SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD CHAMPION

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 891, 7 February 1930, Page 7

SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD CHAMPION

DROP MEN WHO DROP CATCHES!

THEBE is no need to hail Mr. Hugh Trumble as a cricket seer * because he has drawn fresh attention to the besetting weakness of New Zealand cricket—fielding. That weakness has been apparent for years. It shrieked aloud for drastic improvement after the pioneer New Zealand team’s visit to England. And now Mr. Trumble, an experienced judge of cricket, has done j*ood service by pointing out that it still exists. Mr. Trumble is an old Australian XI player himself, and he was too polite to say that when early Australian sides were where New Zealand is today—fighting their way up to a footing of test match equality with England—fielding was their sheet anchor. Batting and bowling success (especially batting) came after. How many teams in New Zealand today regularly practise fielding; When a man lias had ten minutes at the nets and a spell at the howling crease, lie considers that he has put in a good evening’s work. But it might be a whole lot better for New Zealand cricket if all nets were removed from practice grounds! If a definite improvement is to take place iu the fielding of New Zealand teams, selection committees must drop men who drop catches. And the same applies to heavy-footed fieldsmen, who are slow off the mark and slow in getting down to stinging shots along the turf. Even tlie claims of brilliant batsmen and class howlers should be rigidly scrutinised in the light of their fielding ability. The cases of R.yder and Ironmonger in Australia, and the striking elevation of V. Y. Richardson, who is an inspiration to a side in the field, should furnish a stern lesson for New Zealand.