Cricket SEASON'S PROSPECTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 24, 21 October 1937, Page 9

Cricket SEASON'S PROSPECTS

"BaiL")

Contestants Likely To Be Equal i TEAMS REVIEWED

(By

Next Saturday will .see the commencement of the combined competition between the Hastings and Napier senior elevens* and players are keen to make a start. Teambuilding is completed, and from a glance at the personnei of each eleven it appears that the evergreen hope for all contestants to be faitfiy equal in ahility might this summer be justified. Certainly at this stage . it is an impossibility to select three teams that will occupy any of ihe top places. . In Napier, clubs generally reporfc little in the way of fresh faces and a few more than usual of.the promising last year juniors Will get their opportunity in the higher grade. To be candid the junioi ranka could stand still further probing with ultimato benefit■to the senior class, but in Napier at least ability is not taken su^cient n6tice of. , At the commencement of a new sea* •son the hope is expressed that waste time will be kept at the minimum. It is too much -to expect its total elimination, "but a prbmpt commencement each afternoon and the reduction of the tea adjournment to 15 minutes would help considerably. Census of Teams. A census taken of 'the Napier clubs reveals the following probable senior players. H.S.O.B. : This 'club report oue. new player ? H. W. .Itobinson, who has had experience in Taranaki, but he will not be available for a week or ■ two. Meantime, the club will carry on with ,Tom and- Harold Reaney,- Brian and Tbm Mahony, B. Adams, J. Hick-ey,-F. McKinnon, Ken PMllips, Lrfcchfield, "W. McLeod and E. Grey.- E. Robinson, last year's opening batsman, is recuperating from appendicitis and will take his place in the side late in No-, vember.. M. Hutchinson will also be available' next month and meantime his place will be taken by O. Bicker? staff, who last year was a shining light in the High School eleven. Many runs should come- from the above players, and if the Reaney Brothers strike good bowling form the side should prove a tormidable one. Technioal Old Boys report the loss of "Snow" Northe, their able wicket .keeper, who nQW 'resides in Hastings, and in his place have secured A. Younghusb^nd, who last season assisti " ed United. 'Younghusband has had experience: ah a keeper and in addition is n bright and. entertainjng batsman, «o perhaps Northe's defectibn may notbe felt. The veterans, E. Elliott, E. Evans, and D. Pirie, will again be in the field - and with them will be R, Burns, D. Rees, A. Ellis, A. Kauter, A. Cohen, T. johnson, A. Grainger, and the two promising colts, R. Parker arid J. Atkinson. Steadiness in batting and bowling again promises to-be a feature with Technical, and if the young ones add spice to the run-getting the side should experience ouce again many successes. United have captured Wilson, last year captain of H.S.O.B. juniors, and Proctor, from High School, and both 6hould do well with the seniors. There is a rumour prevalent that Mat O'Brien this season may play his cricket' at Gisborne or Wellington, but if he stays he will turn out for United. For the sake of local cricket it is to be hoped that he will' remain in Napier. J. Armitage, L. Pawson, "Buzzer" Grant, R. Chadwick, R. Hobbs, A. Simpson and Fox, reputed to be an Auckland B representative wicket-keeper, - will oomprise the main body of a eido that will depend for its inspiration on the lcad of M. O'Brien. Kelly Frater will be missed from the eleven. It will be remembered that he collected a bag of

wickets in the early games of Iaat son. He, with H. Hawtborn, sgoodalW rounded, are now residing in Haetin^ where they will stretigthen the Rngby Club.. Sporting Cesture. Last summer the Cricket Asaodation in their wisdom, deeided that the bottom team in the juhior A grade should this year drop to the B grade and the j top team in the" Iatter be promoted to the A grade. High School wero at the tail of the A grade in championship points, but this position was due ti forfeits owing toi other' engagements The ruling body was thus confrontet rith an unforeseen difficulty, so Tara dale, in true sporting spirit eloct-ei to. drop down instead. As was th« case last year the B grade, fixtures wil he conducted on-the one-day principle and this method will allow the contttrj club great er scope in trying out players. Technical Old Boys will this aeasoi have only two junior elevens in pia c* of three as in the' past few years and the A grade junior division will comprice United, Harbour Board, Tech., H.S.O.B., High Schobl and Scinde, Ihe winners of laBt year's B division. gteve Moss, who scored five centuriea for Scinde last year, will again lead ihe side an dwitb him will be Don Dowrick and Jack Butler who have transferred vision there will be Taradale, United, tbeir affections this year. In the. B diTechnical, Ahuriri, "Williams and Kettle a,nd High School. McCann, who played senior cricket ih Hastings last summer, is back in Christchurch again and On opening day he scored 100, while last Saturday he again top-scored for his ctub with a neat 45. Evidently the Canterbury climate suits him best for cricket.