HAWKE CUP SELECTION.

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 167, 8 March 1932, Page 6

HAWKE CUP SELECTION.

ANOTHER

. CRITIC.

To the Editor. Sir, — If "Kia Ora" was unduly sewre m the selectors, your correspond nt "'Good Luck" has gone to the other »xtreme. I quite agree with "Kia Ora" that Lenihan, Godsalve and Harding should be the first men selected. Godsalve is the best bat in the Bay; 'ias proved this beyond shadow of loubt over a perod of years; and is aow batting as brilliantly as ever. Moreover, he is the only slow bowler available. On either ground, his qualification is beyond dispute, but when his dual claims are considerad, "t is s'mply a travesty of selection to xmit him. If the Bay team should go ;o Hamilton without Godsalve, nine )ut of every ten followers of the game .vill realise that the best cricketer has aeen omitted. No reason for leaving 'iim out has been or can be advanced and it is impossible to imagine that the selectors will refuse to admit the absolute necessity for including h'm. Harding is little inferior to Godsalve as a bat, and the most casual reference to their performances should suffice to show that these two men are the best bats in the d'strict. No reflection is cast on the two High School boys in saying that they have some way to go before they reaeh the class of these two experienced performers. But it is equally true that Beale and Hampson should be in the team. I asked Warren Bardsley not long ago how it was that so many new names appeared in the New South Wales teams in Sheffield Shield matches. His answer was illuminating — "If we find a youngster of promise, we shove him into the first big cricket game that's going." This common sense policy which has produced Bradman and McCabe is of itself sufficient justification for inclus'on of the two High School lads, but they have still stronger claims, by their remarkably cons;sfcent performances this season. Beala's comparative failure in his last f;:w innings is offset by his wonderful consistency eaiT'er in the season. After Harding and Godsalve these two boys : have shown form superior to anything else seen here this season. The query immediately arises — this means leaving out Wallis. It is a cardinal rule of selection that no man

is ent'tled to consideration unless he is a good fieldsman. The Bay selrctor appreciates this when he omitted Menges and selected Peebles. Menges is the hardest hitter in the Bay, and a more than useful bowler, but he has passed the age when he could get to the ball and return it as every representative cricketer must. This rpolies equally to Wallis. Nor has Wallis outstand:ng ability either in : batting or bowling that would componsate for runs lost in the field. At his best he has a free and stylish bat, who occasionally, but only occasionnlly, made useful scores. He is still a delight to watch, but a weakness in defence is beyond dispute. The only real question the selectors have to dec'de it whether Reed or Hinton is to be twelfth man. Clearly 't must be one of these two, for (Lenihan excluded) they are the two best fieldsmen in Rotorua. Hinton has further qualifications as a reserve wicketkeeper, and a batsman who may still get back the form of the last few seasons that made him the fastest scoring man in Rotorua. Reed has remarkable bowling performances at Mamaku, and, moreover, has the temperament for b1-g cricket; for if a ball were tossed up that could be hit, the genial Fred would not worry if the bowler's name were Grimmett, Larwood or Mitehell. To decide between

the two should be no easy task, and might well be left till the eve of the match, when circumstances may have made the decision easier. In the meantime, the selectors have two important tasks that should be done at once. They should notify Harding and Godsalve that they will be wanted, and Wallis that he will not. Nor should they have any compunction about this latter job, for the Doc. is a sport who plays for the love of the game, and knows that the team is all that counts. For this, if precedent be required, there is ample authority. The "other task is to arrange for early and continual practice. This most important matter is not being attended to; the selectors should arrange for practices, see that their men attend, and drop them if they don't. Without doubt* the High School authorities would welcome the representatives' attendance at their nets. I make no excuse, sir, for this long effusion, for two reasons. The first is that your help has been invaluable in stirring up interest in cricket in Rotorua, and bringing home to the townspeople the benefit to Rotorua, should' the Hawke Cup be brought here. Also, than myself, no person is better qualified to speak»with authority on Rotorua cricket. Which audacious piece of indecent immodesty, and the castigation it will inevitably bring, constrains me to hide a cowardlv he»8

Rotorua, March 5, 1932