CRICKET.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1073, 11 March 1911, Page 12

CRICKET.

IBx The Brbakee.l HE TRUTH ABOUT THE AFRICANS. "Googlies" and Newspaper Moonshine. Writes a Dominion representative ;wlio has just returned from Australia:— Watching the South' African team in 'tho* l{aw South .Wales match ,ono'formed the opinion' that they wcr6 not up to the 'Australian standard, except, perhaps, •in fielding. ..Their batting was of the slow, but very determined, order. They lacked brilliance and, in tho majority of cases, seemed content to merely play the bowling. Sinclair was the exception. His mighty strokes were only equalled by Emory who punishod tho bowling morcilcssly, and with wonderful safety.

The "googlie" has had a very severe handling—so severe, in fact, that most of the experts at the art of wheeling up the "wrong 'uns" have been forced to seek other means of finding this "sticks." In the New So'uth Wales match Sinclair' was probably the best bowler.on. his side. Tho Springboks tried every availablo 'means, but they had the greatest difficulty in keeping the runs from 'coming: As to the ball named "googlie," or "wrong 'un," it is not the slow-paced delivery which the word, "googlie" would imply, but a medium-paced ball, delivered with a legbreak action, but which, in the main, bleaks from tho off. At loost tho off spin is the one most frequently used by tho South Africans. Faulkner was tho exception nnd.'broke mostly from leg, and in the second: innings was successful in getting Kelleway, M'Elhone, and Collins cheaply. Why Kelleway was bowled with a long-hop breaking from leg when he was "set" ■ seemed liard to explain, but tho pace, and not tho length, completely puzzled the Test colt. ■

How the Field is Placed. . The field is a study; for the' "googlie" demands that the-strength shall be on the off side, though not in the',,slips, i'ind-slip and short-slip, with, point, cover, ' extra "cover, inid-off, and a man placcd deep liehiiid eitra cover, and cover was tho formation 011 tho oif side. The leg fcit'e, generally- left very open, was the weakness in tho placing. With the above off side arrangement it was oiily perfect placing which produced boundaries, and thii rule seemed to -be (at least Bardsley inndo iit so) to gor right forward and use. tho drive with advantage. Perhaps the left-hander's' toiling, forward strokes -on the' off, and Macartney's terrific smashes past cover wero tho main factors in'making the.bowling look, so easy, but though scored off so often, thcro were several occasions when runs wore not got easily, and at one stage there were five maidens sent down—three from Sinclair. Even champion Bardsley was puzzled, and it was not until, Ivelleway got a single in tho sixth -over that ' tho left-hander breathed freely. That single recoived an ovation. Summed up • the power of "goofelie" seems to lie in, the pilch of the ball, ;.,the short-pitched ones being tho most.successful.

• .The Tamsncss of South Africa. Turning" to tho batting tho difference in tho styles is very marked, Australians ; are mostly of the dashing order, and go forward to almost everything, while, tho ; South Africans prefer to. keep nearer the '■ wickets 'to' ihake their strokes. "Timing" —that unexplainablo thing 'in first-class ! batting—is .vijry different between the two teams. When the Springbok "blocks," or ' plays the ball, it seems to fall froth tho bat "dead." But it' is easily' noticeable ' that the ball, has much more "life" after • making contact- with -Kangaroo wil-. low. The boundary is ait effort requiring a large amount of muscle to the AfriV can, but .to the Australian, the'timing of the ball gives the pace,' For Safe batting and big scores tho Africans can be "better relied on than their opponents, '.but it' is a patient business, antf tO the Australian mind, tame; However, experience and cultivation will yet make tho man #f the veldt a proposition hard to jjislve. . ,

AUSTRALIAN TEST BATTING

In the Wednesday series the Union aro now leading, and havo excellent prospects of obtaining tho championship. They have'suffered defeat only once this season. The runncrs-np (Rivals), havo been defeated twice. Next week Union will meet Artillery, and Rivals will play Oriental. Unless Union aro defeated, and Rivals obtain n i'our-;ioint win, tho contest for the championship will bo decided, in Union's favour. Following is tho position of teams at present Union, 22 points; Rivals, 18 points; Oriental, 12 points; I'ost and Telegraph, 8 points; Tramways, 4 points; Vivian, -t points. I.ast Wednesday's play completed the first games of the second round. Unless Union are defeated, and Rivals obtain a four-point win, which would necessitate a final contest between these teams, Wednesday crieket will probably close down on March 29.

