BRIGHT CRICKET

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1932, Page 3

BRIGHT CRICKET

COUNTY TEAMS’ EXPERIMENT’. HURRICANE HITTING WITNESSED' “As-compensation for the short day’s play 4 m the'* crifcket match between Kent l and Gloucestershire on August 1, .the crowd of over 9000 Were treated ,to a brilliant two" hours’ play provided by the two county teams,” States the “Kentish Times.” ’ :v . | “B. Hv Lyon, thfe visiting captain, is d strong advocate for ‘brighter cricket'' ap a means of-popularising;,the game, and the unofficial match was arranged, no doubt, in order to derimnstrate the practicability ' of’'his scheme', for piac- . iiig a time limit" on “the innings. ." ( “It was arranged tha^,/each side •'sliould occupy-the wicket for an hour, and that the greater . n,umber of runs scored (irrespective of the fall of wick- . ets) should decide the issue,. •, “\Ve understand that .in a previous, game 'of the kind among fifst-claiss oricketers, about 900‘runs were obtained in four arid a half hours, but even . this : amazing- rate of scoring was eclipsed on Mortdaj', when. 401 funs were registered in 105 minutes. ; “The bowling was - of a character spe-‘ .jCially designed -to eifcourage the batsmen- to hit,' but. the fielding was exceptionally keeir and accurate arid the" catching brilliant. •In addition;’ men were-posted in all' parts of tnfe outfield to gtiard'the boundaries and'keep down ' the runs. i ! “The‘ v Whole’ of the players’ entered thoroughly 'iTdo-’ the' spirit - of the' novel - contest.’!’ When : a batsman was dis- ’ missed Iris’-fsriccossor- sprinted to -trie ’ wicket,-and dh ; ’the change of overs the fieidsineh- 1 raced" to take up their “ pdSiflbns. -«..';Efefythings''-‘indeed, dorie at top'speed,; arid the great, crowd” sh'bWed u - tlidiY ' appreeiatibh' -by I,! b!'n ! *• inost’ coritinubifs.' rbrir; (if' cheeris. It | wa s all veVj v ' ; %hilaratirig aiid a refreSh!’Snlt 'chritrasT to iunch of the stolid, 1 'safety' first cricket to which we have become'inured. ' *' |, j' "’Gloiibestef, .bri taking"' 'fitst knock, ' Tch'd’ 1 hot'brake too ’' gpod ‘'a"'s'tart,'but I Hammond, hitting grhridiy round ! the; wicket; three 'tiriies s'ento tlie ball j soaring over' the ring, and' When h'e ! left,"'after only' 20 minutes _'at "the '! crease; his individual score wa‘s‘ 69. He' ' was out to a spleildidlyljuHgeci' catch in "the deep,' arid received air ovation ~ for his scintillating display. B. H. Lyon,' Neale'. Rogers, Maclean, and, the other members of the side also pushed the score-along 'at a rare pace, and at . the close of the hour'tlie Score i board registered a totaT-of 198 for the loss of all the Gloucester wickets. “This was’ good going with a veingeailce, but better still was to come: I ’Woolley’s Hurricane Hitting. j “Woolley and AViitt -' soon showed that they by .the tbe- task ’ which faced ihfeir* sidov By -hurricane hitting - ; they senftf up !:! -the “’half-century in the 1 course ' df ldUr? dvefs; and' 70 appeared ! in under! 15-;miiii?£eb. "Joined by Ames, , Woolley revelled 1 in- fierce' hitting, - and during his 25 minutes’ stay—he \yas eventually vtm out—he fiveI’times 1 ’times lifted i the ball over the boundary-.' Ames- .played his part finely for a short period, and then Todd and Valentine laslyd the bn.ll-td' nil parts of the field, Valentine ’winning tflie with 15 miniftes to spare, with a straight driveover ’ the- pavilion rails-—flie twentieth j six of the match. | -“It may be, if the time limit sugI gestiori'-were’ adopted, tliaf' 'iriiportarit- : 1 modifications would be needed in the - | ri>!p c followed on Monday—but the ex-; ! periment certainly had the effect of - I sending home .a- large bank, holiday ! crowd thoroughly delrgllted',with them- !. selves.” ,~;