M.C.C. CRICKETERS ARRIVE TO-MORROW

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18939, 9 December 1929, Page 3

M.C.C. CRICKETERS ARRIVE TO-MORROW

WELL-SELECTED TEAM WILL EXTEND NEW ZEALAND’S BEST. Stars Include Frank Woolley, Bowley, Duleepsinhji, With A. H. H. Gilligan, Captain There is no sport in the world which does not benefit by the visit to one country of a high-class team from another country, and when the visitors come from the land where a game was born and established to one of the latest places to take it up, that benefit is doubled. At "Wellington to-morrow, cricket enthusiasts will welcome an M.C.C. team to the Dominion. T his is not by any means the first English team to come to New Zealand, but it may be claimed that this visit will have a special significance.

New Zealand in the past has commanded the respect of the athletic world for the prowess of her sons at Rugby football, but as far as cricket was concerned Australia has been the only part of the antipodes to be on the map at all. That has changed. Time after time strong combinations from other parts have found very promising players in New Zealand, though the combined strength of the Dominion was not nearly good enough to extend a strong visiting team. Of late, on various occasions, it has become more and more apparent that the cricketers in this country can provide an eleven capable at least of putting up a good performance against the best. Warwick Armstrong’s Praise. The last New Zealand team to visit Australia, while it did not win a match against any of the major State teams, did. so well that the comment of experienced critics on the other side of the Tasman was more than favourable. Then Warwick Armstrong, that wily veteran, brought a Victorian team to New .Zealand. His team was a strong one, including test match batsmen and bowlers, and the performance that the Dominion teams put up against his combination caused Armstrong to give high praise to the improved play in New Zealand, and to forecast that the proposed visit of a New Zealand cricket team to England in 1927 would be least a success. It was, as far as the performance of the New Zealanders was concerned, at any rate. The team, under the able captaincy of T. C. Lowry, pirt up some really first-class performances. The names of more than one of the players were prominent in lists of good batsmen. English critics and spectators were charmed with the masterly batting of Blunt, Dacre, Lowry and Mills, and the finished displays of Page and Dempster. Young “Bill” Merritt, almost a schoolboy, tied up more than a few first-class county batsmen with his tricky slows. Altogether, the impression was so good that, in some quarters, it was contended that the team deserved a test. This was -sure proof that New Zealand is a cricketing country in more than name, and the result is that the next team to visit these shores, the Australians, were a very good combination, indeed. There were many test match players among that assembly, and some very fine bowlers. The Australians won most of their matches fairly comfortably, but still the performances of the local teams were high. Following on that, we have an English team coming that, while it is not up to Australian test match standard, is composed of excellent players who will be a match for New Zealand and will at the same time give displays that should do the game in this Dominion a tremendous amount of good. There are a sprinkling of veterans in the team, but for the most part the members are on the youngish side, free hitters, who, if they strike their form, will delight any crowd and teach a lot to young cricketers here. Evidence of Ability. The team met the major associations in Australia, two of their matches being losses. Over there that gave ample evidence of their ability in all departments of the game, despite several pieces of bad luck in the shape of illness and minor injuries. Everything points to an interesting and valuable tour. Cricket in New Zealand to-day is at a fairly high standard. There are any amount of good batsmen, and though the bowling is not exceptionally high, the provincial teams, as well as the New Zealand side, should make a good showing against the visitors. THE PLAYERS. A short description of the players in the English team should be interesting. A. H. H. Gilligan skippers the visitors. He is a Sussex player, and, in the absence of his well-known brother. A. E. R., has captained that team on more than one occasion. He was born in 1891. With the bat he is always liable to put on an excellent score, having improved over the past few seasons, and at the present time being right on form. He has earned an enviable reputation as a leader of judgment and enthusiasm. He is a fine field at cover point. F. E. Woolley, of Kent, born in 1887, is one of the great figures in the history of the game. There has never been a more graceful and effortless player. Probably the best left-handed batsman the world has ever seen, and the scorer of a hundred centuries in first-class cricket. Was in his best form this season. Has represented England against both Australia and South Africa on innumerable occasions. He, Hobbs and Hammond rank as the three greatest English batsmen of to-day. A good field at slip to a slow bowler like Freeman, off whom he has made many a catch. In his time has been a fine slow left-handed bowler and a great fieldsman in the slips. K. S. Duleepsinhji (Sussex) is a nephew of the ever-famous “ Ranji ” and a great batsman, being very quick on his feet to slow bowling and a beautiful stroke player. Possesses lovely wrists and a nice sense of balance. Had a wonderful season, making over 2000 runs and scoring 115 and 246 for Sussex v. Kent at Hastings. A fine field in the slips. Was captain of the Chelten-

ham eleven, and in the Cambridge el< ven, and has represented England i South Africa and Gentlemen v. Playei at Lords.

