CRICKET.

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 156, 28 October 1926, Page 8

CRICKET.

MATAMATA V. PUTARURU. The Matamata Cricket Club journeyed to Selwyn on Labour* Day and played the Putaruru team reinforced by three Selwyn players. The visitors were accompanied by several ladies, and a most enjoyable day’s ouling was spent by all. Both teams ■were entertained to luncheon and afternoon tea, and several felicitous speeches were made at the conclusion of the game. Details of the scores are as follow: PUTARURU-SELWYN. Craig, c Coombes, b Kemp . . 0 Gray, not out j,. • • . . 19 Griffiths, c Silk, b| Ayres • - 2 Hollard, b Knyveft i. . - • 10 J. Phillips, lbw, trj Knyvett . . 2 Brown, c Ayres, b Dale . . . - 11 Henderson, b Dale . . • • 0 W. Phillips, c Coombes, b Dale . . 4 Barnett, c Kemp, b Coombes . . 1 Kopa, b Knyvett . . . . .. 2 Newton, b Coombes . . . ■ 0 Extras .. ■. ■ • • • 12 Total 63 MATAMATA. Dale, bJ. Phillips . . . . ■ • 3 Knyvett, bJ. Phillips . . . . 12 Ayres, bJ. Phillips . . . - 0 Coombes, c Craig, b Hollard . . 13 Silk, c Brown, b VJ. Phillips . . IS Kemp, bJ. Phillips . . . . 12 Carroll, b Henderson . . . . 5 Barry, b J. Phillips . . ... 0 Hunt, bJ. Phillips . . . . 4 Coombes, b Craig .. . . 5 Blackburn, not out . . . , 3 Extras . . . . ■ • • • 9 Total 84 BOWLING. Matamata. —Kemp, 3 overs, 3 runs, 1 wicket; Ayres, 5 overs, 15 runs, 1 wicket ; Knyvett, 3 overs, 1 maiden, 8 runs, 2 wickets ; Dale, 3 overs, 4 runs, 3 wickets ; Coombes junior, 2 overs, 12 runs, 0 wickets ; Silk, 2 overs, 3 runs, 1 wicket ; Coombes senior, 2 overs, 3 runs, 2 wickets. Putaruru-Selwyn. —J. Phillips, 9 overs, 33 runs, 6 wickets.; Griffiths, 3 overs, 1 maiden, 4 runs, 0 wickets ; Hollard, 2 overs, 13 runs, 1 wicket ; W. Phillips, 2 overs, 16 runs, 1 wicket ; Henderson, 2 overs, 1 maiden, 3 runs, 1 wicket; Craig, 1 over, 6 runs, 1 wicket.

PUTARURU ASSOCIATION. SIX SENIOR TEIAMS. Mr. R. Knap presided over a meeting of the Putaruru Cricket Association, held on Saturday, there being a good attendance of members and delegates. SENIOR COMPETITION. The secretary 7 reported that entries for the Leggatt Shield competition for the coming season had been receded from the following clubs: Putaruru, Selwyn, Arapuni, Waotu, Te Whetu, and N.Z. Perpetual Forests. CONSTITUTION. The sub-committee, consisting of Messrs. Hollard, A. Hearne, and Griffiths, set up to review the constitution and rules of the association, submitted their report, which was unanimously adopted. * The main alterations made are as follows: Voting power on management committee limited to delegates and secretary and treasurer. Provision for the removal from office of the management committee by 7 a two-thirds majority of a special general meeting of delegates called for the purpose. The election of selector or selectors by the management committee. Deletion of all fees from constitution, and power to fix same vested in management committee. UMPIRES. Arrangements for umpires were left in the hands of the respective captains in each match. THE DRAW. At a subsequent meeting of the management committee, the draw for the first round resulted as follows: First week: Waotu v. Putaruru; Te Whetu v. Forestry; Arapuni v. Selwyn. Second week: Arapuni v. Te Whetu, Selwyn v. Putaruru, Forestry v. Waotu. Third week: Selwyn v. Waotu, Forestry V. Arapuni, Te Whetu v. Putaruru. Fourth week: Arapuni v. Putaruru, Waotu v. Te Whetu, Forestry v. Selwyn. 1 Fifth week: Forestry v. Putaruru,

