CRICKET.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 October 1928, Page 3

CRICKET.

AN ENGLISH TEAM?

GILLIGAN MAY COME

CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 18

A. E. R. Gilligan, the English cricketer, would be pleased to lead a team to New Zealand in 1929-30, according to a statement containing in a letter from Mr A. Sims, the New Zealand Cricket Council’s representative in England, to the Council. The letter was dealt with at last night’s meeting of the Council’s Management Committee.

Mr Sims stated that India had also sent an invitation for an English team to tour there during this season. “This question of sending teams is a serious matter,” added the letter. “There is the great difficulty of getting a suitable captain willing to go, and the difficulty of getting good amateurs to go away for so long. . “In these days there are nothing like the amateurs available who can afford to give the time to cricket that they could give in tlie past.”

Mr Sims added that the Question might not be dealt- with until December. He had seen Mr Gilligan, who said 'that he would he very glad to have the onoortunity of taking a team to New Zealand. The chairman (Mr D. Reese) said that Mr Sims was on his way out to New Zealand, and it would be best to defer discussion until they heard further from him or from the Marylebone Club. This was agreed to.

ENGLISH TbUFT.

OPENING MATCH

(Received this day at 8 a.m.) PERTH, Oct. 19. The English Eleven took their first strike in Australia to-day in the match with Westralia. Winning the toss he elected to bat, Chapman, White-, Jardine, Sutcliffe, ITyldesley. Hammond, Mead, Hendren, Leyland. Ames and Geary representing England. They had the advantage of a good wicket sheltered from rain falling in the night and morning. Five thousand watched England’s opening in ideal weather, hut departed unimpressed. Westralia is the weakest cricket State in Australia yet their fielding and bowling compelled respect. The batsmen were evidently yet suffering from sea legs and apparently played solely to preserve their averages, a idull day’s cricket resulting. Mead, the champion stonewaller, retired with a single, amid ironical comments. Hammond’s foot work and defence was excellent, but he was unimpressive for fourteen. Jardine Was the star performer of the day with beautiful strokes scoring safely and rapidly; mostly in singles hut toward his century he recorded eleven fours. He was finally caught at 169. Tyldesley took chances in making 66. Hendren showed his old time style in compiling 55. Towards the close of play Hendren apd Jardine brightened the batting considerably. Tile general impression on the day’s play is that Australia hafj bright hopes of retailing the Ashes, but tire bowling of the visitors has yet to be seen.

The chief feature of tlie pl&y so far is the comolete absence of any desire fbr brilliance. Leyland 15, Sutcliffe 28, Hammond “14, Mead 1, Tyld"cDv 66, Jardine 109, Hendfen (not out) 55, Ames (not out) 3. Total 6 for 306. ; ‘ .