ONE-DAY CRICKET

Hokitika Guardian, 24 November 1933, Page 5

ONE-DAY CRICKET

URGED BY CROMB

IMPROVEMENT TO THE GAME. (Per Press' Association—Copyright), CHRISTCHURCH, November 23. Looking very lit after a season of cricket in the Lancashire League, in England, Mr lan B. Cromb, the New Zealand cricketer returned to Christchurch, this morning. Mr Cromb did not travel to England specially to p-lay cricket, but since bis business took him to the Old Country, lie accepted an engagement with the East Lancashire Club, and lifs effort- were not without success. With his business accomplished, lie will not return t 0 the League cricket, but intends to settle down in Christchurch.

“The one-day game would be a good thing in Christchurch,” said ’Mr Cromb. “It would certainly improve the fielding, and that wants improvement. It also makes a man overcome his nervousness and play the shots. It cannot be said that the one-day game simply turns a man into a slogger. There are at least eight amateurs in the League who play well enough to deserve a place in the Canterbury team, and three of them would probably gain New Zealand honours. The fielding is of a very high standard. Ono man, Musson, is one of the best fieldsmen at cover-point I have ever seen.”

Though he had some bad luck with dropped catches at the start (“our side fielded worst of all,” he said with a smile). Mr Cromb took forty wickets for his club, and recovered from a bad start to finish third in the batting averages for the whole of the League. Mr Cromb had a real taste of “bodyline” bowing, so-called, when he had to face the fast leg theory of Constantine, the West Indian, who is little slower than Larwood himself. Against Constantine, the New Zealander bad a good measure of success; his average against that bowler was no less than 145. However, it was at the expense of three or four bad knocks,- including one that broke his thumb.

“He was very hard to get on to for a start,” said Mr Cromb. “He would roll his sleeve well up, and with the black arm coming over against an indistinct background it was difficult to see the ball leave his hand. I waited till lie sent them down short and then tried to hit them hard to leg. If the shot came off, the fieldsmen close in had no chance of stopping the ball.” W. E. Merritt, who after playing League cricket is now’' playing'League football, intends to stay in England for a year or. so', but has no definite intention of remaining there permanently.