SPORTS AND PASTIMES

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 314, 14 November 1929, Page 1

SPORTS AND PASTIMES

Cricket.

TIRAU DEFEATS PUTARURU. Teams representative of Tirau and Putaruru met at the former place during the week-end, victory going to Tirau by 15 runs. The following are the details of the scores:— PUTARURU.—First Innings. H. Cunningham, b M. Inman, snr. 26 W. Wilkes, c Harvey, b Mason.. 20 Cook, b McCorkindale 2

Takes All Wickets. Success of Putaruru Cricketer. A wonderful bowling feat was performed by B. Wilkes, of the Putaruru team, in the cricket match played between Tirau and Putaruru at the former place during the weekend. Wilke# took all the Tirau wickets in the first innings, performing the hat trick. His average was 9 overs, 8 maidens, 4 runs (a boundary), 10 wickets. He clean bowled 7, got two 1.b.w., and he caught and bowled one.

HINTS ON THE GAME. Batting. (By “ Mid-wicket.”) Most young cricketers have an ambition to make a hundred runs in a match. It is a fine ambition, too, so long as the player plays for his side the whole time. By that is meant playing the game with full loyalty to the captain and the other members of the side. With a view to assist-

ing young players in the various departments of the game, a series of articles will appear in the Press which should be of interest to all cricketers. For some reason or other New Zealand has not yet shone at cricket. Favoured by climatic conditions there is no reason why this Dominion should not turn out players capable of holding their own with the world’s [ best, and build up a reputation simi-. lar to that gained by the All Blacks in our chief winter pastime. To do this, enthusiasm, grounds and coaching are necessary, and though progress in this direction is being made, it is not as speedy as might be desired.

Enthusiasm can overcome great handicaps. Two of the world’s greatest batsmen in J. B. Hobbs (England) and the late Victor Trumper (Australia) have admitted playing cricket with a lamppost and a kerosene box as the wicket. It is such keenness that makes a player great, and, without it, he will never get very far. I In playing the game, a cricketer should aim to get into flannels for every serious practice. He should also see that he is well shod, for sound footwork is one of the essentials of the game whether a player is batting, bowling or fielding. In selecting a bat the main point to consider is whether the bat comes

“up ” easily off the ground. Young players often wonder why an older cricketer in testing a bat keeps lifting it a few inches from the ground as if about to make a stroke. This is simply to test its balance, and if a bat feels heavy at the end it should be discarded. Most young players are apt to select a bat which is too heavy for them, but if they will re-

member to purchase a light bat which comes “ up ” easily, and which has a good maker’s name attached, they will be well equipped. j The next point is pads for protect- | ing the legs—not the wickets, as is II sometimes done by some batsmen. These should be \vom on both legs and well cover the knees. The straps j should be done up fairly tightly and I the ends tucked in. This latter point jis important, for many a batsman has been given out through the ball hitting a loose strap causing the umpire to think a snick had been made. A player may or may not use gloves, as he thinks fit, but it is advisable on the whole that a young batsman should accustom himself to gloves as early as possible in his career. Having thus equipped himself to take his place at the wicket it is important for all players to bear inmind that incoming batsmen should pass the outgoing player near the stand—or the heap of coats which serve as a “ stand ” in minor cricket. Too often one sees, on the fall of a wicket, some player scurrying round looking for pads, gloves and a bat. The next batsman should always be ready to take his place, for one never knows how quickly a wicket may fall and it is “ not cricket ” that there should be a wait. The batsman should walk smartly to the crease, but having got there should take his “ block ” deliberately

without undue haste and carefully note how the field is placed. This should be done in a quiet glance round without causing any great delay or without drawing particular attention to the player. The batsman is now in position to get that coveted hundred; but hints in connection with overcoming the bowling must be held over until next week.

L. Cunningham, c and b Inman, snr. Brown, b McCorkinaale 2 Jagusch, b Inman, snr 1 Kouerts, c Batiey, b IvlcCorkindale 0 Dewse, c Harvey, b McCorkindale 1 Lowe, b Inman, snr 0 Allen, not out 1 Truss, b Inman, snr 0 Extras 3

1 Total 62 Second Innings. H. Cunningham, c Mason, b C. Inrnan 2 Lowe, c Harvey, b C. Inman .. . 2 Cook, b C. Inman . 0 L. Cunningham, -l.b.w., b C. inman Brown, b C. Inman 1 Roberts, b Oldfield 1 Dewse, not out 3 Jagusch, c Bailey, b Inman .... 4 Allen, c Stewart, b C. Inman . . 0 Truss, b C. Inman 0 Extras 3

* Total 22 TIRAU.—First Innings. C. Inman, b Wilkes .' 1 J. Gray, not out 7 Oldfield l.b.w., b Wilkes 0 I. Inman, l.b.w., b Wilkes 0 Mason, b Wilkes 0 Batley, b Wilkes 4 Harvey, b Wilkes 0 Stewart, b Wilkes 11 B. Inman, b Wilkes 4 McCorkindaie, b Wilkes 0 Main, c and b Wilkes 0 Extras 11 Total 38 Second Innings. Stewart, c Truss, b L. Cunningham 0 Oldfield, c Dewse, b Roberts ... 11 Gray, b Cunningham S Harvey, not out 16 Mason, b Wilkes 14 I. Inman, b Cunningham 0 Batley, b Jagusch 0 C. Inman, c Jagusch, b Roberts. 3 ! Inman, b Cunningham 0 McCorkindaie. b Jagusch 7 Main, c Lowe, b Jagusch 0 Extras 6 Total 62 WONDERFUL BOWLING FEAT. \