Milton High School

Selborne Avenue, Bulawayo

Player Critique - Cricket 1922 - 2001


Cricket 1917

Lang
As Captain of the XI has shown himself a good all-rounder. His batting this term has been very good as also his wicket-keeping. He will with Lime become a very good batsman.

Hochstein
Is Vice-Captain of the learn und is very useful as a bowler. He is one of the best in the team, and will by and by be a very good one. His fielding; is also very good, his batting (is not up to the mark this term, and leaves room for improvement.

Campbell
Has shown himself a very good bat and field. He plays a steady game and scores well. As a fielder he has proved to himself to be very useful for long catches and as a slips man.

Voss
Is a good bowler and a steady bat. As regards his batting he should hit out more, as he plays too stiffly. His fielding is not so good.

Dreyer
Has shown himself a very good bowler and bat. As a bowler he is one of the best in the team. He bats and fields well.

De Smidt
Plays a very good I game but lacks confidence. He bowl, a good bat and is useful as a change bowler. His fielding however is not so good.

De Smidt
Is a fair bat and field. He also bowls a good ball. In time he will become a good bat, but at present be hits out too much.

Stewart
Bowls a very good ball and is one of the best bowlers in the team. As a slips man he is very useful. His batting how­ever is disappointing, and be can do better.

Playford
Has shown himself a very good bowler and a steady bat. His fielding is also good; however, he should not try and bowl too fast, as he is inclined to be erratic.

Brewer
Bowls a good length ball and is a moderate field. He is useful as a hitter, but his batting could be improved.

Streak
Has shown himself a very good field indeed. His bowling is moderate, as also is his batting

Elworthy
Is a good stone-wall, but has not bad an opportunity of show­ing what he can do. His field­ing is good. As yet his bowling has not been up to the mark.

Cricket 1920

Comments on the Players.

Barbour, E. Has a useful pair of hands and promises to make a bowler, but must learn to play the ball and not "poke."

Blacket, J. Quite a fair bat and a useful man at cover point.

Cowden, J. Has improved his batting considerably, but lost his place in the team through slack­ness in the field.

De Beer. A stylish, if some­what leisurely player. With more practice he should make a really good bat. Showed up well be­hind the stumps when occasion offered.

Dicks, R. Played himself into the 1st XL by his brilliant last wicket partnership with Blackett in the first match against Queens, since when he has been one of our most reliable batsmen. His fielding, however is below 1st XL Standard.

Drake, F. A. A loquacious wicket-keeper! Has the making of a good bat if he would only take himself seriously.

Dreyer, F. Our big hitter. But even he cannot expect to hit every ball with impunity. In the field stops anything he can get his hands to.

Elworthy, L. Tops the batting average. His 72 against St. George's though not faultless, was a fine effort. As a bowler he is erratic.

Hardman, J. A consistent scorer, but much too slow in the field.

Penman, D. At the beginning of the season did excellent work as captain of the 2nd XI. When promoted to the 1st he maintained his reputation as a trier.

Smith, J. The "find'' of the year. Second only to Swift as a clever and energetic fielder, who loath to let the ball beat him to the boundary. Unfortunately, it was only towards the end of the season that he discovered he could bat.

Streak, W. At the beginning of the year was regarded as the mainstay of our attack, but has not come up to expectations, be­ing inclined to sacrifice every­thing to pace. His determined stand in the third Plumtree match however was one of the best things done during the season.

Streak, F. Like his brother tries to bowl too fast. Has scored well at times, but will never be a batsman till he adopts a more natural stance.

Swift, P. (Captain). A steady bat, an excellent change bowler and the best fielder in the team. As a captain his chief fault is a pardonable diffidence which pre­vents him making full use of his own bowling. Has taken many wickets during the season at small expense.

1921

List of Officials.

Captain - Blackett.
Vice-Captain - Dreyer,
Hon. Secretary - Dickman.

List of Matches.
Nov 5 Senior Cadets
Nov 12 Senior Cadets
Nov 19 B.A.C. 2nd.
Nov 26 B.A.C. 2nd.
Dec 03 Raylton 2nd.
Dec 10 Raylton 2nd
Feb 18 Queen's 2nd
Feb 25 Queen's 2nd

CRICKET CHARACTERS

BLACKETT, J. (Captain) - Is apt to cramp his style as a batsman by closing his shoulders and standing too much over the bat; he has a good eye and has made some useful scores. As Captain, he is keen and energetic and has shown good judgment in using his bowlers.

DREYER, F. - A good bat; he is too anxious to score quickly and is in danger of being caught behind the wicket in his first three overs. Played an admirable innings against Kings. He is very sound in the field.

WOOD, W. - Has "gone off" considerably as a bat, because he relies only on one scoring shot, a glide to leg; he must recover his forward play. A very useful change bowler.

PEISER, G. - A safe bat with a variety of strokes. A good bowler who can be relied upon to keep a good length and send down some quite difficult balls; the best of which is a break turning from the middle to the off wicket. When he changes his pace, should be careful to keep his length. Rather slow in the slips.

THOMPSON, J. - A good first-wicket bat but is apt to play under the" off ball"; can usually be relied on to break the bowling. His fielding is poor and lifeless.

LEWIS, J. - A good bat who always tries to cover the ball; is inclined to pull. A good field.

HUCKLE, R. -A careless bat; if he would be content to play himself in he should make runs. A good bowler who should get many wickets in the slips.

DRAKE, F. - Has much improved behind the wickets; he must learn to exercise patience and not take the ball in front of the wickets. He could be a good bat but thinks there is only one scoring shot, a pull.

DAVIS, H. - A poor bat; should adopt a freer style and learn to keep his elbow up. A fair change bowler apt to pitch short.

HUCKLE, N. - A good bat, but should out more power behind his strokes; is apt to be nervous which cramps his style. His fielding is poor.

WATTERWORTH, A. C. - Must open his shoulders more or he will never learn to bat; at present there is no life in his efforts. A good field but apt to slack.

1926

Hepker, V. N. (Capt.) - Very good bat, fine fielder, and now a useful bowler. He is the mainstay of the team and is a good heady captain, always wil­ling to learn. The best bat the school has had in the last three years.

Perry, C. (Vice-Capt.) - Greatly improved as a bat; very fine fielder, and now is doing well as a wicket keeper.

Hayward, C. J. R. - Very nice left-handed bat, good fielder and bowler, is quite an old hand now and one of the best bats the school has had in the Iast three years.

Dugmore, B. H. - Nice bat, has bad luck this year, but that will change; fair fielder and now a useful bowler; will be a good googly bowler with practice.

Knight, S. J. - A much improved bat useful bowler, and a very fair fielder.

McPhee, S. R. - A good forcing bat, good bowler and a good fielder. One of the most useful men in the side.

Streak, C. B. - Greatly improved bat, useful leg-break bowler and good fielder.

Charsley, J. - Has the making of a very fine bat and bowler. Very good clean fielder; he is young and should go a very long way in the cricket world.

Spires, W. G. - A good steady useful bat, one of the most useful bats in the team. Fair fielder, a little stout: and finds it somewhat difficult to bend quickly; a little P.T. will do him good,

Payne, B. M. L. - A bat who will improve and a good keen fielder.

Dicks, J. C. - A last minute inclusion in the team against Plumtree, who thor­oughly justified his selection. A good bat and fielder.

SUMMARY OF CRICKET MATCHES.
Milton versus Plumtree.

The first Cricket Match between Plumtree and Milton was played at the Milton Grounds on December 9th, 1910. Of this and the subsequent two or three matches we have no record.

