CRICKET

Evening Star, Issue 19799, 24 February 1928, Page 12

CRICKET

[By Wallaby.]

NOTES AND COMMENTS

In the big match begun to-day we •an scarcely hope for victory, but it will be a treat to see so many famous players in action. Otago is represented by its strongest team this season, and if the bowling is handled judiciously the Aussies’ score might bo kept within reasonable limits. Certainly the quality of our bowling is not high, but Shepherd and Zimmerman’s inclusion adds at least ro its variety. I would have liked to have seen young Cavauagh persevered with, for it is in this class of match that a colt gains most experience and confidence, oven though ho may not perform brilliantly. Cavanagh’s inclusion would probably have meant Torrance being left out, and as this will probably be “the old horse’s” last gallop in big cricket a little sentiment may have turned the scale. I, for one, hope the genial Dick finishes bis career by getting the wickets of some of the worldfamed batsmen ho will have to bowl against. If he does not it. will not be for the lack of trying.

The non-inclusion of Cavanagh means that the Dunedin Club has but one representative in tho team, instead of three, as in the other matches this season. Cheiry, of course, was not available, as ho has gone south. Saturday was ono of Dunedin’s rare wet days, and even then it was not wet enough to prevent matches being played. Just a drizzling Scotch mist, which made it unpleasant for Hie first hour or so, especially for tho fielding aides. With a greasy ball to handle and a saturated turf to chase over, bowlers and fieldsmen were not favored. .On the contrary. Under these conditions Dunedin and Albion struck bad luck. Each had a chance had the ground been dry, but as it was their case proved pretty hopeless.

Grange, with three tail-enders to bat, still wanted 27 runs in order to pass Dunedin’s small total of 103. But that veteran tough nut Charlie Chadwick was also one of the nut-outs, and it was he who was chieily responsible for the runs being got with the loss of another wicket, Torrance bowling Hamm when 10 runs had been added. Tonkin son (the other not-out batsman) had a bit of luck soon after ho came in, for ho played a ball from Torrance on to his wicket without disturbing the bails.

