ILL-FATED MATCH

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 143, 13 March 1939, Page 11

ILL-FATED MATCH

English Cricketers v. New Zealand RAIN AGAIN PREVENTS PLAY One-Day Fixture Today Bitter disappointment was felt by the thousands of cricket followers in Wellington who had been looking forward to the match for weeks past when rain on Saturday again prevented a start being made with the game between Sir Julien Cahn’s team and the New Zealand eleven at the Basin Reserve on Saturday.

Rain prevented any play on Friday, tvhen the wind was from the north. A southerly prevailed on Saturday morning, and showers were so frequent that the wicket was saturated by 11.30, the hour fixed for starting play. The ends of the wicket had been covered, but water had drifted under the cover at the north end.

The captains, D. A. R. Moloney (New Zealand) and G. F. H. Hearne, inspected the wicket at 11.15, and decided to make a further inspection at 2 p.m. By one o’clock the sun was sending a wintry smile through the clouds, aud hopes were high that it might be possible to start play, but heavy showers set in again about 1.45 and put all possibility of play out. of the question. At 2 o’clock the captains again inspected the wicket, and agreed to call off play for the day. The match will be started at 1.1.30 a.m. today if the weather permits, and this will mean that play will be confined to one day.

Rain has prevented play on the first two days of what was expected to be one of the best cricket matches seen in this country for several years.. The opinion is held that the best of Sir Julien Cahn’s team has not been seen on the present tour, and it was realized that the visitors would be all out to avenge the nine-wicket defeat the New Zealand team inflicted on Sir Julleu’s team in Nottingham in 1937. The match was also regarded as a good try-out for tiie New Zealand team, which is fielding some youthful players, and followers of the game in the Dominion were anxious to see how the young players would shape against first-class bowlers.

The cricket today should be particularly Interesting. When the New Zealand captain won the toss on Friday afternoon, he had no hesitation in deciding to bat, as the wicket was saturated, and the English bowlers would have 'been hampered by a greasy ball and a treacherous stance had play been started. TJie boot will be upon the other foot today, as the wicket will be drying, and should be responsive to spin. Yesterday the members of both teams were taken for a day in the country. A fleet of motor-cars conveyed the cricketers out io the seaside cottage of Mr. J. IT. Phillipps, manager of the New Zealand team, in Raumati South, where they were entertained at lunch- and afternoon tea. A pleasant programme included a cricket match on the beach. The only absentee was Moloney, who spent the day with friends in the city.

A SUGGESTION Match With New Zealand In Auckland? (By Burwood.) It would be a pity if the strong combination of cricketers which Sir Julien Cahn has brought to this country should have to return without having played a match against New Zealand. Would it not be a wise move to substitute a match with the New Zealand eleven for the match which the visitors are to play against Auckland in Auckland next Friday, Saturday and Monday next? By taking such a course the New Zealand Cricket Council would give pleasure to thousands of followers of the game throughout the Dominion, who are particularly keen to see such a match. Among the spectators who vainly waited for a start to be made on Saturday were enthusiasts from as far afield as Gisborne and Wanganui. OLD BOY HONOURED Boys’ Institute Welcomes C. S. Dempster A welcome to Mr. C. S. Dempster, a member of Sir Julien Cahn’s visiting cricketing team, was extended by

the Wellington Boys’ Institute, of which Mr. Dempster is an old boy, in the Basin Reserve pavilion on Saturday morning. Mr. A. W. Parton, chairman of the management committee of the Boys’ Institute, and president of tiie Institute Old Boys’ Cricket Club, who presided, said lie had been greatly pleased to hear Mr. Dempster say at an earlier reception in Wellington that he attributed not a little of his success to the lessons ho had learnt as a boy at the Wellington Boys’ Institute. Tills was oue of the best tributes which had ever been paid the institute, and he advised the boys present to heed the advice which was being given them by the present director of the institute, Mr. B. Mabin. The fact that Mr. Dempster had been chosen as captain of the Leicestershire County Cricket Club proved that he was not only a great cricketer but a leader of men. Tributes to' Mr. Dempster’s ability as a cricketer and his personal worth were also paid by Messrs. N. Griffiths, L. Calvert, B. Mabin, and W. A. J. Gibson.

Mr. Dempster, who was given an ovation by the boys, said he had pleasure in again testifying to the help which the training he had received at the Wellington Boys’ Institute had been to him in life. The institute in his day had a splendid director in Mr. Frank Ross, who had a grip of the boys and gave them much sound advice. Mf. Dempster told the boys that be had found that manners counted for a lot when he had gone overseas, and they would find that good manners would help them through life. There wore two songs which they should at all ■times sing with fervour: “God Save the King,” as His Majesty stood for •the head of the British Empire;.and “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow,” as that stood for their neighbours. He advised the boys always to congratulate those who beat them, but at the same time to resolve that they would play hard to beat the other fellow the next time they met.

Photographs were on hand showing boys’ teams of 1917, in which Mr. Dempster figured. After the gathering the boys kept the distinguished old boy busily engaged for some time signing their autograph books.

