The MINRO of SPORT

NZ Truth, Issue 1148, 1 December 1927, Page 14

The MINRO of SPORT

POOR FIELDING

Dropped Catches Mar

Club Games

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Auckland Rep.) The first centuries of the season were hit off on Saturday m Auckland, when cricket was favored with delightful weather and a truly batsman's wicket. MOTHING could have been more ** pleasing than Ces. Dacre's dazzling display with the willow.

Thrill after thrill followed as Dacre hit Jessopian right from the shoulder and pulled with rare judgment. On Eden Park Bowley played a dignified innings for 110 before he, too, was caught well out on the boundary. With a batsman's wicket one would naturally expect something impressive from one of England's leading county batsmen against Auckland club bowling, and the expectation was certainly fulfilled. Something unusual was seen m the V.M.C.A. v. Eden match when Otter and Paton got together for the ninth wicket.

The former from the moment he took his defence hit out with exhilarating vigor and from one over took three boundaries, a six and a brace.

Saturday's senior games once more demonstrated the. urgent need of field practice. In some of the games it was pitiful to see the chances missed and the runs lost through sheer carelessness. , In the finer points of cricket the senior grade this season has not been outstanding, and more forethought would certainly be efficacious.

SOUTH AFRICA IS PREPARING

Selecting the Springboks To Meet Oar Warriors

AMONG OTHER THINGS— TRAIN

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special South African Correspondent.)

QUIETLY and unobtrusively So uth Africa is preparing to put its best team m the field next season. If the All Blacks are able to win the honors of the test matches it will be because they are better footballers and South Africa will have no excuses to make on the score of not being ready.

FOR many years the Springboks have been invincible on their own

grounds" and the prospects of New Zealand's challenge has stirred South Africa as no sporting event has done m the past.

In previous seasons when a touring team was expected, a selection committee was appointed at the start of the season and a side was chosen after a couple of trial matches. That such preparations were ample ia shown by the results.

Preparing for next year's matches, however, the South African Board appointed a selection committee some months ago and one or two members of this body 'have watched every important inter-provincial match played this season.

Collectively, therefore, the South African selectors already have a very fair knowledge of the outstanding talent at its disposal.

They Know Them

A proposal to play a trial match at the end of this season between the representatives of the northern provinces and the southern provinces on much the same as your North IslandSouth Island match has not been carried out, mainly for the reason that the selectors already know the outstanding men who, if they preserve their form are sure of their places and they and the remaining players must be selected on the form they display next season. This policy of "hastening slowly" has much to recommend it, as South Africa will have two months next season m which to select the team before the All Blacks arrive. Plans will be brought to fruition during the close season to aid the selectors. iiMuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnitiiininiiiniiiiiininiiitiuiiiiiiuiinininniiiuuiiinu

Quite a number of suggestions have been made, but the most thorough which will be considered and which will receive considerable influential backing is a proposal to run two tournaments next May. The suggestion is that all the Northern provinces should meet m a series of home and away matches and that a similar tournament should be held m the South. At the conclusion of these games a northern and southern team should be selected as a trial for the South African team. The proposals do not end here, however. Boy Morkel, who was a great Springbok m 1910, a greater forward m Britain m 1912, and still a fine forward when he was vicecaptain of the South African team m New Zealand m 1921, has put forward the suggestion that when selected the South African side should go into special training m a secluded camp for practice and physical training. While both the 'Springbok and All Black teams went into special training before the memorable last test match at "Wellington it is scarcely likely that such a plan will be countenanced. Benny Osier, the Western Province fly-half, who played for South Africa m all. four test matches against the British side and appears certain to occupy the same position m the matches against the All Blacks, holds to the view that it will suffice if the team is collected m the centre m which the test matches are to be played a week before the match and that a fulldress practice game should be held on about the Tuesday or Wednesday. South Africa has ever been conservative m Rugby matters, however, and as no such course has been adopted m the past it is scarcely likely, drastic innovations of this nature will be tolerated m preparation for next year's tourists. More particularly as the British International Rugby Board have adopted a resolution deprecating any course of special training. Nevertheless, it can be accepted that steps will be taken to ensure that the Springbok side is not at a distinct disadvantage m the important phase of team-work and combination. It is highly likely that a South African side will be provisionally selected some three weeks before the first test match and that a series of two or three matches will be played against formidable sides, possibly combined provincial teams.

Try Outs

This will give the selectors the opportunity of thoroughly testing out their choice and provide the team with a most useful experience which should assist combination. The suggestion seems practical enough to ensure its adoption.

New Zealanders will be interested to learn that at the meeting of the South African Rugby Board to be held m October a definite resolution will be submitted which will lay down the principle that the captain of the South African team will be solely responsible for the tactics and strategy of the team, and that neither the manager nor selectors shall advise him or interfere m any way onoe the team has been handed over 1 to him, . .. .

Whether this unusual proposal will be adopted it is impossible to say at the moment, but it may be explained that it is the result of the action of the selectors forcing unwelcome tactics on tho team m the series of test matches against the British team m 1924. The strength of that touring side was its fine pack, which proved there is little better forward play m the world than m Britain at the time, but the backs were stultified by mediocre centres. After South Africa had won tlie first two tests, instructions were given to the team to keep the ball tight m the third match. Despite the fact this was playing to the strength of tho British side, the home team managed to obtain a draw of 3 — 3 m an extremely drab game. As the result of severe criticism m the press of the tactics employed m this match, when it came to the final test match the team, contrary to the instructions of the selectors, decided off their own bat to play an open game, and as a result won after a sparkling exhibition by 16 points to 9. While there are experienced explayers such as Theo Pienaar who captained the Springboks m New Zealand, on the selection, committee, it seems rather fallacious to adopt any resolution that would debar them from offering advice to the captain of the team but I think it might be laid down with advantage that the captain should

have the final word m any tactics adopted. While nothing has yet been definitely fixed as regards the itinerary it may be stated that the position is that the New Zealand Rugby Union say the team can play only 21 matches. The South African Board have prepared two provisional itineraries, one calling for 21, and the other with a match In Rhodesia providing for 22 matches. They are still hoping that there may be 25 matches which will allow of all the fair demands of the provincial unions toeing complied with.

The Referee

The terms of agreement which the N.Z.R.U. has submitted to the S.A.R.B. are chiefly concerned with the business arrangements of tlie tour and will probably be accepted without discussion. There may be one amendment proposed m regard to the test matches. The New Zealand Union wanted the All Blacks to be able to choose any referee under whom they had already played. South Africa wish this to be amended so that the All Blacks choose from a list of five referees, the names of whom will be submitted by the Board. This has always been the custom m South Africa and is on the lines recognized m test match cricket m England and Australia as regards umpires.

New Zealand's concession m agreeing to play four, test matches is warmly appreciated m South Africa as it is of the greatest practical importance. Both Durban and Port Elizabeth have equal claims to a match and the passing- over of one of these cities would have caused considerable heartburning.

OVER-WORKED WOMEN.

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