ON THE CRICKET FIELD

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 57, 1 December 1926, Page 8

ON THE CRICKET FIELD

PROSPECTS FOR THE SHIELD GAMES

M.C.C. OF NEW ZEALAND

(By

“Burwood.”)

From now an there will be something of interest happening on the cricket fields throughout . the . Dominion. The various provinces are hard at work assembling their teams for the Plunket Shield contest, which is to . open with the games at Christmas time. Wellington will have -a couple i of trial games to guide the selector in the match between Manawatu and Wellington, played at the Basin Reserve yesterday, and the Town v. ■ Country match, which is to be played ! on the same ground a week before Christmas. , Wellington at present holds the shield by virtue of victories over Canterbury and Auckland last year, ' thohgh they had to submit to defeat at the hands of Otago at Dunedin by ; five wickets. It was .G. Dickenson i the express bowler, who won this ■ match for Otago, as he captured seven • wickets for "90 runs in the first innings, and four for 55 in the second knock, besides making 30 runs with ' the bat in Otago’s first innings. This i would point to the fact that Welling- ' ton batsmen are unused to playing ; bowlers of pace. This is not to be i wondered at, seeing that the city does not possess a fast bowler. R. W. ' Hope, of Palmerston North, who tour- [ ed Australia .with the .New Zealand team, Is the fastest bowler in the prov1 ince. New Zealand batsmen will require to strengthen this weakness before they reach England, and shape up to tr’undlers with Larwood’s pace. ' Each province should start a search for fast bowlers, as they are valuable assets in attack. They are, however, rare birds, and the whole cricket world l‘s at present calling out for them with I a loud voice. Fortunately, in DickenI son, New Zealand possesses one of the very few really fast bowlers in the game to-day, and he should do really well on the English tour if he is prop- |,. erly supported by capable slip fieldsi’ men.

Wellington were hicky last season in catching Canterbury on a rain-soaked wicket," after the Wellington team had run up the big total of 497. The ’southerners fell for 37 and 128. It would have been a different story had the weather remained fine, and given Canterbury a fighting chance. The Canterbury men are good fighters. '“Burwood” remembers one occasion when the southerners required about 350 to win in the fourth innings of a

' Plunket Shield match against Welling- > ton at the Basin Reserve. “They will . never get runs,” declared an old stager. ; But Canterbury did get them—and With six wickets to spare. If I remember rightly, Thomas and Patrick were the • batsmea who battered the Wellington attack to pieces on that occasion. Cricket has made such strides through- ' out the Dominion of recent years that I no one can prophecy with any cer- ', tainty which team is going to emerge 'successfully from a shield encounter. Not so many years back, Auckland and i ' Canterbury had matters all their own : way. Canterbury has the best.record since the Plunket Shield was inaugurated in the season of 1906-07, but only i because the shield was presented to ' them in that season. Canterbury have ' placed their name on the trophy on six ‘ occasions, while they were bracketed with Wellington as the holders in 191819. Auckland have six wins to their ; credit, and Wellington three, in addition to sharing the honour with Can- • ’terbury' in 1918-19. Otago won the covI -eted premiership for the first and only time in 1924-25. , To-day Wellington and Otago are up- • sides with Canterbury and Auckland, and perhaps a little ahead of them in playing strength. /Blunt’s transfer to Dunedin will greatly strengthen the Otago eleven this season. Blunt is without question one of New Zealand's very ablest batsmen, and he developed on the Australian tour last season into a really first-class slow j leg-break bowler. It is an extraordinary thing that such a reputedly sound

1 captain as W. R. Patrick should have ’ had a man like Blunt under him in the i Canterbury representative team for so many years without discovering that he i was a first-class slow bowler. New Zeai land has been very badly off for good right-hand slow bowlers, who can "turn . them from leg, and Blunt’s ‘.‘discovery” , has strengthened the New Zealand at- > tack greatly. It is rather a joke that Blunt has played in so many international matches for New Zealand withi out having been asked to, take a turn at the bowling crease. It is the irony ' of fate that after “discovering” Blunt as a bowler last year Canterbury should have to lose him to Otago. The Canterbury men this season will be called upon to face his wily slow ones, and,

judging by the harvest of wickets he i is reaping in club matches in Dunedin this season, he will take some playing. ' Dickenson and Blunt should supply a sharp variety in pace, and should greatly help each other. If Shepherd . can be prevailed upon to take the field * again this season, Otago, with Galland, I Torrance, McMullan, Dickenson, Blunt, Zimmerman, Blamires, A. Alloo, and

