THE CRICKET CRITIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 865, 8 January 1930, Page 13

THE CRICKET CRITIC

Memorable Matches The long-waited feast of holiday ! cricket has come, and with the holi- j days it has passed, but in the passing it has stamped itself a memorable one in the history of Auckland cricket. Apart from the mere considerations of wins and losses, which must ever dominate tho game with big trophies in open competition, the two Plunket Shield matches now over have provided delightful cricket. Archie Jackson, the brilliant young New South Wales batsman, is at present on the sick list. It is expected that He will be out of cricket for three weeks. Weather—and Other Things Not all the exceptional vagaries of the weather for mid-summer could damp completely the pleasure to be derived from watching Auckland’s two big wins, and an Aucklander would not be human if the matches did not become the more pleasurable because of those wins. Slicli mere considerations as the dispensations of the sky must be accepted with the usual philosophy of the cricket spirit the world over, and as such they were accepted in Auckland. Loss For Cricket Association Of course, it will take something more than philosophy to make amends for the big financial drop which the Auckland Cricket Association has now to stand as a result of' the fickle weather, bat hope can only be held out for phenomenal gates at the Auckland M.C.C. game to do something to square this up. As events proved, it was a thousand pities that there could be no play last Saturday in the Canterbury game, both from the public and the Plunket Shield viewpoint, but if Auckland can retain the shield after having commenced with such a handicap, then victory will be so much the sweeter.

Friday, and ail eyes will be on the Cathedral City for the next three days, as the select of the Dominion meet the powerful M.C.C. side in the first trial of strength. The Englishmen have not so far displayed their best form in New Zealand, chiefly as a result, no doubt, of the inability of their star batsmen to get going on the unfavourable wickets. But if the wicket at Christchurch is at all fast the Indian and hffe comrades should be capable of putting up a big score. * * * The Inclusion of Foley Without denying that Foley is a cricketer worth his place in the side, there seems to have been something irregular in the manner in which Eddie McLeod, the ex-Aucklander, was passed over after having been selected as 12th man, when Jack Mills had to drop out of the New Zealand team. Granted that a batsman was .needed to fill the vacancy, but the New Zealand Selection Committee should have indicated in the first place which man would go in if a batsman was unavailable, and similarly with a bowler. Well-Rewarded Amateurs The members of the next Australian team for England will be the most liberally-rewarded amateurs on record, if we except J. C. White, of Somerset, and his £I,OOO testimonial. Each player will get £SO on going aboard, £4OO during his stay in England, and £l5O on return, in addition to 30s a week expenses. He will, however, have to contract not to return to England as a player for two years. * * * That Saxpence Extra In some quarters there was an outcry last season when the management committee of the Auckland Cricket Association decided to increase the gate charges to Eden Park for club games from sixpence to a shilling. It was argued that the gates would fall away and that the funds of the A.C.A. would be no better off. However, the records for the past year disclose a substantial increase in revenue from that quarter, so that the action of the authorities in bringing the gate charge into line with the practice of all other sport has been eminently satisfactory. * * * Life’s Little Ironies It is not all beer and skittles English. cricket teams enjoy when touring the great Australian continent. A plague of flies was experienced during a match between the -English eleven and 22 of Stawell in the 1873-74 season. W. G. caught 79 at one grab. Two kangaroos and six hares were seen on the ground at one time while

England was playing a Goulburn 22 , at Goulburn in 1876-77. On the second day of the game between England and Toowoomba in { 1920-21, the players were annoyed anti j incommoded by flies, grasshoppers and butterflies. In a match between England and a i Geelong 22 in 1861-2. the stand was ! blown away bv the wind. The match, England v. a Maitland 22. in 1873-74. had to be abandoned owing to floods. On the second day of the match. England v. South Australia, at Ade- ' laide, in 1907-08, the temperature was 97 in the shade and 151 in the sun. j The “Governor-Genera!’’ The brilliant little Charlie Macartney is 4 *once again taking the game sort- j ously Cssays J.W.. the “Australasian” . cricket writer). It is good news in many ways. He is reputed to be bowl- j ing in rare form, and is keen. While a j left-hand bowler of immaculate length, j with a nice little nip from the pitch, ! ho was never a really great bowler, i though always a useful on* Ho was also a lino fieldsman, but it was as a batsman of the dashing order that he ; was famous. Comparatively ho is a j far greater batsman in England than , in Australia, for the simple reason that j on the slower wickets he has more ] time to bring off his many and wonderfully daring strokes. There'- faster wickets are* not to his liking. Ills j presence in the next team would ini- . prove Australia’s prospects in England j immensely. A Clem Hill Story Clarence Moody, of Sydney, tells a little story, says a Dunedin exchange. “When Clem llill made 350 for Prince Alfred College- against St. Peter’s, in 1893, L. Addison, of Prince Alfred, said to George Giffen, 1 wish you would come down and have a look at one of our boys. He is a wonderful batsman, but ho overdoes the pull, and j ought to be got out of it.’ j “George went along, and commenced j to wheel them up to the boy. He i pitched one on .the leg stump. Clem banged it round. George pitched one j on the middle peg, and turned it again, ; and Clem whipped it round. George, j with Giffenian pertinacity, pitched one | on the off stump, and Clem pulled it round. George stroked his chin thoughtfully, and pitched one outside the off side stump, going away, and Clem hooked it round. “ ‘That boy is a great batsman, said George. ‘I am bowling pretty well. If he can do that to me, as I am bowling, lie’ll do it to anyone. Don’t try to change him. He’ll go far’.’’ George was right. Better far not to I tamper with the natural things in a genius such as Clem Hill was. EXECUTIVE RESUMES BOTH TEAMS CONGRATULATED Tlio Management Committee of the Auckland Cricket Association hold its first meeting since the Christmas and New Year holidays last evening, Mr. H. Watts presiding in tho. absence ■ of the chairman, Mr, E. E. Nalder. who is away on sick leave. The committee extended its sympathy to D. R. Garrard in’ the sickness which prevented him from leading the Auckland team against Canterbury. Congratulations to the two teams on their fine displays were also voiced,

