CRICKET

Hokitika Guardian, 16 January 1931, Page 7

CRICKET

THE N.Z. TEAM

THE COMING TOUR. *

The tour which New Zealand cricketers will make to England this year will be fraught with momentous issue, as «..ie Dominion players will be on their trial in the full-dress Test match which will he ployed on historic Lord’s ground on .June 27, 29, and 30. If the wearers of the silver fern make a creditable showing in this crucial Test it is certain that New Zealand will be admitted as a first-class cricketing conn try, and in future will take equal rank witn Australia, England South Africa, and the West Indies in battling for supremacy at the national British games. This year’s tour will afford a thorough try-out of the strength off New Zealand cricket, as the Dominion team will, in addition to the Test match, meet English elevens no fewer than four times. The first trial of strength will come early in the tour, when the tourists will on May 16, 18, and 19 engage the M.C.C, at Lord’s. On September 15, 7, and 8, the New Zealanders will meet an England eleven at Folkstone; on September 9, 10, and 11, they will battle against an England eleven at Scarborough ; and on September 12, 14, and 15 they will try conclusions with Sir Julian Cnhn’s eleven at Nottingham. 11l addition to those serious encounters the New Zealanders will play the Gentlemen of England at Eastbourne on September 2, 3, and 4. It is difficult to understand, with thesp fixtures on the list, why the -M .C.e, con Id not agree to three Test matches figuring on the New Zealand programme. However, New Zealand will have its opportunity this year. If our men can make a brave showing in the Test match at Lord’s, it can be taken for granted that the English elevens they will meet at the end of the tour will comprise the full strength of the Mother Country.

LESSONS FROM THE PAST. There are some people who consider that New Zealand is 'foolhardy in daring to pit its strength against the fail might of England on the cricket field, but I do not share their forebodings. History is a very good guide to go by and a glance back will show that even in 1927 New Zealand could hold its own quite creditably with strong English sides. What a splendid fight the wearers of the silver fern had with M.C.C. at Lord’s in 1927. M.C.C. hatted first, running up 392, of which the late C. H. Titchmarsh, who visited the Dominion with the M.C.C. team in 1928, made 171. This M.C.C. eleven, it must be remembered, included such noted players ns M. D. Lyon, G. 0. Allen, A. P. F. Chapman, J. W. H. T. Dougins, H. J. Enthoven, N. Haig, M. Falcon and A. Ashton.

Now, 392 was n fairly solid total to face ,but the Dominion players surprised and delighted everyone by replying with n brightly-compiled total of 460, oif which Daere made 107, Lowry 106., AlcGirr 58 not out, Blunt 52, Merritt 10 James 33, and Mills 24. M.C.C. got going in great sty re In their second innings, running np 426 for four wickets, before applying the closure, Lyon made 110, Allen 104 not out, Titchmarsh 81, and Ashton 88. if the Englishmen hoped that the youthful Now Zealand team woftld crumple after their long spell in the field they were mistaken, as the Dominion side, when stumps were drawn, had 224 on for the loss of four wlcicets. Lowry played another fine knock for 63 not out, Blunt notched 51, and James, Dacre and Dempster all ran into the thirties.

Tin's spirited showing by the New Zealanders, in the second match of the tour, established the tourists ns a force to be seriously reckoned with. Since then New Zealand cricketers have had the experience of the 1927 tour through England, the Australian team’s visit to the Dominion in the 1927-28 season, and the M.C.C. team’s tour through these islands last season. Our players have developed since 1927, and they can be relied upon to make quite a worthy showing in the Old Land this year. What a grand thing it will be for the game in this country if they can worthily hold their own in the Test match at Lord's against the full strength of Old England.