CRICKET

Hokitika Guardian, 20 October 1932, Page 3

CRICKET

DACRE AND MERRITT. J NTERES riXG INTER VIEWS. WELLINGTON, October 18. C. Dacre and W. .ueniit, passengers .lie iamu,, arriveu from Soutnamp. toil 10-day. Botn are spending a few inontns,in New Zealand before return ’.ng to. England for next season’s play. Dacre hub been away almost five years, during which time he has been attached to t.ie Gloeuestershir e County -rioket Club. Merritt has been away lor abouic seven months, and lias had ~n e xpeiiente which, lie says, is really ueligiitful, even though t-he fulfilment of his engagement with the Kisnton Club, in Lancashire League cricket, meant a good deal of hard work. file county tor which Dacre plays, .as taken a leading part in the •..fighter cricket movement, “Our caplain, Lyons, is all ior it,” sa.d Dacre “It is appreciated by the crowd, so ;ong as cricket is not made to appeal farcical. Cricket can be made bright in tlie right way. The County was i blp to give some bright displays, esI>..daily'- towards the end of the seaion ”

Merritt said it was very hard to make rhns’ in League cri.ket, as the .wickets were usually affected by rain, and became so difficult when the sun shone oil them. ~ Mateilfes were confined to die, Afternoon’s play, and the limited time' was;.a big consideration.; Itisr experience in one y "season cf the Lancashire. League- erfcko.t • had given him a new understanding of ci’ickif. !;!» was right down to the old village green game. “In this Saturday cric-

; et you have to go far runs quickly. L yoii sit bn the bat' far rive minutes, the crowd will get you out. They do n./t mind if 1 you qn.y make ten runs, so long as you make them in the fight way. At the end of the season 1 found 1 had about tlie second best aggregate in the League. Really, 1 did not think I had it in n.e. The Australian Fairfax, had mc.de the Highest aggregate.” Engl and’.s coiificF. nee in tbe ability of the M.C.C. team to regain the ashes was a point made by Dacre anel .Merritt. It was agreed by noth that toe M .C.C. team would greatly miss I)uleepsinliji. As to the prospects in

ike Tests Dacre was inclined to regird the chances on a fifty-fifty basis. ?. erritt formed the opinion that Australia would win. They believed that t> e deciding of the issue in the Tests rested largely with Grimmett.