Better Wickets Needed in Auckland Cricket

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 217, 2 December 1927, Page 10

Better Wickets Needed in Auckland Cricket

COACH SPEAKS HIS 21IXU It is not n\uch use engaging a cricket coach unless he is provided with reasonably good wickets on which to coach the players. For that reason, too much emphasis cannot be given to the t itspoken criticism of the. practice wickets on various city and suburban grounds by E. H. Bowley at this week’s meeting of the A.C.A. It ought surely to be possible to got good grass wickets for practice on Victoria Park and the Domain, at any rate. What seems to be urgently needed in Auckland cricket is systematic preparation of the grounds by an expert. This side of the question has already been put before the City Council, which is responsible for the care of most of the city grounds outside of Eden Park, and it should not be lost sight of. The ground staff on most of the city reserves do their work exceedingly well, but it is asking too much to expect them to have an expert knowledge of the peculiarities and preparation of cricket pitches, however desirable it might be from a cricket point of view. MATTING ON TURF In the meantime, the association lias adopted as an expedient the use ot matting over turf for practice. The crumbling nature of the soil on most Auckland grounds may prove somewhat of a handicap to this, but "here a good clay is available, it is possible to get a true, though somewhat surface. Matting on asphalt and concrete is extensively used in some Speaking from experience, one f°u n d that matting on clay gave the best results, and matting on asphalt was also very good, although the bituminised surface had to be carefully guarded against wear and tear. ARTIFICIAL EXPEDIENTS Concrete wickets used to be in vogut in Sydney for practice, and even to. junior matches, and in the Soutn Island many of these wickets are t be found. They give a true and yery fast surface, but the trouble is tha the ball rises too high, thus handicapping forward play, and compelling tn bowler to pitch the ball two or tlire? feet further up to prevent the *>*'• going right over tne top of the sticKWhen all is said and done, all tr» artificial pitches are doubtful hlessingat the best, and good turf wickets a always to be preferred. In a big c • like Auckland there should be no for these expedients, and the seo a comprehensive scheme is evolveo - the A.C.A. and the civic authorities w better practice and maich wickets, “ better it will be for the standara play and the work of the coach—J.M.MCiv-