CRICKET ROTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 21, 21 December 1932, Page 9

CRICKET ROTES

BETTER WICKETS BRING IMPROVED RETURNS. (By “Slip”) Cricketers greeted the playing conditions on Saturday with delight and the displays brightened ns a result of the better conditions. As one speo tator remarked, it was cricket well worth watching. Robertson was the only senior player to attain the century mark and it was a case of only just, for after registering a four which brought up. the all-desired total ho stepped across his wicket to he ruled out J.b.w. The innings was a vastly improved performance on his part. The Palmerston skipper changed the order of batting on Saturday, Norris going in with McVicar, and it proved to be a great opening partnership, 121 being run up before it was broken. Although Norris registered a half century in the Country versus Town game in Wellington, it was the first occasion ho had topped the halfway mark in tho club competitions this season. He was on the high road to his century when he went l.b.w.

As has been witnessed on several occasions this season, tho majority of the dismissals on Saturday where the High School team is concerned came as the result of good work in the field. Of the nine wickets which have fallen, only one Palmerston batsman was clean bowled, three being run out or thrown out, two caught and three dismissed l.b.w.

Despite having a total of over 400 registered against them, the High School fieldsmen never actually slackened, although there were instances where uppish strokes should have cost the batsmen dear, awkward catches passing unaccepted. The schoolboys missed their fast bowler, Ron Hatch, although his brother, who had done so well at Napier, acted as deputy, putting a lot more pace into his deliveries than of old. Several members of the Palmerston tea.m registered their best figures to date this season, McVicar, Pegden, Mullins and l.eet being among the number. Kells foil just short of his 40 of the preceding match, but Holder retreated from liis 04 against Old Roys to lour on Saturday. It was certainly a splendid return from the outfield which brought about his dismissal and, where both he and Pegden were concerned, it was so close that the umpire’s decision might well have gone the other way. A. M. Ongley was content to fill the roie of umpire on Saturday and allow his son to take his place in the ranks of Palmerston. The St. Patrick’s College boy certainly proved well worthy ol the trust placed in him for at the drawing of stumps he was unbeaten with 3d to his credit. Some of tho young batsman’s strokes were excellent, bis square cuts and drives past cover being pretty to watch. Although Old Roys appeared to have been fortunate in having first use of the wickets after losing the toss of tlie coin, there were only three players who assisted to a material extent in carrying the total to 231. Fortunately, O’Keefe produced something like his form of last season by compiling 88. Exactly one half of his total came from boundaries.

At the first meeting between Old Boys and United Mol/, knocked up 63. In the interim he has had to lie content with 21 and 29 at his succeeding appearances, but he once again found the United bowling to bis diking on Saturday by compiling 47 —his second best total for the season. This player has not been displaying the same free hitting power as lie did last season, but with firmer wickets and greater match pla.v his returns should improve. Lang has failed for Old Roys since compiling his 172 against United in the first round and he did not reach double figures on Saturday, playing a ball on to bis wicket when his score was standing at nine. In his six strikes to date be lias fallen a victim to a catch on four occasions. Gallielian, who lias likewise failed to produce his top form this season, was caught out on Saturday, therebv varying his method of dismissal. In his previous strikes he lias been ruled out j.b.w. tjirce times, been bowled once and stumped once. United tried out six changes of bowling on Saturday and the greatest measure of success fell to A. Cutler, who secured four wickets at a cost of 87 runs. McLaren and Sandman both returned the same average by talcing two wickets for 23 runs. As in the game on tho upper pitch, there was plenty of variety where the method of dismissal wa.s concerned, although there was an improvement insofar as batsmen who were clean bowled were concerned, four being so dismissed. Two were caught out, one run out, one stumped, one went 1.b.w.. while one played the ball on to his wicket. AMONG THE JUNIORS. Waugh, the City Council player, has displayed consistent form with the bat this season and his 139 retired on Saturday brought his aggregate for six strikes up to 399 and gives him an average of 66.50 (presuming he retired of his own accord on Saturday). McGavin, the Old Boys’ player, is another who lias registered good figrues this season and in his strikes to date he has compiled 77, 150 retired and 60. His other returns are not known, so “Slip” cannot quote his total number of runs. Y.M.C.A. appeared to have a promising batsman at their command when Holden made 67 for them against High School, while his seven wickets for 15 runs promised something out of tho ordinary. However, in tho succeeding game he assisted U.S.C. A when he returned 61 and 74 at his next two strikes. Those performances apparently proved tempting to the United senior skipper for Saturday found Holden figuring in the senior grade. He failed to capture a wicket, but ho may yet prove himself with the bat.

"While unfortunate in the one instance, Y.M.C.A. have gained a worthy substitute for Dickinson, who came out of his retirement on Saturday to assist the side,,took four wickets at a cost of 21 runs and then followed up the performance by compiling 96 with tho bat. It was a catch just short of the boundary line which dismissed him. Dickinson is a Nelson College Old Boy and a former Kiibirnie junior A player. "While he appears to be well worthy of senior grade, he prefers to remain in the lower ranks. Davidson, the City Council player, entered the honours ranks for the first occasion on Saturday when he returned 68 with the bat without being beaten, while another junior player to enter the howling lists was Downes, of Y.M.C.A., who headed the returns for the side with a bag of five wickets at a cost of 21 runs. He also returned a useful 31 with the bat.