THE CRICKET CRITIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 907, 26 February 1930, Page 13

THE CRICKET CRITIC

M.C.C. Visit Ends The long awaited and much enjoyed visit of the Marylebone Cricket Club side to Auckland has come and gone. The tourists, after an extended stay in the Queen City, left yesterday morning en route to New Plymouth, where they were to commence the last match of their tour this morning against the Taranaki representatives. Undefeated In Dominion The side has so far had an unbeaten record in New Zealand, although it suffered heavy defeats at the hands of New South Wales and Victoria prior to landing at Wellington. The closest call the visitors have had in New Zealand was in the second test at Wellington, when only the three-day limit saved them from defeat at the hands of the New Zealand team. 0 * * Saw Masters Bat Aucklanders have had an opportunity of seeing two great geniuses of the bat in action, and many of them have taken the opportunity. Few performances in cricket in Auckland within recent years will live as long in tho memory as that glorious century scored by Duleepsinhji in the one and only day’s play of the ill-fated third test. He came the bearer of a famous name—the scion of a house which has already attained the heights of immortality in the great world of cricket—and ho goes after having enthused Aucklanders with what must have been a touch of the ve.ry genius of his uncle. # * * An Outstanding Figure Frank Woolley, the outstanding personality of the team, had attained im« 1 mortality in the cricket world before : ho came to New Zealand. For the past 20 years his name has been before tho cricket public continually. He belongs to the great age which gave Jack ITobbs to England and the world, and, like the master himself, has joined the select band of cricketers who have scored a century of cen-

turies in first-class cricket. Were it but to have seen these two great players alone, the visit of the English cricket side would have been well worth while. Bowley's Farewell There was another link, of special ! interest to Aucklanders, in the visit I of the team, and that was the inclusion of Bowley. The Sussex man, who enjoyed three years’ popularity here as professional player-coach to the Auckland Cricket Association, farewelled the crowd which has come to know him so well with perhaps the best of the many great century innings lie has scored on Eden Bark. Long will that effort linger in cricket memory, coupled with the Indian’s score. These three men necessarily dominated the scene, but the. remainder of the team will be remembered also. * * » Three-Day Matches If the visit of the side has done anything, it lias served to show once again the futility of allowing only three days for a test, or in fact any game with the major associations of New Zealand. As a Wellington critic says, the general experience in the chief matches of the tour points further to the fact that four days should bo set apart for the tests. The M.C.C. officials in England have agreed to the tests with Australia being extended to four days, instead of three days as in the past, and there is no reason why the action should not have been taken in regard to the M.C.C. team's tests in New Zealand.

Minor Association Games Matches against minor associations in which the result is a foregong conclusion are of little real value, and it would be far better to concentrate oil games against New Zealand and against major associations with one or two games against combined minor association teams. Little notice lias been taken of the advice which has been given from time to time in the matter of drawing up programmes for tours, and there has been a repetition this season of the same old programme. New Zealand is aiming at a higher status, but it is not being assisted by devoting so much time to two-day ! matches which count for little, either ;in improving New Zealand’s standard or in getting the best from visiting teams. * * * H, H. Hunt, the Ponsonby wicketwho has been selected to represent Auckland against Wellington in the final of the Plunket Shield. is the latest Auckland cricketer to join the ranks of the benedicts. He was married this afternoon. «* * * Dempster’s Record This season, however, Dempster has proved his undoubted right to be regarded as New Zealand’s star batsman, says the Wellington “Post.” In the first test match against the M.C.C. team at Christchurch, lie scored 11 and 25; in the second test at Wellington he played two sterling knocks for 136 and 80, not out; and in the third test at Auckland he was unbeaten with 62 to his credit. To score 314 runs in five innings, with two not outs, with the splendid average of 104.66 an innings, against bowlers of the calibre of Nichols, Allom, Barratt, Worthington and Woolley, is a feat of which even Jack Hobbs would have just cause to be proud. Dempster is without Question among tiie world’s leading batsmen today, and is good enough to command a place in any team for his batting alone. The secret of his success lies in his sound methods. His beautiful footwork enables him to get into the correct position to play every stroke, and ho treats every ball strictly on its merits. On the recommendation of the representative selection committee. Mr. J. H. Miller was appointed captain of the Auckland team which leaves today to play a match against the Poverty Bay representatives. * * * The Cricket Spirit The recent feast of big cricket in Auckland has prompted numerous enthusiasts of the game to donate bats for competition among leading players. At the meeting of the Management Committee of the Auckland Cricket Association last evening, Mr. N. C. Snedden intimated that an enthusiast, who desired to remain anonymous, had donated a bat to be presented to the player who makes the most runs for Auckland in representative cricket games this season. * * * Bat for Weir The treasurer, Mr. J. H. Watts, intimated'that Mr. Carlton Hay had precontoH ® f ~ L. Weir for his fine fighting innings in New Zealand’s innings against the Englishmen in the fourth test. It was also announced that Mr. A, M, Beale had offered to present a bat to the Auckland fieldsman who shows the best fielding qualifications in the Auckland - Wellington Plunket Shield match, to be played at Wellington shortly. * * * Fielding Recognised The services of a substitute fieldsman were also recognised when the chairman of the Management Committee handed to Don Webb, the Shore colt, a fountain pen on behalf of an admirer who wished to remain anonymous. Don fielded for Auckland at periods during the Auckland - M.C.C. game, and at one stage actually took the field to act for the Englishmen also. He is recognised as one of the best fieldsmen in Auckland cricket at the present time. * On the motion of the chairman, the Management Committee of the A.C.A. passed a vote of condolence with Mrs. C. W, Garrard in the loss of her husband.