FIELD OF SPORT

Hokitika Guardian, 25 November 1931, Page 3

FIELD OF SPORT

NOTES AND JOTTINGS. SIDELIGHTS FROM OTHER CENTRES. » CRICKET. The fact that the shortage of good bowlers is world-wide seems to indicate that the position has been brought abou-fc by similar circumstances in each country. Different batting methods, principally due to a general desire to play long rather 'than attractive innings, have made it difficult for bowlers to secure good figures, but at the same time it has to be admitted that bowlers are not as good as they used to be. As there is nothing to indicate that bowlers cannot be- as good as they were tnere is always the hope of a great improvement, but if bowling is to be as effective as it was a few years ago even that standard will have to be improved upon, for the development of batting, principally along the lines of defence, has presented t* the bowler new obstacles to bp overcome, and has given higher values to the qualities of determination and perseverence. While we have beon following with interest and sometimes amazement the batting performances, of the Poiisfords and Bradmans of cricket, we have been forgetting 'the bowler, and in the opinion of the writer it is this factor which has been responsible for tile decline of bowling. A,ll the credit has been given to the, batsmen, and the bowlers have been regarded as' of far less importance. Of this no better indication 'is given, than the fact that Grimmett, the outstanding bowler, in the world to-day, had reached the stage when many players are thinking of retiring from the game before he could gain recognition in first class cricket. Now a world-wide search for bowlers is being made. England would be more pleased -fa find a really good bowler than, another 'Hobbs. Two really first class bowlers would have been worth more to the New Zealand team in England than another half-dozen batsmen of Dempster’s calibre. That fact is being reflected in the effort which is now being made throughout New Zealand to develop bowling talent.

0. V.. Grimmett was just recovering from an attack of influenza when he piayed for 'South Australia against the iSouth African cricket team. With that match he brought his total of wickets in first-class cricket to over 700, although he has been playing regularly in “big” cricket for only seven seasons. .

ABORIGINAL’S BOWLING. N'.S.W. MANAGER PROTESTS. “AUNT SALLY OF BRADMAN.” . SYDNEY, November Li. Quite a controversy has arisen in Australian cricket’., pi roles over the me.thod.pf. bowling ..used, by,.the Queens-* land aboriginal, Teddy Gilbert. Mr A. Rose,. manager of the N.S.W..Sheffield Shield team, which returnedato' Sydney from Brisbane this week; declared that Gilbert’s bowling action .was unfair, as he threw the ball, Quensland supporters decry this allegation, and declare that Gilbert's bowling is quite legitimate. Gilbert secured the wickets of Bradman and Wendell Bill in the first few minutes of the game at Brisbane this week, and although N.S.W. won the match easily by an innings, the manager was emphatic in his protest against Gilbert’s bowling. There is not a shadow of doubt in my mind that Gilbert throws,” said Mr Rose. “The majority of his deliveries in his opening overs were throws, and in the first over against Bradman he made an Aunt Sally of liirp.

“It is not cricket. It is a blot on the game, and I must raise my voice.” J. Scott, umpire, said that he had grave doubts at many times about the fairness of Gilbert’s bowling, hut he did not think he was actually guilty of throwing. “I was umpire at Gilbert’s bowling end at the opening of' the N.’S.-W. innings, he said, “and I found it impossible to watch both the feet and the delivery of the bowler alt the same time. I watched Gilbert' from the square-leg position at various times during the match, and I had grave doubts a® to the' legitimacy of his action.”

Gilbert’s bowling agitated the. Australian cricket world last season, and slow-motion pictures of his action were taken and shown to a special committee of the Queensland Cricket Association. On that occasion his action was passed as being fair bowling, and the picture- was later shown before representatives of other State cricket associations, who at the time concurred in the view 01 Q.C.A. The Queensland Cricket Association will consider the N.S.W. manager’s remarks next week.

ATHLETICS. AN INTE RESTING I’OI NT. Is the time, 4min £SO l-ssec, which C. H. Matthews, of Christchurch Technical ■College, set up in winning the Mile at the inter-secondary school sports in Christchurch, a world’s record for a schoolboy? That question is raised again (states the Christchurch Sun) by an inquirer, who points out that years ago at Charterhouse, one of the large public schools in England, a boy was credited with running the mile in 4min 30sec. There is, however, no available information about that Charterhouse mile, or whether or not it complied with record conditions, and there is, of course, no organisation charged with the duty of approving or rejecting records for individual'schools. Nor is there any com-

plete and absolutely., reliable list'ohrthe best performances at schools. \ve know, however, that the record for the mile at the British public schoolchampionships—the records,. f° r which have to be approved by the authority —as 4mjn 31 4-ssec, set up by J. E. Robins, of Lancing College, in 1929. Robins then broke, by 3-ssec, a record that had not been equalled for 29 years. The question whether or, not Matthews ■has set II P a world’s i record under conditions necessary to the official approval of a record .is .not one that can ,be answered with any . assurance, either way. But it can be stated, quite definitely, that the Chri f s.tghurch boy’s time is better than has, been set up in any other interschools competition.

SWIMMING. 1 Saturday saw the conclusion in Dunedin of what was undoubtedly the most memorable period in the h : story of swimming in the province—“ Learn to Swim” Week. From the inception of the venture the centre officials never had the slightest doubt of its success, and that their optimism .yas justified was exemplified by the fiugy crowds of aspiring swimmers that-patronised the baths at every session. As was only to’- be expected there little confusion & Monday 1 night, hut at the conclusion of the session instructors had become acquainted with their pupils, and viceversa', and the strange sinking feeling that nearly always attacks a.learner had worn away, with that on the. following day everything was going wi.fa admTable smoothness. The number of learners who went through the hands of the instructors is not -known, but it would be safe to estimate it. at at least 400, and of these probably'7s per, cent, ■learned sufficient of the rudiments of swimming to make their further .progress merely a .matter of practice. There were some, ot course, who through lack of confidence, or, some other cause, made no progress at all, but these, fortunately, were in the minority. To the instructors who gave their services so willingly and carried out their duties so conscientiously, enough praise cannot be given. “ Their task at time was anything but an enviable one, but they carried on cheerfully and ungrudgingly, quite satisfied to know that they were helping the sport aloifg. The Otago Centre was certainly responsible for the innovation of “Learn to -Swim” week, and now .that there will probably be at least another 200 .potential-"swimmers joining, up with the. ciubs, the question of where they are going, fa swim arises, and it i« possible that the.stimulus given to swimming by the “Learn to Swim” ’week- may awaken the powers that be to- a. sense of their -responsibilities in this respect. • • !