CRICKET COMMENTARY

Chronicle (Levin), 10 March 1949, Page 7

CRICKET COMMENTARY

"Not Out") _

Difficulty Experienced In Fielding Full Teams

(By

As is usual .wnen the season becomes well advanced, some teams are finding it difficult to get eleven players on to the field. Neither the Levin nor Weraroa clubs have always fielded their regular eleven. They did not do so last Saturday, with the result that the trial of strength between these two local clubs lost a little of its interest. In the secon'd" round, when both teams were weakened by representative players being absent, Weraroa inflieted a heavy defeat on Levin, but last Saturday the position was reversed and Weraroa had to accept a trouncing. "Back Chat" On The Field : A word about too much "back chat" from players on the field. This does not apply to all teams, but where it 'does apply play could be improved if heed was taken. The captain can do all the talking that is necessary and also carry out the control of his team. On Saturday the ludicrous position arose of happenings within a team which the captain knew nothing about. Surely, something is wrong with the organisation when that state of affairs arises. It may be opportune here to repeat what Joe Hardstaff said in his notes: "A captain should never have to make an effort to draw a player's attention when he wants to move him in the field, for except when the ball is accually in play all eyes shoui'd remain on the captain." I think it was Hardstaff himself who on one occasion wss talking to the spectators and the eaptain had to clap his hands to draw his attention. At the end of the game he was told that he could have three weeks to talk te the spectators, and after that enforced spell he could perhaps give his whole attention to the job in hand. On Their Toes To come back to the LevinWeraroa game.' There was little outstanding cricket in this match. The batting right through was really poor with the excepfion of Hudson and Galloway, whose efforts gave Levin the advantages. Wilson and DeCastro might have saved the day for Weraroa had they been given the opportunity, but the former was -run out, stupidly, while there was no one who was capable of staying with DeCastro. Levin's fielding was keen. They could Sense a victory and every player was certainly on his toes. All teams should be that way each Saturday. Shannon, with their eight-pomt Win last Saturday, are now five .points in the lead. They meet Levin next Saturday and it will be interesting to see the result, as Shannon have had to bow to defeat in; the two previous meetings of these teams this season. Much will depend on the efforts of theii stock bowlers, Moore and Harris. Tlie fiay these two bowlers are "off" their game will be a sorry one for Shannon, for outside them this team's attack is weak, while their batting is not particularly strong. Forthcoming Rep. Games On March 19 a series of representative games will be _ played against Feilding. At Feilding, the senior A and B teams will meet, while locally, a colts team will try conclusions with Feilding juniors. Of *the A team which played Manawatu, K. Hu'dson, G. Sciascia and Carmont have been dropped, while Ryburn was not available. Of the players dropped it can be said that their performances of late have not been the best. However, on iooking through the list of those selected, Keenan is the only keeper— and by no stretch of imaginatidn could one say that he is up to standard Then again, the selectors may not bperate on the principle of pick your keeper as a keeper. The keeper may have been picked as a batsman. Keogh has earned his place on his batting performances for Paraparaumu, while I have always maintained that Wilson should never have been dropped. Of the B team, perhaps Ryder and Rodgers were a little lucky, the former because of his fielding ann lack of performance of late and the latter because, like many of us, has his best cricketing days wel. behind him. The following are the three teams * - A team: Saunders, Wilson, Keenan, Rice, Galloway, Dome Harris, Moore, Barraud, Keogh anc McNeil. B team: Hudson, DeCastro ODonnell, Sciascia, Carmont, Reeves, Wells, Andrews, Laing. Ryder and Ro'dgers. Colts: G. France, N. Sciascia, D. Clapcott, P. Gardiner, McLean, Munford, Hamilton, Julius, Templey, Buckingham and Brotherson.