Year         Ground             Captain                     We                             They                   Result
1912          Plumtree           J. Bester                     86 & 66                     100 & 60             Lost by 7 runs
1913          Milton               J. Bester                     162                             46 & 58             Won by innings & 60 runs
1913          Milton               C. J. van Rooyen       163                             57                       Won by 106 runs
1914          Plumtree           C. J. van Rooyen       180                             57 & 102            Won
1914          Plumtree           C. J. van Rooyen        No record of scores                              Won
1915          Plumtree           R. Child                      No record of scores                              Won
1916          Milton                                                  No record of scores                              Won
1916          Plumtree           H. Voss                       112                             12 & 62             Won by innings & 38 runs
1917          Milton               E. Lang                       156 & 59                    113 & 44           Won by 48 runs
1918          Milton               E. Lang                       163                             68 & 66             Won by innings and 29 runs
1919          Milton               P. Swift                       103 & 62                    96 & 111           Lost by 42 runs
1920          Plumtree           P. Swift                       41                                68                     Lost by 36 runs
1920          Milton               P. Swift                       255                                                       Lost by an innings
1921          Plumtree           F. Streak                     74 & 14-0                    58 & 30            Won by 10 wickets
1921          Milton               J. Blackett                  102 & 151                   188                    Lost by 86 runs on 1st innings
1922          Plumtree           J. Blackett                  85 & 108                     183 & 211         Lost by 201 runs
1922          Milton               J. Blackett                  126                              163                    Lost by 37 runs
1923          Plumtree           J. Lewis                      No record of scores                               Lost
1923          Queen's                                                No record of scores                               Lost
1924          Plumtree           J. Thompson               92                                239                    Lost by 137 runs
1924          B.A.C.              J. Thompson               251 for 8                      97                      Won by 154 runs
1924          Milton               J. Thompson               270                              232                    Won by 38 runs
1925          Plumtree           A. Goldhawk              176 & 19-0                  102 & 88           Won by 10 wicket
1926          B.A.C.               A. Goldhawk             119 for 3                      211                    Drawn
1926          Plumtree            V. Hepker                  198 & 208-4                197 & 39-3       Won by 1 run on st innings

MATCHES PLAYED - 25         14 Won by Milton, 10 by Plumtree and 1 drawn



Cricket Critique of First XI

1949

Ault came from the Under 15 with a great reputation, but so far has ,been unable to strike form. We hope to see many runs from his bat next year.

Bradley is an off break bowler, who can maintain a length and tie up the best of batsmen.

Davidson had a most successful first term as opening batsman. He has many good shots and we expect to see many big scores against his name .

Finch a useful No. 6, who can stop a rot or score freely as circumstances demand. One of the best of a good fielding side.

Harris the only left-handed, batsman in the team who lends strength to the "middle" of the batting.

James has more than fulfilled the promise he showed last year and is now improving by leaps and bounds, but where is that bowwling of the latter part of 1948?

Katz had an undistinguished first term but this term he has scored many run including a magnificent century against Chaplin

Lobban a youngster who came this year from Jeppe High School with a reputation, and judging from his bowling performances so far is going to build up a reputation here. He bowls a fastish left-arm ball, with lots of life from the pitch.

Micklesfield came into the side as a fast bowler but has kept his place by the runs he has scored. He is still young and we expect him to be a tower of strength next year.

Playford is the captain and oldest member of the terum. His style is, as ever, perfect,and now he is more certain of his run-getting. His bowling and fielding are of an equally high standard.

Walshe shows great promise, both as wicket-keeper and batsman.


1951

Ault has at last fulfilled the exceptional promise be showed in the junior teams. Two centuries against Plumtree and Guinea Fowl have given him the confidence necessary to place him in the forefront of si:hoolboy cricketers.

Charman has this term taken Horton's place and has already scored a fifty. He has some good shots and an additional asset in his ability to concentrate.

French, a left-arm bowler of distinct promise who has had few opportunities of showing his true ability.

Hardwick bas been on the edge of the 1st XI for some time and at the moment looks as though he might fill Davidson's place as opener.

Horton, last year as an opening bowler and a No. 7 batsman, promised to be the best all-rounder we have bad for some time but this year he was somewhat disappointing, though I've no doubt he will be a good cricketer.

Israel knows all the right things to do, but has so far failed to put them into prac­tice. However, he is a fine fielder especially in the slips.

Micklesfield, a tireless bowler and a brilliant fielder, has been the mainstay of the team's attack for nearly two years.

Oldham, one of the newcomers to the team, bowls a good length off-break. He has been somewhat overshadowed this year but should prove his worth next year.

Pinchen has carried a heavy responsibil­ity in opening the innings and bas more than justified the confidence placed in him.

Van Rooyen in his fast opening overs bas proved invariably too good for our opponents and has so far taken over 30 wickets at an average of less than seven runs apiece. As a tailender in the batting he has been more than useful.

Walshe is a sound captain who has, by his own example, obtained a high standard of keenness from his team. His wicket­keepmg deserves the highest praise. As a batsman he is a stylish player with many good shots, though I have a feeling be might have scored more runs if he had gone in a little lower in the batting order

Wilson after a shaky start for the 1st come into his own next year when I look forward to his making many big scores.

1952

Brown's right arm spin­ners are full of guile, but so far we have not seen them pitch. However, his flight is deceptive and when he can combine this with length we need not worry about the lack of other varieties of bowling.

Charman had a most disappointing term. After the good batting last year we hoped he would be one of our best batsmen, but somehow he could never get going.

Ferendinos had many good performances to his credit in junior cricket and will no doubt give some equally good displays for the 1st XI. However, his fielding was good enough to estanlish a place in the side.

Jennings sometimes opened the bowling for us. So far he has not been successful, but at least he can bowl a consistently good length.

Kerr was one of our best batsmen during the first term and should be a towei: of strength to us when he returns later this term.

ldham is a really first class off-spin bowler, who, when he drops on to ft length. can tie up the best of batsmen. He will make a good captain of the side.

Sandham owed much of his success to the fact that the batsmen invariably treated him with less respect than he deserved. Un­doubtedly he is a good bowler and it is to be hoped he continues his cricket.

Thompson is a useful all-rounder, the sort of dependable player any captain would appreciate.

Van Aardt is the sort of player of whom one is inclined to say, "he would be a good batsman if he were not a bowler" and just as likely "he would be a good bowler if he made fewer runs." However, the first term he was primarily a bowler and it may be that this term we shall look to his batting.

Walshe is another Milton player of whom we expected to hear great things. At last year's Nuflleld Week he was again selected to keep wicket for the South African Schools side. Dudley Nourse, who was one of the selectors, said of Walshe's wicket-keeping?: "Walshe is really an outstanding wicket­keeper and in my opinion is ready for pro­vincial selection. There is no fuss about this boy's keeping. He is neat, always alert, and his anticipation, especially on the leg side was as good as I have seen since Sag­gers' of Australia kept wicket in this coun­try."

Wilson is the best batsmen of the side. and at last he is fulfilling his early promise by scoring consistently and with a great variety of strokes. His leg-spinners and googlies are more than useful in a weak bowling side.


1954

Bland: Undoubtedly the best batsman in the team; has not found his true form this year; is a brilliant fielder.

Coleman: A newcomer we welcome from Guinea Fowl, who promises to be one of the best allrounders Milton has had for some time. He is a useful off­break bowler and can make runs.

Elworthy: who was in the team last year, left school for a time and is now back again; should prove useful as an opening batsman when he learns to concentrate.

Gibson: At No. 3 has batted well since he came into the side near the end of the first term.

Gould: proved in his first match, against St. George's, that he has many fine shots in his batting. Unfortunately he has never produced the same form since.

Haresign: one of the oldest members of the side, has been the most consistent bowler. As a batsman he can hit the ball hard when he connects, but so often doesn't.

Jennings: now captain of the side, promises to be one of the best we have had for some time. He is a good, steady bowler, but should attack the stumps more.

Jones: On occasion has shown he is no mean bowler, but at other times he has been most disappointing. He is also a useful bat.

McVey: The youngest member of the side. A left-arm bowler who has already taken some useful wickets.

Parker: Came into the side as an opening bowler. Except in the match against St. George's, when he took six wickets for 24 runs, his bowling has not come up to expectations. However, he has batted well and should prove a tremendous asset to the side next year.

Pierce: has proved his worth as an opening batsman who is not afraid to attack the bowling. He is, perhaps, a little too anxious to score quickly at the outset, and would do well to remember the usefulness of an opening batsman is measured by time as well as runs.

Walshe: A wicket-keeper and a brother of Peter Walshe, who "kept" so brilliantly for the school a few years ago. His wicket-keeping is improving and we expect him to be more than use­ful as a batsman.

Collocott: unfortunately, has not re­turned to school this term owing to ill­ness. He was a good leg-break bowler and improving rapidly. We wish him a speedy recovery and hope he will be playing cricket again soon.

1960

CRITIQUE OF THE 1st XI (THIRD TERM)


S. BARBOUR (captain): A student of the game who should develop into a shrewd captain. Very good number four bat with a wide range of shots. Safe catch close to the wicket.

T. FRENCH (vice-captain): Attractive bat who drives well. He is weak on the leg stump and liable to lose concentration.Very good field.

H. CAPON: Exceptionally accurate left-arm spinner and excellent field.

J. CLAYTON: Useful but unorthodox opener with a tendency to play across the flight. Slow in the field.

A. FRENCH: Sound opening bat and good field.

N. LLOYD: Promising medium-pace bowler who is still too erratic. Fair field.

P. McVEY: Sound wicket-keeper and useful lower order bat. Must curb his tendency to hit across the line of flight.

R. SHEAHAN: Very promising, if impetuous, bat with a wide range of shots. Promising offspinner and sound catch close to the wicket.

