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CRICKET.
THE FINAL PROSPECTS.
Early Batsmen's Responsibilities.
(By "Follower.")
Although Subiaco is generally regarded
as the probable winner of the West Ais
tralian Cricket Association's first-grade
premiership, North Perth has its faith
ful followers and there are impartial ob
servers who lean to North Perth. The
teams are opposites in most respects and
it is only natural that popular opinion
should favour the team that provides the
brighter cricket. Arguing on Northi
Perth's side, however, certain critics, pos
tibly remembering Test cricket, have
'great respect for North Perth's batting
patience and predict a Subiaco defeat
in a played-out final. Subiaco's batting
in its last two games has been by no
means startling, unless in point of fail
ures by leading players, yet this side
appears to have greater capabilities than
North Perth. The final will start at
the W.A.C.A. ground on Friday at 2
p.m.
Both North Perth and Subiaco batted
weakly on Saturday and both lost. There
should have been no conscious relaxation
A. -emUus Help
A. -emUus
on the part of the players preparatory to
he final but the vital match should pro
duce the best from them. An examina
tlon of the North Perth team reveals
many changes in the batting order. Eight
different pairs of opening batsmen have
been tried during the season and the
highest partnership for the first wicket
has been 43. It seems strange that C.
MacGill, who succeeded as an opening
batsman for the State should have occu
pled a middle position so frequently in
Ntorth: Perth innings. Only twice this
season has he opened for North Perth
and on one occasion -e scored 56. The
combination of Everett and A. Zimbulis
was most favoured by the North Perth
captain. Experiments in a final do not
usually bri?g success but it does seem
that . Zimbulls and MacGill are best
fitted 'to give'-North Perth the confident
start that it needs. Alternatively, Else
',good and Everett might pair well in an
endeavour to wear down the early bowl
ers. Lovelock's season hatbeen a strange
mixturie of good and bad batting. Un
doubtedly he is the mainstay of the side
and- North Perth supporters hope that in
the final be will show as much skill and
assurance as he did for the State against
lIctoria. If his 'predecessors could make
a strong stand, -Lovelock would be a bet
ter batsman for North Perth. Bandy is a
batsman to be feared by Sublaco and he
is due for a good score. In his first five
l?aIUns this season he made 305 runs, yet
li total to .date is only 43'
Three Fine Batsmen.
Subiaco has not had luck with its open
iti it .hasadherei to a steady batting
A. Jeffreys have had
and the former has
-laW been .out Lb.w. G. Arthur
has not beetn consitent but he has a
habit of ina)ks. runs in a final Barras,
. Jeffreys and Watt have been the main
batsmen for Subiaco. Barras has been
most reliable, though he failed last Sat
urday. Watt beganthe season disastrously
with -a-duck, then he settled down. In
his. first innings against Victoria be
batted brilliantly, since when he has been
disappointing. He is the type of batsman
who worries bowlers. K. Jeffreys has
made two centuries this season and ap
pears to be striking his best form. There
are other forceful batsmen in the team.
In attack, North Perth relies largely
upon A. Zimbulls's slows, with MacGill
and t. Wilberforce as main supports.
Bandy and Milner are also useful bowlers.
Whereas Subiaco has not a slow bowler
as dangerous as -A. Zimbulis, it has in
Mills a fast bowler likely to cause damage.
Cumming also bowls well with pace and
Barras (left-hander) and K. Jeffreys are
good spin bowlers. Fielding may be an
important factor and it is in this de
partment that Subiaco usually shines.
The match promises to be most interest
ing.
Following are the grade finals:- - -
First Grade.
Subiaco v. North Perth, at W.A.C.A.
ground, starting at 2 p.m. on Friday (F.
Buttsworth and J. P. Robbins).
Second Grade.
East Perth v. Claremont, at Univeisity,
starting at 2 p.m. on Friday (G. Marshall
and E. T?nkinson).
Third Grade.,
Mt. Lawley v. Sublaco, at Maylands,
starting at 1030 a.m. on Saturday (E.
Hicks and J. Hart).
"C" Grade.
Southern Suburbs v. North Perth, at
South Perth, starting at 10.30 a.m. on
Saturday (J. Lindsay and D. Forsyth).
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