Cherry to form the team, should b’ a hard team to beat. Anyhow, it will j be a treat to see these fine players in [ action against Wellington at the Basin i Reserve at Christmas time.

Playing for Carisbrook against Grange last Saturday week, Blunt made 73 not 1 out. This was out of a total of 114 for five wickets. Blunt was also in. good form with the ball, taking four wickets i for 29 runs. , Canterbury’s Prospects. The selectors of the Canterbury team have picked 21 players to attend repi reserrtative practice, and three counj try players have been invited to attend if they are able. There, is not much fault to find with the selection j that has been made (states the “Star”), though there are one or two promising colts who might have been 1 given a try-out. It would have helped to improve their cricket, and it would have been some encouragement to them. From the players picked to practise it should be possible to select a really good team. It is to be hoped that the selectors will adopt the policy of refusing to pick for the team ' any plaver who fails to attend the practises without a reasonable excuse.

D. C. Nixon, who has been invited to attend the representative practices, is a North Canterbury player. In a recent Town v. Country match he scored 70 and 30, and took five wickets for 30 and two for, 10, cleanbowling all his victims. lhere are some really good men out in the wide, open spaces. Canterbury is keeping its eyes on the country players in the province. Another country player who has been invited to come in to the practices is M. L. Page, of Malvern. Page has played for Canterbury on several occasions. He played last season, and his best effort with the bat was 71 against Otago. Again, Wellington he made 1 and 21, and agaihst Auckland 30 and 18. Canterbury were weakened last seaSby the absence of six of their leadplayers with the New Zealand team

in Australia. They will miss D. J. Mcßeatli this season, who has transferred to Tiniaru, and R. C. Blunt, who has gone to Dunedin. Still, with players like Cunningham, Oliver, Talbot, Crawford, Patrick, Page, Findlay, MeEwin, Nixon, Page, Brunton, Gregory, Cox. Woods, Sandman. Read, and Findlay to choose from, it is scarcely likely that Wellington will get them out for 37 at Christchurch at the New Year, when the shield clash will take place. Where Auckland Stands.

Auckland) will bd polished up this year by the final touches which the newly-imported English coach, E. H. Bowley, will give to the representative team. Badcock has been a tower of strength to Wellington in representative matches during the past two season, but this year Auckland will'also have an English cricketer, and a much more experienced one than Badcock, to aid them. Bowley for several seasons past has been a regular member of the Sussex County team, and was a prolific scorer for the county. He was a popular batsman in England, mainly because he believed in going for the bowling. The Sussex man can also bowl a useful slow delivery.

J. E. Mills, the young Auckland batsman, made 122 for Eden last Saturday week. Mills is regarded in Auckland as one of the most promising young bats in the Dominion, and there was a good deal of criticism of his nou-inclu-sion in the New Zealand team which went to Australia last season. Playing for Auckland last season, Mills made 59 and 20 against Otago, 43 and 7 against Canterbury, and 1 and 10 against Wellington. Judging by the way he has been shaping this year he should be in the running for the trip Home.

Auckland shaped, very disappointingly. against Wellington last season at the Basin Reserve, when the home side won by the wide margin of 512 runs. Wellington scored 4’47 and 374, while all the northerners could manage was 191 and 118. Both Kortlang and Hiddleston scored double centuries in this game, while Badcock took ten wickets for 101 runs, McGirr six wickets for 80, and Brice three for 49. It may be Auckland’s turn to bat first this season, and if they do win the toss it is hardly likely that Wellington will dismiss such batsmen as Dacre, Smith, Sneddon, Anthony, Allcott, Frator, Cooper, Gillespie, Player, and Mills, to say nothing of Bowley, as cheaply as they did last year. Wellington’s Strength.

