BEST ALL-TIME N.Z. CRICKET TEAM

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 71, 10 April 1937, Page 14

BEST ALL-TIME N.Z. CRICKET TEAM

i-i • ,U» .?-.. m x sr, *01®$ selection (fOn OJF LAST - v BECADE ' * ,W#teg In tbe Chiistdiurdbt Press, Mi: X. w. Reese seleots what he cohside» ihe "best ali time" New ZealaixlAricket team. Only three playem of the past deeade — C. S. Dempster, E. G. Blunt, and C. C. Dacre — find places. The picking of such hypothetical leams 3s oiie of the chief feobbies q£ sports historians, hut few me» pre mqre competent than is Mr Eeese to undertake this particular task.He entered interprQvincial cricket in 18.8788, and his close connexion with ihe ggme ever $ince eminently xLualihe? him to compare the merits of past and pj^sent players. Mr Reese's team is as follows; — C S. Dempster (W.) L. G. Hemus (A.) J. S. HSddlCgton (W.) h. C. Blunt (C.Q.) G. C. Dacre (A.) D. Reese (C.), captain. A. B. WiUiams (W.) A. H. Msher 0.). A. Downes (O.) E. F. Uphana (W.) G. Frith (C.O.) Mr Reese does not consider for ge- ! tection, overseas prayers ' yrith more than a local reputation who settled in : New Zealand, nor resident professional coaches. TJhis rules osut such fipe players as S. T. Callaway, fl. Qra- ■ hanC C. Richardson, A. E. Clarke, L. T. iQebqroft, A* Haddon, C. G. \yilgon, and Si G. Smith. * Mr Ree^ remaite' that some 20 pJayers have crpyydeg. much experience into a few years in the two trips to En^iand, and it jys easy to be deceived by the successes ■ of these tours. These games hi Eng- j iand were agains't county sdes, many ! of which were not equal to, the New flealanders. Qn the 'ot^er hand, on | New Zealand turf, our teams and ::tate tepms, as well as strong English cxdes, wiift few ancQe^e?. " " j Two Great PJayer# j "Two player? select thern^ j, ::aving been counted in Engiand and lustralia, as well as in New Zealand, i the- top of their class-^D. Eeese, he best all-rottnder, and C. 15. Demp;er, the best batsman," Writes Mr :sese. "Reese's battjng JUOd bpwling erfopmaaces over a toig periot| speak | "or themselves, especially his five cen- ! .ories against overseas feapas . . . F. Warner, in 1903, stated that leese was one of the flnest cover- ' oints^e had ever seen. His'att-^^d bility was completed by his able and rspphg ieader«hip. Dempster : veryvhere re-cognised as the finest atsman New Zealand has produced." Mr Eeese •rfh&s A. B. Williams third " -s ihe 3M of New ^eajand wicketcepers with C. Boxshgll and R. Wowatrae fifat a&4 aecond and K. C. rmes fourth, but Wfflimns, little be"nd the other two in wichetjteeping xjity, is given the place because of Is really great hattingl F.or ihe re-r ; jainder of |fhe batsmen, Mr Reese ret j^lipinatfiS A "g»e#fc WtPlY c^hdj- ; ztm to leave L. G. Hemus, R, C. 1 . iunt, J. Shepherd, J- Baker, and j. Miils as batemen of the steady type, i^d J. S. Hfddleston, -G. C. Dacre, T. ' lowry, and H. G. Vivian as bats--.en more aggressiye and yarious. A. I sfxs woujd haye forced his way to the ' ;al consideration but for his business • lerests tdking him so often out of 'ow Zealand. Mr Reese adds that it ; hard to exclude such bftsmen as orton, Ashby, Cuff, De Maus, Hpgh, nd Harold Lusk, and others. Hemus, the hest of our "sober inmcibies," Blimt, W.hose brilliant ca- : :sr gives him undisputed entry, and "iddlestton, who, good judges belieye, . -4ght have dope better in Engiand -ven than Dempster had he been/ailable for the 1927 tour, are giyen *ie ftrst three places. Dacre, .New oalanji's most aashing batsman, and - ho, Mr Reese says, strengthemsd and 'otected the 1927 team by his abil7 to Int a go9d bowler o££ his length, ots ihe fourth place. t Chosing the Bowlers Mr Reese chooses C, Frith uphosi--tingly as tbe first stock bowler. Meum pace, with a beautiful delivery» master of length and flight, Frith -.d "some remerkable performances *om 1876 onward against good sides. "f the leff-handeFs, Mr Reese says ' at F. S. Frahkish, on his day, with wind to suit, was the most devastat.g swerve bowler in New Zealand rieket, but he ehooses Fisher, who >wled a medium-paee leg-break and -r/erve. As Blunt is in the side already thpre ; no special need to pick a "bosie" : ->wler, so that D. M. Sandman and E. Merritt must take an equal ■joting with A. Downes and R. Neill. '.ovmes had a very long career and is bowling always commanded ro--ect from the greatest batsmen who * ave yisited New Zealand. His offreak, varied by a faster ball going •-ith his arm, was cleverly "used. by " im, and when the wicket was suitfole be was often. unplayable. "But 't is not easy pr pleasanfc to exclude ~ur two greatest 'bosie' bowlers, Merritt and Sandman." Mr Reese adds: "It is t o be remembered, though, that Hordern, Mailey, and Grimmett would fare the same in e similar Ausiralian selection." Few fast bowlers are eligible, though one must be found. With the expeption of G. R." Diekinson, all the express bowlers had Short careers. W/ S. Brice, another candidate, originally a fast tearaway bowler, performed exceedingly well in the reconstruction period after the war when batsmanr>bip was at a low ebb. IJpham, the fastest of the great medium-fast liowlers New Zealand has produced, 'nvarlably kept an exqellent length, -•as persistently on the attack, and • iidd bowl all. day, and failing a really •si: man of proved class, Mr Reese ofe-ts Upham.