Harris and His Slow Breaks. The match, ended last Wednesday, in which Union were pitted against Rivals, was a very disappointing contest. Rivals appeared to bo disorganised; they played a long way below normal form, and their batting went all to pieces. Davis, in the second innings, brought a littlo temporary relief .by knocking up 42, but it was an innings which contained a good many lucky strokes. Tako it all round, the performanco'of Rivala was poorj remarkably so. ;

Chief agent in the disaster thai descended on lliriils was, of courses Harris, who did the Union bowling, unassisted ia tho first innings, and took all ten wickets for U. Hut these very figures suggest that something was wrong with Bivals. Tho slow off-breaks which-flarris sends down require playing, of course, and • the .occasional faster ball with, which lie Varies his work no doubt needs stopping at times,' but still it should .not bo possible . for ;i/.bowlei' to crumble Tip a. whole tofim-ni'this way. When such an 'cyOnt 'fhapJiQtiS' there is somflftilig wrong with'.the batsmen. In tho "second" innings Harris closed tho careers of. five ltivals for .18, and O'Sullivan put a neat tailpiece to the work by taking two for nil.

WEDNESDAY BATTING AVERAGES.

WEDNESDAY BOWLING.

Another Centurion Arrives. ■ One ;of the few performances that stood out in the- Oriental-Post and Telegraph match was that of Tyrrel, who compiled K in batting fori the. ilattor team." His innings, chicfly remarkably ,for hard; clean driving,' was a fine exhibition "dfiSteady, vigorous play. On the other..sidG : Wilkinson was responsible for a rnofe varied innings and a bifgev score. ..lift, made 105, not out, and converted what had appeared a certain defeat for Oriental into a two-point victory. Wilkinson is equally gocd at sending the ball to any part of the field. His play is a jpleasant alternation of straight driving arid more elaborate strokei.. In this performance he gave not" £ single chance until lie had mado 93 Then lie gavo a 'couple,! which were missed. During the remaining part of his innings his defonco waa..aouild.

Wsdnesbay" Junior' Championships! The two leading teams in "tho Wednesday junior championship contests are Oriental and Post and Telegraph. The first-named team is now in tha lead, with 24 points, and Post and Telegraph follow with 16. Until they were defeated, .jn tho last match played by Oriental, Post and Telegraph had practically an u'ntieaten record. . Even,.with,this,,defeat they, would stili be onlv four-points in the rearjof the leading • team 'but for "the " fact' thht the opening match of the season, .in„which they defeated 'the Y.M.C.A. team, lias been mficlotho subject of a protest. Tho juniors all round have ; shown, very good form dtiring the season, .and many individual players. havo sensibly improved. Home six or. eight of; tham have made such progress as to earn elevation' to senior gra'.kv One of tho most notable of the promoted juniors is Douglas, a young Artillery placer, who is at tho present time leading in a competition for a bat which is to be awarded to tho fieldsman showing most improvement in form (luring the season. Douglas is nlso a promising batsman.' Playing for the first time in senior grade against Vivians, ho made 31.

