CRICKET

Taranaki Daily News, 25 November 1926, Page 4

CRICKET

PLAY IN NORTH TARANAKI COMMENTS OX THE GAMES. . (By “The Man on the Terrace.”) FIXTURES AHEAD. December 3 and 4.—Hawke Cup match, Wanganui ■ (holders) v. Taranaki (challengers) at Wanganui. Becember 4. —Town v. Country (Xorth Taranaki), probably A and B teams at New Plymouth and at Tikorangi. December 18—North Taranaki juniors v. South Taranaki juniors. December 17, 18 and 20.—Town v. Country, at Wellington. December 21 and 22.—Minor Associations v. Wellington, at Wellington. Next week Taranaki will make a bold bid for the Hawke Cup in the match against Wanganui. The team announced after the North-South match was in the main such. as most close observers of the game would have chosen to represent the province. The surprise of the selection, however, is the inclusion of Petty. In this column last week I advocated that Petty should be given an opportunity of playing in better company and suggested that he should be first relief to Clarke in the North team. This would have given him a fair trial and shown the true quality of his bowling. But to omit him from the trial game and select him for the greater test does not seem a wise policy. In representative cricket, seasoned experience usually counts. Then give youth its chance to acquire experience. The selected team is good on paper and should make a good - showing. The bowling will perhaps suffer from the lack of a medium pace bowler who can keep a length but otherwise is formidable. THE NORTH-SOUTH MATCH. In retrospect last Saturday’s match at the Recreation Grounds was in some ways a disappointing game. The successes on both sides were confined to a few players, when it would have been more cheering to see a greater distribution of success. North Taranaki opened well and for a time it seemed that, with plenty of good batsmen to follow the opening pair—a big score would be reached. But as it happened the South bowling had good variety and Penny, the Southern captain, handled the bowling well and did not allow any man to tire himself unduly. He could with advantage have tried his fast bowlers, Giblin and Cole against the tail end of the North team, but as the wickets fell regularly this was ngt necessary. Nasmith and Lash make a good opening pair and in taking the score to 67 before Lash hooked a short ball into the hands of Cole, both played correct cricket. As befits opening batsmen, they concentrated on defence, and were content to score only from the loose ball. Nasmith was the sounder of the two, and brought the face of the bat down each time to meet the ball. His chief scoring shot was a prbtty turn to leg and in this way scored several boundaries from Cole and Giblin. Lash, though not so attractive and stylish, was stolid, scoring chiefly by a pull to leg. Kingston's innings of 49 raised further hopes of a big score for the North. If there is any batsman who can knock good bowling about it is Kingston. He is daring even to recklessness, but has the attributes of a wonderful eye and supreme confidence. Standing well out of his crease he was eagerly looking for runs and invariably his scoring strokes were clean and crisp. Nine boundaries came from his bat in the course of his short but lively innings. “ They were made in all parts of the field. Of the remaining batsmen in the North team none played up to their form in club cricket. It may have been that the good start in batting gave them a sense of superiority over the bowling which was not warranted: or it may have been that Kingston’s unorthodox innings was a disturbing influence. Whatever the reason, the majority of the remaining batsmen threw a:viy their wickets in trying to force the pace. This was the ease with Jones, Earl, Gibson, Grayson and Clarke, all of whom seemed impatient to gather runs and paid the penalty. The South bowling was never weak and should have commanded respect. Bottrill played the bowling more correctly and was unlucky in getting his leg in front to a straight ball. Penny gained the best bowling average for the South with seven wickets for 47 runs. He bowled well and got a niee off-break going. Most of his wickets, however, were secured as a result of the batsmen’s mistakes and mishits. His bowling was better than it appeared from the terrace, and at least four batsmen found that they had misjudged the ball completely. Apart from Cole and Giblin, who both kept a good length with their fast deliveries, the bowler who was most impressive was Wilson. For a leg-break bowler he preserved a fine length and was not afraid to toss them up. On several occasions the break beat the bat and the wickets as well. CLARKE’S GREAT BOWLING. Clarke was in great form when the Southern men went to the wickets. There was just sufficient wind blowing across the wicket to give him a slight swing in from leg; the wicket had dried and suited him well. Added to that he bowled with rare pace and length. One ball in particular—the one that completely beat Little, who.it may be mentioned, played a correct stroke—was, in the common phrase, “out of the box.” From the Southern point of view the innings was an unsatisfactory one in that two run outs and two l.b.w. decisions helped to make the innings a procession. Those who were not run out or given out leg before had to face Clarke, bowling at express speed. Penny shaped confidently at a critical time of the innings, and restored some measure of confidence in the side by hitting a couple of fours from the fast bowler. In the inevitable follow-on Clarke did not bowl, the North skipper evidently trying out the other available material. Earl opened and got three wickets until Little set to work and hit 15 off one over. Bottrill came out with the best figures, three for 16. and bowled with sound judgment. Easton made his first appearance in New Plymouth, but did not make any impression, either .with bat or ball. Very likely he was off colour. Quickfall also seemed to be out of form with the ball and did not get ‘he same length and nip off the pitch hat has enabled him to secure most of his wickets in club games.