E. 11. Bowley (Sussex) is well known in New Zealand. A very attractive; batsman with particularly strong back- I play. A good slip and a useful slow j leg-break bowler. Played for England i v. South Africa at Leeds and at Man- i Chester, and for Players v. Gentlemen i at Lords. One of the mainstays of Sus- ■ sex. He played some fine innings for ( Auckland while coaching there, as well' as putting up excellent feats with the ball. The wicket-keeper, W. Cornford (Sussex) is one of the smallest men playing in first-class cricket, but, in his day, a great wicket-keeper. As a batsman often, hard to get rid of, as he watches the ball and has sound defence. E. W. Dawson (Leicestershire) was captain of the Leicestershire eleven, also captained Cambridge and was in the Eton eleven, scoring centuries against both Winchester and Harrow in the same season. A sound, steady, reliable No. 1 batsman, and a difficult wicket to get. An excellent field at cover point. Went to South Africa with the last M.C.C. team. Has represented Gentlemen v. Players at Lords. S. Worthington (Derbyshire) is a fast medium right-handed bowler who gathers pace from the ground, and a hard-hitting batsman. One of the best all-round men in that all-round eleven, Derbyshire. His fine physique is greatly in his favour. M. J. C. Allom (Surrey) was in the Wellington and Cambridge elevens. A fast right-handed bowler, who can make the ball swing and get up awkwardly. Bowled very well for Surrey on many occasions last season. F. Barratt (Notts). A fast rig'ithanded bowler who can make the ball kick up even on the best of wickets. Bowls with great energy and determination. A man of magni ficent physique, he is a great, if uncertain, hitter. At one period was a fine mid-off, but is somewhat slow in the field nowadays. E. T. Benson (Gloucestershire). Was at school at Blundell’s, and kept wicket for Oxford and the Gentlemen at Lords this 3 r ear. A good wicket-keeper and a useful, steady batsman. " A Nasty Bowler.” M. S. Nichols (Essex). A right-hand-ed bowler with rather a clumsy run up to the crease, who is, at times, really fast, and when “he hits he hurts.” On certain wickets is a verynasty bowler. A more than useful lefthanded batsman and an excellent field. M. J. Turnbull (Cambridge University and Glamorgan) was captain of Downside and of Cambridge last season. Made 1001 runs for Cambridge with an average of 50.05 A very good batsman with a sound method, who played some really fine innings. A good fieldsman and an able captain.

G. F. Earle (Somerset) was captain of the Harrow eleven in 1910, the famous “ Fowler’s match ” year, when Eton won a sensational victory by nine runs. A very big, if uncertain hitter, and a fine field at mid-off. Went to India with the M.C.C. team. G. B. Legge (Kent) is captain of the Kent eleven, and was also captain at Malvern and Oxford. An attractive batsman with some beautiful strokes on the off side and a good fieldsman in the slips, or indeed anywhere. Was in the last M.C.C. .team to South Africa.

PREVIOUS TOURS OF NEW ZEALAND.

