CRICKET

Wairarapa Age, 24 February 1927, Page 3

CRICKET

PLAY AND PLAYERS. (BY “RUN OUT.’’) As was generally expected, United easily vanquished Old Boys in their bcruor competition match on Saturday last at the Masterton Oval, and they won by an innings and fifty-five runs. It was thought that the remaining lour Old Boys’ batsmen would wipe off the necessary runs to avoid an innings defeat, but when two line batsmen such as Dr. Uttley and D. Logan were dismissed without any addition to the score, these hopes were put on one side. Wilson made a good effort to stay, but after adding ten to the score Old Boys were all out for another poor score of 85. After Old Boys’ innnigs on Saturday, a scratch game was arranged between teams selected by Gee and A. Hoar. The/match proved very interesting and produced some good cricket. A limit of thirty runs was made on the batsmen, and among those to accomplish the required/total without being dismissed were: Logan, Law, Renner, Balloon, J. Patrick and A. Hoar. The wicket at the Oval on Saturday was very much better than that of the pievious week. It was very sticky and wet on commencement of play, but as time went on the pitch dried, and before an hour had passed the wicket was a batsman’s paradise. Carterton, the most improved senior team this season, had no trouble in beating Martinborough at Carterton on Saturday by 241 runs. Carterton are now only three points behind United on the competition ladder, and there will be a tussle for supremacy when these two teams again meet. Carterton have some good men in Phelps, Whitburn, Suckling, Smart, Newbold, and Denbee, all of whom arc good batsmen and bowlers.

Cricketers and followers of the game in the Wairarapa will learn with regret, that C. Judd, the ex-Wanganui Collegiate School and Old Boys’ player, has taken over a farm and will not be able to play for his club again this season. Judd is a good all-rounder and a keen sport. Probably he is the best cover-point we have in the competition and a feature of his fielding is his perfect picking-up of the ball with either hand and his rapid, lightning returns. As a batsman Judd is'one of the best in Masterton, and his two best scores this season w’ere 90 against Featherston and 65 against the Carterton eleven.

The umpiring in the Old Boys-United match was far from satisfactory, and many players were heard to utter emphatic protests against the decisions. It is regretted that Masterton will not bo visited by the Melbourne Cricket Club, which is at present touring the Dominion with moderate success. Evidently the New Zealand Cricket Council is out to make money on the tour, and as a consequence the Wairarapa Centre has been deprived of a match with the Australians. The exorbitant sum of, £l2O which was required by the council as a guarantee for a match was rightly refused by those in control of cricket in the Wairarapa. Primarily, tours of Australian State cricketers to New Zealand are, it is understood, meant as an education to both plaeyrs and spectators of the Dominion, so the policy of the New Zealand Council in demanding extravagant guarantees from the smaller centres, is defeating what should be its main and central aim.

The writer, among many others, is very pleased with the work of the selectors in choosing such a. formidable combination of New Zealand talent to tour England this year. The young players easily outnumber those of an older age, and this is what the public like to see about a team. Merritt, Dempster, and Badcock appear to be the only selections open to comment, but as the former pair arc youthful and capable, and Badcock possesses the ability both as a coach and a player, we do not think that any of these three players will fail as members of the best possible New Zealand team to be selected.

Several young players to show promise this season include, Cundy (Feath-. erston), Falloon (Old Boys), McLeod (Martinborough), and McMichael (Old Boys). McLeod and Cundy have shown ability with the bat, especially McLeod, who has been consistent throughout the present season, while Falloon and McMichael are bowlers who have disconcerted many batsmen that have faced their fast deliveries. These colts, with other young players in the junior competitions, will be a decided asset to Wairarapa cricket when they mature and fully develop. TEAMS FOR SATURDAY. The following will represent Old Boys in their match against Featherston, at Featherston, next Saturday: .Logan, Uttley, Gee, Falloon, Ibbetson, Law, McMichael, McClurg, Perry, Chesferman and Wilson.