1939-02-01 — Page 22

THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 1, 1939.

THE MOST REMARKABLE

Easily the most remarkable team from a point of view of perform- ance this year has been Club de Recreio.

There have been some remark- able matches in the Hong Kong Cri- ket League in recent years but I doubt if any was more remarkable than that at Happy Valley on Satur- day between Recreio and Civil Ser- vice.

The Portuguese team batted first and to all intents and pur- poses appeared to be trying to better the record set by Army against themselves the previous week and score the lowest total of the season-16!

They lost no fewer than eight wickets for only 19 runs to Perry and McLellan and as all their ac- knowledged bats were out, their prospects of topping the 20 mark

did not appear particularly bright. When Georgie Guterres went in to bat, he might reasonably have been excused if he had lost his nerve and joined, as so many far more eminent bats had, the rapid procession back to the pavilion.

E. ZIMMERN Craigengower's best. batsman.

LEAGUE MATCH FOR YEARS

top of

I.R.C. dropped six catches and let 25 runs go with their ground- fielding, not to mention bad throw- ing in, which. lapses, in all, must have cost them 50 runs and very likely the match.

Craigengower's

ting seven of them and Souza 15. ly looked like losing. The last 15 When the latter attempted to minutes of the game was farcical, brighten things up he was dropped the field being almost on three times, while Lim was fortun- the bat. ate to escape being run out on at or two least four occasions through bad despite the fact that one either keep low or got up, it was throwing-in. quite dead and back play Was Д Lim was finally dismissed for 24 cinch had batsmen but realised it runs in 75 minutes and he was fol- Most people got out through mis-lowed soon after by Souza, who judging the pace of the wicket and took just over an hour for his 45. playing too early.

Archie Zimmern did not last long Craigengower batted first, Hung but Rapley made some smart shots and A. R. H. Esmail opening. First on the leg although he was woefully thrill came in the third over when weak on the off. "A. R. H." was dropped at mid-on off Minù. He did not long survive this let-off, however, and was 1.b.w. Nazarin in the next over.

BY "ADREM"

L

Ernie Zimmern batted beautifully, his hooking be- ing very firm and crisp.

I feel it would be to the ad- vantage of Craigengower if he went in a good deal earlier than he does. At the moment he is easily the best bat in the side.

at

for

run

fielding was well-nigh perfect. No catches were dropped and mistakes in the field were at a minimum.

Strange Navy Side

Over at King's Park, Club had to scramble some to get the 156 runs set them by Navy. The Navy team, on paper, is barely recognis- able as the side which represented them in the Triangular Tourna-.

It is a great ment last month. pity that H.MS. Birmingham had to go on its cruise at this time of the year.

Navy made a good start on Sat-

He elected to make a fight of it, however, and playing good cricket; and scoring when the opportunity

out Craigengower were all arose with hooked and straight drives, he went through the remain-

4.25 and I.R.C., with just under an hour and a half to get the 149 runs der of the innings for an undefeat-

went necessary for victory, ed 27. He received fine support

Evidently determined that there them. Nazarin was smartly from Ozorio, who took his courage in both hands and banged around should be no rout, Ernie Zimmern out and "Bob" Arculli was unfor- for 14. When the latter was dis-sent Lim in next to attempt to tunate to be c and b when trying urday, Booth making 21, Brightman to hit a ball from Billimoria, which 19 and Whitmarsh completing his missed, Recreio's score had been break the back of the bowling.

Hung was the next to leave, be-got up unexpectedly, out of

50 without being dismissed. Later advanced to 68 and this. total, hav-

Carver made 21 and Holdsworth ing regard to the excellence ofing caught in the slips reaching ground.

33. Longfield was the most suc- forward too early to Minu and

with A. H. Madar batted

his their activity their bowlers and

cessful bowler with 4 for 37. Francis Zimmern after making 14 usual confidence but eventually and accuracy in the field, gave

were Only three Club batsmen runs very confidently, was unlucky fell to a brilliant slip catch by them a sporting chance.

runs, to get the wrong end of a narrow Ernie Zimmern for 22, while A. R. required to knock off the

Owen Hughes getting 64 not oút, Minu was well caught by Ismail who took him with one hand in the Ride 41 and Alec Pearce 41 not out. gully and A. R. Kitchell who ap-

Over-Cautiousness

run out decision.

Dreary Cricket With Souza and Lim in, the

the

cric-peared too impetuous, made 11 be- JUNIOR MATCHES

I am told that the earlier Civil Service batsmen played right into Recreio's hands by being over- cautious. The "Big Five"-Richard-ket became very dreary. They fore being caught. son, Colledge, McLellan, Griffiths were together for 60 minutes for

After M. el Arculli was run out, If the Senior game between Civil

the Junior match between Army and Kowloon Cricket Club at Soo- kunpoo was just the opposite.

and Perry-were all out for under 61 runs but, in the first half hour, I.R.C. shut up shop and despite the Service and Recreio was remark- 10 but with Arthur Lay refusing only 22 runs were scored, Lim get-closeness of the finish, never real-able for the lowness of the scoring, to be intimidated and hitting any- thing overpitched as he is wont to hit normally, and Hawkins defend- ing stoutly, it seemed almost im- possible that Recreio's score would not be passed.

However, Lay was eventually well caught by "Nolly" Silva and Hawkins, joined by the last man, with nine runs still to get, took a big bang at a ball outside the off stump and was brilliantly caught high up by Silva at point.

al-

Ozorio again bowled well, though, of the two, Gosano appear- ed the more dangerous. These two bowlers were well supported by their field, whose errors could have been counted on the fingers of one hand.

I find it extremely difficult to account for the failure of so many recognised bats in the course of the afternoon. Apparently there was nothing very terrible in the wicket.

One batsman whom I questioned advanced an explanation that the light might have had something to do with it. He said it was. very difficult throughout the afternoon which was admittedly dull.

Close Finish

Close of the

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In all, 404 runs were scored in the course of the afternoon for the loss of only 9 wickets.

Overshadowing everything else, of course, was a brilliant century by young Bertram Lay.

Army batted first and found run- getting against the mediocre KC.C. attack fairly easy. Webb batted beautifully for his half-century and scored with nice strokes all round the wicket. He was associated with Spr. Ratcliffe in a big second wicket stand which, together with 20 from Lieut. Hook, appeared to place Army in a sound position. Ratcliffe's innings, while possibly not being quite as complete a8 Webb's, was an attractive one, the batsman' finding the boundary on 12 occasions.

The less said about K.C.C.'s bow- ling the better. I am told that Simpson would have been infinite- ly more useful and much less ex- pensive. if he had bowled fewer full-tosses,

When Kowloon batted, Lay dom- inated. He scored with hard hits all round the wicket and the Army total was passed with a couple of overs to spare.

An extra over was played to al- low Lay to complete his century and he made no mistake. Hitting 21 boundaries, he gave no chances until he had passed his 100 when he was missed while hitting out.

(Continued on Page 83)