ON THE PLAYING FIELDS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 216, 23 September 1940, Page 8

ON THE PLAYING FIELDS

THE TROOPS AT CRICKET (From the Official War Correspondclent attached to the New Zealand Forccs in Great Britain). Aldersliot, August 213. New Zealand's defeat of Australia in the military cricket match on Saturday was as decisive as it harl been unexpected. However,, it must be admitted that although accurate bowling and smart fielding both con tributed to the win, it was principally due to weak Australian batting. The second contingent of the A.I.F seems hardly representative of the Commonwealth's cricketing talent. There was one Sheffield Shield player in the side: Signalman M. Brame, the skipper, and one of the opening batsmen who made 33 before breaking his Avicket as a result of stepping back to Gillespie; and one Tasmanian representative. The others were mostly first-grade players, several of them from metropolitan districts; but none the less they developed a long tail. The turf wicket had something to do with it. In their camps the Australians have been playing—so far as they have played at all, which is no more than our men have—on cliay wickets of somewhat equal pace to those to which they have been accustomed at home. Pitches in the Aldershot Command, on the contrary, are more like those in New Zealand. There might -be a different tale to tell were the same two feams to meet at an Australian camp. The chances are that for the return match both sides will be a little stronger than they were this time. Our- selectors arc not yet satisfied that they have discovered the full cricketing strength of the echelon.

Saturday's game Avas arranged by the Ncav Zealand and Australian Y.M.C.A.'s and tea Avas served from the New Zealand Y.M.G.A. Lowry mobile-van, with Mrs A. P. F. Chap man in charge. Percy Chapman himself (Cambridge, Kent and England) arrived shortly after the inand Avatched most of the Australian innings. Scorcsc— New Zealand. C. Wareham (Wellington) run out .50 E„ W. Tindill (Wellington) b Edgar .. 23 S. Betts (Taranaki) c and b Lines 15 G. F. Briggs (Wellington) b' Edgar .. .. 5 2 P. Monk (Otago) b Cox 4 T. Morton (Canterbury) IbAV b Edgar .. .. .G Rev E,. Forsman (Poverty Bay) st. b Edgar 6 W. Copeland (Wellington) b Edgar . 14 H. Reaney st b Edgar 5 A. B. Gilliespie (Sth Canter-* bury) not out .. Q Elxtras .... 4 Total .. 135 . • I BoAAding": Edgar 5 for 46; Cox 3 for 25; Lines 1 for 43. Australia. M. Brame hit Avkt b Gillespie 33 J. McNamara b Parker 12 O. H. Cox c Wareham b Parker 0 E. H. Lines c Morton b Betts .., J R„ Hackwo-rthy c and b Monk . 3 V. R. Filleul c Tindill b Monk 0 S. Edgar c srub b Betts 4 F. OfLeary b Gillespie < 0 J. B. Moull c Copeland b Betts 3 J. McAfferej' c Barker b Gillespie 3 N. J. Daly not out 5 Extras ». .. .a 5 Total .63 BoAvling: Gillespie 3 for 6; Barker 2 for 12; Monk 2 for 15; Betts 3 for 27. IS IT CRICKET GERMANY v THE REST THE SCORE TO DATE

A. U. Stria, run out 0 G. Slovakia c and b Hitler .... 0 P. O. Land e Stalin b Hitlter .. 10 D. Enmark, run out .. .... .0 N. Orway c Quisling b Hitler .. 1 H. Olland retired hurt 2 B. Elgium st Leopold b Hitler .. o Luxe M. Bourg b Hilxer 0 F. R. Alice c Mussolini b Hitler 20 G. B. Ritain, not out .. 120 A. Merica, to bat \.. .. — Total (for nine) 156 Close of play.