TO-MORROW’S CRICKET.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18008, 19 November 1926, Page 4

TO-MORROW’S CRICKET.

-illlllllilllllllflllllllllllllllllllillllllllllillilllllllllllllilllllllliillllllllllllllllllillllill REP. GAMES WILL BE STARTING SOON. I After the postponement, last Saturday a start will be made to-morrow on the third round of the Canterbury Cricket Association’s senior A competition. The following are the matches: Old Collegians v. Old Boys, at Elmwood Park. St Albans v. West Christchurch, at Hagley Park. Riccarton v. East Christchurch, at Ilagley Park. Linwood v. Sydenham, at Lancaster Park. A. M. Hollings, the young batsman of the Varsity senior A team, Wellington, is apparently in great form at present. Against the Wellington club the other Saturday he made 117, and last Saturday he followed this up by making 106 not out against Midland. With A. C. Tripe, he was associated in a partnership which yielded 152 runs and put Varsity in a winning position. The “ Evening Post ” says- that “ these young batsmen went for the bowling in a very confident fashion and, unaffected by changes, they piled on runs at a great rate. Hollings was particularly bright and when properly settled down he negotiated his shots with excellent judgment, numerous boundaries then going to his account.” Tripe, who also batted well, made G 7.

Judging by the weather experienced so far, it looks as if the present cricket season is going to be about as wet as the past one in England. So far. the cricketers in Christchurch have been more fortunate than those in other centres, but practice during the week has been interfered with a lot by rain.

The New Zealand cricket team that visited Australia last season w.as picked by five selectors, Messrs E. £?. Cay gill and W. R. Patrick (Canterbury), N. C. Snedden (Auckland). W. S. Brice (Wellington) and F. Williams (Otago). In accordance with the decision arrived at by the last annual meeting of delegates to the New Zealand Cricket Council the team to go Home next year will be picked by three selectors. Three of last year’s selection committee, Messrs Brice, Patrick and Williams. have been appointed for the job. and they can be depended upon to do it well.

The cricket yvriter of the “ New Zealand Times,” writing under the caption of “Experience Is Not Ability,” says: “ While discussing the prospects of a New Zealand team in England, one is constantly met with the proposition that a goodly proportion of the old Tins must be included to stiffen the team. Why this idea is so prevalent is a puzzle to one conversant with the game. There seems to be an obsession that the age of miracles is not past, and that a team of old men will turn the trick. This nonsensical notion is held in spite of the experience of touring teams from Australia and South Africa having proved its futility.” As has been pointed out before, in this column, the question of when is a man too old for first-class cricket is a very difficult, if not impossible, one 'to answer, because so much depends upon the individual. Experience is perhaps not ability, but it is certain that for success experience and ability are both required. The fact that a man is forty years or over should not alone debar him from the New Zealand team. Every endeavour should be made to send the best team available, and the best men available should be picked irrespective of the number of summers that have passed over their heads. If this is done there is no doubt that the team will consist largely of young players, with perhaps one’ or two’ older men of lengthy experience and proved ability. Those like the Wellington writer, who seem afraid that too many old ’uns are going to be sent, will probably find that their fears are quite groundless. Some confusion seems to have arisen between the names of two cricketers, both from Victoria, who arc now playing in. Christchurch. They are J. Robertson, who plays for the Sydenham senior A team, and the Rev J. Robertson, who pla}'s for the St Albans senior B team. When the Rev Mr Robertson arrived in Christchurch several months ago to take charge of the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church, reference was made to the fact that lie was a cricketer of considerable abilit>\ and many followers of the game thought that it was he who was knocking up the runs for Sydenham this season.

liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiifiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiifiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiifiiiiiiiiiiiir The reverend gentleman is a good bat and he often makes a respectable score for the St Albans senior B team, but he is not as good as his namesake of f the Sydenham Club, who, by the yvay*, is a much younger man. W E. Merritt, who has just left High School, is down to play for the Old Bovs’ senior A team to-morroyv. Merritt is a very promising bowler and a lot should lie heard of him in the future in this capacit}-.

A. R. Blank, who is now a member of the West Christchurch Club, will play for their senior A team to-rnor-roAV. He has not play’ed so far this season. Without being very brilliant, Blank is a good useful tvpc of bat. West appear to be badly’ in need of one or two bats of this sort.

In Auckland the sy-stem of reckoning points for the senior championship was altered this season. The points are noyv reckoned in the following manner:—An outright yvin counts four points to the yvinner, a win on the first innings gives three points to the winner and one to the loser, and for a drayy’ each side gets two points.

The Auckland “Star” this week gives a “boost” for R. W. Rountree as yvicketkeeper of the New Zealand team, yvbich is to go Home next year. Although he is verging on 42 years of age the Auckland journal considers that Rountree is not too old for a Ncav Zealand eley’en, and mentions the fact that the late C. Boxshall kept yvickets for New Zealand until he was near the half-century’ mark. But age apart, is Rountree fit to stand up to a strenuous tour such as the coming one in England promises to be?

Talking of New Zealand wicketkeepers. it is interesting to recall that Boxshall was the wicketkeeper of the Neyv Zealand team which visited Australia in 1913-14, and that his under-

study was 11. J. Tattersall. The selection of Tattersall yvas one of the biggest surprises of the team, for, as far as big cricket yvas concerned, he yvas unknown. Tattersall learnt his cricket at the Christchurch Bo3’s’ High School, yvhere he yvas wicketkeeper for the first eley’en. At the time he was picked for the New Zealand team he yvas residing in Auckland. Tattersall is now a resident of Wellington, where he plays for the Hutt team. The cricket Avriter of the “Dominion” says that Tattersall “is such an able yvicketkeeper that he must be considered for both the Wellington and the New Zealand teams.”

By the transfer of D. W. Reese to Timaru the St Albans senior A team has lost a useful bat and change boyvler. though Reese has not 3’et fulfilled the promise that he gave as a cricketer when at the Christchurch Bo> r s’ High School. When at school there were some yy’ho predicted that he would develop into as good a cricketer as his uncle, but so far he has not shown signs of this.

With Canterbury's first Plunket Shield engagement this season starting on Christmas Day the selectors of the province’s eleven should soon pick a mmiber of pla3’ers for special practice with a view to inclusion in the team. Canterbury arc to play at Christmas and Wellington at the New Year. Both matches are to be played at Lancaster Park. Last season Auckland defeated Canterbury- b3’ 32 runs and Wellington beat Canterbury by an innings and 332 runs. Wellington expect to be able to put a very’ strong team into the field this season, so that Canterbury’ vrill probably’ have to be at the top of their form if they- want to avenge the sound drubbing of last season.