CRICKET AT SAMOA.

Shannon News, 12 March 1926, Page 4

CRICKET AT SAMOA.

(By "Papalagi")

From time- to time tourists visiting the South Sea Islands comment on the enthusiasm with which the islanders play cricket. In fact, in Samoa, it has taken such a hold, on the Natives thatsome years ago the authorities were compelled to pass legislation making it illegal to play cricket on any day of the week except Saturday, before the passing of this law matches have been known to last for 2o days on onJ, during which time all work has ceased in the village concerned, and, as matches were played all the year ' round it can be easily s'een that, to proiect the Natives from themselves, thc> law had to intervene. Another reason for Government interference waV the fact that whole villages wou/d go on a cricket tour from village to village around the Samoan group and each village visited had to provide fool for the'cricket' team and their famihes for the'/ duration of the match. This practice seriously depleted the food supplies of ,a village and to prevent this a law was introduced forbidding visiting Natives to spend more than one night in any one village. When it is stated that there is no limit to the number of men in a team and matches are often played by teams 70 and 80 aside, it will be seen that catering for a visiting team entails, a big outlay on the part of their hosts.

As to the game itself a description of the manner in which it is played ■will not be amiss as it is in many respects quite different to cricket as played under M.C.C. rules and may be honestly described as a burlesque of cricket as it is played in civilised • countries. The distance between wickets is roughly paced off and a single wieket about 30 inches long and 2i to 3 inches thick is placed at each end.' The batsmen use a club ,40 inches in length, about five inches thick at the butt end and tapering to a little over two inches thick at the top of the handle. The bat is quite round with the exception of a small area of the butt which is squared off. This smooth flat surface enables a brawny Samoan to "slog 1 ' a ball a great distance. A batsman never "blocks" u ball but lashes out at every ball scut down to him.v He stands flatfooted with his bat over his right shoulder ,and, as. the ball leaves the bowler's j hand, he commences a mighty swing and endeavours to "sky "the ball out of the grounds. His motto is "hit or iniss" every time. Even if he misses the single wicket takes a lot of knocking over. To further conserve the energy of the batsmen they never run between wiekets after striking a ball. Parallel with the pitch and > the same distance apart as the wickets, two long stakes are placed in the ground, about 10 yards from the pitch. The batting side furnish six fast runners who are supplied with sticks four feet long. The runners are stationed three at each , stake and every time the batsman hits 'a ball a pair of runners exchange ends, scoring one run. The running is then taken up by another pair and so on ad lib.. Should a runner be "run out" a batsman retires. Any number of runs may be scored off a single stroke and should, a ball be\ lost or lodge in a coeoanut tree (as it often, does) the , fielding side may elect to call "lost ball" in which case the batting side add six runs to the total already run fbr the stroke. There is a bowler at each wicket and no :''overs'' are observed. The ball is fielded to the most convenient end and'the bowler, at that end takes up the bowling. The bowlers bowl until exhausted, but if a bowler is proving to expensive he is taken off. In most eases a bowler deliberately throws the ball at the wicket. r 'No balls" are" unknown and no matter how the ball is delivered the bowler is never penalised. Two innings are,played if time permits and the supporters of the rival teams while away the time by daneing and singing to encourage their respective heroes. \