N.Z. CRICKETERS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19140, 25 October 1927, Page 15

N.Z. CRICKETERS.

THE ENGLISH TOUR. NOTES AND COMMENTS. if .ntost ofb owx cosßEsreyriENT.) LONDON, September 1. Few people realise, the difficulties Tom Lowry lias had with his fast bowlers (says ''Sporting Life"). In the first part of the tour. Cotts Allcott was unable to play owiug to an injured fool, and then, just when he was regaining form, .Mat Henderson strained the muscles of his right thigh, lie first felt the effects in the Warwickshire match and then had to leave incite Id during the Surrey game for massage treatment by a London specialist, which caused him to miss the Lancashire match, io which lie had been looking forward. Wretched Season. Henderson has been bowling very well, among his performances being o wickets for '27, 5 for 67, and 5 for 7U. .Moreover, it has been a wretched season for tho speed merchants, as practically in every game the pitches have been so terribly soft as to maKo the task of tho New Zealand fast bowlers a hopeless one. Consequently, I'om Lowry lias had to use his slow bowlers to tho limit, and when they required a rest, to call upon players who are purely bats to send down a few overs. That is why it has often appeared us if the. whole, of the Now Zealand team had taken part in tho bowling. Attractive Offers. Curly Pago and Charley Oliver, ot tho New Zealand cricketers now touring England, are two first-class fiveeighths expected to be chosen to play for the All Blacks Rugby team in South Africa next season, and during their games in the Midlands the Rugby league clubs have been striving to recruit these visitors. According to "Sporting Life," both players have been offered a big lump sum down and a handsome weekly wage to stay in England and play for one of the leading Rugby League clubs. However, tho offers received very scant consideration. Australian and New Zealand players have been offered £BOO to come to England, with £6 for each win, £\ for each draw, and £2 for eacli game lost. A Side of Batsmen. While the New Zealanders have been somewhat handicapped by the lack of bowlers—W. E. Merritt being easily the star —their batting is in all probability considerably stronger than any of our counties. Five batsmen—C, S. Dempster, T. C. Lowry, R. C. Blunt, M. L. Page, and C. C. Dacre—have scored upwards of 1000 runs, and no fewer than eight have an average of aver 30. This is no small feat when it is considered how they must have been hiandicapped by our weather conditions.

Scarborough Cricket Festival. Mr Leveson-Gower is confident that this year's Festival at Scarborough will be among the most successful,' lrom a cricket point of view, that lie has been in active association with. He will captain the M.C.C. team against Yorkshire in the* opening match. This will be the twenty-fourth occasion he has done so—-every year since 1899 —excluding the five years during the war when no festival took place. The New Zealanders will be very warmly welcomed. _ They have played most attractive cricket this summer, and conclude their memorable tour at Scarborough. Mr Leveson-Gower will put into the field an entirely amateur side to oppose them, and a sporting match is confidently looked for. The newcomers include two new Glamorgan amateurs in Mr T. Arnott and Mr J. C. Clay. Although Glamorgan have not maintained their successes of last season, all cricketers will remember what the county did, and the share Mr Clay, by his captaincy, and Mr Arnott, by his all-round cricket, contributed to their county's success. Mr L. <G. Crawley's memorable innings a few weeks ago for Essex v. Sussex, which enabled the former county to win a remarkable victory has been described as one of the great innings of the year. Mr Crawley's batting is sure to appeal to the public. Mr R. E. S. Wyatt and Mr E. W. Dawson, the Cambridge captain, and Mr G. It* Jackson, who has led the Derbyshire team with so much skill and success, are making; their first visit to Scarborough, and. will be warmly welcomed.

Most of the leading professionals, with the exception of Hendren, will again be seen, and Hammond will prove an attraction. An interesting feature will be the opportunity of seeing the wicketkeeping of Lilley, Duckworth, and Elliott, of Derbyshire, the first-named having been selected by the M.C.C. to accompany the team that goes to South Africa this winter. George Hirst, David Denton, and Hardstaff (M.C.C. and Notts) will act as umpires. Merritt's Bowling. The wonderfully successful bowling of W. E. Merritt, the googly merchant, lias proved to be a feature of tho New Zealanders' tour (says "Sporting Life"). He has already taken over 100 wickets-, and is, lately, taking all before him. He is the young man of whom Hugh. Trumble, the greatest of all Australian bowlers, prophesied many big things a year or so ago. Trumble is proving a true prophet.