WICKET AT PAROA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 96, 4 December 1939, Page 4

WICKET AT PAROA

Sir,—ln the report of the Whakatane cricket match played at Paroa last week-end appears a statement regarding the state of the wicket which would seem to cast a reflection on the result of that match I must admit the Paroa wicket is not 100 per cent perfect, but it is in better order than last season and is the only ground on which Paroa have suffered defeat this season. In f V this match Whakatane scored 45 in the first innings, and on their home ground scored 47. Surely if the ground was "definitely not fit for a competition cricket" their scor<pt would have been considerably lower, but instead was consistent with their home score. Their second innings score of nine was due to the fact that the majority of the players had lost interest after Paroa had passed the Whakatane total, having other interests, which I think the acting captain of the Whakatane team would verify* Strange as it may seem, a Whakatane team a few seasons ago dismiss-' ed Paroa for nine runs,, F Marks taking six wickets for two ? runs. C. Gillam has proved himself the best concrete bowler in the asociation during the past three Reasons, yr --- and I think bowlers generally are deserving of more praise for their efforts on wickets (concrete) which are not of any assistance to them. No reflection is being cast on the "Beacon" as their cricket column is sought by all players and followers as worth reading, and is a credit to them. Yours etc., UMPIRE.