CRICKET NOTES.

Shannon News, 5 December 1924, Page 3

CRICKET NOTES.

The third round of. the local competition was. played under; rather auverse cricketing conditions particularly at Moutoa where the. local' men had to bat nearly all the time in the rain. In this, match Bennett (Levin a) showed that he is getting back to some of (his old form by Ins double performance with the bat and ball; His batting is of the very safest with a very good stroke past cover point and a fine, chop through the slips. With the weather conditions all against good bowling averages his final figures show very well. , He. is a really heady bowler with a good olf break and what is more, he knows how to place his. field and to. bowl- the ball from which they will get a eaten. Most bowlers make the : mistake oi bowling too much io.r the wicket, whereas they should put up some lor tne batsmen tp hit. It does, not matter ii a few runs are. scored off him ior eventually a chance will be given to- one o.f tne eleven fieldsmen.

The importance, of a fielder staying in the position in which the bowler places him, (a point which many local men are wont to overlook} cannot be over-estimated. Tne bowler, provided be knows any thing of tne game, and if be does, not lie should not be bowling, usually places, a man in a position for a purpose and notning is more .discouraging than for a bowler to bo.wl a ball tor" the batsman to hit to a man who lias been placed in position and to nrid tne neldsman bus smited. When a ipuu as put into a position by the. bowler lie should stay there, no matter if be may think he is in the wrong place. If the bowler is heady that man win gut ins. chance. f Another reminder for the field is to back mp every time the bail is thrown ill aiid toi throw the. ball to the. bowler or wicket' keeper on the full every time. Should, tne. bail be. thrown naru at ms feet neither man has a chance, of stopping it while any chance 01 stumping is. out of the question. Field, also' of 'Levin A, got well into: double figures, and is a batsman, 01 tiie most versatile type who. is sure to knock-up bis score in very quick time. He bag both a good eye and strength fo.r big bitting. •Snarp batted carelUiUy and tired tne main attack of the Moutoa bowlers. Mason (MoiutQa) is'a batsman many players, could- well take a lesson from for be plays bard forward to every ball. He bas a splendid reaqli as was demonstrated. when be bit Field for nix. It was. a good hail and he fust played right out and drove it weU to the on. Playing forward and watening the ball; all the way is. the secret of good batting. MasQn showed what a useful man'be is in the. team with, bis slow leg breaks mingled with an occasional off break. Although he did not meet with great success, be had tne batsmen watching every hull. Madson got. bis wickests by keeping a good length and varying bis. pace. The Levin R team whilst naturally not a set. of champions, contains many members who snow promise. Amongst these axe. a numoer. of young players mciudmg Pettitt, Phillips, Dempsey, itummeu and Marshall. Both pettitt and Phillips give promise, of-develop-ing into steady batsmen, whilst _ Phillips also shows up well at bowling. Dufresne is . another first-season player who looks like - being > useful with the bat. He showed -uip well m the field, also in. the match against Shannon on the Levin Domain. Moody, who captains the team, might profitably give attention to. the j placing of liis held. Now' that the boundaries of the local ground have been reduced, fielding, always essential, becomes more, so, ami a. man in position can often keep what woulu oiiinerwise be a boundary, down to one run. . ' Hudson jgave a. disappomtbig exhibition of batting on Saturday, but did better with the ball, taking six wickets tor 23. With practice lie should make a useful man. The matches for Saturday which open the third round of the competitions, will be as folio wf Levin B plays Moutoa, Weraroa plays Shannon, at Shannon. Levin A a bye.