A Cricket Causerie

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 291, 29 February 1928, Page 7

A Cricket Causerie

>lr. E. C. Beale, well known Auckland cricketer, has consented to give a talk over the air on the careers of thev famous Australian cricketers who ■will be in Auckland shortly. The victory of South Africa in the final Test makes the honours even between the M.C.C- touring team and South Africa. M.C.C. won the first two Tests, the third was drawn, and the fourth and fifth were won by South Africa. * * * Concerning Ponsford—and Others So enthusiastic did one Wellington cricket writer become over Ponsford and his performances that he wrote “W. H. Ponsford i 3 undoubtedly the greatest run-getter In the world.” That is a sweeping statement, certainly, and the writer no doubt justifies it by quoting the remarkable Australian’s more remarkable record in State cricket for the past two years. But the writer would do well to remember one or two other facts at the same time. Firstly that Ponsford has not as yet proved himself to be such an outstanding success in test cricket as his State record indicates, and secondly, that there is more than one remarkable runbetter in the world. Some men last longer than others in big cricket. Then therk is Sutcliffe’s test match batting record, which has never been approached for a player so young before. What of Hobbs’s 20 years of century-making, with the master batsman still going strong? Can Ponsford be ranked above, or even equal, to either of these?

Primary School Cricket Devonport, the one-time terror of other schools in primary school cricket seems to have fallen on evil days. It could do with a few Dacres, Johnsons, Colebournes or Rankins, who dominated school cricket in days gone by. In the last round Devonport met its voung offspring, Vauxhall, and after the Narrow Neck contingent had. scored 67, the parent school was dismissed for five runs. Ronald West, in addition to scoring 24 not out, secured seven wickets for 4 runs, while Brown accounted for the other three for 1 run- * * * In the Role of a Lecturer The Canterbury Cricket Association is to be congratulated upon its idea of getting J. A.

Newman, its professional coacli, to give a lecture to the cricketers of Christchurch, says the Christchurch "Sun.” On Wednes da y evening last, to a large and appreciative audience, Newman gave a fine lecture on the game from all points of view, and answered var-

ious questions that were put to him. He said that it was his first venture as a lecturer. His treatment of the subject was excellent, and he showed that he was not only a fine player, but also a deep student of the game. Perhaps Bowley or Langridge could be persuaded to give a similar talk to Aucklanders. # Papatoetoe’s Recovery Fapatoetoe looked to be in for a rare trouncing at the hands of Parnell on Saturday, when the first three wickets went 1-6. 2-7. 3-12. However, the batting thereafter steadied up, the ever-reliable Valentine helping himself, to a lively 59. D. Burnside followed th:i doctor with 48, and A. Swaffield (42) and Henderson (35) both helped materially to send the score along tu 250 for the innings. Parnell fielded well, in spite of the big tally recorded against it, and in Venney, a slow swerve bowler, who took seven lor 62. they have a trundler who is liable to worry any team on a wicket that is helping him a bit. Parnell had -o minutes at the wickets before the first day’s play closed. One of the two wickets that fell for only 4 runs was that of Len Righton. a severe loss to th* Parnellites. Old Shield Resurrected Memories of the days of district cricket in Auckland were brought back to the Management Committee members last evening by the presence at their meeting of the Simmonds-Osborne Shield, which has been lost since 1910, and which Mr. D. V. Moore has unearthed during the past week. Several of the members were in teams competing for the shield, which was wen by North Shore in 1905-06. Other clubs, namely, Parnell and Eden, also have their names on the shield. Anxious to Get Bowley Rotorua is not relinquishing its efforts to get E. H. Bowley for a day or so to coach the cricketers of the thermal district. The professional strained a muscle in his thigh recently and is under treatment, so the A.C.A. could not send him to Rotorua. A letter was • ceived at the Management Com..„v e’s meeting last evening imp] 2*4..,-. Auckland to send Bowley—“to New Zealand’s wonderland, the curer of all ills.” The Rotorua Cricket Association also offered to pay his accommodation expenses, and secure first class medical treatment. The matter was left in the hands of the Selection Committee. • • * Mors Wonderful Every Day Generally reckoned to be past the age when cricketers are at their best, Dick Rowntree, the veteran

Auckland stumper, is as good as ever he was. Mr. E. E. Nalder, who visited P a e r o a with Langridge and an Auckland team recently, states that "old £>ick” amazed the country people. "He stood only six inches behind the stumps to Coates (who has a greater claim to speed than any other Aucklander) and took those balls as

they bounced high overhead off the concrete pitch with unerring accuracy. At the same time he gently tipped the bails off with his little finger, and the Paeroa men turned and stared "openmouthed." Neither they nor the chairman of the Management Committee of A.C.A. had ever seen anything like it before. Aucklanders are waiting to see him against the Australians, and see how he compares with the Peerless Oldfield, who, now that S tru’dwick has retired, is generally reckoned to be the best in the world.

N.Z. PRODUCTS IN DEMAND Jong since we learned of a sea aptain in Finland sending a remitnfr? v° the New Zealand Department of n w c Health asking for a supply *. * or *h e skin. Another remitT»? is from a- man in Texas, U.S.A. tetter learned the value of Q-Tol p v» e o Sing shaving while travelling R M.s. Tahiti. *

School Cricket at Paeroa In school cricket at Paeroa on Saturday, the Primary School beat High School after one of the best games seen this season. Winning the toss, High School put Primary in, and the • little fellows made 32, of which M. i Curtis scored 17. High School started off badly, losing five wickets for seven runs. The last wicket fell at 29, leav- ! ing Primary School victorious by three runs. For the Primary boys, Edwards took four for 12 and Arnold two for four. Where the Manager Comes In The financial statement of the recent tour of Auckland colts in the South, which was tabled at the meeting of the Management Committee of the Auckland Cricket Association last evening showed that there was a loss

of some £42 on the venture. Mr. E. C. Beale, who managed the side, said that the A.G.A.’s grant of £25 toward the expenses was much appreciated. “As for the loss,” continued the veteran cricketer in a jovial manner, “that’s where the manager comes in.” The man-

ager’s privilege, so to speak What Victoria Missed It was only last year that Victoria realised fully the folly of its policy which virtually kept Ponsford and other promising colts out cf the State eleven in recent years. In 1920 and for the next three years the State selec- I tion committee stuck to several of those great all-Australian veterans (who to do themselves justice were worth their places in the team) and ; as much as shut the door of big : cricket to the colts. Before it was too j late, however, they changed their policy j and in 1924 Ponsford played his first j Sheffield Shield game. The wonder | of the past four years in the Australian wicket world came into his own j at long last, and who can say that he ! would not have been the marvel in 1921 that he is this year. It was four of the best years of his cricketing career lost, but by the way Ponsford has set about making up the leeway he will not have missed so very much after all.