EXPERT'S JOB

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 137, 6 December 1929, Page 8

EXPERT'S JOB

TAKING CRICKET SCORES

LATE «OE>fE" HKALY

(From "The Post's;" Representative.) SYDNEY, 2Sth November.

Recording tho scores in a first-class cricket mutch is in job for a beginner. Australians take their cricket so seriously that it is nut to bo wondered at that they have produced several experts in this highly specialised job. One of them was the lai-o Mr. Joe Taylor, of Melbourne, who was accorded 'the unique compliment of being asked to keep the scores,'for both England and Australia. ;

But it is generally conceded that no scorer has passed in efficiency the late Gene" Healy., whose death occurred m Melbourne a' day or so ago. He was an expert on t«ie mathematical side of cricket, and liis legal training made him a recognised authority on the interpretation oi: tho laws of'the game Spectators ne.-ir the scorer's seat often expressed surprise at the speed with which he was,, able to give progress results to the E'ress. Every time a run was scored.thyere was an entry to make to the batsmjm, the bowler, and to the total. If tho umpire signalled byes a "no ball," ia wide, or one short, the scorer had Ito acknowledge the signal instantly anid interpret it correctly. Mr. Healj- reduced all this to a fine art. Before play each day he set his watch by the pavilion clock, from which the umpired took the time. When the batsmen toiok guard, tho time was recorded, an<i.thus when a batsman reached 50 or jjny multiple of it, his time was instantly announced, with the number of boundary strokes he had made. Tlie score sheets used by Victoria in ficst-class matches were designed by Mr./ Healy. They are much larger than ttiose in. ordinary use; there is space, for example, for the recording of 42 overs :for each bowler. In addition to this, Mr. Healy used a pacl ruled in coluntus for the progress total and for tho total of the batsmen, with a progressive list of fours.

The wihole system has been termed as the last word in efficiency, and it is not easy to see how any scorer could improve upon it. So keen was Mr. Healy on. the task that he made peculiarly his own, that he visited every State in the Commonwealth with the Victorian

teams, paying his own expenses. For his services he -was awarded tho gold medallion of the Victorian Association —the equivalent oi! life membership. There was public surprise when an inquest revealed that Mr. nealy had tornlnittod suicide by cutting his throat.