Torrance, by the way, did not make any change in the bowling, keeping Claridge and himself on all the time while the runs came slowly and the match was being lost. Dick seems to have a deadly tear of disturbing tho batsmen (or is it his bowlers?) by putting on a change of bowling. With an optimism born of experience, Grange “declared” as soon , as they had passed Dunedin’s total, hoping to get_ their opponents out again and •“ give it a go ” lor three points. The effort was worth making, as Albion’s fate had been sealed on tho adjacent pitch by Carisbrook, and a third point .would have brought Grange within ono point of the leaders. But Dunedin’s opening pair were not loug in knocking these hopes of Grange’s sky-high. Cavanagh and Norman Cherry were the batsmen, and the two youngsters played really excellent cricket. Cavanagh was the more forceful, but Cherry created quite a good impression by his stylish batting. The two settled down to work, and were still together at 4.J0, when the tea adjournment was .taken, after which they went on and brought the score to 122 before a separation came. it should not have come even then, fur the run out by which it was brought about was a foolish one. Cavanagh played ono quietly towards Tonkinsoa, and called. Cherry came, but the fieldsman got to the ball more quickly .than the batsmen anticipated, and there followed that “Yes—No!” shuffle in “ no man’s land ” which is so exasperating to tho batting side’s supporters and bo pleasing to tho fieldsmen. Cherry virtually gave up his wicket for his friend, for lie turned and ran for the crease he had left, but which he had no hopo of regaining, when he might justifiably have run straight on. But, as he remarked afterwards, Cavanagh was nearing his hundred, and it would have been hard luck for him to lose his wicket like that. All tho same tho other youngster deserves credit for his generous action. His was a chauceless and altogether attractive knock. Cherry has not had much luck this season, having been dismissed several times in what might be called an unfortunate manner. His score of 40 on Saturday should give him a start, and I shall expect to see him do well for the remainder of this and, I hope, all next season He will thus make up for the loss of his brother Reg. Cherry the younger was at the wickets lor about 100 minutes. Cavanagh went on, and alter hanging in the nineties for a long time reached his hundred, being at the wickets two hours twenty-five minutes. He batted freely and well, his chief srrokes being his favorite turn to leg and a lusty drive (often lofty, too) into the unprotected outfield. This latter stroke was frequently made from a ball well up on the off, and was in the circumstances a good stroke. He made a number of hard straight drives also, and altogether hit sixteen 4’s. Immediately he reached his hundred he, as so many young, inexperienced players do, threw away his wicket by jumping out to the first ball and hitting it straight and hard to Elmes at mid-on, who took a good catch low down. The young batsman might just as well have had the advantage of a “ not out,” as the innings was declared closed right away. He gave two chances (at 30 and 4b), both fairly hard. Nobody who followed the two young pioneers stayed very lmi{g, and when Cavanagh got out six wickets were down for 169, and Torrance declared. There remained only fifty minutes’ playing time when Grange went in again, but in that time five good wickets fell for 94. Of these Knight made 43 not out. This batsman is in lino form this season, and lias certainly proved himself one of Otago’s leading players. If he sticks to the free style of batting he will go still further ahead. M'Mullan had just gob going when he was run out for 17, and Elmes got 14 before being bowled. Alloo once more failed, being out Ibw to Torrance for 1. He has been remarkably consistent in his failures with the bat in club matches this year, and his average must be under 10 runs per innings. Galland’s record this season is notable in one direction, at any rate: that is in the number of times he has been caught at the wickets. Elmes bowled with much more vim than usual on Saturday, and made pace off the wicket. With more experience he should improve into a very useful trundler. Good left-handers are not plentiful. This young player made rather a clever catch, too. In Dunedin’s second strike M'Gregor hit Alice high back to the bowler, who had just to walk a step or two and take the catch. He walked back all right and got the ball in his hands, but it promptly hopped out again. Elmes was near by, watching—he seemed to know intuitively that Alloo would miss the catch —and promptly put out his hands and held the ball before it reached the ground. Hard luck for M'Gregor, but good work by Elmes. When Carisbrook began their task of getting the 98 runs necessary to head Albion’s modest total the conditions should have made their hearts rejoice, for they had eight wickets in hand, while Hie bowlers had to contend with ja slimy ball that refused to act tho mm fcHSM iikt the batsmen

played with extreme caution, actually taking an hour to make the first 24 runs. It was not until tho Albion’s total had been reached that tho scoring improved to any extent. The batsmen upon whom the responsibility lay, however, were all youngsters, and they did tho right thing in being sure rather than sorry. As a matter of fact, great credit is due to three of the youngsters for tho way they wore down tho attack and carried the day. Smith and Bl'Lqod especially. These two stuck there like veterans at,a stage when, had one of them gone early, anything might have happened. They took the score from 87 to 144, and settled the issue. Smith is a younger brother of Jimmy Smith, who played some years ago for Carisbrook, and also gained a place in the Otago team. Jimmy is now located in Auckland, and is still actively engaged in the game. This younger member of the family bids fair to be another good batsman, for his performance on Saturday points to his possessing the right temperament. He was missed twice, and nit three 4’s in his 59.

Bl'Lcod is also a colt, and a good one, judging by the way lie seconded Smith’s effort. His 57 included lour 4’s. Proctor was tho third colt, and lie, too, got into the 60’s. But, the •strain being removed (he went in when tho match was virtually won), lie was able to open out a bit, and in his 54 were eight boundary hits. Nobody besides these three made much of a stand, Cantrell (11 not out) being the only other batsman to reach doubles. Shepherd was again easily the best bowler. Ho got hut two wickets, but he sent down twentyseven overs (nine maidens) for 39 runs. Y'oung Simmers, from the juniors, was given a trial with the ball late in the innings, but the wdekot did not suit his slow log breaks. He got a couple of victims, but 55 runs were hit off him. Albion’s fielding was had, even allowing for tho greasy condition of the ball and the field. They never seemed to anticipate, and time and again there was nobody backing up, or attempting to back up, wdicn the hall was thrown in.