Following is the position of the teams in the North Taranaki competitions to .date:SENIOR GRADE

JUNIOR GRADE NORTHERN DIVISION.

First round matches to be played: Technical School v. Band; School B v. Council B. There is a little doubt sit present as to whether Technical School secured a two point or a three point win over Old Boys on November 13. In the above table they are credited with a two point win only. WESTERN DIVISION.

COUNTRY ASSOCIATION.

THE GAME IN ENGLAND. CURE FOR UNFINISHED CRICKET. (From Our Own Correspondent.) London, Oct. 21. Now that the Australians have gone home, cricket has faded into the background. Even the agitation for Test matches of the future to be played to a finish has ceased. P. F. Warner thinks that four days would suffice for most games to be completed. M.C.C. officials, however, dislike even this concession, and it is probable that, when the time comes for a decision to be arrived at, they will resist it. In the meantime, they will perhaps try to solve the problem without permitting any extension of time. When the agitation for finished Tests was at its height, Lord Hawke proposed as a cure for excessive run getting a return to natural Wickets, and it is along these lines that the authorities will work. But it would be useless for them to express a pious opinion on the question. It will be necessary to give definite instructions as to how the pitch is, and is not, to be treated. This move may cause opposition from the county clubs, because from their point of view it is essential that matches should last as long as possible, and for them to be decided under conditions which would gave the bowler an advantage might cut down the gate receipts. But something can be done to bring the game back to the old state. To-day even after rain the turf is never very treacherous. The “glue pot”wicket, as it was called, has completely disappeared. In these circumstances, I think the M.C.C. will endeavour to restore the balance, ,and they will be anxious to do so as boon as possible, in order to remove all reasonable doubt as to the feasibility of Test matches being finished in three days before the next visit of the Australians. Why ICO should be the coveted figure in cricket no one knows. In bowjing, of course, the numerical triumph is three, the coveted “hat-trick.” There, again, it is asked, why should it be three, and not a brace, such as is the

recognised unit in shooting circles? If the eight-ball over is brought into prominence it will mean a new number in sporting terms. Already we have six balls as a base in cricket, while tennis favours powers of 15 for its scoring. The Rugby - code also subscribes to the “five” principle by the grouping of two and three, but, says an English writer, golf can claim no special sporting numbers of its own.

Matches 3^pt 2-pt ITd.Wins.Wins.Los T'l s.Pt. New Plymouth o 1 1 — 5 High School . 2 1 1 — 0 Western Park 2 — 1 I o Old Bovs A . 2 — 1 1 2 Old Bovs B .. V — — 2 —. L’remii 2 — — 2 —

M.P. 3-pt 2-pt T’l Wins. Wins. Dn L’t Pt. Technical School 5 3 2 — — 13 .... 6 3 2 — 1 13 Council B .. .... 5 2—1 2 7 Old Boys .. ....(> 1 1 1 3 6 School B .. .... 5 1 — — 4 3 Band 5 —

Matches 3-pt 2-pt T1 Pl’d. Wins.WinsLoss.Pt. School A 5 2 2 1 10 Okato fl 2 2 2 10 Council A fl 2 2 2 10 Avenue Road .. 6 2 — 4 fl Western Park . 5 1 1 3 o New Plymouth 6 — 1 5 2 First round match still to be played: School A v. Western Park.

Matches T’l Played. Won. Dn. L. Pt. Tikorangi .... .... 5 5 — — 10 Brixton .... 5 3—2 0 Tarurutangi ... .... 4 2—2 4 Egmont Village ... 5 1—4 2 Bell Block ... .... 5 1—4 3