With Bat and Ball

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 493, 24 October 1928, Page 13

With Bat and Ball

A Cricket Causerie

‘•No Thank You/' says Blunt The Dunedin correspondent of The Sun says that there is little likelihood of Roger Blunt accepting any offer that the Queensland Cricket Association may make, regarding a coaching engagement in Brisbane. No Parking Allowed Arthur Mailey wants to know whether anyone has informed Philip Mead, English stonewaller, that most traffic regulations in Australia prohibit parking for more than half an hour in any one place. All-Time Australian Reps A correspondent of an Australian paper selects the following as the best Australian team of all time: — V. Trumper. R. A. Duff, M. A. Noble, Clem Hill, C. G. Macartney, W. W. Armstrong, J. M. Gregory, G. Giffen, H. V. Hordern, F. Spofforth, J. M. Blackball # * * Hobbs’s 50,000 Runs Jack Hobbs finished the English cricket season by bringing the total runs of his career to over 50,000. Dr. \V. G. Grace scored 54,000 in his lifetime, and it is generally expected that although “J. 8.” is nearly 40 years old. he will eventually pass the Doctor’s total. Hobbs is still England’s greatest living batsman. Dan Reese’s Retirement Two familiar laces arc missing from the management committee of the New Zealand Cricket Council this season. Mr. Dan Reese, who has been a delegate to the council .for 21 years, has retired because he is insistent that young blood must bo given a chance. The other member retiring, Mr. .J. S. Barrett, came to the council in tho 1913-14 season. * * * Greatest Game Has Known S. F. Barnes, considered by mapy to be. the best bowler that ever went from England to Australia, and characterised as the greatets the game has known by Mr. “Plum’’ Warner, is still playing county cricket. In a recent match he took 10 wickets for Staffordshire against Leicestershire, and in another match took seven wickets lor 13 runs in eight overs. Hq goes in first wicket down for the county, and seldom fails to make a useful score. Barnes is now 52 years old. Wanting Practice Many players commenced the season on {Saturday with little or no practice beforehand. Strange to say, some of the best performances on the day were made by men who were handling a bat or ball for the first time this season. Allcott was a case in point, while N. Martin (Suburbs) had his first practice against Parnell and took four wickets for 37. A somewhat earlier start than usual, and a wet Saturday the week before, was largely responsible for so many men taking the field without preliminary practice. * * * The Middlesex Captain F. T. Mann, who recently retired from the captaincy of his county, first appeared for Middlesex in 1909, and he has been captain since 1921, during which period Middlesex won the championship in his first year of leadership, and only just failed to do so in another season. Immensely liked by everyone who has come into contact with him, he will be much missed, for he has worked hard and most unselfishly for his side, and has always played the game in the right and proper manner. Among county captains he is probably, the most respected and the most popular. Will History Repeat Itself? With Allcott and Wilson again in the ranks, and the professional player coach, Langridge, arrivinng to do battle for them in about a fortnight's time, Grafton’s prospects for the season are bright. The last time Dick Rowntree led the side, Grafton won the senior championship, and supporters of the club, which had a lean time last season, are hoping that history will repeat itself. However, Eden's 293 for eight wickets will take some getting past when the match at King’s College is resumed on Saturday. Senior Eleven Captains There have been several changes in the captains of the senior elevens in the A.C.A. competitions this season. The following are now acting: Ponsonby: N. C. Snedden. Eden: . E. Mills. North Shore: R. E. Frater (pro tem). United Suburbs: M. Wetherill. Parnell: H. Duncan. University; D. R. Garrard. Grafton: R. W. Rowntree. Y.M.C.A.: E. H. Bowley. Bowley to Lead Y.M. Bowley will take over the leadership of the Young Men upon his arrival in about a fortnight’s time. In the meantime, Elliot is in charge. Frater was appointed captain of Shore, pro tem, last Saturday. A permanent captain is to be appointed on the first day of the second match. Last season A. Williams led Suburbs; Don Miller, Y.M.; Gillespie. Eden; and Cyril Snedden. Grafton. * * * A Rebuff to Wellington The ruling of the management committee of the New Zealand Cricket Council regarding the playing of professional coaches in Plunket Shield matches can only be taken as a rebuff to Wellington, for its action in playing Taylor, coach to the Nelson Association as well as its own city coach, J". T. Badcock, in representative games last season. The Nelson Cricket Association’s district comes under the Wellington Plunket Shield district, but the ruling of the council’s executive definitely states that coaches to m(nor associations which are in Plunket Shield districts, are not eligible for Plunket Shield matches. Tribute to E. H. Bowley A skilled cricketer with both bat and ball, who might well have been seen more often in matches of a representative nature, is Bowley, of Sussex, says a recent issue of "The Cricketer.’’ MAXIMS FOR BOWLERS 1 Be up. 2. Don’t be narrow. •>. Take Baxter’s Lung Preserver. . Recently Mr. Baxter visited a bowlgreen not far from Wellington, a nd that was the placard that met his ey® when he went to take part in a friendly game of bowls—and the members of the club really believed in • o r motto * They evidently found Baxter’s’’ an invaluable remedy for coughs and colds and all chest afflictions. Baxter’s Lung Preserver has been a favourite In most New Zealand homes for the last 60 years. That fact alone Proves Its merit. Besides being an exk- nt P re P a ration for throat, bronchial and chest complaints, it is invaluable as a tonic, as this rich, warm soothing fluid revitalises the whole system •A generous-sized bottle of "Baxter’s’’ can be obtained from any chemist or store for 2s 6d; or try the bachelor size at Is 6d. Economical People get the large family size at 4s

