THE CRICKET CRITIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 499, 31 October 1928, Page 13

THE CRICKET CRITIC

England in Australia On Friday next, November 2, the English cricketers commence the third match of their tour, versus Victoria, at Melbourne. This, and the first game against New South Wales, always acts as a trial of strength, throwing some considerable light on test match prospects. A. P. (Tich) Freeman’s Feat In getting F. T. Mann caught by Woolley at Folkestone, on September 7, the last day of the Kent v. M.C.C. match, Freeman obtained his 291st wicket of the season in first-class dricket, thereby exceeding the 290 taken by the late Tom Richardson during 1895. Comparisons between the two noteworthy feats are inevitable. Richardson, it may be pointed out, took his 290 wickets for 14.37 runs each in thirty-one matches, bowling 8,456 balls, and that Freeman obtained his 291 for 17.64 apiece in thirty-five games, delivering 11,197 A. P. Freeman balls. What a contrast were Richardson and Freeman, the former 6ft 3iri in height, with a great shock of black hair —a combination of a smiling Neapolitan and a Pyrrhenean brigand—a very fast bowler, who always apologised when his superb hit one on the inside of the right thigh—and Freeman a foot shorter, a very Slow bowler, and, compared with Richardson, a Lilliputian. Little maybe, but wise, a master of spin and a thinking brain behind every ball. All honour to them both. * * * Ned Sale's Brother. IT. R. Sale, who turned out for Grafton against Eden at King’s, is a younger brother of Ned Sale, wellknown in Auckland cricket of a few years back and one of the greatest fieldsmen in New Zealand. H. R. played for Parnell juniors several years ago, but has since been in the country and latterly at Paeroa teaching. His solid innings on Saturday showed that *he should be a decided acquisition to the club. *- * * Wellington Opens The weather was unkind for the opening of the various championship competitions in Wellington on Saturday ‘week. Though the sun was shining, a stiff northerly wind had sufficient ice in its breath to suggest that there must have been some snow on the Tararua and Ruahine ranges. About four o’clock the hands of the i fieldsmen became so numbed that stopping a hot drive was as painful an operation as getting the strap at school. Eden Park Attendances The 100 per cent, increase in the admission to club matches at Eden Park has, it is understood, not affected the gate takings appreciably either way as yet. Next Saturday, however, No. 1 wicket will be v-vailable, and as the season progresses, interest in the competition is bound to increase, and with that the public will come. Coaches Returning E. IT. Bowley and J. Langridge return to Auckland on Tuesday next from England via Sydney, on the Marama to fulfil their coaching engagements with the Auckland Cricket Association. G. Cox, who has been engaged by the City and Suburban Association is expected to arrive the same day also. The second match of the senior A grade competition commences on Saturday, and it is probable that Y.M.C.A. and Grafton will hold places in their sides so that the coaches may play on the second day of the match. Bowley is equal to half a team for Y.M.C.A., -and the inclusion of Langridge will make Grafton one of the strongest teams in the competition. “Days of Youth are Numbered” If the evidence of the personnel of the English team, and of the two teams which contested the Australian trial match means anything, it is that the day of youth in Australian cricket has not yet returned, says a Sydney writer. . Many of the greatest players, such as Trumper, Hill, Noble, Luff, Cotter, Graham, S. E. Gregory, Armstrong and Darling—not to go back to the dons of the ’eighties—made their Test match bow in the callow days of youth. Times have changed, no doubt. But the selectors might reasonably revert to former practice in some degree, at least, when they are building up the first Test eleven.

Wellington Club Captains In the Wellington senior championship competition the teams are being captained this season by the following:— Hutt: H. M. McGirr. Petone: W. S. Brice. Wellington: H. E. Burton. Old Boys: K. C. James. Ivilbirnie: W. J. R. Christophersen. Midland: E. Roberts. Institute: C. S. Dempster. University: R. H. C. Mackenzie. Dickinson’s Bad Luck George Dickinson, the Otago fast bowler, is again on the sick list. He was unable to play in the Otago v. Colts match on Monday week last, and in all probability will be on the bank for a match or two yet. The injury

