CRICKET.

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 116, 14 January 1926, Page 8

CRICKET.

TE WHETU V. PUTARURU. Putaruru tock a very weak side to Te Whetu and. suffered defeat by the margin of two wickets. The day was ideal, being calm, with the sun not too Bright. Nevertheless the light proved trying to some of the visiting players, the field being situated in a cuplike depression surrounded by hills, which seemed to reflect the light. The game was played in excellent spirit and the finish proved to be very exciting. Putaruru did badly in the first innings and could only total 20, but curiously enough it proved to be sufficient to give them a one-run lead on the first innings. Getting 66 in the second venture it looked as if the match was won, but the home side by tenacious batting secured the 68 runs necessary to win with two wick-

ets to spare. It is not too much to say that Putaruru beat themselves, for atrocious fielding, more especially in the second innings, lost them the game. Several ■catches were missed, a simple chance of running ’a batsman out thrown away, and fully a score of runs added to their opponents’ total through slackness in this department. The display of the visitors in the field was easily the worst exhibition seen in competition games this season, and in marked contrast to the display given in the first two home games. Though Putaruru threw the game away every credit must be given the Te Whetu team for its dogged fight. Out-bowled and out-batted,, the side hung on grimly, and, taking full advantage of Putaruru’s weakness, thoroughly earned their first two points in the competition. For. Putaruru J. Phillips was in great form with the ball and took a total of 1(5 wickets for 25 runs, including three wickets in four balls. Teviotdale was easily the best trundler on the home side, but is inclined to bowl short and sends up some very loose stuff at times. On the other hand now and then he whipped in a good-length ball which made great padfe off the pitch. The home team was much superior in the field. During the day the visiters were -hospitably entertained, the Te Whetu ladies serving up a dainty and refreshing cup of afternoon tea. Detailed results of .the game are as follow

PUTARURU.—First Innings. Gray, b Chaplin . . . . . . 3 Hayward, b Teviotdale .. .. 4 Griffiths, c Smith, b Teviotdale .. 3 J. Phillips, b Teviotdale .. . . 0 Brown, b Teviotdale .. .. 0 Henderson, c Pettit, b Chaplin . . 4 Dees, e Cameron, b Chaplin . . 0 Galvan, b Chaplin .. .. . . 1 W. Phillips, b Teviotdale .. 5 Newton, c Walsh, b Teviotdale . . 3 Renouf, not out . . .. .. 1 Extras . . .. . . . . 2 Total 26 Second Innings. Gray, b Chaplin .. .. .. 1 J. Phillips, b Teviotdale .. . . 5 Hayward, b Smith ... . . . . 7 Brown, b Teviotdale . . .. 14 Griffiths, b Teviotdale .. .. 15 Henderson, c and b Smith . . 7 Dees, b Pettit . . . . .. 3 Galvan, b Teviotdale . . . . 0 W.. Phillips, run out . . . . 4 Newton, not out .. .. .. 1 Renouf, b Pettit . . .. .. 1 Extras .. .. .. .. 8 Total 66 Bowling.—First innings : Chaplin 4 for 12, Teviotdale 6 for 12. Second Innings : Chaplin 1 for 22, Smith 2 for 13, Teviotdale 4 for 13, Guinevan 0 for 5, Woodward 0 for 6, Pettit 2 for 4. TE WHETU.—First Innings. Chaplin, e Hayward, b J. Phillips 12 Guinevan, b J. Phillips .. .. O' Teviotdale, run out .. . . 0 -’Melville, c Gray, b J. Phillips . . 0 Woodward, b W. Phillips . . . . l Woolliams, c Brown, b W. Phillips 0 Smith, not out .. .. .. 5 Walsh, b J. Phillips .. .. 0 Pettit, b J. Phillips .. . . 0 Smith, lbw, b J. Phillips .. .. 0 Cameron, b Griffiths .. .. 3 Extras .. . . .. .. 4 Total .25 Second Innings. Chaplin, c Hay ward,, b J. Phillips 15 Teviotdale, b J. Phillips .. .. 0 Smith, not out .. . . .. 8 Woodward, b Henderson .. . . 3 Woolliams, bj. Phillips .. .. 26 Smith, b Henderson .. .. 8 Pettit, run out . . .. . . 0 Melville, lbw, b J. Phillips .. 0 Walsh, run out .. .. _.. 3