W. THOMPSON: Very good left-arm spinner with a deceptive " arm ball ". Good field.

J. TONES: Promising opening bowler who must attack the stumps. Good field and useful lowerorder bat.

TOWNSHEND: Very correct opener who should make many runs when he gets more power into his shots. Slow in the field.

P. WILSON: Attractive middle-order bat who plays especially well on the leg side. Good field and useful leg spinner.

1963

R. SPENCE (C), Full-back. A very sound player with first-class positional play. Takes every opportunity to open up play by running, but sometimes faulty in his judgment. Has tremendous potential as a drop kicker but lacks confidence to use this ability.

D. PARROTT (C), Wing. A first-class player both on attack and defence, but occasionally loses concact with his team by over-elaborate running.

J. TONES (C), Centre. Has developed very rapidly in his new position and has become a most penetrative player. Very good on defence but has a tendency to run across the field when on attack.

A. SMITH (S), Centre. Has proved an excellent link on attack and has been outstanding on defence. However, lacks pace, which will retard his development.

M. GERARDY (C), Wing. Has made tremendous strides in his all-round play. A very determined and elusive runner with a sound defence and effective cross kick.

A. WOLDEMAR (C), Fly-half/Centre. Captain. Has revealed outstanding qualities of leadership. A very penetrative runner with the very desirable quality of seldom " dying " with the ball. A very sound defender, but his kicking, both tactically and on defence, lacks accuracy. Should have a good future in the game as a centre.

B. EATON (C), Scrum-half. The most-improved player in the side and one of the best to represent the School in this position. He varied his play cleverly and was a constant menace to the opposition. Has a good future in the game.

B. STEYN (C), Front-rank. Vice-captain. A powerful forward whose scrummaging contributed markedly to the pack's success. His loose play greatly improved, but he still has a tendency to " die " with the ball. A very good place-kicker and, with further experience and practice, could become outstanding. A good pack leader.

I. MARGOLIS (C), Hooker. A very fine striker of the ball but must eliminate important technicalities in order to realise his undoubted potential. Very good in the loose.

B. KINGSLEY (C), Front-rank. A greatly improved player on his last season. A powerful scrummer and enthusiastic player in the loose, but at times becomes over-keen and undermines his previous good work.

R. HONEY (C), Lock. An outstanding player in this position. His scrumming, line-out work and loose play have been of a high order. With increased pace he may well develop into a very good eighth man.

N. LLOYD (C), Lock. This year saw the fulfilment of the promise of Lloyd as a player. He was probably without peer in his position in Rhodesian schools. Outstanding in all facets of his game, he has great potential as a place-kicker and he must have the confidence to develop this ability.

L. CORBI (C), Flank/Wing. One of the finest loose forwards Milton has produced. Very fast on to the loose ball and excellent on attack and defence. A bewildering, elusive runner. Injury to Parrott resulted in his moving to the wing, where he performed with equal distinction. He scored twenty-three tnes in sixteen games.

W. FORDHAM (S), Flank. A hard-working player who gave of his best at all times. His general play lacked in pace only. His future may well be as a tight forward, as was evidenced by his magnificent performance in the front row against Chaplin.

N. DAVIES (S), Flank. The youngest player in the side. He developed markedly over the season and revealed a great ability to support the man with the ball. Should serve Milton very well next year.

J. ANDERSON (C), Eighth man. A complete footballer but played out of position in the best interests of the team. His lack of pace c.id not permit him to fulfil the "raven " role of an eighth man, but in all other facets his play was of a high order.

"C"-Colours. "S"- Cap and Scarf.
The following also represented Milton in I st XV inter-school matches: P. Cleary, J. Wilson, W. Thompson, N. Morgan-Davies, I. Kynoch, A. Simpson and J. Painting.


1964

E. LAUGHLIN (captain, 1964): An unpredictable and at times irresponsible player of great ability. A forcing batsman always ready to try one unortho­dox stroke, who played exhilirating shots all round the wicket when in full cry. A very useful leg-spinner who could be quite lethal on a helpful wicket. A very good fielder. As a leader he was too often governed by moods, which too fre­quently allowed the game to slip from his grasp. He has a bright future if he can learn to curb his impetuosity. (Nuffield, 1965.)

V. VON KLEMPERER (vice-captain, 1964): A hard­ hitting left-handed batsman who had a lean sea­son. A very good wicket-keeper to all types of bowling. A strong character who had a marked influence on the younger members. If he concen­trates more on improving his batting be should go a long way in cricketing circles.

C. RIDLEY (captain, 1965): A very sound cricketer possessed of great natural ability, and yet keen to improve his technique at all times. A very mature and stylish opening batsman whose forte is his drive. He has proved to be a very accurate open­ing bowler who can button up batsmen who are set and at the same time run right through a side. A good fielder and a captain who is improving all the time, although he still lacks confidence.

M. HAMMETT (1964-65): A very talented and stylish batsman who could make a lot of runs, but far too frequently gets himself out just when he looks set for a big score. He must learn to think all the time and discipline himself at the start of an innings. An excellent slip fielder.

A. SIMONCELLI (1964-65): A solid, jovial middle­order batsman who has shown welcome signs of aggression this year. He is capable of making many more runs than he is doing, once he has learnt not to be satisfied that he has done hisjob once he has reached 20 or 30. A good fielder who has turned into a very useful wicket-keeper this year. Must curb tendency to snatch. A tonic for any team by virtue of his enthusiasm and devo­tion to the side.

P. JONES (1964-65): Vice-captain 1965. This boy has the makings of a very good all-round cricketer, but he must convince himself of this fact first of all. An attacking batsman who plays his shots too stiffly, with the result that he often doesn't quite get his foot to the ball or does not quite get over it. A very good leg-spinner who must learn to bowl a googly. An excellent fielder in any position.

L. GORRIE (1964): A useful medium-paced bowler who tended to bowl too short to be really effective. A fair :fielder who must learn to concentrate more.

I. FULLER (1964): A big, strong, cavalier cricketer who loved the game, especially when he was able to attack. A useful stock bowler, a hard-hitting number eight batsman and a fair out-fielder.

J. HARGROVE (1964): An admirable trier who was an excellent example to the younger members of the side. A useful medium-paced bowler and a keen fielder.

J. DAY (1964): A stylish batsman who is capable of making many runs. An excellent out-fielder.

R. WRIGHT (1964): A tenacious player, unfortun­ately disabled for a large part of the season with a broken arm. A useful batsman and keen fielder.

C. MARKS (1964-65): One of the younger members of last year's side. He has improved.with every game and is now a recognised 1st XI player. A good, hard-hitting batsman who must remember to be balanced when playing his shots. A very useful leg-spinner who turns the ball very sharply. A good fielder.

B. BITTER (1964-65): The most-improved player in the side. A most mature and responsible batsman who has saved the side from embarrassing situa­tions on several occasions. A very good fielder close to the wicket and a useful wicket-keeper in an emergency.

N. GORDON (1964-65): He has confidence in his ability now, and has improved considerably as a result. A solid opening batsman who drives and cuts well, if not always along the ground. A safe fielder.

A. WEATHERDON (1965): An attractive, attacking batsman who drives and pulls very well. Could improve his defence, where he tends to be a little casual. A very good fielder.

G. YEOMAN (1965): A very useful all-rounder who lacks confidence. As a batsman he should play his normal attacking game. As an off-spinner he tends to bowl too short when he comes under punishment. A good fielder.

P. CAPON (1965): A very useful opening bowler who has improved considerably this year. Must try to vary his deliveries more. A good :fielder and a useful defender with the bat.

G. GOOCH (1965): A keen, energetic player. A very good fielder with a powerful throw. Useful lower­order batsman who tends to play back too much, however.



1966

C. RIDLEY. (Captain). Colours 1965 (re-award). A conscientious captain who improved as the season progressed. His major weakness was probably his reluctance to experiment and throw everything into an all-out attack at the expense of a few runs. A reliable opening batsman, he possessed all the strokes but drove and cut particularly well. He was at his best against a seam attack, where his relaxed drives often brought numerous boundaries. A steady seam bowler who was very accurate, he sometimes tended to bowl in too orthodox a fashion when a variation in his deliveries could have brought success. He was both a keen and good fielder with an accurate return; the unfortunate arm injury before the Nuffield Trials robbed him of the chance to win a place in the Rhodesian side.