The Veterans' Match. Mr. J. C. Cusack (secretary of the Wednesday Association) has already received several applications from veterans for positions in the team which is being organised to meet a team of visiting Christchurch veterans in Wellington at Easter time. Mr. Cusack is hopeful that the fixture can bo arranged, and that the locai stalwarts will give a good account of themselves. A Sportsmanliko Offer. With a view to assisting the Saturday Association in a financial way, the Wednesday Association is proposing a two-day match between Wednesday and Saturday representatives. The-idea is that a charge should lie mado on each day for admission, and that tho proceeds should go to tho Saturday .Association. Mr. Cusack has approached the secretary of the Saturday Association in the matter, and nossibly something definite will havo been arranged by tho time this noto appears. The Wednesday people hold it essential that if the match is arranged tlioy should bo permitted to retain as members of their team any Saturday senior players who also play on Wednesday. If this'can be arranged an interesting contest should result. Tho midweek players have in any case taken up n uportsmanlike attitude in making this proposal, which will no doubt bo appreciated by their Saturday brethren.

< • vi -u rt , v eo s « , to eo ■ .a - ° . Jg a - g • 5 fs 3» 5?:" <i • Trumper 1) 2 214* GGl 94.42 Bardsley 0| 0 132 573 63.G6 Hill 8 0 191 425 53.12 Armstrong ... 8 0 132 423 52.87 Ivelleway ft 2 tn 295 42.14 Hansford ft 0 95 318 35.33 Ilncartney ... 7 0 137 208 29.71 Hordern 3 0 50 81 27 Gehrs 7 0. G7 202 22.85 Whitty 8 3 3D' 90 18 Cotter 8 1 3B* 80 11.42 Carter 8. 2 17 5G 9.33

AUSTRALIAN BOWLFNG." ' AverWkts. Runs. age. Rnnsfortl 1 9 9 Whitty 38 632 J6.63 Hordern 11 . 291 21 Cotter 20 ' :• 573 28.65 Armstrong 11 507 46.09 Kelloway 7 388 55.-12 Hacartney 1 1G1 161 AFRICAN TEST BATJING. t/, J-J 4J Cl <"J to s w . to to 5 ° ij 9 u 2 d -*? sco ta o d £ co ' ( M Faulkner:...... in — 201 732 73.2 Zulch ............ 10 1 150 355 39.41 Nourse 10 2 02' 301 38 Snooke 10. — 103 .25!) 25.9 Llewellyn ... !) — 80 198 22 i Shorwoll 10 1 - (iO 180 20 I'cgler 8 2 20 107 17.83 Sinclair 10 1 5S' 1J9 10.55 Schwarz 10 2 (il 132 10.5 Strieker 10 — 18 151 15.1 Pearso li — 31 55 9.1H Hathorn 2—1) 11 5.5 .Vogler i 1.2* 2 • .go ■ AFRICAN BOWLING. AverWkts. Runs. age. Kehwarz 25 611 25.76 Pcarso 3 100 35.33 Llewellyn 11 559 39.21 Voglqr 1 ,170 11 Fegler 8 108 51 Faulkner 10 511 51.1 Sinclair 8 537 67.12 Strieker 1 82 82 Pnooko — 70 — Union Head the Wednesday List.