Arapuni v. Waotu, Selwyn v. Te Whetu. The first-named clubs play at home in each case. OPENING OF SEASON. It was decided to open the season on November 7, and to play two rounds. SOLE SELECTOR. Mr. H. Jensen having intimated at a previous meeting his inability to again act as sole selector this y 7 ear, delegates found their hands tied when it was stated that he had reconsidered his decision. In view of this it was decided to defer the appointment until the next meeting of the management committee. HOW TO PLAY IT. (II.) FIELDING. An impression exists amongst many people that there is practically no team-work in cricket. Yet if an English or Australian team be watched closely, especially when in the field, it will soon be plainly evident that the side plays as one man instead of as eleven individuals. One has only 7 to note the many various of position by fielders, without any sign from the captain, to realise that these elevens work as one man. A change in the bowler’s walk, a slight wave of the hand or fingers behind his back, a movement of the head, all tell the discerning spectator that some deep laid plan is on foot. A fielder (it may be two) alters his position, a particular kind of ball is trundled up to the batsman, and if he is not extra wary the score sheet reads “ caught.” In this connection it was interesting to recall that when Warwick Armstrong’s eleven toured England a man was sent ahead to watch all important teams. His stock-in-trade consisted of scores of diagrams of a cricket field, a pencil and a ruler. Besides noting points worthy of bringing to the notice of the Australian skipper, his chief job was to mark one of the plans with the names of all leading batsmen on both sides, and rule a line depicting every scoring stroke made by each. Thus, if Tyldsley, of Lancashire, or Ly 7 ons, of Somerset, obtained a hundred, some 40 or more lines appeared on his sheet which told a great story. From this plan the Australians were able to pick out each batsman’s favourite strokes and also his weak points. Forewarned is forearmed, and each batsman of any note wjio faced the Australians on that tour found his favourite stroke blocked by a wellplaced field, and his weak spots attacked by the bowlers. Each man in the Australian team knew these facts by 7 heart, and acted accordingly.

Curiously enough, regarded by 7 many cricketers as rather a boring job. Yet If a player lays himself out to be efficient in the field experience proves that it is equally as satisfying to field well as it is to bat or bowl well. For many years now the Yorkshire eleven, one of the best sides in the world year in and year out, have owed their success largely to their great work in the field. Lord Hawke, who captained the side for 25 years, laid down the rule which applies to-day, that fielding was the first qualification for a place in the eleven. No matter how promising a batsman or howler a man might be, he had to pass a fielding test before be was chosen to represent the county of the broad acres. The reason is obvious to all who have studied the game, for it is fielding chiefly that wins or loses matches. A batsman or bowler may get more kudos, but on the final analysis it is fielding that tells.

Take two batsmen, one of whom is a brilliant field, and the other onlyfair. The first on appearing at +he wicket knows that he is plus 40 or 50 runs, which he has saved in the field. The difference between the two, in a big match, may thus be 100 runs before either has scared. The good fieldsman by his quickness off the mark has saved many boundaries, and by his judgment, intelligent anticipation, and sureness with his hands, dismissed good batsmen. The slacker on the other hand has given away what the other has saved. In appraising a fielder it is chiefly necessary to notice how quickly he gets off the mark. A good fielder who studies the game knows by the stance of the batsman when playing certain balls in which direction the stroke will be made, and lie is off the mark at times before the ball has left the bat.

Then again nothing so dispirits a bowler as to see catches dropped. Per contra, nothing heartens him so much as to see all chances accepted, and especially difficult ones held. Thus the influence of good fielding will often

raise the bowling standard from me- ( diocre to first-class. That good fields- ! v men can be made is obvious to all who l have followed first-class cricket, and j one of the most striking* examples i.-; • J. B. Hobbs. Admittedly, one of the j t finest cover-points, when in his prime, , that England ever produced, Hobbs ~ has confessed that’when he joined the c Surrey team he was the poorest fielder , in the side. How often does one see the simpi- j est of all fielding rules disregarded. I This is in regard to backing* up. The ■ movement should be automatic, for j - it is instinctive with all trained crick- j eters. When A. E. Relf first came to New j Zealand, to coach Auckland players, he provided a lesson on his first day 7 of duty which drove the im- ' portance of fielding home to those at- . tending the practice. Many special practice wickets had been prepared, nets set up, and batsmen lounged around with pads on waiting .for the signal. It never came. Instead the Sussex professional seized a bat and ball, ordered all pads to be laid aside went out to the middle of the ground, and set players in certain positions around him for fielding practice. It will be interesting* to note the methods of Bowley when he commences his duties, for fielding in New Zealand R as yet much below the standard of 1 England or Australia, and without 1 first-class fieldsmen New Zealand can neve r hope to compete with these 1 countries on anything like an equal 1 footing. j