P. JONES. (Vice-captain). Colours 1965; captain 1966. He revealed considerably more of his talent in the third term of 1965 and the first term of this year. He is a born cricketer who will do extremely well if he applies himself to the full. Jones is a very good leg-spin bowler who pushes the ball very quickly through the air, and is thus difficult to play when he pitches on a length. He has a tendency to bowl too short at the beginning of a spell, but has varied his attack to great advantage by the introduction of a top-spinner, a googly and a quicker delivery. As a batsman he drives and cuts confidently, but is liable to play his shots too stiffly or casually, with the result that he does lift the ball unnecessarily on occasion. He is a fine cover fielder who possesses a lovely return to the wicket. As a captain he is developing but Jacks confidence and tends to shuffle his attack and his field haphazardly. A Nuffield trialist in 1965, he came very close to selection and so stands a very good chance this year.


M. HAMMETT. Colours 1965; Nuffield Trials 1965. A talented stroke player, he applied himself far better in the third term of 1965, with the result that he scored consistently. If he can once attain full maturity in his approach to the game, he possesses talent and strokes in abundance to enable him to score many runs. He is a useful seam bowler as well as a very safe slip fielder who took some very difficult catches in the most nonchalant fashion.


A. SIMONCELLI. Colours 1965. A tonic to any side, even when he was experiencing the worst of bad fortunes. An ebullient character who could do well with the bat if he developed a controlled, aggressive approach. He kept wicket more than adequately, and was a constant source of good humour and encouragement for his team mates.


N. GORDON. As an opening batsman he lacks the confidence to do really well. He drives well on occasion but often chooses the wrong ball or else fails to get his foot right to the pitch of delivery. In defence he is suspect to the really fast delivery because he is reluctant to move his feet quickly into line. A fair seam bowler but one who consistently tends to bowl too short. He is a safe fielder with good hands and an accurate return to the wicket.


B. BITTER. Vice-captain, 1966. Much in the mould of Simoncelli, Bitter is a good boy to have in the side. He is a very good opening or middle-order batsman who hits the ball hard both in front and behind the wicket. His one weakness is to pull away from the shot when he is cutting a short delivery square of the wicket. A very good fielder close to the wicket, he has developed into a more than average 'keeper. He will do well as he has the right temperament and plays his best cricket when under pressure.


C. MARKS. At last he seems to be getting over his tendency to play his shots too stiffly and too straight to the bowler. Hits the ball very hard, especially on the leg side. A very useful leg-spin bowler, he bowls to a deceptively good length arid turns the ball sharply. A good fielder, preferably close to the wicket.


G. YEOMAN. A very accurate and steady off-spinner who has introduced considerable variation into his repertoire this year with marked success. A useful lower-order batsman, he is inclined to play forward automatically, regardless of the length of the ball. A very good fielder with a fast return.


T. WEATHERDON. A very talented, elegant middle order batsman who will make a lot of runs once he has curbed his innate desire to hit the ball right from the start of his innings. He possesses all the shots but has a tendency to lean back from his drives and thus. to scoop up the ball. He must have confidence in his undoubted ability, and learn to treat each delivery on its individual merits.


P. CAPON. A very useful fast seam bowler who could do very well if he could conjure up a more aggressive approach when bowling. He can hold up one end effectively in an emergency, but has few scoring strokes. A good fielder, preferably in the deep, where he catches and throws well.


K. BARBOUR. A determined and extremely keen middle-order batsman who has introduced an aggressive approach to his batting this year. He drives well but is liable to lose his wicket too frequently by trying to attack the wrong ball. A keen, energetic fielder, especially reliable near to the wicket.


G. GOOCH. A reliable lower-order batsman who has proved his rather unorthodox technique effectively on occasion. A fine outfielder with a fast, accurate return to the wicket.


A. ROGERS. A very useful all-rounder who unfortunately has played only in the first term of this year, when he proved himself of inestimable worth to the team in every sphere. A good, attacking batsman who plays confidently all round the wicket and is especially reliable in difficult circumstances. An above-average seam bowler, he has taken some very important wickets. He is a good fielder in any position.


R. WHILEY. An acquisition from St. Stephen's College, he has made a lot of runs this year through his aggressive if unorthodox approach to batting. He hits the ball tremendously hard, though too often with a cross-batted shot. A very good fielder in any position.


G. KER. A disappointing middle-order batsman who has not yet realised his early promise. He seems to have lost all confidence in his ability to make runs, and plays all his shots in an awkward, stooped fashion, often with the free swing of his bat hampered by his front pad. Once he has overcome this bad patch I am sure he will make many runs. A good fielder.


H. VAN DER MERWE. A very talented leg-spinner who bowls a prodigious googly but who probably gives the ball a bit too much air, thus enabling the batsman to use his feet successfully. As a hard-hitting lower-order batsman he has saved the side on more than one occasion. A very good close-to-the-wicket fieldsman.


1967

B. BITTER: (Captain; Colours, 1966-67): A very shrewd captain who won the support of the entire side. A brilliant cover fielder with an excellent return, and a useful wicket-keeper in an emergency. A determined batsman who cuts and hooks well, but at the moment is experiencing a bad spell where he is unable to cope with seam bowlers who bowl at full length.


G. YEOMAN: (Colours, 1966-67): An excellent cover fielder who fields and returns swiftly and well. A very good off-spinner who could introduce more variation of flight with his deliveries. A much improved middle-order batsman whose forte is his drive. The best all-rounder in the side.


C. MARKS: (Vice-captain): A useful all-rounder. As a batsman he hits the ball hard and can tear a mediocre attack to ribbons. Tends to play the ball with an open chest, which hampers his timing. A real spinner of the ball who turns the ball prodigiously from the leg, and bowls a good googly. A very safe fielder.


A. WEATHERDON: Probably the most talented batsman in the side, he plays beautiful attacking cricket when he is in full stride; and technically he possesses a faultless defence. Impatience, however, often results in his early dismissal. A good fielder.


K. BARBOUR: A determined middle-order batsman who, despite his size, can hit the ball extremely hard. Tends to lose his wicket by trying to loft his drives too much. A much-improved wicketkeeper who has largely eradicated his tendency to scratch at the ball.


P. STEWART: A very useful all-rounder. A brilliant deep fielder with a magnificent return. A stylish middle-order batsman who loves to drive, but sometimes does so too arrogantly to ensure crisp timing. An apparently innocuous seamer who takes a lot of wickets.


F. SIMPSON: A lively, enthusiastic seamer who lacks real pace but can prove useful because of his accuracy, and his occasional ability to make the ball move away from the bat. A safe fielder.


T. LAPHAM: A tenacious opening batsman possessed of unlimited patience. Technically very sound, he needs to introduce more power into his shots. A fair fielder.


W. SKILLICORN: A very useful if rather adventurous opening batsman who drives well. He must learn to keep over his shots instead of holding back his weight. A fair fielder.

G. RADLEY: A stylish batsman who should make far more runs than he does. Needs to apply himself more determinedly and consistently. A fairly good fielder.


A. MCCALLUM: A very promising young all rounder. A talented left-handed batsman who will do well in future, as he has all his shots and the right temperament. An intelligent left-arm seamer, he varies his deliveries well. A fair fielder.


S. VERSFELD: An enthusiastic seam bowler who still lacks real pace and tends to bowl too short. His accuracy is his chief attribute. A useful lower-order batsman and safe fielder. He will prove a tower of strength to Milton in the next few years.


1968

B. BITTER: (captain): A shrewd, enthusiastic leader who played attacking cricket at all times and set a fine example both on and off the field. The success of the team is due largely to Bitter. As a batsman he overcame a rather clumsy forward defensive shot which had ensured a lean first term, and he batted responsibly and well throughout the third term. Possessed of a quick eye and good feet, he cut and hooked particularly well. In full stride he stroked the ball beautifully (his innings at Falcon being a real gem) and a feature of his batting was his excellent running between the wickets. A magnificent out-fielder with a fast, accurate return. A useful leg-spinner.


C. MARKS: (vice-captain): A talented all-rounder who never really fulfilled his early promise. A guileful leg-spinner who flighted the ball well and could make it turn appreciably on any wicket. He was inclined to over-pitch and prove expensive when faced by a batsman capable of using his feet. A hard-hitting batsman, devastating against slow bowling, but rather awkward against fast bowling. A very safe slip fielder.


G. YEOMAN: An exceptionally capable all rounder who will go far with the necessary dedication. An extremely tidy, attacking off-spinner who bowled consistently well against all opposition. A fluent stroke player who suffered from a complete lack of confidence in the third term. An excellent out-fielder possessed of great pace, co-ordination and a fine return.


A. WEATHERDON: An impetuous and dynamic batsman who will score a lot more runs once he has matured fully. Probably the finest stroke player in the side, he sacrificed his wicket far too frequently with indiscreet batting. A good fielder and useful stock bowler.


K. BARBOUR: A plucky cricketer who owes a large measure of his success to a big heart, a cheerful disposition and honest application. A hard-hitting, unorthodox batsman, at his best when the going is tough. A useful wicket-keeper who erred through an excess of enthusiasm.