The match having been won and lost, not much interest was attached to Albion’s second knock. In this they lost three wickets for 47 before “stumps.” Blair, in making 22, was lucky. In’ making a stroke at Douglas he trod on Ids wicket, but tho umpire did not see the aot of destruction and gave him “ not out.” (He should, of course, appealed to the other umpire.) The next Ball Blair hit straight back to the howler and was dropped. The third ball ho just touched and was held by Blunt in tho slips. Blair was so sure ho was out when he trod on his stumps that ho began to walk off, hut Shepherd, at tho other end, called to him to appeal, which ho did, with the result stated.

Tho Grange fourth grade hoys put up a good performance on Saturday. Batting against High School they put up 199 before the first wicket fell, and they “declared” at 267 for four wickets. Butler made 134 and Rowland (son and heir of the well-known O.C.A. official and scorer) 88. Rowland, jun., also took four wickets for 12, the School being all out for 41, It appeal’s to nw that Southland’s complaints concerning Otago’s failure to scud a team to Invercargill scarcely warrant-the warmth with which some of them are made. In these hard times the financial aspect must be conOtago lias her major association obligations to fulfil before attending to minor fixtures. And this season has been a very heavy one, with lots of money going out and little coming in. Nevertheless, the O.C.A. is quite sympathetic towards the Southlanders, and have decided to sacrifice more of their scanty pile (or, rather, anticipating being able to use part of the wt union fund) in sending a team south if a sufficient number of first grade players can he induced to mako the trip. A canvass was made amongst those on the North Ground on Saturday, and it looks as though a team will be* got. I hope so, while at tho same time regretting the bitterness which some of the southern cricket “heads” display towards the poor foster-parent Otago. The result of the Australians’ first match against a major province is encouraging to New Zealand cricket, and should tend to remove some of the pessimism with which many of our players and supporters have been clothed. Wellington’s performance shows that tho Aussies, though undoubtedly fine cricketers, are not super-men, and that if New Zealand plays up to its best form the test matches should bo at least interesting fixtures. It is to bo hoped that tho weather holds good in Dunedin, both for the match which begins to-day and for the test match, which is scheduled to start on March 31.

A happy reunion of the Otago touring team took place on Saturday night last. Mr and Mrs E. S. Wilson entertaining “the hoys ” at their homo in Musselburgh. Reminiscences of the tour kept conversation lively; and music, song, and story, and some quaint games helped. Mr A. W. Alloo was chief vocalist, and a ‘Two Black Crows’ stunt, in which events “on tour ” were humorously hit off, was given bv the coach and a vice-president of tho 0.C.A., who had accompanied the team. And in the “second innings ” (which was labelled “ Refreshments ”) every person present scored heavily. So enjoyable was the evening that it was well after midnight before stumps were drawn and the guests—after emphatically declaring that their host and hostess were “jolly good iellows ” —left for their homes, the married men being a bit dubious as to whether their respective wives would believe that they could be so late just at an evening at Air Wilson s. If any such difference of opinion rtia arise, and the coolness engendered thereat still continues, my married friends may show the doubting wives this paragraph with a triumphant 1 told you so.” UMPIRES ON STRIKE.

At Hobart recently umpires who officiate in Tasmania Cricket Association matches formed an association and drew up a code of rules which the Cricket Committee were asked to accept. These in turn were submitted to the district clubs, which unanimously turned them down. One of the rules provides that all complaints against players and umpires should in tho first place bo submitted to the umpires’ association, which should decide whether they should be forwarded to the Cricket Association. When the Umpires’ Association received tho decision that their proposals had been rejected, it decided that none of its members should officiate in T.O.A. matches until the association was officially recognised. Several honorary umpires acted in Saturday’s games, and as many old players and others have agreed to act in an honorary capacity, the T.C.A. does not anticipate any inconvenience through the strike*