Wellington should have a good chance of retaining the premiership of New Zealand cricket this season, particularly as there is at last a disposition to select from the full strength of the province, which now also includes Nelson.

The Town v. Country match, which is now quite an established institution and a most popular one, should enable the sole selector, Mr. K. H. Tucker, to see the full strength of the province in action. With players on the side such as T C. Lowrv, C. S. Dempster, R de R. Worker, E. H. L. Bernau, and J. Newman, the Countrv team should marshal a powerful side, and it will be an honour indeed to gain a place in the Wellington eleven this season. M.C.C. of New Zealand.

As an outcome of their broadminded policy in legislating for cricketers in the whole of the province, instead of for the players in the city only, the Wellington Cricket Association are fast becoming regarded as the M.C.C. of New Zealand. In spite of opposition from little folk of little soul, the management committee of the Wellington Association persevered with the Town v. Country match, until it has developed into one of the most important fixtures of the year. It has aroused the greatest interest throughout the entire province, and each year sees each minor association nominate its very best players for the contest So great has Wellington’s mana grown that Nelson two years ago made application to the New Zealand Cricket Council to be allowed to sever its connection with Canterbury and join up with Wellington. This was granted, and to-day Nelson is within the warm shelter of the Wellington fold. Now comes news that Marlborough is also desirous of being permitted to come under the sheltering wings of the cricket administrators of the Wellington province, whose zeal is so strong for cricket that their concern stretches far beyond the city boundaries. This is one of the finest moves which have ever been made for the good of tlie game in the Dominion. Under the present benign policy, Wellington’s influence will grow each year, until, instead of being a little parochial association, they will attain, relatively speaking, to the importance held by the Marylebone Club in England. Each year, while the Town v. Country match is in progress, a conference is held between the countrv delegates and the management committee of the Wellington Association. At this round-the-table talk general matters for the advancement of the game are discussed, which must do a world of good for cricket in both town and country. For this very desirable state of affairs cricketers throughout the province have to chiefly thank men like Messrs. C. G. Wilson and H. J. Buck, who all along have viewed cricket management with broad vision. Hard to Dig Out.

J. L. Findlay, the ex-Wellington bowler, is fast qualifying as a batsman in Christchurch. Playing for West Christchurch against St. Albans last Saturday week, he scored 43., Findlay had a rather remarkable batting average in Plunket Shield matches last season. Out of five innings he was not out four times. He made. 9 not out against Otago, 6 not out and 8 not out against Wellington, and 1 and 6 not out against Auckland. Thus in the five innings he scored only 30 runs, but, with four not outs, his average was 30. A London man still to dig out when at the crease is Dick Walker, a lefthanded batsman, who plays for the Weedons Club, in ,the Ellesmere subassociation’s competition. His record so far this season is as follows:—V. Dunsandel, 54 not out; v. Lincoln College, 61 not out; v Lceston, 17 not out; v. Springton. 25 not out; v. Irwell, 11.0 not out; v. Doyleston. 78 not out. Walker has thus scored 345 runs without losing his wicket once. He will have a good average the first time he goes out. A Queer Pitch.

There are queer places in which cricket is played, but surely none more so than at the Eveleigh railway workshops (savs the Svdnev “Sun”). Bats-m-Mi take'block on a strip to concrete with rail line and engines all round. There are no sight boards. Efty-SS

smoke blows freely across the pitchengines are coming in and going out on lines alongside the batsmen—but the game goes on. Engines weighing 85 tons or more are a mere nothing. There is a regular competition at the sheds with five teams and sets of trophies for the winners. There are not stodgy batsmen out there—they take risks in more wavs than one. George Heaton dashed under an engine one day to field tlie ball. The engine-driver didn't know, and moved on—Heaton was lucky to escape alive, but he got a bad doing, and now there is no ducking under the iron monsters. It is not done, but a ball hit under an engine counts a run.