A. McCALLUM: A very talented all-rounder who will do well when he acknowledges the fact that consistent success demands application as well as talent. A fluent left-handed batsman who drives particularly well. A useful left-arm seamer who reduces his effectiveness by halting in his delivery stride. His fielding has often left a lot to be desired.


G. RADLEY: A fluent stroke player who revealed his ability last term after a long period in the doldrums. A very good fielder despite his ungainly approach to the ball. Essentially a hard wicket player, he must curb his casual swing on soft wickets if he is to do well regularly.


F. SIMPSON: A lively and hard-working right-arm seamer who bowled a good off-cutter and slower ball. A courageous rather than talented batsman who revealed sound common sense on occasions when the more illustrious players had failed. A keen fielder with a hard return.


J. LAPHAM: A sound, determined opening batsman, possessed of a fool-proof technique. He bats courageously on difficult wickets and against good bowling, but must learn to hit the loose ball a lot harder and more frequently if he is to increase his rate of scoring. A useful seam bowler and good fielder.


W. SKILLICORN: (captain, 1968): A thoughtful, undemonstrative captain who is improving all the time. A useful right-hand batsman who can hit the ball well on occasions, but loses his wicket far too often through early attempts to drive the wrong ball. An excellent out-fielder.


S. VERSFELD: A hard-working seam bowler who has developed more fire this year. Still inclined to bowl too consistently on a full length. A solid right-hand batsman who will achieve a lot more success once he has developed confidence in his ability. A fair fielder.


P. STEWART: A complete cricketer who has the confidence and ability to do very well. A hard-hitting, fluent right-hand batsman reminiscent of Dexter with his imperious, thumping drives and pulls. A useful seam bowler who achieved considerable success through bowling to a consistent length and some intelligent tactical thinking. An excellent out-fielder whose returns to the wicket were forever outstanding.

Scorer: K. Louw.


1969

W. SKILLICORN (captain). An unfortunate ill­ness handicapped Skillicorn's developing to his full potential. His batting became careless and irresponsible, and far too frequently he lost his wicket through an indiscreet shot. Possessed of a powerful drive, he attempted to play an attacking game at all times, which was not always possible. His back-foot play in particular, and his defence in general was suspect. His fielding never attained the heights of 1967, although his catching and throwing were still of a high order. He improved a great deal as a captain who suffered because he lacked the talent under him to implement his attacking ideas. He set a good example at all times, and the final defeat of Hamilton after a rather miserable season must be largely attributed to Skillicorn.

A. McCALLUM (captain, 1969). Probably the most talented all-rounder in the side, he never lived up to our high expectations of him. After a most impressive season in 1967, he found that the strain of being one of the senior players upon whom the junior members relied to do consist­ently well was too much for him. His batting is full of fluent stroke play but he is inclined to chase the loose ball and attempt the hook too soon. He was perhaps unfortunate not to take more wickets. However, he must learn not to pause in the delivery stride and to vary the angle of delivery. As a fielder he was often too casual. He captained quite well but tended to be unimaginative with regard to bowling changes. I am sure that he now realises what is required of him, and that the hope placed in his very great natural ability will not be frustrated again next term.

J. LAPHAM (Colours, 1968). A determined batsman, he still lacked the confidence to turn defence into attack once he was settled. His hooking and cutting were of a high order, and his forward defensive stroke was the most efficient I have seen. Once he has added power to his shots, and convinced himself of his ability to dominate an attack, I am sure he will do well. His fielding was always of a high standard, and he developed into a naggingly consistent medium-paced seam bowler.

G. LOW (vice-captain, 1969). A conscientious and orthodox opening batsman who takes his time settling down. Unfurled by near disasters, he plays each delivery on merit. Must learn to dispatch loose deliveries with more power, and improve his running between the wickets. A fair fielder who must practise hard to develop his confidence in this department. He proved com­petent as a stand-in captain.

R. BULL. An aggressive opening batsman who takes the game seriously. A pacy seam bowler who gets a good kick off the wicket. An energetic and capable close-to-the-wicket fielder. He will be sorely missed next term as his sensible attitude has proved invaluable to the side when it is in difficulty.

B. BARBOUR. A talented left-handed batsman, he will do well once he has curbed his tendency to hit across the flight, using too much left hand. He hooks very well but his driving on the off-side is suspect. He too must learn to play himself in before attempting his attacking shots to every delivery. A good fielder in any position who catches and throws well.

A. WOOD. The most improved player in the side. Enthusiastic and conscientious, his bowling has improved out of all recognition. A most lively seam bowler, he moves the ball in to the batsman disconcertingly and extracts considerable life from the wicket. His performance against Plum­tree is highly commendable. A keen if somewhat ungainly lower-order batsman, and a lively fielder.

K. BOYD. A steady, reliable bat who carefully selects the ball to hit. His wicket-keeping is improving although he could be more snappy in whipping off the bails. He keeps an intelligent eye on the run of the game.

S. VERSFELD. A stout-hearted, tireless medium paced bowler, he unfortunately lacks the bite off the wicket, but is very accurate. A responsible, patient batsman who stopped the rot on a few occasions, he has a limited choice of shots and still lacks confidence. A fairly good fielder.

C. GRIMMER. A useful, hard-hitting lower-order batsman. Inclined to pull away from the fast bowlers, he bits the spinners well when he gets his eye in. He must really apply himself and tighten up his technique if he is to succeed regularly. Weak fielder.

A. BAILEY. A talented all-rounder whose leg-spin bowling could prove very effective if he worked hard to tighten up his length and direction. Used sparingly, he always gets wickets surprisingly inexpensively. He turns the ball appreciably both ways and possesses a deceptive flight. A useful bat who wastes no time, and a good fielder. Hard work and concentration will make Bailey a very good cricketer.

A. BOSCH. He should settle down and score a lot of runs. A big hitter, he has yet to learn to choose the right ball to hit hard. Slow in the field, and must improve in this department.

H. PARKER. A useful off-spinner also sparingly used. He turns the ball well but takes some time to settle down to a good length. He allows his delivery arm to drop, thus reducing the effective­ness of flight and bite. Should use the crease more and increase his repertoire. Fields well but lacks confidence with the bat.

POWELL. A very good left-arm spinner who always troubled the batsmen. We were sorry to lose him half-way through the season.

Also played in 1968: D. SACHS and K. DENYER.

1970

B. BARBOUR (Captain), Colours 1969 /70; Nuffield 1969:
Probably the most prolific run scorer Milton has produced since Colin Bland. An attacking left hander, full of confidence, who hits the ball with devastating power, particularly square of the wicket. A good fielder and competent captain. I predict a great future for him as a cricketer.

A. McCALLUM (Vice-Captain), Colours 1970:
At last he is revealing his undoubted all-round ability. A fluent left-handed batsman who likes to go for his shots. A very accurate, intelligent left arm spinner. A good fielder. He should be a serious contender for the Nuffield side this year.

S. VERSFELD, 1969 /70:
A hard-working, steady right arm medium pacer. His batting is now producing runs, more as a result of determination and persevering concentration than through dazzling stroke play. A fair fielder.

I. LOUW, 1969/70:
Disappointing as a left arm spinner as he tends to rush his deliveries without prior consideration of what he is going to bowl. An unorthodox opening batsman, he possesses a good eye, and has proved most effective. Runs well between wickets. A keen fielder.

A. BOSCH, 1969/70:
A solid batsman whose sound technique must lead to him scoring many runs in the future. Lacks confidence. A fair off-spinner and much improved fielder.

C. GRIMMER, 1969:
A stylish batsman who flowered impressively near the end of the year as an attractive and consistent run getter. Bowled nastily lifting off-cutters at a brisk pace. Good fielder.

A. BAILEY, 1969:
He never lived up to expectations with bat and ball. Has ability as a leg spinner, but never worked hard enough to succeed consistently.

A. WOOD, Colours 1969:
A lively, enthusiastic opening bowler who could produce some hostile deliveries on his day. His con­sistent application warranted his undoubted success. A stylish front-foot player to all but the pace bowlers. A zestful fielder.

G. LOW, 1969:
He proved inconsistent as an opening batsman, where his awkward grip and technique often proved his undoing. A determined player, he was at his best in a crisis. A good fielder.

H. PARKER, 1969:
A gifted off-spinner, who will do well once he has developed more confidence and can bowl a consistent length.

K. BOYD, 1969:
Lapses in concentration spoiled his performance as a wicket keeper. His batting too was unpredictable, although like Low, he was a good man to have when the going was tough.