with which he broke down in the Dun- I edin Test against Australia last season | is still troubling him. This young j bowler has no luck at all. Greatest Bowling Feat Ever “What has been the greatest piece of i bowling in the whole history of the j game?” Unanimity on such a point j is, of course, impossible, but we our- j selves are inclined to agree, says “The Cricketer,” that, taking all the circumstances into consideration, no bowler ever did better than S. F. Barnes in the match against Australia, which began at Melbourne on December 30, 1911. On a perfect pitch, and against some of the world’s best batsmen, he sent down his first eleven overs for six runs and five wickets. In the course of 30 balls he dismissed Bardsley, Kelleway, Hill and Armstrong for a single at his expense, and at the end of 70 minutes only three runs had been made off him. Hobbs’s Centuries Shortly before leaving England with the team for Australia, Jack Hobbs brought his number of centuries in first-class cricket to 15S, by scoring 150 for the Rest against Lancashire, the champion county. Hobbs played one of the best innings of the season, his runs being made while Sutcliffe was carefully scoring 54, though the Yorkshireman ended with 113 not out. Hobbs’s number of centuries is a record for the game in any part of the world, and it is one that is likely to stand for some years., Bat and Ball Gauges How many people in Auckland have seen a gauge for measuring cricket bats or for measuring cricket balls? “The Cricketer” states that, in England, outside the first-class game, not one person in 100 has ever seen one of these implements. Recently, in a game between Hampshire and Northamptonshire, the size of the ball was called into question, and, on measurement with the two circular pieces of metal joined together at the top, it was found that the ball was in excess of the correct circumference. Has the Auckland Cricket Association any gauges ? Here and Tliere Nolan, formerly of Grafton, but now of United Suburbs, is a most promising colt. Last season, playing third grade, he secured 135 wickets. He will turn out for Suburbs seconds this season. * * * Webster and Broberg will be included in the Suburbs team next Saturday. The “Ifs” of Cricket “A great match,” was the general comment of the few spectators at King’s College on Saturday when Eden trooped off the field after a desperate fight against the aggressive Grafton batsmen, with the game ending in a draw. There were a number of cricket “ifs’ about the match —for instance, if Dick Rowntree at the commencement of the day’s play had claimed seven minutes for a late start Grafton would most likely have won. If the ball that Hockin sent over into a neighbouring field had not lost itself, and held the gam© up for several minutes at an exceedingly interesting stage, Grafton might still have passed Eden’s total. Then, again, if in the dying minutes of the match, the Graf-

tonites had lashed out a little more wildly even at the risk of sacrificing one or two of the several wickets they had in hand, they might have succeeded in getting the dozen runs that were required. There were, of course, a good many ifs on the other side, providing in all that thrilling uncertainty which is one of the greatest joys of cricket. “Nothing Ventured, Nothing Won” There is a well-worn proverb—- “ Nothing ventured, nothing won.” which Auckland cricketers will need to to heart if the game in this city is ever to become popular with the general public. Saturday saw several teams let golden opportunities of going for, and possibly claiming, sensational victories slip through their fingers. Safety first tactics are all very well when places on the championship ladder are the first consideration, but teams should at times rise above such considerations and think of the general welfare of the game. After all, it is chiefly the general public which finances the sport, and it is entitled to some consideration, even in ordinary club matches. As Mr. N. C. Snedden said at a meeting of the Management Committee of the Auckland Cricket Association recently, “If we play better cricket the public will come.” It is up to the clubs, while the season is yet young, to see to it that advantage is taken of every opportunity to speed up the game. Cricket at Papatoetoe Cricket in the Papatoetoe district has taken a new lease of life for the ensuing season, and application has been made for the entering of three teams in the Auckland CriGket Association competition in place of two for last year. There are at present two splendid pitches laid down on the Papatoetoe Sports Ground, and room for another. teams have been entered in the following grades, Senior B, Third and Fourth. The seniors will be without the services of Strachan and W. Rankin, who have severed their connection with the club, and D. Burnside, captain of* the team for a number of years, will not be seen in action for some time on account of illness. H. Rankin, late of North Shore Colts, has thrown in his lot with the garden suburb team, and his ?/.-- vices will be a decided acquisition to the club.