Reforms in Cricket. In a very interesting chapter of his recently-published book, “Collins’ Men,” A. E. R. Gilligan discusses what he calls “the value figure in bowling.” He would like to see instead of the maiden over column in the analysis a column for the value over—the number of overs each bowler takes in which to get a wicket. “The bowler who gets wickets in the fewest overs is the bowler to encourage in three-day cricket,” he says.

A novel suggestion is that instead of the present scoring-boards only the total, the number of . wickets fallen, and the last player’s score should appear. Then batsmen, not knowing when they were in the 40’s or 90’s, would not slacken their pace As a contribution to the controversy relating to rules, Gilligan advocates a change of ball every 100 runs on fine days in order to assist the bowlers.

Visit from South Australia. The decision of the South Australian Association to send a team to New Zealand at the end of the present season will be hailed with the liveliest satisfaction by players and followers of the game throughout New Zealand. South Australia is the most interesting of Australian State teams by reason of the fact that they have encouraged youth, and consequently the majority of their players will be in the public eye for many years to come. It is good news to hear that the two members of the Australian eleven, Arthur Richardson and Grimmett, will accompany the team. The man who will occasion by far the most interest, however, will be fast bowler Scott, who is a really fast bowler, much faster than any other trundler in Australia at the present time. It will be interesting to see how his express deliveries will fly off New’ Zealand pitches. Spofforth, “the demon,” visited New Zealand with Australian teams in 1878, 1881, and 1886, bu t though he had a fast ball in his bag, he could not be described as a really fast bowler. The fastest bowler who has appeared in the Dominion was Ernie Jones, the South Australian, who came over with the Australian team in 1896. In this team was also C. Eddy, the giant Tasmanian, who was almost as fast as Jones. A. Cotter, the New South • Wales express bow.'er, visited New Zealand with the Australian team in 1905. Scott is as fast as any of these bowlers, and is a holy terror on a bad wicket. Last season, at Adelaide, in the match ■ between South Australia and Victoria, he broke two of Ellis’s fingers and flattened Willis’s nose. It. takes courage to stand up and play a bowler of Scott’s pace on a bumping pitch. Groundsmen would be well advised to start and get their pitches in order in good time, otherwise they’ will be most unpopular with New Zealand batsmen. P. R. May, who visited the Dominion with the English team in the 1906-7 season, had pace, and made the ball fly on a bad wicket at the Basin Reserve in the second test match. Nevertheless, Alf. Haddon (71) and Arnold Williams (72 not out) stood up to his rearing deliveries well that day, and won the match for New Zealand by 56 runs. J. W. H. T. Douglas did the bowling for England in that match, securing seven for 49 and five for 75. A 1-1. Fisher (four for 25 and five for 61), and Ernie Upham (six for 84) bowled splendidly for. New Zealand. May was heavily punished in the first innings, his 'four overs costing 24 runs, while in the second innings he got two for 57 off eleven overs. It is to be hoped that pres-ent-day batsmen will stand up to fast bowler Scott with the same resolution, and not only play him, but, as Haddon and Williams did to May in 1907, crock him good and hard. Grimmett and A. Richardson will also be bowlers who will cause New Zealand batsmen to do some hard thinking.

It was rather an experiment when a New Zealand eight was sent across to Australia (says tho “Christchurch sun ) and the criticisms were vast and varying. Some expected success, but few the success which the crew attained. Last year Hamilton sent a four across the Tasman, where it put up a. very creditable performance, and again this year tho Otago four went across and wen several big races with ease. When all these facts are tawn into consideration, the reasons in favour of sending a New Zealand crew to the Olympic Games in 1928 are numerous. ’I litre is no doubt that the New Zealand Olympic Games Committee' -vill assist a crew to get away, for it knows it. is supporting a good proposition. During the time available the powers that ce should make every endeavour to encourage the trip. The opinion has been expressed by men who know, that a New Zealand crew would make a great showing in Amsterdam. The recent visits to Australia have meant a great deal of experience to the Dominion's oarsmen, and in 1928 the selectors should be able to gather together a body of men such as has never been seen in the Dominion before. It is an ambitions scheme, but it is an opportunity which should not bo missed.