CRICKET ENTENTE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 504, 6 November 1928, Page 18

CRICKET ENTENTE

AUCKLAND AND SUSSEX ARRIVAL OF COACHES The cricket alliance betwen the Auckland Province and Sussex first began when A. E. Relf, of the southern shire, came here as our first professional English cricket coach a full generation ago. This morning three fine Sussex cricketers landed from the Marama to carry on the good work, and cement the relationship still closer for the good of the good old game here. The acomplished trio were E. H. Bowley, J. Langridge and G. R. Cox, who (with Maurice Tate, now on duty in Australia) are the backbone of the Sussex county eleven, a club which holds a great record with such fine cricketers as Ranjisinghi, Fry, A. E. Relf and the elder Tate in olden days, and such worthy successors as Arthur Gilligan, Duleepsihghi, and Maurice Tate, with the- Bowley and Langridge of to-day. All three of the cricket mentors appeared the picture of health when they landed this morning, and were greeted by a group of cricket enthusiasts. Ted Bowley is as sprightly, alert and debonnair as ever. He had a narrow escape from selection for the English team now in Australia, but he won’t talk about it, and Auckland will be grateful that he comes here instead of the other side of the Tasman. Langridge has put on condition, and appeared in the full flush of health. His trip to Auckland last season had a wonderful building-up effect this promising colt, and his record last season was positive evidence of the value a young professional derives from a year of sunshine. THE NEW COACH George Cox, who has come to coach the suburban aspirants, catches the eye as a typical county coach, who points out your sins of omission and commission, and convinces you that the bat was not to blame. George will celebrate his 54th .birthday here this month, and the good effect of his ripe experience in first-class county cricket should soon be revealed by the improved form of the many promising players now active under the Suburban Association’s banner. Auckland has much to thank Sussex for in the cricket field here. The good work of Bert Relf still goes on in our older cricketers like Ces. Dacre, Nesbit Snedden and others, who cheerfully hand on the torch to the youngsters playing with a kerosene tin wicket, or passing out of our primary and secondary schools. The Sussex three who arrived today were unable to book passages with the battlers for the ashes when they travelled from England, but followed a week later. They saw the Adelaide game and, as club mates of Maurice Tate all last season, they aver he is a better bowler than ever, and is also now a finished batsman who will worry the Aussies a lot. They are confident the English XI will not leave the Ashes in Australia.