SPORTS AND SPORTSMEN

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20388, 31 December 1937, Page 14 (Supplement)

SPORTS AND SPORTSMEN

By “ Spectator .”

GLIMPSES OF SHEFFIELD SHIELD PERFORMANCE

Don Bradmans Amazing Figures : Another Double Century : lan Lee Plays Himself Into Good Position : O’Reilly’s Fine Bowling ; Long Tennis Duel : Australian Cyclists at Springdale

W 1 ™ THE SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET MATCHES well under way interest !n the form of the Australians with chances of making Bradman’s team to tour England, is growing apace. Some excellent performances have already been accomplished and although six or seven plaoes In the team are secure, there are many candidates for the remaining positions. The feature of the matches over the past few days was. undoubtedly Don Bradman’s further phenomenal score. Season after season in Australian flrst-olass crioket Bradman has topped the 1000 runs. The one exception was in his first season, in which he made 416 runs. In four seasons ho averaged well over 100 runs in innings with 138, 130, IX6, and 113. The current summer is apparently to see him again continue this remarkable sequence of high scoring. In every season he has at least one innings exceeding 800 and he has run into the habit of going on to the 300 and once meandered into the 400. He has made over 17,000 runs in flrst-olass crioket now at the astonishing average of nearly three figures. BradmaVs latest effort was against Queensland a State he has Invariably scored heavily against—and in view of the approaching Anglo-Austral!an Tests Australians will welcome this evidence that he has not lost his prowess, while English players and selectors will again realise what a menace he is going to be to their chances of regaining the “ Ashes.” Several other leading Australian batsmen and bowlers were also in form during the matches and already it looks as if Australia will have a particularly strong team for the tour.

One of the' most pleasing features of the matches played to date has been the big scores put up by the younger batsmen, and the final selection of the team will present a pretty problem. The opening batsmen position has been freely discussed for some time, many contending that the Fingleton-Brown combination is too slow, especially for four-day Tests and that they, of a necessity, force the later batsmen to score very hurriedly In the hope of getting a definite result. Brown, also had not been showing anything like his best form and there were many who favoured the Inclusion of I. S. Lee, the young Victorian left-hander, to open with Fingleton. Lee will be' remembered for his great partnership with Ross Gregory for Victoria against Allen’s M.G.C. team and he has been in great form this season. Against Queensland he opened with Keith Rigg —another contender for position—and he gave a great di-splay scoring 122 in a shade under four hours. The heavy ground pulled up many of his forcing shots and altogether It was an excellent performance. Lee followed this exhibition with a score of over 90 against New South Wales. Gregory compiled 71 against

Queensland and although it was not Hie same Gregory that pleased in the Tests last year he showed a recovery ol' form. Another batsman from Victoria who consolidated his chances of every consideration was A. 1.. Hassctt whose 90 against Queensland was very sound allhough not as bright as his usual innings, lie and Lee put on 88 in so minutes and Hassett followed this with 8 1 against New South Wales. In I he* Queensland match Tallon only made 12 runs but kept wickets admirably. W. A. Brown showed his best form against South Australia and made 132 in fine style, this bringing him into the line of selection again. McCabe, like Bradman, lias only made one big score so far, and that 106 against South Australia showed that he is capable of making even more runs than ever in England this year. S. Barnes made 79 very nicely and Chlppe'rfield was going well when he was run out. Against Victoria he also hatled well for 36. Fingleton with 8 1 and 10 ngnlnsl South Australia and 59 and 22 not out against Victoria is working into top form. Badcock’s best score i was 77 hut he has already shown what I a great, batsman he is against New Zealand and Western Australia, and his 1 As far ns the bowling is concerned the highlight, has been O'Reilly’s nine wickets against South Australia. His ! hag included Bradman, R. Robinson, I Hamencc, Waite, Walker and Ward. Bradman made 9J. O’Reilly bowled 33 overs for his nine wickets and had only

41 runs hit off him. He has done many sensational things but this achievc’ment was his crowning effort in Shield cricket. Bowling into a slight breeze o‘Relllv celebrated his o2nd with the feat puzzling all th£ batsmen with his amazing flight and spin. Fleetwood-Smith came to light with six for 94 against New South Wales while Grimmett has had better averages than F. Ward in every match.

One of the brightest centuries ever seen In Sydney was witnessed last week when J. Minter, the Balmain colt got a century in 34 minutes and 141 in 70 minutes. His first 50 was made in 18 minutes and the second In 14 minutes. Double Century. An outstanding feature of a cricket match concluded at Wanganui on Tuesday between Victoria University College, Wellington, and a Wanganui representative team, was the splendid stand made by Glen Hook, the exAucklander, who played recently for the Country team agaipst Town in Wellington. Hook made 204 runs In an hour and a-half In Wanganui’s

second innings. Ills first century was comp Med in 75 minutes and his total included 27 fours and five sixes. His effort gave Wanganui a chance to win 1 what looked like a foregone loss, but the side's bowling strength was not good enough, and the match was Marathon Tennis Two lady competitors taking part In the Auckland Lawn Tennis Association’s annual handicap tournament at the Remuera Club's courts on Tuesday, Misses L. A. shell,ml and P. Mitchell, had a very trying experience In the oppressive heat which prevailed. After they had concluded a eruelling contest over two hours and a half in the ladies’ singles it was discovered that thdr ; handicap had been wrongly adjusted. 1 The committee reluctantly decided : that the only way out of the difficulty was lo replay the match and the 1 ladies look the court once more. After a further three hours’ play Miss Mit- ! chell proved victorious, her opponent ; having won the first match. Mur# sympathy was expressed for both contestants, who naturaWv were exhausted at Iho conclusion or their I extremely trying ordeal. Pe >ple at the ; beaches and at the crowded trotting 1 grounds at Epsom were heard to com--1 - plain about the heat, but theirs was a fortunate position compared with | (Continued io next column)

that of two competitors engaged la strenuous combat on a hard tennis court under a blazing sun. A Heavy Team Something of a surprise awaited the crowd at Springdale un Monday when the Australian cyclists were due to appear. Even for professional cyclists they are particularly big men and completely overshadowed any other cyclists on the grounds as far as size is concerned. Top-weight in the team goes to “Speed” Morgan who tips the scales at a little over 13 stone 6 lb., and next comes Jack Fitzgerald who weighs in at 12 stone 10 lb. Jack Middleton, only 24 'cars of age. is not far behind his colleagues, turning t lie scales to 12 stone 6 lb. Too Heavily Handicapped Although they did not figure among the place-getters at the Springdale sports on Monday, the visiting Australian cyclists were by no means disgraced. In some of their events they were practically beaten by their handicaps before they took the field and should not be judged too harshly on account of the fact that they did not overtake everything ahead of them. Long before they came lo the Dominion. the Australian wheelmen were widely advertised as champions, but the Imndirappor seems to have losi sight of the fact that a great improvement has been shown by cyclists >c this country. In addition, it was evident tiiat Hie track at Springdale wai not to their liking and they should hi seen to greater advantage when the] appear on the fast Morrinsvilie tract on Monday.