a somewhat raucous note, clanged out at the end of each over. When the first notes floated out into space umpires and fieldsmen looked up in surprise. They did not know whether it was a call to lunch or a signal for an ambulance. Eventually', Mr D. M’Kenzie, president of the Wellington Umpires’ Association, came along and wanted to know what the ringing of a bell at the end of each over meant. He. agreed with Mr Mullinger , that it was a contravention of law 13, The bell-ringing went on until lunch time, but during the interval the offending instrument was spirited away, and the game went on in the good old-fashion-ed way' (says the Dominion.”), r ' V -