CRICKET

Hokitika Guardian, 15 September 1927, Page 2

CRICKET

REVIEW OF TOUR. INTERESTING OBSERVATJONS. (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, Sept. 14. Tdr Hay. in summing up the cricket tour, says- Despite the wet summer causing wickets to which we are unaccustomed, it has been a splendid experience. We began with one or two batsmen able 1 i face solt pitches. We now have six or seven. Dempster on all wickets was Iho best bat of lhe side, closely followed by live other-':. A proof of their worth is they topped a thousand, whereas the average of fair batsmen .in each county side, with numerous opportunities, seldom got a thousand runs. Merritt was the mainstay of the bowling. We sadly lacked a goodlength stock howler. Allcott was obviously chosen for that purpose, hut a- foot injury prevented his maintaining his consistency, though he often had impressive periods. Cunningham, our best fast howler ill Australia, failed to find consistent length. Indeed, hut for Merritt’s staunch work, the side would have lieon in serious trouble. McGiir, Henderson and Bernau were periodically good in circumstances, and Lowry was the most skilful manipulator of slow howling, getting out good sides for moderate scores.

Blunt was the best early in the tour, but after that be was unreliable in length, but he was always respecti ed. | James’ wicket-keeping improved beyond belief, and he lias won the highest praise. The team was delighted to receive Mr Coates’s congratulations. 'l'lte team was also very pleased with Leake.s’ complimenting Hay and Lowry, which they consider was well deserved. Lowry, who previously decided ’o stay in England, is now returning with the team, which spends two days in Paris on fhe eve of sailing from Toulon on September 24th. ft is proposed to disembark at Melbourne for n. day’s practice before going to. Sydney. "Wilson, Newman, Bowley, bangridge and Eastman are sailing by the Corintliic on September 16th, to fulfil coaching engagements.

Huy. in a subsequent press interview,' declared: “It could truthfully he said that the New Zealanders did not tackle the cricket game in the thorough manner that they tackled football. Every young New Zealander hoped some day to be a good footballer. It was not the same with cricket, but the tour would do much to cure that in many schools, where there was little attention given to cricket. Often there was no master able to show a lioy how to hold a bat, and anything in the nature of a good pitch was exceptional.”

LKVESON-GOWER’S TRIBUTE, CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 14,

The following cable lias been received from Mr Douglas Hay, manager of the New Zealand Cricket team today : “Leveson Gower in a at Scarboro to-day said that the New Zealenders visit during the festival had been a delightful success. Their free ■hatting gave infinite pleasure aim there was little doubt in his mind that on their next tour in England their claim to Test matches must he seriously considered. In any event they will certainly always he a leading feature in the Scarboro Festival.” Mr J. F. Peake, Honourable Secretary of the New Zealand Cricket Council. thinks that the amount of £lO,000 mentioned in the cable as the probable loss on the.tour is greatly exaggerated. He states that from cabled reports of attendances it has been estimated by the Council that the loss on the tour would be from four to five thousand. It is hoped that this will he considerably reduced from a four day’s match at Sydney, from which New Zealand will get 90 per cent, of the gate. There should also be a substantial profit on the two matches in New Zealand, and the final loss slfoukl not be more than a quarter of ten thousand.

GREY-MOUTH. Sept. 15. Yesterday afternoon Auckland team defeated combined Buller and Coast team by .12 to 15. The Coast team generally were outclassed.