Guinevan, not out . . .. .. 0 Extras .. .. .. . . 6 Total for 8 wickets . . 69 Bowling.—First innings : W. Phillips 2 for 10, J. Phillips 6 for 5, Griffiths 1 for 6. Second innings J. Phillips 4 for 20, Griffiths 0 for 14, W. Phillips 0 for 17, Henderson 2’ for 12. PUTARURU ASSOCIATION. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE. A meeting of the management committee of the Putaruru Cricket Asso elation was held lasc Saturday, when the following members were present: Messrs. Griffiths (chairman), Pettit, (secretary), Woolliams (treasurer), McNally, Thorpe, Hollard, Hansson and Knap. COMPETITION GAMES. The main business of the meeting was to decide the opening date of the second round of the Leggatt Shield competition, and it was decided that the first games be played on January 31. It was further decided that the games be played weekly, subject to the arrangement of any representative matches, when club games will be postponed. REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES. The secretary reported that a Hamilton team would in all probability visit the district on July 16, and it was decided to play the game at Arapuni. The secretary was instructed to arrange further matches and if possible one at Taupo. The date for the match with South Piako, and all arrangements connected therewith, was left in the hands of the chairman and secretary. • FINANCIAL MEMBERS. It was decided to warn the clubs that all playing members must now be financial. UMPIRE’S DECISION. The Waotu delegate reported that during the Waotu-Ai-apuni match an umpire had. ruled “ not out,” when a ball rebounded from the wicket-keep-er’s pads and knocked the bails off when the batsman . was cut of his ground. An official ruling on the incident was requested by both clubs and the umpire. The decision given was the batsman should have been given out. REPRESENTATIVE MATCH. The sole selector for the Putaruru Cricket Association (Mr. H. Jensen, of Te Whetu) has chosen the following team to , play against Hamilton next Saturday. Should this match not eventuate a representative trial match will be played, when the B team will be met. The teams are as follow :• — A Team (to play Hamilton). —Hollard (captain), Knowles (Selwyn), G. Hansson, Pearce and V. Hansson (Waotu), Walker and Grainger (A roll ui u) , J. Phillips and Christie (Putaruru), Chaplin and Woolliams (Waotu). Reserve, Griffiths (Putaruru). B Team.—Griffiths (captain) and Gray (Putaruru), Thorpe, Tiller and M. Phillips (Waotu), Thorpe and McGowan (Selwyn), Perrins and Brown (Arapuni), Teviotdale and C. Smith (Te Whetu). Reserves, W. Pettit (Arasuni) and Nash. Any player not able to turn out is requested to notify the selector immediately. The game will be played on the ground of the Arapuni club, commencing at 1 p.m.

CAMBRIDGE V. MATAMATA. In a match on Saturday, Matamata defeated 1 Cambridge by four runs. Matamata made 55 and Cambridge 51. NEW ZEALAND TEAM. When the New Zealanders left on their Australian tour it was not anticipated that they could defeat any of the State teams. It was known that Australian cricket was far too strong. But the New Zealanders have done very well, and their performances show that they are no mean odponents for the second sides of the stronger States. The New Zealand batsmen have been successful, but the weakness has been in the bowling. The batsmen found the fast, true wickets and fast outfields easy to score on in comparison to the New Zealand grounds; the bowlers soon ascertained that bowling on the perfect wickets was a very different thing to bowling on the softer ones in this Dominion. There was not the time to enable them to become accustomed to the new conditions. Probably the most useful lesson the New Zealand-

ers will derive will be the placing of the field and the attack of bowling to the field. THE AUSTRALIAN TEAM. Interest in cricket circles has centered in the selection of the Australian cricket team to visit England. The one weakness which may exist in those selected is a possible slowness in the field, a department in which the Australians have as a rule surpassed. their opponents. There are a number of veterans in the team, and it can hardly be expected that with the passage of years the same agility in the field can be maintained as in their youthful days. But could the selectors overlook the veterans ? Macartney, with 7 wickets for 85 in 37 overs against Victoria, laid an additional claim as a bowler to that of being one of the most versatile and brilliant batsmen in Australia. “ Not Out,” in the Sydney Referee, prior to the selection of the team, writes: " The serious bowling done by C. G. Macartney this season is suggestive of his taking on the bowling, done last time by right-hander Warwick Armstrong; if so, it may put Homibrook out of the running'. In past teams, Macartney has not bowled a great deal.”

