Onlooker’s Notebook.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19258, 20 December 1930, Page 10

Onlooker’s Notebook.

Jim M’Ewin, senior player for Sydenham and for some years a Canterbury representative for his qualities as a slow right-hand bowler, made his first appearance for his club this season in the game against East Christchurch today when he wielded a very useful blade. With five Sydenham wickets down for 52 against East Christchurch, supporters of the southern club viewed proceedings with a jaundiced outlook. But W. Spong and M’Ewin brought some joy into their hearts with a vigorous little partnership. “He did that in his first game last year,” .said a Sydenham ; supporter gleefully when one from A. Jorites was sent over the East stand for a very pronounced six off M’Ewin’s, bat. In the same over, Spong also put Jones away for six. Although M’Ewin’s six came off a frankly “ agricultural ” shot it showed that the spirit was willing. In tryiing to send Kennedy after Jones, M’Ewin put his foot in front of a straight one. Although there was no sensational hitting during the first part of the Sydenham innings against East Christchurch, two batsmen, E. Gasson and W. Spong, both called for new bats, sending the casualties to the pavalion. In a junior game next door, there was also mortality among bats. G. H. G. Hobbs, one of the most diminutive and certainly one of the pluckiest batsmen in the senior competition, has played himself back into the Old Boys’ eleven in no uncertain manner. He was not picked for the first game of the season, but it took more than that to discourage him. Today, against Lancaster Park, he batted well when wickets were falling fast, and was unlucky to fall when 35 to one of! the best slip catches seen on the ground. Hobbs has developed a hook which is very effective with short balls. Reg Read continues to bowl steadily and with sting. He it was who had the Old Boys’ batsmen guessing this afternoon, flighting the ball and bringing it briskly off the pitch. He took six out of the first seven wickets to fall, Yates securing the other. Cromb was sending them down faster than usual, and was not particularly effective. The medium paced ball suits him better. It was easy to pick the centre of attraction at Hagley this afternoon. The seats on the pavilion and near No. 1 Ground were crowded, but near the ground on which Riccarton and St Albans were engaged there were few spectators. In view of next week’s Plunket Shield match, cricket followers were on the watch to-day to see how the members of the Canterbury representative team will shape. R. O. Talbot, of Old Collegians, left no doubt as to his. form. Playing right on top of it, he completely mastered the West bowling, batting in the attractive and forceful style which gives cricket a real meaning. At the afternoon tea adjournment he was unbeaten for 58 runs, including three sixes and six fours. The latter part of his score up to that stage read: 4664114442, a bowler’s headache! Lester, the other Old Collegians’ batsman in the Canterbury team, failed, making only four runs. Reg. Read, who bowled splendidly for Lancaster Park this afternoon, taking eight wickets for 60 runs, was a member of the original Lancaster Park Club, and played for the club right through the period it was known as the Linwood Club. He is as effective in club cricket this season as ever he was. Mr J. S. Barrett, another member of the old Lancaster Park Club, was at Hagley today, and saw Read put up his fine performance. Riccarton started very well in their first innings against St Albans, the century being passed with the loss of only one wicket. However, the seventh wicket fell with 180 on the board. A. W. Roberts played a very pretty innings for 63, and J. Jacobs batted well for 54. W. Spong, of Sydenham’s senior team, is usually known as a bowler, but this afternoon he gave one of his rare, but entertaining, performances with the bat, taking toll of the East Christchurch bowling for 37. His score was made up of seven fours, a six and three singles. Although he showed a fondness for a lash, lifting the ball dangerously at times, Spong was more subdued than usual in his role of “rotstopper” and on occasions was playing “like a book.” He released some very well executed cover shots made as a left-hander can make them. A valuable partnership was seen at Lancaster Park in a second grade game this afternoon after Lancaster Park had lost five for 13 against Riccarton. The sixth wicket fell with the score at 142, S. Snedden and H. Westwood putting on 129. Snedden went with his score at 73, while Westwood was unbeaten for the same score. Without these two, Riccarton would have been on a good thing as the total score was 186, the other nine batsmen and extras contributing 40. A message from Wellington to-day said; Lily Copplestone, long-distance swimmer,- intends to make a longdistance swim down the Waikato River on January 2, starting at Cambridge about 6 a.m. She has written to Miss Gleitze, asking her to accompany her on the attempt. Miss Gleitze says that she feels honoured, and would have been glad, but, unfortunately, would be finished her endurance swim at Wellington about 4 a.m. on January 2, and this makes consideration of the offer impossible; as she is under contract, it would be impossible for her to postpone her endurance attempt.