A. MINTER-BROWN, Colours 1970:
A tall, hostile scam bowler, who has performed con­sistently well. His batting lacks application. An excellent fielder. He should prove difficult to omit from a Nuffield side.

P. BULL, 1970:
On his day, he could prove a good keeper. An attacking batsman who will score well once he has learned to play himself in.

A. BLAYLOCK, 1970
A determined left-handed batsman who played some valuable rearguard innings. A fair seam bowler.

G. WEEDEN, 1970:
He needs to speed up his footwork if he is to make runs at 1st XI level.

M. KRETZMER, 1970:
A solid young batsman who promises well for next year. Good fielder.

R. McCALLUM, 1970:
A keen, correct batsman who should make runs once he has introduced more power into his shots.

I. AULT, 1970:
Never revealed his true ability as an opening bowler for his lovely rhythmical action and late movement in the air and off the wicket should ensure a top class performance. Needs to develop a more determined, aggressive attitude. Poor fielder.

R. WOOD, 1970:
A lively scam bowler who could put more height and whip into his action. A useful tail-end batsman.

1969/70 saw a renaissance in Milton's cricket prowess, and the maturing of several fine players. The most striking aspect of the 1st XI perform­ances has been the unbelievably regular high scoring of Barbour, who has reduced almost every attack in the country to tatters. Supported by Grimmer in 1969, and Versfeld, McCallum, Louw and Bull in 1970, he has ensured consistently high totals. Wood bowled very well in 1969, and both Minter-Brown and McCallum have proved towers of strength in 1970.


1971

 
B. BARBOUR. (Nuffield 1969; 1970; Matabeleland 1971; Colours I 969, 1970, 1971). An exciting, aggressive left hander who has shown a preference for opening the batting. Picks up the flight of the ball very early. Hooks and cuts powerfully, although he still tends to cut too adventurously. Has largely overcome his hesitant footwork in defence. A brilliant fielder in any position and competent captain. I predict a great cricketing future for him; and I only hope his cartilage trouble is not as serious as some people fear.
 1971_image_mccallum
A. McCALLUM. (Nuffield reserve 1970; Colours 1970, 1971). A most mature, talented all-rounder. Responsible left-handed batsman, solid in defence, but drives well on attack, if rather uppishly. A shrewd left arm spinner who bowls on a consistently good line and
possesses a lethal arm ball. Accomplished fielder, especially close to the wicket. He was very unlucky not to make last year's Nuffield side, and could be a likely selection this year.
 1971_minterbrown
A. MINTER-BROWN. (Nuffield 1970; Colours 1970). A dynamic, athletic cricketer who bowls, bats and fields aggressively. A hostile seam bowler, he uses his height to make the ball rear awkwardly. A hard-hitting lower order batsman, capable of transforming the game in the space of a few overs. Brilliant fielder with a sizzling return.
 1971_versveld
S. VERSFELD. (Colours 1970). A most valuable member of the side, at his best when the side is down. A tenacious, responsible batsman who cuts well and defends with determination. An accurate, intelligent seam bowler who varies his deliveries cleverly. Bowls a good away swinger. Competent outfielder.
1971_ault
I. AULT. (Colours 1970, 1971). A pacy opening bowler, his deliveries are always fast and accurate, but he has lost some of his former ability to v move the ball either way in the air. On his day, he is hostile and really fast, but must strive for greater consistency. A useful lower order "hitter", and a much improved fielder with a swift return.
 1971_bull
P. BULL. A much improved right hand batsman whose straight back lift should ensure that he makes a lot of runs, He is somewhat irresponsible early in his innings at times; and has a tendency to walk after his shots off the front foot to spin bowlers. Should pay more attention to his running between wickets. His wicket-keeping also suffers from lapses in concentration; and he should practise hard at improving his footwork if he is to stand a chance of Nuffield selection.
 1971_weedon
G. WEEDEN. A jovial, confident cricketer, his increased mobility has resulted in good all-round performances. A tonic to the side, he has the right belligerent attitude to revered opponents to bolster his side's confidence. Although his footwork is sluggish, he hits the ball with prodigious power. An underestimated seam bowler, his tally of wickets bears testimony to the quality of his accurate medium paced deliveries. He has safe hands and often frightens his opponents from taking a quick single more by his pugnacious attitude than his speed in retrieving.
 1971_louw
I. LOUW. He has lost confidence this year, and his incorrect back lift has landed him in trouble repeatedly. He will have to work hard to eradicate this fault in his technique if he hopes to score runs regularly. A fair left arm spinner who could inject more bite into deliveries. Fair fielder.
 1971_blaylock
A. BLAYLOCK. A tenacious left-handed batsman who has introduced a measure of aggression into his stroke-play this year. He is a useful player of quick bowling, especially when the side is under pressure. A fair left-arm seam bowler who moves the ball away in the air, but lacks consistent length and direction. Has potential here and should apply himself to tightening up on these aspects. A fair fielder who is inclined to lapses in concentration.
 1971_bosch
A. BOSCH. Unfortunately an injury has curtailed his appearances this year. A solid, correct batsman who will score runs once he has regained his confidence. An accurate medium paced bowler and fair fielder.
 1971_mccallumb
R. McCALLUM. A correct right-handed batsman, he lacks confidence and his shots still lack power. He makes too many mistakes through hesitant stroke-play. A useful accurate seam-bowler.
 1971_allman
D. ALLMAN. A hard-hitting right- handed batsman, he should do well once he learns to play himself in before attacking; and once he learns to play each delivery according to its merit. An improved fielder.
 1971_parkin
S. PARKIN. A promising off-spinner who varies his flight intelligently. Possesses the right temperament, and should do well with greater experience. A correct batsman, whose lack of height limits his scoring potential. Fair fielder.
 1971_szeftil
A. SZEFIEL. A right-handed batsman with a sound technique, he should do well with more experience. Fair fielder.

Also played: K. Court, M. Kretzmer, M. Einhorn.



1972

We are very pleased to see our skipper of 1970, Brian Barbour, doing so well for the Rhodesian Currie Cup side (Nuffield 1971; Colours 1970; 71).

A. McCallum: (Captain 1971): After the departure of Barbour he seemed to grow in stature with every game. A mature, thinking cricketer, he developed into a fine tactician: proved the most astute leader at Nuffield Trials, and was rewarded with an appointment as vice captain of the Rho­desian Nuffield side. His bowling was tidy, but was never sufficiently penetrative to push him into the front line. As a batsman, his dedicated appli­cation ensured success, and he revealed a sound technique and eliminated a number of faults that had plagued his batting in the past. His drives stayed on the ground; his hook left him balanced; and his cutting was more controlled. Altogether a most accomplished player in any circumstances. As a fielder, he was outstanding, particularly close to the wicket where his uncanny anticipation was invaluable.

I. Ault: (Colours 1970; 71: Nuffield 1971): Always a pacy bowler, he developed the killer instinct, and a lethal bouncer added variety to his reper­toire. Speed was his major weapon, and he seemed assured of a S.A. Schools cap until he broke down. Bowled in shorter spells he proved more effective, but was always essentially a new ball bowler, whose pace, accuracy and movement off the wicket made him difficult to play especially on a hard fast wicket. His batting developed as he acquired confidence and some of his elegant drives were the envy of the team. A good fielder who caught and threw very well.

G. Weeden: (Colours 1972): Aggressive, powerful cricketer. Extremely valuable member of the team who has the ability to rise to the occasion. Could be very good if he applied himself, but suffers from a light temperament and poor foot­work. Sound defence, but weight distribution is lazy, so tends to hit across the flight. Very deceptive seamer who moves the ball both ways and gains considerable pace off the wicket. Safe slip fielder, although inclined to lapses in con­centration.

A. Bosch: (Vice Captain 1971): A good solid aggressive batsman who hit the ball with unbelievable power on his day. Always at his best when he ignored the situation and played each ball on merit. A superb driver, he also possessed a fierce short-arm pull which frightened many a mid-wicket fielder. A useful seam bowler and competent fielder.

P. Bull: An elegant number three batsman, his confidence deserted him and he convinced himself that he could not make runs. Primarily a back foot player, he often lost his wicket early by attempting to hook the wrong ball or flashing outside the line of the stumps without the necessary footwork. Bull batted best on a quick wicket when his keen eye and deft guiding shots served him ad­mirably. His keeping deteriorated through lack of concentration, but his fielding was usually keen and safe.

I. Louw: An unorthodox grip made opening the innings difficult and he often found himself in trouble against the moving ball. He cut and hook­ed well, but usually failed to get properly into posi­tion. A good fielder and alluring spin bowler, Louw has proved a magnificent team man for three years now.

M. Einhorn: (Captain 1972): Very correct right hand batsman. Sound defence. Has potential to make many runs, but must overcome initial nervousness. Tends to be impatient when tied down. A very good fielder in any position. Developed into a captain who thought deeply about the game.