... 6,-4. « ' -3- .2 - ° 2 H S H K <! Waters! (Union) .... 350 101 7 0 50 0 Blamires (Artil'ry) 200 120 5 1 50.0 Hull (Tramwayy 337 SB 7 0 48.1 \V1lk1ns.on (Uritn.), 192 . 105*/ 6 2 48.0 31 Cull (Union) ... 268 '72 ' 7 '0 38.2 Brantley (Trams.)..; 187 '46 7" 2 37.4 Uouglas • (Artil'ry); ■ 31 31 1 0 31.0 Paton (Artillery) ... 30 26* 3.2 30.0 Knapp (P. and T.) 230 .03 .9 .1 28.7 M'Kay (1'. and T.) 229 , 75 9,1 28.6 Dempsey- (Vivian) 282 75 11 1 28.2 Hay (1». arid T.)„. 155 '32 8 2 25.5 Mulford (Union) ... 151 36 8 2 25.1 Warne (Union) ... 25 25 1 0 25.0 Weybourno (Artil.) 198 57" 9 1 21.7 M'Kenzie (Rivals)... 155 ■ 51* 9 2 22.1 Tyrrell (P. and T.) 304 83 14 0 21.7 Little (Oriental) ... 214 50 11 1 21.4 Mason (Artillery) 105 22 8 3 21.0 Davis (Rivals) 209 79 12 2 20.9 Harris (Union) 82 36 5 1 20.5 Marshall (Trams.) 81 22 6 - 2 20.2 O'Sullivan (Union) 14l 37 7" 0 20.1 Cording (Vivian) ... 218 75 11 0 19.8 Thompson (Trams.) 195 45 ■ 10 0 19.5 Toms (P. and T.) 132 35 10 3 18.8 George (Rivals) ... 187 49" 13 3 18.7 M'Eldowney (Artil.) 144 86 10 2 18.0 M'Intyro (Artil.) ... 143 71 8 0 17.8 Wholan (Union) 89. 32 G, 1 17.8 Smith (Artillery) ... 139 42 9 1 l"-3 Plimmer (P. and T.) 138 .25 9 1 17.2 Darrocli (Rivals) ... 153 35 "9 0 17.0 Bsntlcy (Oriental) 34 22 2 0 17.0 Anderson;---(Rivals).»r4,&4-M..43.»J.lia«.l-. 16.4 Stainton (Rivals) ... 174 56*12 1 15.8 TVyatt y. and T.J 2(1:' 38 13 0 15.5 Carson (Vivian) ...17.1 4? 11 0 15.4 Inker (Union) 10:.! 92 s 8 1 15.1 Toihurst (L'.-i... U9 57 3 9 1 14.S Greijj (IV ami T.i 3SO 31* 13 ' 4 14.4 Tiusjott (Oric-iitaJ) I'M 38-9 1 14.1 Uilmir ■ (Arhiiery) 23 26 2 , 0 14.0 ?ii'llonald (Tru:i;f,;) .14 14 2 1 14.0 X-arkinson ' (Tfaras;) . 81' 32 7 1 13.5 Caterer (Vivian) ... 120, 51* 10 1 13.3 Shand (Oriental)' ...125 '41 11 1 12.5 Bellman (Oriental) 110 65 9 0 12.2 Malmanplie (Vivian) 37 12 8 5 12.1 Clark (P. and T.) 36 17*. 4 ..1 12.0 Clark (Tramways) 77 .31* 8 1 11.0 M'Evedy (Rivals) ... 93 49 9 0 10.8 Crouch (Rivals) ... 74 21 11 4 10.5 Branz (Artillery) ... 63 20 6 0 10.5 Robinson (Union) ... 31 30 3 0 10.3 Bonner' (Union) ... 40 26 5 ■ 1. 10.0 •Indicates not out.

Wkis. Runs. Av'gc. Darroeh (Rivals) ... 18 119 G.6 M'lrityre' '(Artillery) -It 405 9.2 George (Rivals) 21 . i95 0.2 Rodgers (Tramways). 12 126 10.5 Howe (Rivals) 1-1 156 "" ll.l O'Sullivan (Union)... H 163 - 11.6 M'Gill (Union) 20 261 13.2 Braniley (Tramways) 16 * 11.2 Stainton (Rivals) "... 15 • ' 215 ■ 14.3 Ki&'Mk.SvV BSiilBKS Wyatt (P. and T.) ... 17 263 15.7 Grcig (P. and T.) ... 17 274 16.1 M'Evndy (Rivals) ... 17 . 282 16.5 Dempscy (Vivian) ... 11 183 16.6 Shand (Oriental) 12 207 17.2 Bentley (Oriental) ... 10 a . 173 17.3 Bailey (Artillery) ... 21 417 " 19.8 Pljmmer (Prand'T.); 13'-; 263r 20.3 Bellman' 1211. *' #49;; 20.7 Carson (Vp'ian) 1023.5 Thompson (\ ivian).;.-> 12. • .. >.£31.,- ... Thompson (Oriental) 10 267 26.7