SPORTSMANSHIP IN CRICKET

Chronicle (Levin), 19 November 1946, Page 4

SPORTSMANSHIP IN CRICKET

C. M.

WALLACE.

Sir, — May I have a little of your valuable space to> reply to "A Would Be Sportsman's" letter in Monday's "Chronicle." As captain of the Weraroa Cricket Club it is my duty to give a few details in defehce of my bowler, who "scared" the yotinger C'ollege lads out before they had arrived at the crease. On a previous- Saturday the Col'iege "B" team had defeated the Shannon "A"' team, which gave me the impression that they must be a reasonably good side, so I opened the attack with our fast bowler. The -faicket was. very dead after recent rains and the ball, if anything was keeping, low. If the ball had been flying head-high, I could have understood dhe lads being nervous. The bowler was on the wicket all the time, and could have been kept out with a good straight bat. In the bowler's first over he secured one wicket, and in his second he took another.. He had not proved himself a "Larwood" up to that stage. In histhird over he took five wickets, including the hat-trick. Seven runs were scored from the other three balls. What is going to happen to grade cricket in this district if certain bowlers .are barred from bowling? In our" only other match this season against Shannon "B" we stood this bowler down. Is not he entitled to his afternoon's cricket as well as anybody else? "A Would be Sportsman" fails to mention that in their second innings we used the slowest bowlers we possess, and even then one of them secured five wickets for eight runs, and their team fared little better. In conclusion, the writer would like to mention that he learnt his cricket at the same age as these lads against -bowlers of pace such as Newth, of Shannon, and Auckram, of the Levin- Club, and in those days we played on concrete wickets. If the lads are not prepared to stand up and learn the art of batting against good bowling, I cannot see any of them distinguishing themselves on the cricket field. Yours etc..

Levin, Nov. 19.