and special mention was made of tl e services rendered by Wensley, for lus bowling against Otago, and to Mills. Anthony, Weir and Gillespie for their centuries. The committee also thanked the Press of Auckland for the publicity it had given the two Plunket iihieUl games. Tho secretary was instructed to enquire into a, proposal by which the association could Insure itself against tho weather tor the Auckland-M.C C. match. MATCHES FOR SATURDAY Following is the draw for matches on Saturday: First Grade.—United Suburbs v. North Short. North Shore. Y.M.C.A. % Ed.*... r.d. u lark No. 3. University v. IV r. Kden Park No. J. Parnell > Lit - ton. Eden Park No. 1. Senior Grade lb—North Shore A v. Ponsonby. Victoria, Park: North Shoe 1; \. Parnell. North Shore; Bdti % Y.M.C.A.. Eden Park No. 4; Balmoral \ University. Domain No. 4. king's. Old Boys v. Pa pa toe toe. King's College. Second Grade A.—Parnell A v. Stanley Buy, Stanley Bay; Grafton v. Northcote. Domain No. 3; AH Saints* \. Balmoral. Domain No. Tainaki v. Mount Albert. Victoria Park; Western United v. Windmill. Victoria Park. Second Grade i>.—City v. United Suburbs. Eden Park No. 5; Epsom United v. Takapuna, Victoria Park; North Shore v. Ponsonby, North Shore; University v. Parnell B, Domain No. 8. Third Grade A.—All Saints’ v. United Suburbs. Domain No. 12; Balmoral v. North Shore, Domain No. 10; Eden v. Pa pa toe toe. Domain No. 14; University v. Windmill. Domain No. 13; Western United a bye. Third Grade B.—Power Board v. 1 *ilworth. Domain No. 16; Education Foard v. Tamaki, Tamaki: Mount: Albert i . W.Y.M.1., Mount Albert; Northcote v. Telegraph, Northcote; Point Chevalier v. Swanson, Swanson. Third Grade O.—Aotearoa v. Turners and Growers. Point Chevalier; Cambria v Kauri Timber Company. Puhinui: Henderson v. Y.M.C.A.. Henderson; Victoria v. Firkdale. Birkdale; Parnell, a bye. Fourth Grade A. —Mount Albert v. All Saints’, Victoria Park: North Shore > Excelsior. Victoria Park: Telegraph wins by default from “Herald”: Y.M.C.A. ' • Point Chevalier. Point Chevalier. Fourth Grade B. —Aotearoa, v. Grry Lvnn, Outer Domain No. 1: Pa pa toe too v. Olvmpic, Outer Domain No. 3: .St. Stephen’s v. Western Springs, Point < nrvalier; Takapuna v. Victoria, Takapuna. SUBURBAN FIXTURES Following are the matches to t>e played under the control of the Auckland Suburban Cricket Association on Saturday:— _ . Senior Grade A.—Albion v. Ponsonby. Domain, Messrs. Molloy and Jennyn; Harbour Board v. W.Y.M.1., Domain. Messrs. Gallagher and Johnston: Ulerslm v. Green Lane, Messrs. Ball and Abbott. Senior Grade B.—Ellerslie v. Shell Oil. Domain No. 11. Messrs. Tabner and Check; Harbour Board v. Tramways, Victoria Park, Messrs. K own tree and Edmonds; Invicta. v. Faucett. Victoria Park, Messrs. Pike and Von der Hyde. Second Grade.—Otahuhu v. Green Lane, Domain No. 15. Messrs. Heald and Vercce; Avondale v. Kingsland, Avondale; Comrades v. Richmond, Victoria Park. ' Third Grade A. —Star of Eden v. Royal Oak, Outer Domain; Maunsrakiekm v. Avondale, Domain No. 6; Gas Garage v. Edendale, Domain No. 7. Third Grade B.—New Zealand Ambulance v. L. D. Nathan, Domain No. 6a; Richmond v. Ambury’s, Grey Lynn Park; Auckland Meat Company v. Glen Eden. Third Grade Intermediate. ParkerLamb v. Richmond, Victoria Park: Eoendale v. Maungakiekie, Outer Domain. Messrs. Owen and Potter; Avondale, a Tramways house match, Victoria Park. Lodge Competition.—Good Intent Pupuke, Vic toria Park: Mount Albert v. Remuera, Victoria Park.