Tongan Choir Boys Can Play Cricket

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 328, 13 April 1928, Page 18

Tongan Choir Boys Can Play Cricket

Y.M.C.A. OVERWHELMED MOKOFIJI HITS OUT The Y.M.C.A. eleven which met a side representing the Tongan Choir in a cricket match at Victoria Park yesterday has good reason to respect the prowess of the dusky men from the Pacific Island—for the home side was overwhelmed by 201 runs to 68. The Tongan boys modestly asked for a match, stating that they were pretty fair cricketers. Yesterday they proved that they are no mean exponents of the game. Clad in their pure white lava lavas instead of the customary flannels, the Tongan team provided a picturesque sight as it took the field. And it was not long before the Y.M.C.A. batsmen found that their bowlers could not be trifled with. The Tongan bowler despises a run before delivering the ball —one or two steps is good enough for him, and incidentally good enough to get Y.M.C.A. wickets. After an hour at the crease, the association side was all out for 68; Bambury (31) being the chief scorer, while W. Riddolls (16), and A. Riddolls (10), were the only others to reach double figures. WILY MEN IN THE FIELD The antics of the Tongan boys in the field created much amusement. One man was never enough to chase the ball. At least two always joined in a race for it. The dusky warrior at third man always seemed to fumble the ball, at the same time keeping it within' easy reach. When the batsman ran, it was hurled to the wicket with unerring accuracy. The choir boys’ wicketkeeper created a good impression behind the sticks, and on his display, there are not many in Auckland who could show, him anything in the art. Before the attack of Bosese and Saumaki, a regular rout took place in the ranks of the Y.M.C.A. tail-enderS, three men going in quick succession without scoring. BREEZY BATTING The tactics of the choir’s opening batsmen would have been a good object lesson for many of Auckland’s lackadaisical club batsmen. They went out for a hit, and hit they did. Mokofiji ran up 51 before he was clean bowled. During his breezy stay at the crease, he hit seven fours, and five threes. Maii scored 32 not out, in a hardly less spectacular manner. The Tongan choirboys are much pleased over their win, and now want to take the Y.M.C.A. on in a game of Rugby.