Warren Bardsley, if not batting as brilliantly as in his earlier days, is one of the soundest batsmen in Australia, and, furthermore, has gained a great reputation for his solid defence on bad English wickets. Both Grimmett and Mailey have been included. How Grimmett \vj 11 shape on the English wickets has yet to be seen, but in view of the fact that he has a greater control of the ball than the New South Wales googlie exponent, it may be that he will prove the main stay of the slow bowlers. Gregory is reported to be back to hi 3 old form with the ball. But in batting the side is very strong. Not a man who cannot get runs and with the exception of Grimmett and Mailey, not one who cannot be looked to for a century. If four of the Test matches are to be limited to three days unless there are bad wickets it. may be regarded as almost certain that the games will terminate in draws, and the “ ashes ” will hang on the fifth match, which is to be played out. NOTES. Twice within about a week two prominent Australians have had more than 100 runs scored off their bowling in an innings without securing a wicket. C. V. Grimmett, against New South Wales at Adelaide, took none for 174, which stands as a record for Australian first-class cricket! Grimmett is not the first to. gather in this honour for South Australia against New South Wales, as illustrious George Giffen twice failed to get a wicket for over 100 runs, first in Sydney and next in Adelaide, when his figures were none for 134. Many of the finest bowlers Australia has known have had this experience, including Hugh Trumble, H. F. Boyle, J. V. Saunders, Albert Cotter, E. A. McDonald, G. R. Hazlitt and J. A. O’Connor. 1

In a match between English and Australian teams C. P. Buekenham, for Essex, secured none for 167, and E. Mead none for 121 against the Australian Eleven in 1912, when the Australians closed at 564 for three wickets (C. G. Macartney 20S and W. Bardsley IS4 not out). A third Essex bowler in J. W. H. T. Douglas also took none for 125 against the Australians in England in 1909, when the closure was applied at 6 for 609, W. Bardsley 219 and V. S. Ransford 174. On that occasion Buekenham secured 3 for 154.

Arthur Mailey, in the fashion set by C. V. Grimmett and R. IC. Oxenham, repeated their performance of getting no wickets for over 100 runs, his effort against Victoria bringing in as a debit 148 runs without the joy of _ wicket. : The bosie man has been rather expensive against Victoria, but this is is his worst experience. Last season, in the second innings of the first Test, his throe wickets cost 179 runs, and in the only innings of the fourth Test his four wickets cost 186 runs.

Slow bowlers of tire Mailey-Grim-mett order ought not to be called upon to provide the main portion of the attack in first-class cricket. Dr. H. V. Hordern was different in type, for his length was of exceptional accuracy as a rule. The shrewd Australian captains of many years ago, such, for instance, as Harry Trott, rarely overbowled the slow, tricky bowlers. Trott: himself used to go on for a few over::, and, even when successful in breaking up a partnership, he would take himself oif and put on the regular fast and medium-paced bowlers, who were the main string of the Australian attack of those times.

Mailey’s best performance against Victoria was the taking of six wickets at a cost of 90 odd runs in ea:h innings six years ago on the Melbourne ground.

EXAMPLE OF YORKSHIRE.

GREAT FIELDING SIDE. G. Aubrey Faulkner, the noted South African cricketer, who for a number of years past has been residing in England, writes of the Yorkshire team as follows : “ For many years Yorkshire have made it blatantly obvious that it is howling- and fielding that win matches rather than stupendous individual efforts of batsmen. The Yorkshire team for many seasons past has been a model in the field. Most of the men are artists at their particular stations, and it has been remarkable to watch the almostuncanny way the Yorkshire bowlers have bowled to their field. Every man is on the qui vive, and the slightest signal from the captain or bowlers is instantly seized upon.”