MANY FAMOUS MEN HAVE PLAYED HERE. It is interesting to note that, while the soil of the New Zealand grounds was barely out of its virgin state, some of the most famous cricketers in England journeyed here to meet the players in the new country and help the game along. The first team arrived in 1564. It was captained by George Parr, and included such players as Dr E. M. Grace, G. Tarrant, W. Caffyn, Tom Ilayward, and R. Carpenter. This combination played three matches in the South Island, against twenty-two of Otago, twenty-two of Canterbury, and a twenty-two drawn from the two provinces. The visitors won two matches and drew one. Lillywhite next brought out a team in 1877, and with him were among the rest, Shaw, Selby, Emmett, Jupp, Ulj'ett and Southerton. This team played against Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, Taranaki, Nelson, Westland, Otago and Southland, winning six games and drawing two. Five years later another English team, captained by Alfred Shaw, came over, winning four matches and drawing three. Matches were played at Otago, Oamaru, South Canterbury, Canterbury, Wellington, Waikato and Auckland. Among the team were Ulyett, Barlow, Selby, Bates, Midwinter, Emmett, Shrewsbury, Scotton, Peate, Pilling, and Lillywhite. In 1888 Smith’s team came over for three matches, one against twenty-two of Wellington, and the other two against eighteen of Canterbury. In the team were Newman, Pilling, Lohmann, Shrewsburj’-, M. Reid, Briggs, Ulyett, Pougher and Brann. It was not until the 1902-3 season that another English team came this wa 3 r - This side was to have been led by Lord Hawke, but just before it sailed the Yorkshire captain was injured in the hunting field, and P. F. Warner ably captained the silde, which included Burnup, Fane, Taylor, Dowson, Bosanquet, Thompson, Stanning, Johnson, Whatman, Hargreaves and Leatham. This was as strong an English side as had visited the Dominion within recent years, and they defeated New Zealand at Christchurch by seven wickets, and at Wellington by an innings and 22 runs. New Zealand, on this occasion, met the Englishmen on level terms and did quite well considering that eight of the visiting team on their return home were invited to go to Australia with the English team. Then in 1907 came the English team led by Colonel Wynyard, who, however, strained a ligament early in the tour, and returned Home, the captain’s mantle being taken over by Earl de Tr afford. England won the first match against New Zealand, at Christchurch, by nine wickets, but the New Zealanders had their revenge in the second test match at Wellington, in which they defeated the visitors by 56 runs. This was proof positive that New Zealand had kicked off the cricket swaddling clothes, and was a full-grown man at last. New Zealand’s victory in this match was due to able bowling by A. H. Fisher, E. Upham, and A. Downes, and good innings by A. B. Williams and A. Haddon in the second innings. The visit of the M.C.C. team, led by the veteran, A. C. MacLaren, in 1923 is still fresh in the memory of followers of the game in this country. The English team included A. P. F. Chapman, T. C. Lowry, Titchmarsh, Wilkinson, Calthorpe, Wilson, Brand, Maclean, Freeman, Gibson, Tildesley, and Hartley. This team of virile \ r oungsters proved too strong for New Zealand. They won the first test match at Wellington b\' an innings and 156, thanks to a magnificent innings for 200 not out by the English captain, A. C. MacLaren, and good bowling by Gibson and Freeman. New Zealand managed to make a draw of the second test game at Christchurch, scoring 375 and 270 for eight wickets to England’s 384 and 145 for five wickets. In this match, D. C. Collins, the New Zealand captain, scored 102 in the first innings. England, however, took the rubber b>' scoring another innings victory in the third test game at Wellington, totalling 401 to New Zealand’s 166 and 215. By the irony of fate, the top score for England in this match was made hy a New Zealander, T. C. Lowry, who was then at Cambridge University. Lowry played a dashing knock for 130, and conclusively demonstrated that, when properly coached, young New Zealanders could bat as well as the best of English or Australian pla3*ers.

Writing in an Australian paper, M. A. Noble, a famous cricketer of not so long ago, says of the visiting Englishmen of 1929: “ They infuse a sporting spirit into their game. This was particularly noticeable in the batting of Woolley and Duleepsinhji. The latter made some beautiful late cuts and cover drives. One long low hit over mid-off to the boundary was a gem. “ For defensive purposes he appears to play much later than is customary, and seems to carelessly “flick ’ at the ball. ‘ Flickers ’ are the despair of the skipper. In Duleepsinhji I have seen the first one to be successful. Complete harmony between keen vision and responsive muscular activity is responsible. I should say that unless he is at the very top of his form his methods court early disaster. There is no doubt of his ability and charm. I will not be surprised if he represents England in next year’s tests. “ Gilligan plays an innings of great value—a combination of caution and aggression. He is very sound in making the on-drive, but sacrifices off-side shots for front of the wicket play, thus losing many opportunities to score. Woolley the Champion. “ When our lanky, hard-hitting, champion left-hand friend, and doughty opponent, Frank Woolley, walks, in to bat, there is nothing suggestive of steadfast, dogged purpose, or a fight tc a finish air about hi m. H e just a m b le s slowly along, taking very short steps for a man so tall, turning his head apparently aimlessly this way and that, looking most uninterested in the proceedings. That, however, is but the innocent impression conveyed to the onlooker; in reality, his actions are dominated by intelligent purposes, for he has just left the darker light of the pavilion, and walks slowly to gain time while his eyes become accustomed to the brighter light of the playing arena, giving their pupils time to contract to their normal size for proper vision and exact focusing in the sunlight. A Fighter All The Way. “ But whatever he may look like, Australians have had many opportunities of sampling Woolley’s capabilities, and admiring his fighting qualities, for these attributes are associated with versatility and power. “ When a team is fighting its way out of a tight corner, the crowd is generous in its view of slow nethods. “It’s dogged as does it” as Jack Wor rail used to say, but they prefer fireworks infinitely more. Next to sixes and plenty of them, nothing pleases the crowd so much as powerful hand stinging carpet drives: hard square cuts and beautifully timed artistic leg-glances. When Frank Woolley goes in know there is an even chance of having their desires satisfied. They have not forgotten that wonderful 123 he made in the second innings, of the first test match in 1924, when he and ‘ Tich ' Freeman put on 128 runs for the ninth wicket. The warmth of his reception in Sydney must have been stim-dating as well as gratifying, for without preparation he set about the attack in a style acceptable to the crowd Get ting 14 runs off the first over, he played with the same vim and sparkle until six o’clock, and was never in doubt, cutting, glancing, pulling and driving with skill and power. If there had been any sting in the bowling, he soon extracted it and pounded the opposition into impotence.”