More Emphasis On Team Work Would Have Greatly Improved Play

Chronicle (Levin), 10 April 1948, Page 7

More Emphasis On Team Work Would Have Greatly Improved Play

LAST week saw the curtain fall on yet another good season of cricket in the Horowhenua. Looking back on the performance of teams brings a deeper realisation of the value of team spirit and more consistent net work by individual players. The Levin Club awoke to this fact during the latter stages of the competitions. Playing as a team, its superiority was very noted. Congratulations are due to it for its succ.ess in securing the chanipionship. Foxton's effort in finishing a close second is also worthy of praise. A Levin defeat and an eight point win would have secured it the lead.

There was keen competition between the four leading teams, Levin, Foxton, College an'd Old Boys. Considering that this is Foxton's secohd year, it did exceptionally well to be in the first four at the end of the season. College. a young team, was also outstan'ding and Old Boys, also a young team, did very well. Weraroa and Paraparaumu, last year's winners- aird runners-up, fell away this season. Paraparaumu, however, has a scattered district and, considering • the distances travelled by players, its performance was quite creditable. Shannon, and Otaki went very well, ably led by T. Roaeh (Shannon) and H. Rice (Otaki). Otaki had a junior team this seascn, until the paralysis put an end to the competition. The need for the encouragement of. young pir.yers cannot be too strongiy stressed, and in this respect Otaki seems to have the right idea. Tt is'J a great pity that the junior competition had to be abandoned this Season. but it is to be hoped that they will have better luck next season. Last year was not very successful from the point of view of the results * of representative games, but all players gained very valuable experience which should stand them in gocd stead. Horowhenua Iwas beaten by Manawatu in the two games played, by the Brabin | Sleield team and by Southern ! Hawke's Bay. It was successful } though in its gapie with Feilding, j Keith Hudson was the most _outj standing, doing well with both bat i and ball. His flnal 126 (retired) in J the game against Wellington | Tnstitute was a grand climax to a I laudable performance, although I his 40 odd in the game with Mana-, | watu B was delightful stroke play.' ; Gordon Scia°cia blossomed „ f orth , with some brilliant play in the Brabin Shield Game on the iBasin Resefve. , Herb. Rice turned in sound knocks in the second fnnings at tjie Basin and also iagainst j Feilding. ' m Generally speaking, the bowling lacked sting. with the exception of | Alan Saunders in the first innings ( I in the Brabin Shield game. I Club cricket wafe handicapped by bad wickets. The dangerous state ! of most of them is discouraging to j players and detrimental to good , cricket. A severe injury might ruin the cricket future of young play-

ers and the fear of it 'deter many of the older players from participating, as the majority can ill afford to be absent from their work through this cause. A good muster at practices is essential for a successful season. It was those teams which turned up consistently for practice that reached the top this year. Many teams were late in starting, and the association reports that only two teams, Paraparaumu and Foxton, sent in returns with any consistency. Horowhenua can bo very proud of its achieveinents cver the last season in spite of bad conditions. It has some very sound players and, with improved phiying condi- I t'ions and good ^co-cperative spirit, j it should leave its. mark in cricket circles next season.