R. McCallum: (Vice Captain 1972): Right hand batsman, opening bowler. Batting has improved with confidence. Solid on defence, but tends to drive uppishly. Must curb an impulse to hook and cut early in the innings. Accurate seamer who bowls a steady line and waits for the bats· man to make the mistake. Good fielder.

A. Blaylock: Has lacked application this year. Left hand opening batsman who cuts and drives well. Weak on the legs and the back foot. Good fielder, but lacks concentration.

A. Szeftel: A much improved right hand batsman. Shaky on defence, but is very strong on the drive. Will show more consistency and make many more runs if he works on improving his defence - could be tighter and more determined, particularly on the back foot. A useful, accurate seam-bowler and competent fielder, usually in the slips.

T. Harris: A quiet, hardworking wicketkeeper. Very safe against fast bowling, but needs to quicken up around the wicket for the slow bow­lers. Could generate more response from the fielders. Has the ability to be a good low-order batsman, but must overcome a tendency to hit lofted shots against the flight. Needs to improve footwork.

M. Kretzmer: A correct right hand opening batsman. Has a limited range of shots, but has proved very effective within his limitations and shown a tremendous determination to remain at the crease. Should pay more attention to running between the wickets. Reasonable fielder. Shows potential as a leg spin bowler.

N. Moore: A really pacy opening bowler who can be extremely hostile when he wants to be. Must overcome a tendency to bowl down the leg-side. Could use the crease much better. Has the ability to be a more than useful middle-order batsman, but must get rid of his image as a 'hitter.' Competent fielder.

P. Einhorn: A determined right hand batsman, with a limited range of strokes. Weak outside the off-stump. Must work to eradicate a habit of lofting his drives. Sound fielder with a good throw.

S. Parkin: Promised well as an off-spin bowler, but must work much harder. Good flight although not tight enough. Uses crease well, but needs to be more aggressive and this will only come with confidence and sustained work. Useful low order batsman. Lacks concentration while fielding. Nuffield potential.

N. Potter: Right-arm seam bowler. Shows potential, but bowls off too long a run. Very good fielder with an extremely good throw.

Also played - A. Lawson and S. Jackson.


1973

M. Einhorn: (Captain 1972): Extremely correct right-hand batsman with a solid defence. Over­came initial nervousness and gained confidence. Made some very determined runs at a time when it really mattered. Unfortunately, fielding de­teriorated, but bowled occasionally with some success. Developed steadily as a captain who was especially successful with off-the-field duties.


R. McCallum: (Vice-Captain 1972): Right-hand batsman, opening bowler. Batting did not mature during the third term, largely due to a tendency to hit the ball in the air too soon. Must curb impulse to flick on the leg-side. Bowled a very tidy line and was extremely unlucky not to get more wickets. Fielding was always steady. As a vice captain was always thinking about the game and gave sound advice.


G. Weeden: (Colours 1972): Extremely useful all-rounder - hard-hitting batsman and seam bowler. Did not participate fully in third term because of injuries. Selected Matabeleland Nuffield XI, 1972, and had he been fully fit could possibly have made one of the Rhodesian Nuffield sides.


A. Blaylock: Left-hand opening batsman who. at last, made the runs of which he was capable, More determined in approach and improved back foot play. Beautiful cut. Must overcome tendency to doze in the field. Quick, if inaccurate, left-arm bowler.


T. Harris: Sound, if not polished, wicketkeeper. Selected for Matabeleland Nuffield XI, 1972. Good against fast bowling but not quick enough for the spin attack to be really effective. Was able to make the fielding look good. Batting deteri­orated through a lack of confidence and the inability to discipline himself. Too many shots played in the air.


N. Potter: Seam bowler. Does not achieve enough movement either through the air or off the pitch. Bowls off too long a run. Batsman of limited ability. On his day can be an extremely fine fielder although his form deteriorated to­wards the end of the season.


A. Harris: Middle-order batsman, seam bow­ler. Potentially a good all rounder but does not work hard enough at his game. As a batsman, plays too far away from the body and defence is suspect, particularly on the back foot. Useful player to have because he plays each ball on merit - good under pressure. Useful medium pace bowler, moving it both ways, who bowls the occasional extremely good ball. Reliable fielder.


A. Szeftel: (Captain, 1973; Colours, 1973): An elegant number 3 batsman and seam bowler. A very useful all-rounder who seldom comes out of a match without some success. As a batsman, hits the ball very hard but must overcome a tendency to do this too early in an innings. Im­proved defence. Seam bowler who always achieves some movement, either through the air or off the pitch. Developed into a fine slip fielder. A captain who gains the most from his players largely leading by personal example.


S. Parkin: (Vice-Captain, 1973): Off-spin bowl­er, lower-order batsman. Temperament improved and so did his cricket. Could be a very good off spinner - uses the crease well and varies the flight. Must continue to work hard at his bowing. Batting also improved with determination. Ten­dency to hit in the air too soon. Average fielder.


N. Moore: Opening bowler and lower-order batsman. Showed tremendous improvement in temperament this season and consequently his cricket benefited. Very quick and hostile fast bowler who is beginning to think more about his approach to the game. Is developing the killer instinct required to take a crop of wickets. Moves the ball both through the air and off the wicket. Batting has improved with confidence, hitting the ball with tremendous power. Tendency to doze while fielding, especially in the slips. Nuffield potential.


N. Bashall: Opening batsman and leg-spin bowler. Very stiff batsman with a limited range of shots. Normally determined to stay in but lost confidence towards the end of the season. Has the ability to be a more than useful batsman. Developed considerably as a leg-spin bowler once the delivery arm was straightened. Shows great potential in this department. Lacks con­centration as a fielder.


P. Einhorn: Middle-order batsman, wicket­keeper. Works hard in both departments although lacks a range of shots while batting. Good fielder and shows potential as a seam bowler. Did not play last term because of injury.


D. McLaughlin: Has the potential to be a very good batsman. Needs to tighten up on defence and work for his runs. Must overcome a tendency to hit in the air early in an innings. Plays too much on the back foot but has a glorious cover drive when he does move forward. Average fielder with a weak throw.


T. Watson: Gained in confidence as the season progressed. Hard-working batsman who grafts for his runs. Needs to improve defence, particu­larly on the back foot. Made some very useful runs when the team was in trouble. Shows potential as a seam bowler and must work at this aspect of his game. Good fielder.


E. Layard: A determined, right-hand batsman with a limited range of strokes. Weak on the leg stump. Must work hard to improve his driving. More than adequate wicket-keeper. Steady fielder with a good throw.


S. Jackson: Left-arm bowler with considerable movement through the air. Improved during the season but must work to maintain accuracy. Gutsy batsman of limited ability who hits the ball hard on his day. Good fielder.


P. Elkington: Right-hand batsman and bowler. Hits the ball hard although across the line and tends to loft. Can be very useful once he gets going. Must work hard to establish his innings. Shows potential both as a seam bowler and off spinner. Very useful member of any side. Fielding can be improved. Should do well next season.


S. Cunningham: Promises to be a very good seam bowler with the ability to cut the ball both ways off the wicket. However, at the moment has trouble with the run-up, length and direction and these problems must be overcome if he is to fulfil his real potential.


C. Robinson: Off-spinner and right-hand bats­man. Bowls a tidy line without achieving much turn. Needs to improve his use of the crease and vary the flight of the ball more. Very stiff batsman who must work at improving his range of shots.

Also played: D. Bosch, C. Parkin, D. Bruschi and M. Kretzmer.


1978

Smith L. Captain, Opening Bowler and Right-Hand Bat: A determined player where captaincy improved with every game. Bowled aggressively and effectively once he had corrected his run-up. Had little success with the bat.


Kennedy M. Vice-Captain, Right-Hand Bat and Medium Pace Bowler: An enthusiastic player who did not realise his potential with the bat. Was often out early trying to force the pace before playing himself in. Was a useful charge bowler often successful in breaking up a partnership.


Adams N. An extremely talented player whose wicket keeping has improved greatly during the last season. An opening batsman who is very quick on to the loose ball but all too often hits an easy catch in the early stages of his innings. A player who with a little more concentration and dedication could prove to make the runs expected of him.


Einhorn N. Had a very disappointing season with the bat mainly due to his nervousness at the crease. He is a very keen cricketer yet lacks the determination to do well A lot of hard practice could make him a formidable middle order batsman. His fielding was always safe.


Smith W. Left-arm spin bowler with tremendous ability to turn the ball He proved to be a very reliable bowler this season and took a number of wickets. A left handed batsman who has the ability to do very well but lacks concentration and an excellent gully fielder who brought off some fantastic catches.


