SEDDON PARK MEMORIES CRICKETERS OF THE PAST

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20995, 23 December 1939, Page 20 (Supplement)

SEDDON PARK MEMORIES CRICKETERS OF THE PAST

WAIKATO’S GREAT OPPONENTS FAMOUS KNOCK BY M. S. NICHOLS

Although Seddon Park has been the headquarters of Waikato cricket since 1905, it was not until 1914 that an overseas combination visited the ground. Since that year the district has been permitted to see in action some of the greatest English and Australian cricketers of all time. That fine Australian all-rounder and master of tactics, Warwick Armstrong, twice played at the park and it was there he compiled one of the 46 centuries of his notable career. Famous exponent of the “googly,” Arthur Mailey, administered some of his effective medicine to Waikato cricketers in 1914 and popularised the ball in this part of the Dominion. Actually Lord Hawke’s team which came to New Zealand at the beginning of the century, introduced the “bosey” ball, as it was called, to the country, but to most Waikato cricketers it was still untested in 1914.

The great fielding of Vic Richardson brought forth continual applause from a Seddon Park gallery in 1921 and he led another team in the Waikato in 1928. Regarded by many as the world’s best wicket-keeper, Bert Oldfield was also included in the side of 1928 and excelled himself behind the stumps. Probably the greatest encounter at Seddon Park was that between the M.C.C. and Waikato in 1930 when grand batting was seen, M. S. Nichols scoring a brilliant century. Big Hitting Tactics In 1914, 18 Waikato players met the Australian eleven and was beaten by 40 runs. As well as Armstrong, Mailey and Noble, the visiting side included E. L. Waddy, one of the most enterprising batsmen seen at the park. On this occasion he collected 36 runs in 14 minutes, lifting Aldred for three successive sixes before the trundler bowled him. C. E. Dolling was another batsman with prolific scoring attributes and he reached 81, which included five sixes in two overs off Fred Hawke. Waikato, in spite of its numerical superiority could not better the Australian total. Mailey’s “googly” was something new to the home side, but in spite of the attack Charlie Lafferty reached 39 and W. Turbott 36. The latter hit the first six of the day, off Collins, and repeated the performance when facing Armstrong to bring up 200. His stay at the wickets ended shortly after another big hit off the great Victorian. In 1921 a second visit was paid to the Waikato by an Australian eleven and again the home “fifteen” went down—this time by an innings and 96 runs. It was the left-hand slow spin bowler, P. M. Homibrook, who did all the damage, collecting nine for 64 and six for 15. Loveridge was the best of the Waikato batsmen with 36 while Sneddon was next with 33. Joe Dufty played in this match and gave the crowd a thrill when he completed a series of big scoring shots off Liddicut with a glorious six. Alan Kippax Aggressive Vic Richardson opened for Australia with J. Bogle. Alan Kippax was second wicket down and in an aggressive innings knocked up 71. Waddy was making his second appearance on the Hamilton ground and his unconquered 56 was one pf the highlights of the day although critics maintained that he had lost much of his dash. The Waikato attack was dealt with severely by these Australian champions but, nevertheless, the visit did much to improve the game in this part of the Dominion. It was in 1927 that Warwick Armstrong brought a Melbourne team to New Zealand and in February if met Waikato at the park. A formidable task was set the home side when the Australians scored 580, but it was a day of brilliant cricket.

The crowd saw Armstrong batting at his best and scoring a brilliant 166 whicn ended when C. Rabone secured his wicket. He was associated with his brother, T.

G. Armstrong*, for most of the time and the pair added 266 for the 10th wicket—a truly great performance. Waikato fared badly in both strikes but by no means disgraced itself. S. A. R. Badeley top-scored in the initial outing with 29 and a similar score was against Albert Taylor’s name in the second venture. Taylor was bowled by P. B. Wood

who broke one of the stumps. “Rocky” Going got 24 in breezy style collecting four successive fours off H. C. A. Sandford and, in attempting the fifth delivery, came too far out, missed the ball, and had his bails whipped off by the ’keeper, Campbell. Richardson Here Again The benefit New Zealand cricket had derived from the Australian visits was felt in 1928 when, at Hamilton, a North Island team met the tourists in a drawn game. Vic Richardson captained the Australians and also in the combination was Bert Oldfield, who gave one of his greatest displays behind the sticks, bagging six victims —all caught. Bert Badeley and Don Hawke each scored 31 for North Island, Hawke making the most of his stay at the crease and collecting a six and two fours in succession off the diminutive trundler, Schneider. Garrard, of Rotorua, kept wickets for the home eleven and not a bye got past him all day. It was a great occasion for McGirr and Badcock who were mainly responsible for dismissing Australia for 144. W. M. Woodful was out for 2, Archie Jackson made a “duck,” Alan Kippax scored 1. Richardson, however, gave a great display to put up 41. Not until 1930 did the first English side come to Hamilton in that year the M.C.C. played at Seddon Park. It was led by A. H. H. Gilligan, brother of Arthur Gilligan, and included such notables as E. H. Bowley, M. J. Turnbull, M. S. Nichols, T. S. Worthington and F. E. Woolley. Waikato lost the match by an innings and 155 runs, Reg Skeet, until lately, captain of the Waikato Hawke Cup eleven, being the best batsmen, with 27 out of the home total of 86, and 32 out of 105. In his initial innings he hit two successive sixes off the Kent trundler, Woolley, and, batting again, treated the same bowler to three successive fours, capping the over with a six into the crowd. Memorable Innings The M.C.C. effort of 346 for seven will go down in history as one of the most noteworthy innings ever played at Seddon Park. Hero of the crowd was the tall Essex man, Nichols, not for the severe treatment he dealt out to the Waikato attack but for his display of grand hitting. In this match Don Hawke, with his first ball bowled E. T. Benson, but the bowler’s father, Mr F. Hawke, had called a “noball” and Benson went on to score 76. Nichols, the left-handed all-rounder com-

piled 133. He reached the hundred with a great six off Johnson after being at the wickets 88 minutes and when his innings ended with a brilliant catch in the outfield by Badeley, he had been batting 112 minutes. It was a chanceless display which included one six and 21 fours. To the onlookers the English batting was superb but it was somewhat surprising that such masters of the code should bowl wides and no balls. Nichols sent down three no balls and one wide, while Worthington had one no ball against his name. Incidents such as those recalled and extending over 16 years, have conferred upon the Hamilton cricket ground a tradition which the present generation of cricketers and future exponents of the great sport are called upon to maintain. Few gigantic hitters such as Armstrong, Vic Richardson, “Rocky” Going, in his younger days, and Joe Dufty are seen in action in these more modem times. Perhaps if there were more of them cricket in this country would take a new lease of life.