OUT IN THE PROVINCES

NZ Truth, Issue 1194, 18 October 1928, Page 16

OUT IN THE PROVINCES

Challenges Likely To Be Strong For Plunket Shield

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Cricket Correspondents.) THE New Zealand Cricket Council intends leaving no stone unturned m an effort to make this the brightest season of the game. A suggestion is afoot to stage a. North v. South Island match. This, no doubt, will receive favorable^ consideration.

wood), I. M. Hamilton (Old Collegians), J. A. Newman and W. Hayes !(We,st Christchurch), N. Dor'reeh ' (St. Albans) ■and C. Oliver and W. Cunningham (Sydenham) were all m the picture m iPlunket Shield matches last season, while nine of .them played . for either New Zealand or The Rest. Wellington ' cricket will make a start on Saturday, [a. month after Christchurch. The reason for t^iia late start is hard- to understand, but the responsibility., does not rest witli the Wellington Cricket Association, a' keen and live body. 1 < In s ti t vt c, last ye a r's champion team ..will, be stronger, than ever. I They will be led by New Zealand's little Macartney^ C. S. Dempster, the hero of the English tour, m spite of the hysterical outburst of the "Dominion's" expert, who said before the tour that Dempster was "not worth a place m the Wellington team, let alone the national side." Matt. Henderson, the fast lefthand bowler, has joined Institute, and his services' should be in-' • valuable. Foley, who improved every match last season to find a t>lace in' the Dunedin Test against the Aussies, p'roihises to be a bright star this season. Midland would not be Midland without Baker and Co., and Turvey will be the only notable absentee. Besides Roberts (Thorndon) and White (V.M.C.A.), a number' of outsiders have joined Midland. 'Two are Burgess, of Wanganui, and Jack, of Christchurch, but they *both have x.o earn their senior spurs. £ University will be much the same as last year so far as foundation is concerned, with McKenzie and . Rollings as the leaders. . The crowd will miss Ken. Tucker this year. He has decided to retire

after a long and honorable career m the game. Ken.'s retirement will , be Old Boys' loss, But Ken. James and Lambert will make a good foundation, while Lamason and Brown, of Y.M.,-will-help to strengthen the side. . "The big, but graceful Sid. Hiddleston will be out to break the hearts of Wellingtons- fast bowling brigade. >■ Kilbirnie will have an average team taken , by and large, with no outstanding players, while Hutt will have the old brigade except Beard, who is suffering a little from his. arm. . : I* et o n c has. lost three, good players m Finlayson, Cate and Capstick, but Hope, the N.Z. express bowler, of 1925---26 will be out, while, Stan. Brice will again bring all his wiles into play. ' A stir is noticed m the Auckland pricket world, and the activity of both city and suburban clubs indicates that everything will be ready * for a start with the new season at tne end of the month. ■ In addition to the two Sussex professionals, Bowley and I/arigridge, the Suburban Association has, for the first time m history, indulged m the luxury of a professional player-coach: from England. This engagement was left to the judgment of Bowley, who. has come to an arrangement on behalf of the suburbanites with. George Cox, a club-mate, from Sussex-. -„..: • , : Bowley will again be with the V.M.C.A., but Langridge,- w.ho . played for Ponsonby. last year, has been applied for by other clubs, and his destination will be decided upon by. the A.C.A. . The ability of the professionals which Auckland has been fortunate to engage, is well-known to the cricket world. Bowley had a very successful season for Sussex, and as opening

batsman for the County, made famous by such names as C. B. Fry and Ranjitsinjhi, scored several centuries m convincing style. Competent judges m the Old Country have predicted for Lang- . ridge, a young and dashing lefthander, a bright future. Among the newcomers to the district is C. G. Finlayson, the former Wellington rep., and the fans of the north will watch his progress with interest. C. F. A. Allcott, who will be remembered as a member of the New Zealand team that toured England, is to make his reappearance after being out of the game most of last season owing to an injured ankle. Ponsonby supporters, who saw that team make an even break with Eden for the championship last season, are very cheerful regarding the club's prospects, and not without reason. The veteran player, Smith, and N. C. Snedden- will still turn out for the club. Altogether, Ponsonby is very strong. Jack Mills, another N.Z. rep., should be a big thorn m Ponsonby's side when Eden meets its last season's opponents, and these two clubs, if they show anything like the form of last summer, should stage some very interesting matches. North Shore is unlucky m the loss of C. C. Dacre to that club, and L. Johnson is also an absentee;, otherwise, the senior division will be similar to that of last season. V.M.C.A. will no doubt be looking for Bowley to do big things again for the club. '"■'■.. , jf Otago cannot produce some real new blood into its first-grade cricket this season, it will not be the fault of the association. The controlling: body has bent its I ear to the cry for more senior teams to ease the flood of promising juniors whose otherwise chances of gaining rep. status are likely to become greybearded. . Without any innuendo being cast towards those who at present hold the representative colors for Otago, there will be' something of an overdue welcome awaiting more competition m the. selection of rep. teams. .' Li. C. Eastman, the Essex man, is expected to arrive at the. end of the month to take up the. duties of coach. Last year, it will be remembered, he was injured m the N.Z. v. The Rest match at Wellington, and Dunedin only saw him m action on one Saturday afternoon. ]■ Alioo, Shepherd, Galland, Bluut, MciMillan, Douglas and veteVan Torrence will* all be climbing into flannels, m fact, none of the previous season's cracks are known to .have wandered. Just as, with' the exception of Eastman, no player of any repute' is known to have been attracted Dunedinwards. .