Rudd N. A very disappointing season for a batsman with so much ability. He never really got into the game with the determination to do well. A right hand batsman and leg spin bowler who with more dedication could prove his selection for the Rhodesian Fawns side in 1977. A very reliable cover fielder.


Viljoen A. Opening batsman and medium pace bowler, with a lot of talent. He proved to be. the most consistent run maker in the side and yet his bowling and fielding were poor. He started the season bowling well but at the end he lacked both length and direction. With practice he is a player who could be very exciting to watch.


Slaven M. A right-hand batsman who for the first time this season proved himself worthy of a place in the team. For once he showed some interest in the game and as a result both his batting and fielding improved.


De Villiers D. Opening bowler and middle order batsman. A very talented young player who took a number of wickets with his medium pace seamers. Very accurate and reliable and has bowled many long spells. Both the batting and fielding lacked the concentration expected of him and in this respect a new approach and a lot of practice is needed on his behalf.


Rae G. Left-hand batsman. A young player with a tremendous amount of ability, but lacks confidence in himself. A strong off side player with a powerful cut. A very good fielder both in the covers and close up. With a lot of practice during the holidays in the third term he could prove to be a fluent run maker.


Benning M. Right-hand batsman and medium pace bowler; a player with a lot of determination and ability. A very alert fielder who loves diving about the turf. A steady player who could prove to be a good all rounder.


1979

Viljoen, A. (Captain) A competent right hand opening bat who played several fine innings. A very keen Captain who tended to be rather conservative but will improve with experience. A safe fielder whose form with the ball deserted him.


Benning, M.
Right hand batsman and medium pace bowler; a player with a lot of determination and ability. A good swing bowler able to move the ball both through the air and off the pitch, but very unlucky not to have taken many wickets. An alert and safe fielder.


Benning, I
Right hand batsman. A young player with a lot of talent. Although a slow run getter, he keeps his end up well. Should do well next year.


Brownlee, P
Right hand batsman; showed that he can make runs when he sets his mind to it. A very determined fielder though perhaps a little slow.


De Villiers, D
Medium pace bowler and right hand batsman; a most successful pace bowler, able to bowl long tight spells. Also a useful middle order batsman, but his fielding lacked the concentration it requires. He must show a more dedicated approach towards the game.


Einhorn, M
Right hand batsman; a very keen and determined cricketer who always gave of his best. He batted well throughout the season, though was often out early trying to force the pace. A safe and reliable fielder.


Gibbs, D
Right hand batsman; an inconsistent batsman who has not realised his full potential. A little more concentration and determination is required. A safe cover fielder.


Hardman, G
Right hand opening batsman; a little nervous to start with, but showed his ability in making runs towards the end of the season. A good wicket-keeper who plays well to spinners.


Kettle, L
Opening bowler; a medium fast bowler who bowls a nagging length, though occasionally a little short. A quick and agile fielder.


Pettican, M
Opening bowler; a determined and consistent bowler. What he lacks is speed, but makes up with accuracy and length.


Smith, W
Left-hand batsman and off spin bowler, probably the most talented player in the side, but must adopt a more mature attitude. A consistent run getter and the most successful bowler. His fielding was, however, a little sloppy.



1980

A. Viljoen (Captain)
A right hand opening bat who had several successful innings including a fine century against OM' s, His form with the ball returned and he gained several key wickets. A keen and competent captain.


I. Benning
A keen player who has not yet realised his potential. Rather slow in the field.


P. Brownlee
Right hand bat. A consistent bat and determined fielder.


D. Bennett
A fine right hand bat who had little success, Turned into an agile and safe fielder.


D. de Villiers
Medium pace bowler and right hand bat. Was very successful with the ball but scored fewer runs than expected.


P. Grobler
Medium pace bowler and right hand bat. A/new member of the side who was given little opportunity. Rather slow in the field. Should develop next year.


G. Hardman
Right hand opening bat and wicket keeper. Found his form with the bat with several good scores, Reliable keeper who had some fine stumpings off Smith.


L. Kettle
Opening bowler. Had a successful season. Inclined to drop his shoulder and sling the ball. Could do better with the bat.


R. Pearson
A hard-hitting right hand bat who did very well in his first season. Must show more enthusiasm in the field.


W. Smith
Left hand bat and spin bowler. A talented player and main wicket taker. Was not so successful with the bat owing to his habit of flicking at the ball rather than hitting it.


M. Vickery
A young right hand bat who as yet has not found his feet. Rather slow in the field,



1981

Smith, W. (Captain)
The most talented player in the side, being an excellent left-arm bowler and competent bat. His bowling was incredibly tight at times and few batsmen were comfortable facing him.


Brownlee, J.
With Hardman, an effective opening pair who batted with great responsibility. A very keen and determined player and agile fielder.


Faulds, G.
Fast opening bowler and hard-hitting lower order bat. He must try and improve his length and direction.


Hardman, G.
Right hand opening batsman. His scoring rate has slowed down but this is probably due to the necessity for him to see the side off to a good start. Unfortunately he lost his wicket-keeping form.


MacDonald, W.
A medium pace bowler and hard hitting lower order bat. After several years' absence from the game he found it difficult to regain form but should do well next term.


Nothnagel, M.
Not a very talented player but one of the keenest. Won the match for us against Prince Edward with some remarkable bowling (4-9).


Pearson, R.
A highly talented bat and capable medium pace bowler. Scored less runs than he should as he was inclined to lift the ball too early on. A greatly improved fielder.


Sellars. B.
Has potential as an all-rounder, as he can bat and bowl well but cracks under pressure. With more dedication should do well next year.


Salomon, G.
Could develop into a talented all-rounder. Bowls very well but has not as yet realised his potential as a bat. One of the safest fielders in the side.


Finch, T.
A useful off spin bowler who improves with every game. Batted very responsibly against
Plumtree. A good fielder and keen member of the side.


Wentzel, W.
Played few games due to injury. Showed promise and should develop into a capable all rounder.


Venn, S.
Coming straight from the U/15 side, he was over-awed and had little success. Must learn to keep his head down and not slog. A little slow in the field.



1982

Hardman G. (Captain) An excellent opening batsman and an equally good wicketkeeper. He is capable of bowling and fielding competently.


Salomon G. Opening batsman with Hardman, had a good start to the season but lost form. A fast and accurate fielder.


Sellars B. Opening medium - fast bowler who usually picks up one or two wickets in a match. Bats high in the order but has not obtained high scores.


Wallace G. A useful all-rounder who batted consistently in the middle order, and bowled off spin, often for long spells, and with success.


Venn S. A successful bowler and an excellent outfielder capable of good batting ·when he concentrates.


Parsons I. A low order batsman, medium pace bowler and outfielder. Has achieved only moderate success, taking one or two wickets occasionally.


Rix N. Has had mixed fortunes as a batsman and bowler but performed well in the outfield.


Scott R. An all-rounder who batted well on occasions and opened the bowling, taking many wickets during the term.


Naik J. Principally a bowler, he played in the second half of the term and opened the bowling on three occasions. A fast and agile fielder.


Holleran M. A left arm spinner and middle order batsman who 0btained reasonable scores at times.


Pattison R. Kept wicket competently, when Hardman did not and batted low in the order.


Also Played E. Van Ryneveld; M. Ross and C. McTaggart.



1984

N. Rix - (Captain) - a captain with mixed fortunes - has not yet realised his potential.


R. Pattison - opening bat and wicket keeper - "Barry the Blocker" - promoted from batting number 10 to opening, and enjoying it. Consistent and agile behind the stumps.


H. Ziemkendorf - the fine spin bowler of the season. "Koos" is always keen - this showed in his fine 8 for 22 against C.B.C.


B. Dawson - another player who always tries hard. Had mixed fortunes with the bat but discovered he could bowl, as 9 for 26 against Marondera shows.


M. Holleran - the veteran - can succeed with the bat and sometimes does well. A pleasant and keen member of the side.


A. Mackintosh - "Tosh" occasionally scored runs, when he ball, but has mastered the art of sleeping at fine leg.


P. Maugi - an opening bat who could, should and tried. We all live in hope that one day he will use his 6'5" to bowl with more success than he's had to date.


S. Langford - "Caveman" opened the bowling and soon mastered the art of almost throwing the ball - generally down the leg side! A very keen and humorous player whose dream is to manage to take a catch.


D. Pistorious - an U/15 who always opened the batting with courage but with a rather nervous appearance. A pity that a broken arm had sidelined him for the 3rd term.


E. Chibi - quiet and keen. Emmanuel always tried hard having more success with ball than with the bat.

Also played: M. Ross, S. Naik, R. Young.