ON TOP AGAIN AFTER TEN YEARS

Chronicle (Levin), 7 April 1949, Page 7

ON TOP AGAIN AFTER TEN YEARS

"Not Out")

Shannon s Final 'Game For Cricket Honours Was An Easy Oue

(By

Shannon are assured oi' toe senior championship for the 1948-49 season with their win against Weraroa on Saturday. It is some time since they have had the honour of being at the top of the ladder. It was in either the 1988-39 or 1939-40 season that they last held the Hall Shield. Since that time the club has passed through a very lean period. It w7as only through the grand efforts of one or two of the stalwarts that it wras kept going. Tom Roach and Vic Tippler are two of those whose efforts are worthy of praise. I am sure it was with pride that they saw Shannon emerge on top once again.

Weather conditions could not have been bettered on Saturday and many Shannon spectators dotted the oval. A few visitors were also present. Weraroa ha'l first use of the wicket and it was not long before things began tj look very gloomy for them: Not until Saunders came to the wickets did the position become brighte: for the visitors. I have mentioned before that this player had the shots and looked as if he should get the runs, but he did not seem ,to. On Saturday he had the shots, looked like getting runs and got them when they were certaiiily badly needed. W. O'Donnell also greatly assisted his side with a useful 16. As far as Weraroa were boncerned, it was their stock bowlers' doing their batting for them, for the only other doublefigure batsman was the captain, G. C. France^_with 11. Shannon relied mainly on Harri? and Moore for their bowlers, the former coming off with the exceilent average of seven for 26. Whenever I've had the opportunity of watchiffg the Shannon attack in action Harris has at all times j looked the more dangerous, but! after last Saturday the total "bag" for the season showed Moore with 106 wickets — an outstanding effort | — While Harris has taken 94, which j is also no mean feat. When Shannon's turn came to bat, the Weraroa stock bowlers, ! Saunders and O'Donnell, did not rtisplay the same fovm as they,

have been doing in the past few weeks. It may have been that their batting efforts had taken the edge off it. Then again, it might not have maltered much for the little edge that was there was soon taken off by the excellent defensive bat'ting of the college boy„ McEwan. _At present, he has few attacking ? strokes. These will come- as he matures, provided he is guided along the right lines and not advised by all and sundry, but left to the selected few who know how to coach. He could, of course, by his own efforts improve his fie'ding. At present it is not the best. College boys have many. opportunities for fielding practice. They should not re'y on their master for thiS'phase of cricket, but should grasp all the opportunities they have and by their own efforts get plenty of practice. They will soon *see a marked improYement in their -work. It is a great pity. McEwan is not playing for Co^ege. On the games I have seen him play for the Shannon club he is more than worth a place in the school e^ven. Other Shannon batsmen, Harris (23)^McNeile (16), and Thomson (33), compleled" the good work commenced by McEwan. The other games played in the distriet resulted in five point wins for College, Q'd Boys and Levin. In a breezy game at Otaki, Galloway knocked up a 72. His runs for the season must be up to a useful total. If , after the last competition.' games for the season on Saturday next,

clubs woul'd immediately serid in their batting dnd bowling analyses" for the season, they would be printed in .this column and would make interesting reading. During the weekend two ekWerapoa players, A. G. Mitchell and H. Taylor, together witli the assistance of nihe other Palmerstonians, played a friendly game against . a side, composed mainly of Weraroa players. The visitors were successfui by 23 runs. Finally, too much talk — "back chat" — on the cricket fieM does not add to the enjoyment of the game. Whether the match is a picnic, friendly or competitive, such per[ormances are unwarranted and we hope will not creep into cricket in; this distriet.