AUCKLANDERS TO PLAY CAHN’S TEAM

By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, March 12. In the match between Sir Julien Cahn’s touring cricket team and Auckland to be played at Eden Park next Friday, Saturday and Monday both teams will bat 12 men and field 11. The Auckland team is :—A. J. Postles, captain, G. L. Weir, IV. N. Carson, P. E. Whitelaw, W. M. Wallace, 11. G. Vivian, V. J. Scott, V. S. Sale, J. A. Cowie, C. Burke, A. M. Matheson and H. T. Pearson. Sale will be wicket-keeper. WELLINGTON BEATEN Nelson Cricketers’ Easy Win SIX-WICKET MARGIN By Telegraph—Press Association. NELSON, March 11. Requiring 110 runs to win, .Nelson secured this total with six wickets to spare in the representative cricket match against Wellington. Wellington's second innings realized five in excess of tjieir first innings total. Hepburn ami Scott were tiie best batsmen in the side, which did not impress. Nelson scored the necessary runs with half an hour to spare. Wilde batted excellently for half a century. Scores: — WELLINGTON. First innings Second Innings. Kemp, 1.b.w., b. Max ..._ 9 Hepburn, b. J. Newman 41 Ward, 1.b.w., b. Max Morgan, c. A. Newman, b. J. Newman -0 McLean, c. Karsten, b. Max 3 Scott, c. Kansten, b. J. Newman ... 4J Christopherson, run out •’ Parsloe, c. A. Newman, b. J. Newman b O’Neill, c. R. Newman, b. J. Newman .< Meech, not out A Laniason, c. Wilde, b. Max < Extras d

Total H>9 Bowling Analysis.—-Max took four wickets for 47 runs; Vass, none for 11; J. Newman, five for 47; A. Newman, none for 40: Stewart, none for 10. NELSON. First innings '204 Second Innings. Wilde, not out• 50 Smith, c. and b. Parsloe 5 Dee. c. sub., b. O’Neill 10 A. Newman, 1.b.w., b. Parsloe 9 R. Newman, c. Cbristophersen, b. Hepburn 3 Vass, not out 25 Extras -8 Total for four wickets HO Bowling Analysis.—r-Parsloe took two wickets for 24 runs; McLean, none for 25; O’Neill, one for 26; Hepburn, one for 16.

CLUB GAMES IN OTHER CENTRES

By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland. —Three centuries were scored in one-day cricket matches under Hie control of the Auckland Cricket Association. Two former New Zealand representatives, J. E. Mills and G._ L. Weir, scored, centuries for Eden against Y.M.ChA., and V. S. Sale scored 112 for North Shore against Middiemore. Scores: —■ Parnell. 254 (H. G. Vivian 71. T. Hambrook 50, B. Warner 44; Warneford seven for 731 ‘beat Ponsonby-Balmoral. 151 (H. B. Cotterail 38; ,HG. Vivian four * for 51). North Shore, 278 for nine (V. & Sale 1.1.2, J. Archer 52. L. Curtayne 39; D. C. Cleverley six for 126) beat Middiemore, 219 for eight (F. L. Abbott 87, L. ill. Smith 51 J. B. Simpson five for 48). University, 151 for nine (C. Burke three for 33), beat Grafton, 150 for eight (D. Ritchie 40 not out, G. Wallace 39; A. M. Matheson three for 38). Eden. 273 for five (G. L. Weir T2B, J. E. Mills 1.17), beat Y.M.C.A., 131. Christchurch. —The final round of Hie Canterbury Cricket Association’s competition was'begun on Saturday in fine but cold weather. Scoring generally was low on wickets affected by rain during the week and overnight. In the match between the leading teams Old Boys are in a strong position against Lancaster Park, .Scores: —Lancaster Park, 113 (Dryden 37, Empson 35; Graham six for 28, Cook three for 29), met Old Boys, 127 for three (Page not out 58). East Christchurch, 109 (Burnett 32: Oliver six for 40. Newton three for 34). and 12 for one, met Sydenham, 46 (Davis seven for L>). West Christchurch. 11l (Gregory 31, Stringer four for 48), met Ricearton. 81 for one (Stringer not out 29). Old Collegians, 70 (Scott five for 16), met St. Albans, 143 for four (Smith not out 56, Webb 45). , , Dunedin: Though the weather was good wicketc? and outfields were slow after steady rain at the end of the week. Carisbrook A made their position at the head of the championship table unassailable by winning outright against Grange, opening Iho gap to flic runners-up, Old Bovs, bv 14 points. Carisbrook A has oO point’. Gid Boys 36, Albion 28, Univor-r-’itv 25, Kaikorai 24. Grange 22, Dunedin 19 and Carisbrook 84. Carisbrook A. 8.) and 217 for eight wicket®, declared (Heicus 76. Cox 35, Moloney 33, Knight four for 58). beat Grange, 112 and 81 (Chettleburgh 32. Nimmo six for 4-) Kaikorai, 279. beat Carisbrook B, 124 (McMullan not out 40) and 51 n Allcott four for 3, Talbot three for lo). Allcott s figures for the afternoon’s play were seven for 14. Albion, 298, beat Old Boys, five for 25, on the first innings University 177 (Uttley 97, Lawson 35, Robertson'seven for 41), beat. Dunedin, 164 and 116 for nine wickets, on the first innings.