CRICKET

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20464, 2 April 1938, Page 23 (Supplement)

CRICKET

HAWKE CUP VICTORY POWERFUL BATTING VISITORS DISAPPOINT (By “Long Stop’’) There is no telling what is going to happen at cricket, and even the strongest of sides can go down when least expected; but the display of the > South Auckland eleven last week indicated every possibility of their withstanding any further challenge this season. Their play jn every department was convincing, and on their home ground especially they should prove hard to beat. The game was not close enough to provide many thrills I for the spectators, but the large num- ' ber who witnessed the game showed that there is a considerable public interest in the performances of the representatives. Early Disaster Whfle Wanganui obtained the initial advantage of winning the toss, the fate of the match was decided practically in the first hour's play. The early batsmen failed to give, their side a start, and the local bowlers maintained the upper hand throughout the innings. The batting form displayed was very poor and no more than one or two showed any ability to cope with the attack. Bowling Changes Skeet changed his bowlers fairly frequently, not that they needed a spell, but to give as many as possible a chance; five had a turn and most proved effective, though T. Skeet failed to claim a victim. Bright finished with the best figures, four for 4, and should be a useful man to break a partnership if the regular bowlers get held up. Lissette got a lot of turn on the ball, but in both innings suffered some punishment and did not look like being really dangerous; he would certainly be better suited on a softer wicket. Cautious Opening Both Lyon and Cassidy are essentially defensive batsmen, and they opened in typical style; unfortunately most of their good work In playing the commencement of the attack was lost through Lyon losing his wicket just at lunch time. Cassidy has had few good scores to his credit this season, and is not really in good form; but his experience might enable him to rise to the occasion if the situation demanded it; he did not survive long after lunch. McKenzie went to a brilliant catch off I quite a good stroke; it was just a bit of bad luck that the fieldsman got his j hand to the ball low down. Aitken i went in rather high up on the list; although he opens for his club team i most of his good scores in represenI tative games have come when he has I gone in lower down. Fine Batting The best displays came from J. Everest and R. Clough, who ran up big figures; but their excellence went further than mere figures. Everest was in his best mood and gave a polished exhibition that left little to be desired; as usual he was particularly strong on the leg side and had no fast sff stuff to contend with. The medium-paced bowling suited him j perfectly and the only mistakes he made were his last two strokes. A general appeal for a catch behind on ! the leg side went in his favour and I next ball he swung wildly and was Clough soon got into hitting j mood and drove repeatedly high to the boundary. He did not exploit a | wide range of shots, but looked for . every opportunity to swing straight. The Wanganui skipper seemed to fail to recognise this and left him a wide space to operate in. Towards the close Clough seemed to slacken off a little, as if he wanted a spell, otherwise he might have got the few more he needed for his hundred. Bright and Lissette played more slowly, the former batting stylishly though not too 1 confidently; even after making a number of runs he did. not appear too much at ease, especially* when Wood came on. R. Skeet had nothing to do but add runs quickly at the end of the day, which he did for a short time, while T. Skeet got no chance to do anything at all. Clean Fielding There was nothing striking about the Wanganui bowling; no fast bowler, 'no good slow bowler, not even a medium-pace bowler who could keep pegging them down on a safe spot. Barton did a little with the ball, and Wood bowled like an old hand, mixing liis deliveries, but there was no bowli ing god enough to test the battingthoroughly. The fielding was good and safe, with the wicket-keeper, 1 Dow, giving a very clean exhibition of I taking the ball, though the tally of extras was fairly large. Saturday’s Play It would be discourteous to suggest ’ that every effort was not made to dismiss the challengers in their second [ innings too quickly, and they must be , given credit, for an infinitely better , batting display. Sewell was the only i one of the first seven men who did not reach double figures, and in a way he was unlucky, for his partner, Wood, was scoring so fast, that Clough was brought on to slow the rate down, and he took both their wickets. Barton, . who has also played for Rangitikei*and ’ South Auckland, gave a good display and batted for the rest of the morning, ’ reaching his fifty just before lunch. After the’ adjournment play was similar to that in tlie first innings, • wickets falling faster, but Connor provided some spectacular hitting by lift- : ing Clough for three sixers with | beautiful straight drives. Lyon capI tured five of the last six wickets for J eery few runs. One of his wickets . I caused a deal of discussion; the hall ■ j beat the batsman and after the ball . had passed the wicket a bail fell, and . [ eventually the batsman was given out by the square leg umpire. This is ■ | quite possible, if done in the correct | way: tile appeal for being bowled r ' should be made to the umpire at tne . bowler’s end. and to him alone; if that . : umpire so desires lie may refer to the - ; other umpire, whose decision is final; bn! appeal should not be made direct ! 1 to the square-leg umpire by the . ( players. In a case of “hit wicket” ; appeal can be made to either umpire.

Such is the generally accepted practice. Exhibition! To provide the spectators with further play to watch after the conclusion of the match, South Auckland went to the wickets again, but unfortunately their efforts provided rather an anticlimax. Apart from McKenzie, the batsmen could do nothing right, and instead of an exhibition of batting there was a regular procession. Perhaps it was asking too much of the players, who had been keyed up for the game, to go in after the tension was relaxed and bat in anything like form. It was just unfortunate that none of them could provide the fare that was expected, and instead of some bright and breezy hitting there resulted a rapid fall of wickets.