During the last few years his scoring ; has been a model of consistency, and. Imd he taken part in two more gam?s this season, lie would in all probability have achieved ‘‘the cricketer’s double" —-1,000 runs and 100 wickets. His figures for 1928, to the morning of the Sth mst., were: 2,359 runs, with an average of 45,36, and 90 wickets for 1-0.08 each. He did not obtain a regular irtae© in the Sussex team until ioif ant * nothing was seen of him in in 9, as he was not then demobilised; yet in first-class cricket, at home and abroad, he has made 19,619 runs (average 34.66) and taken 440 wickets (average 2,7.25). Thirty-three hundreds are included in his aggregate of run. Bowley is at present en route to Auckland to fulfill tho third year of his coaching engagement with the A.C.A. Shore Start Badly. —Shore’s chances of being champion club this season do not appear very rosy at present, although the senior eleven has plenty of promising talent to draw on from the Colts, who won the senior B grade last year, and also the senior B team, which also has some coming players. Alf Scott was a spectator on Saturday and business calls may prevent him playing regularly this year. The allrounder will be missed as a ’keeper, bowler and batsman.' George Jay was promoted last Saturday, but was not

given a trial with the ball. Jay is a clever spin bowler with a deceptive flight and well-concealed change of pace which brought him a plentiful crop of wickets last year. Nettleton in the Near East. —Ray Nettleton, who will be remembered as a stylish and dashing batsman in the Shore seniors and the Te Awa midweek team, is making good in the Federal Malay States, where he is now engaged in the rubber industry. Cricket there entails a lot of long-distance travelling and the climate is trying at times. Nettleton’s form in the club games was so good that he was selected for a place in the F.M.S. XI., and performed well with the bat in his first representative match. New Wickets at Devonport. —The Devonport Domain Board has taken in hand the preparation of two new wickets on the Rugby ground, which has hitherto been little used during the summer. The ground is an ideal one for cricket, but has been badly cut up with football and its use as a grazing paddock. With the expenditure of some money and labour it will be a welcome addition to the limited area available for cricket in the 'northern suburb, where the Shore Club is hard pressed to find space for its large membership.

PLAYING OF PROFESSIONALS FLUNKET SHIELD CRICKET A.C.A.’S OPINION At the meeting of the management committee of the Auckland Cricket Association last evening a letter was received from the management committee of the New Zealand Cricket Council, enclosing correspondence, between the council and the Wellington Cricket Association concerning the playing of professionals in Plunket Shield cricket. The Wellington Association affirmed its right to play Taylor, coach to the Nelson Cricket Association, as well as its own resident professional coach, Badcock. It further urged that the following amendment be made to the rules: —"A professional coach under engagement to a minor association shall be eligible to play for the major association to which such minor association is affiliated.” Mr. E. C. Beale said he saw no reason why any major association should be allowed to play a professional coach imported by a minor association, included under that major association for the purpose of giving promising amateurs in that minor association a chance to play in firstclass cricket. Mr. E. E. Nalder: That is to say. Wellington could play Badcock under the residential qualification, and any other professional imported by them — not the coach of a minor association in the Wellington Plunket Shield district. After considerable discussion, it was decided to appoint Messrs. N. C. Snedden. Beale, and the honorary secretary to draft instructions to the Auckland Cricket Association’s resident delegates to the New Zealand Cricket Association in Christchurch embodying the opinion of the A.C.A. that a Plunket Shield province should be allowed to play an imported professional only if that professional has been imported by the major association itself. BAT TO G. L. WEIR Mr. F. W. Matthews’s bat for the first century of the season was awarded to G. L. Weir, who scored 103 not out for Eden against Grafton at King’s College on Saturday. Weir completed his century at 6.24 p.m. J. Dunning, of Varsity, completed his century at 6.34, ten minutes later. Entries for all grades of the association’s competitions closed last evening, when 94 were received. Last week it was decided to limit the number of teams in the senior B grade to eight, but a motion by Mr. N. C. Snedden that the previous decision be rescinded was carried. It was then agreed the number should be ten. On the motion of Messrs. W. S. Smeeton an 4 W. Hendy it was resolved to write to the Eden Park Board of Control askins for the provision of sight screens for all three grounds at Eden Park. It was stated the light was very bad there. Mr. E. C. Beale gave notice of motion for next meeting that Mr. D. V. Moore be appointed manager of the representative team on its Southern tour.