AMONG THE JUNIORS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 January 1939, Page 8

AMONG THE JUNIORS

CRICKET IN WAIRARAPA Some Good Batting Displays CARTERTON’S UNIQUE RECORD

(By

“Blue & Gold.")

The present season has seen a large number of big team and individual scores made in tne Wairarapa junior competition. Several of those playing in the junior division have given displays which emphasise the fact that they are playing in the wrong grade and that a step higher up the ladder is where they belong. Should be Seniors Next Season.

The display given by the Carterton juniors this season and the ease with which they have won their matches shows very clearly that here is the makings of a senior team for next season. In Byers, Berry, Ewing and Fitzgerald we find at least four of the team who are better players than a considerable percentage of those in tne senior ranks today. Byers is an outstanding batsman with, I believe, experience in big cricket at Home. He is master of many strokes and executes them very neatly. The junior bowling presents very few difficulties to him, and this was clearly demonstrated on Saturday against Old Boys. He is also a very serviceable bowler, and the senior representative team would be greatly strengthened were he in it. Fitzgerald has a liking for banging the ball to the boundary or over it, and the bowling has no terrors for him. Berry and Ewing are both good bowlers and batsmen, and these four shoulc provide the nucleus of a strong Carterton senior team next season. Many Fine Players. In days gone by Carterton possessed one of the best senior teams in the Wellington province. One of the outstanding batsmen was Les Smart, nowadays the very capable secretary of the Wairarapa P. and A. Society, who could always be depended upon for. a big score whether in club cricket or in a representative game. He played over a long period of years for Carterton, and must always be considered as one of Wairarapa’s first-flight batsmen. A great all-rounder in the team was Tom Maunsell, who-has been a maviscrate on the West Coast of the South Island for many years. A deadly lefthand bowler and a punishing bat, he was a decided thorn in the side of opposing elevens. A third strong string in the team was Bert Hart, now Sir H. E. Hart, who is carrying out valuable official work in Egypt. For many years he was wicket-keeper of ,the Carterton team and a sound batsman who made many substantial scores and who often smashed up the attack of the opposing side by his hard- hitting. Others of note in various Carterton teams were J. M. Beechey (one time a schoolmaster and a noted bowler), H. Beechey (who subsequently played great cricket in Wellington), “Dizzy”’ Phelps (a good all-rounder), Charlie Williams (who lives in the Masterton district these days, and played for Carterton both on Thursdays and Saturdays over many seasons), Harry,Ogier (one of the best wicket-keepers the Dominion has seen, who played for Canterbury prior to coming to the Wairarapa and who later took up his residence in Masterton, playing for the Carlton Club), Charlie Gallon (a serviceable bat and a hard bowler to play), Ted Tunnicliffe, H. Christensen, W. Gallon, H. Ticehurst, Sievers, Vic Fairbrother, F. Fairbrother, S. Feast, Rev. Elliott, A. Feast, G. Williams and Rev. L. Thompson. A Unique Record. Carterton established a record on Saturday against Old Boys juniors which is unique in Wairarapa cricket, winning the match without losing a wicket, though they had a second innings. In the first innings Carterton declared at 151 for no wickets, and in the second the score was 34 for no wickets. Byers played a particularly fine innings for Carterton and was

strong in strokes all round the wicket. His cutting was clean, and on the leg side the strokes were neatly executed. He found the boundary thirteen times and also hit a 5. Ewing went at the bowling vigorously and hit a 6 as well as twelve 4’s. The bowling was made very simple by him and he displayed considerable skill in placing the ball. Firzgerald whanged the bowling in great style in the second innings. The bowling of Berry, Byers and Ewing was altogether beyond the ability of the Old Boys to handle successfully. Ewing in the first innings sent down 8 overs for 25 runs and 7 wickets, while Berry’s three wickets in 7 overs cost 19 runs. Dixon and Tooby were the only Old Boys batsmen in the first innings to shape anything like players, and they scored their runs off good strokes. In the Old Boys second innings Payne, a player from Wellington, batted very nicely for 34, and Hayden (an ex-New Plymouth cricketer) contributed a useful 16.

High Scoring. The St. Patrick’s Old Boys—Masterton game at the College ground produced some- splendid cricket with a high scoring rate. Masterton got to the bowling early and Reid, who passed the century, gave a delightful exhibition of free batting. This player is a particularly useful batsman and has compiled a number of good scores. On Saturday he hit four 6’s and fourteen 4's. .Young (retired 58), once he settled down punished the bowling unmercifully. He hit two 6’s and ten 4’s, there being :' only six singles in his score. He executed his boundary hits very cleanly. Longworth, in his splendid contribution found the boundary five times, and also hit a 6. The outstanding batsman in the St. Patrick’s Old Boys team was again Donnelly. His place is in a senior team. He knows how to handle a bat and makes his strokes correctly and gracefully. When he plays a ball it goes where it should be put. He was undefeated on Saturday with 52 to his credit which included six boundaries. His last five innings read: 21 not out, 24, 28, 54, 52 not out. Jensen showed good batting in compiling 42. He found the boundary on seven occasions. Hart had just get into his stride when he was given out leg before. Surviving his “first ball hoodoo,” George Corlet reached unlucky 13 by aggressive batting, which included two boundaries. Creditable Batting.

Some very creditable batting was witnessed in the Red Star A—Martinborough match at the Masterton Park. The former team started off well, but collapsed in the middle, picking themselves up again towards the end. Hayes contributed a splendid knock of 67, which included a number of nicely executed strokes. This player is worth coaching and with practice should soon qualify as a permanent senior. His score on Saturday comprised. thirteen 4’s and fifteen singles. Wally Osborne, one of the most serviceable players in the team, made the pace a merry one while at the wicket, Osborne and Hayes put on 45 for the first wicket, of which the former contributed 38. His score included two 6’s and four 4’s. One was pleased to see D. Wellington score 25, as this player is steadily improving in his batting and with coaching would earn a place much higher up the batting list. His score on Saturday included a six and four 4’s. Wellington and Hayes while together added 52 runs to the score. Kershaw played a very fine innings for Martinborough, notching 60 not out. He hit four 6s’ and seven 4’s. Murphy and Todd also shaped well for their runs. Bell and Wellington batted in good style in the second, inningsjor Red Star, as did Murphy and Kershaw (who was again not out) for Martinborough.