TWO GOOD CRICKETERS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 61, 4 December 1937, Page 17

TWO GOOD CRICKETERS

WALLACE AND COWIE UP to australian test standard VIEW 0F SYDNEY WRITER COMMENTS ON THE PLAYERS If New Zealand cricketers were to be deemed eligible for selection in the Australian team to tour England, at least two of them seen in Sydney would be certainties, says "Not-out" in the Sydney Referee. These are M. W. Wallace, the well-rounded right-harid batsman, and J. Cowie, the righthand fast bowler, who is not a seam-swing soloist. These men are well up to the best England v. Australian Test standards. Now that Australians have seen the New Zealanders their averages in the Old Country become more and more interesting. The batting table tells us that Wallace was the most successful run-getter on the big tour. He filled the bill most admirably in Sydney. Wallace is very young. But he is a natural high-grade batsman, easier on his feet and in stance and less constrained in executing the strokes than most of the younger Australians. In the technicalities of art he looked as good almost as C. S. Dempster was when he first played in Sydney. Cowie gave one an impression all the time that he knew exactly what he was aiming at, and had the ability to bowl accordingly. It was the same with Parsloe, who, however, does depend much more on the new ball and the swerve he gets from the leg side (the out-swerve) with the ball running away to the off. It was this ball which Fingleton edged to wicket-keeper Tindill when he felt forward at the pitch of one just outside the off stump. It wqs the swerve in from leg by a slow full toss which beat CheeTnam as he tried to square-leg hit it. Parsloe would have been a good support to Cowie on the i English tour. D. A. R. Maloney looks about the best all-rounder in the team. He batted very well in Sydney, and bowled the slows admirably, giving the ball plenty of air keeping a length, and turning nicely from the leg. Carson, who bats left-hand. is sound and solid. He started well in England, then broke down a bit as a scoring man. Perhaps he is too cautious, that is, not sufficiently prodigal of his power to attack on the drives. He has the build of a man who could make mid-off flinch. With the ball in England he was not used much. In Sydney he was steady in length at medium to fast medium ipace, and mixed in an extra fast ball now and then. But in neither flightiness nor in difficulty after hitting the pitch did he reveal qualities possessed by the faster bowlers. Vivian is an attractive_ allround player. His left-hand batting is first rate, with clean, powerful, stylish strokes on the drives. With the ball he looks a type that ought, on occasions, to gather in scalps in England. Captain M. L. Page, in discussing the tour, told me that they saw very little rain, and that many of the grounds were worn and parched. Sticky wickets did not materialise in England. In that respect they were not? lucky. It meant that matehes lasted the full

three days, and that the men had little respite from night train-travelling between matehes and the playing fieid. A bowler like Parsloe to assist Cowie on the dry wickets might have maie a big difference to the fortunes of the side. It would perhaps, not be fair to measure uf> the New Zealanders as a fielding combination by what was seen in Sydney. Here Tindill kept wicke-.s splendidly. His gathering in of fast balls flying wide on the leg side after pitching on the wicket, with the flight obscured by tlie batsman, won che crowd's plaudlts many times. Tindill is the All Black Rugby Union halfback. , The ground flelding was not perfect, nor was thf catching. In these departments the New South Wales men were superior, nicely judged catches being taken by McCabe, Copperfield and Cheetham. Two catches in the outfieid were dropped by New Zealanders on Saturday afternoon, after the fieldsman had got into position quite well. The side was unfortunate in losing the services of.M. L. Page after the Adelaide match, in which he batted successfully. It is to be hoped that the financial 1 outlook will brighten, and that we I shall see the New Zealanders over here [again after the best Australian team goes on tour. -through- the'Dommion^