CRICKET COMMENTS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 110, 31 December 1931, Page 6

CRICKET COMMENTS

"Cover Point.")

(By

The Bay of Plenty representative cricket team, chosen from members of the old assoeiation, which travelled to Auckland on Christmas Eve met defeat at the hands of the Auckland Junior team, but on the following day scored a win over South Auckland B, by 45 runs on the first innings. ; For varlous reasons the Bay team : was not at full strength and had to i call on the services of Auckland playj ers to fill the vacant places. ' Burke, one of these players, compiled the highest score against South Auckland B, making 80 runs. Although none of the Bay players who took part in the toufrnament performed any outstanding feat with either bat or ball,. the fielding of the team was for the most part keen and quite up to standard. The tournament, was attended by teams from seven country associations and players from 13 sub-associa-tions, was the most representative gathering of erieketers ever held on one ground at the same time, in the cricket history of the Dominion, and the wonderful organisation evident was largely due to Mr. J. H. (Don) Miller, of the Auckland Y.M.C.A. To him must go the players' and officials' thanks for his untiring work on their behalf, which was done with a most cheerful and willing spirit. It is his desire that the fixture he made an annual one and in this wish the local players are in agreement with him. Representative Team Should it be decided to .hold the fixture annually, the Bay of Plenty j sub-association should endeavour to j send a truly representative team, as j the standard in this year's tourney j was high. Had it not been for the in- • elusion of Auckland players, the Bay team, which as previously stated was below representative standard, would not have been as successful as it was. But there is no question that we have , plenty of local material from which ! to build up a strong team. It is hoped t that this will be used to the best ad- i vantage when choosing the team to J meet South Auckland for the possession of the Hawke Cup, in March. Probably the most notable performance during the Auckland tournament was that of a Maori player, Kahu, of Wesley College, who playing for Pukekohe against Kaipara took six wickets for 8 runs in the first innings and performed the "hat trick" in the second. His value to his team was increased by his aggressive batting which credited him with 131 runs not out, in the Pukekohe first innings.

Blunt's Triumph The huge score of 338 runs not out, made by Roger Blunt, Otago's star player, in the Plunket Shield match against Canterbury this week was a brilliant effort and besides being the highest individual score in Plunket Shield Cricket it is the only triple eentury made in these matches. Of Interest to Bowlers In continuation of my articles for the benefit of players, this week I will commence a series of articles which I hope will prove of use to bowlers. For the bowler, practice at the nets is more, useful than to the batsmen, but where • batsman is inclined to "slog," the bowler should never try to bowl too fast at the nets and never overdo his strength. Careful studied rest is . necessary to build up extra strength. The young bowler should measure his step in exactly the same footmarks each time he runs. He will then be unafraid of bowling the "no hall." Although it is often not the ease, slow bowlers should take less run than fast bowlers, unless, as sometimes is the case, a long run is necessary to "wind" the bowler up. It should be remembered that the longer the run, the more tired the bowler will feel, and therefore the less value he will be to his team. Length should be perfected before spin is attempted ahd this the bowler should practice frequently. When it is found that a spot is obtained which makes the .batsman play forward as much as possible, it may be said that the length is right. On account of the pressure of space it is not possible for me to enlarge on these notes this week, but in my next article I will touch on variation in length, pace and also on "spin."