TO-DAY’S MATCH.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20330, 13 June 1934, Page 1

TO-DAY’S MATCH.

Comparatively Easy Game Expected. WILL i.IEET NORTHANTS. (Written for the “ Star " by E. G. GARBUTT.) Following the Test match a comparatively easy game awaits the Australians who, to-day, will be opposed' by Northamptonshire on the Northampton County Cricket Ground. It was on this ground that the New Zealand Rugby Union team of 1924 plaj-ed the East Midlands, and Eric Coley—present secretary of the Northampton Cricket Club—was one of the outstanding forwards for the Midlands. Northampton is, of course, renowned for its large footwear manufacturing establishments, and no doubt many of the Australian players will take the opportunity of inspecting one of these factories, where they will probably find themselves enriched by presents of footwear, as so many teams have done in the past. Last season Northamptonshire occupied thirteenth position in the county championship, and apart from their defeat of Essex by nine wickets, there was little in their play to enthuse over. This season, up to the time of writing, they had not won a single match. Their leading batsman is A. II Bake well, who, last season, performed with great distinction which culminated with his selection for England against the West Indies in the third Test match. The all-rounder, B. W. C Jupp, is another valuable member of the side, who has ten times in his career scored over a thousand runs and taken one hundred wickets. In 1921 he twice appeared for England in Test matches against Australia. The outstanding bowler of the side is E. W. Clark, fast left-hander, who bowled so well in the Test trial until an injury caused his retirement. If he has sufficiently recovered from this injury to appear against the Australians, he should monopolise the bowling honours. Of the nine games so far contested between the county and Australian sides, the latter have won eight ;„nd drawn one. Among the early stalwarts of the county were two players known to New Zealanders—S. G. Smith and G. J. Thompson. The former, who qualified for Northants after the 1906 West Indies tour of England, rendered excellent service to the county and afterwards migrated to New Zealand to become one of Auckland’s leading all-rounders, and for many years he'd the record score in PJunket Shield cricket. Thompson was a member of Lord Hawke’s team in New Zealand during the 1902-3 season, and will be remembered for his capture of 177 wickets in this country. The Australians have generally defeated the county in convincing fashion Warwick Armstrong’s team of 1921 had a feast of run-getting, for they compiled the formidable total of 621 in 350 minutes, and then dismissed the county for scores of 69 and 68. C. G. Macartney played a magnificent innings of 193, and J. M. Gregory made 107, while Armstrong secured six for 21 and A. A. Mailey six for 46 in the first and second innings respectively. There was another innings victory for Australia in 1926, when W. Bardsley scored 112 for the tourists.

Four years ago Northampton dismissed the Australians for their lowest score of the tour. V. W. C. Jupp disposed of six batsmen for 32 runs, and the total was 93. The county then made 249, but Australia drew the game by scoring 405 for eight in their second innings. Both W. M. Woodfull and V. Y. Richardson passed the century in the second innings with 116 each.