Graham ("Sam") Boyd was a contemporary and close friend of George Bazley. He was the best bowler the school has had, a left spinner of medium pace. Not only did he"walk"Into the Natal Schools' side, as quite the best bowler In the Province, but It was thought that he would prove to be the best bowler In the country. However, he did not do himself justice during the Nuffield Week,and lost his chance. Against the Natal Provincial side I watched him tie the best batsmen up into a state of immobility. I also saw him bowl Mr. Milner at the nets with six consecutive balls! Poor Sam Boyd went out In a Wellington Bomber from the West Coast of Africa, radioed that he had spotted an enemy submarine, and was never heard of again. This was the beginning of the days at Botha's Hill, when Mr. Medworth took over all the sport and I played a lesser part. He continued to turn out many fine cricketers. Our best all-rounder was Peter Davidson, still playing for Country Districts. He also played for N.Transvaal. In 1941 he performed the extraordinary feat of bowling right through the season without once being taken off! He took 74 wickets. Peter was an excellent batsman, too, seldom failing. I can still hear the groan of dismay as he was dismissed for 99 against Estcourt, but he atoned for It later with 153 not out against St. Charles. We were playing all schools' First Teams by now. Round about this time there was stirring cricket among the juniors too. In 1941,for Instance, in successive Innings for the Under 14, Peter Jonsson scored 130 and ICS; in the latter match Tommy Jacobs also scored 80 and took 7 wickets for I run. We made 212and Glenwood 8. To-day the scores tend to be reversed. For the Colts Gillies scored two consecutive centuries and for the 1st XI L. Robinson, the captain, also scored two consecutive centuries. In a House Under 12 match, V. Davy took six wickets with successive bails. To-day he is causing headaches to bowlers who visit Pinetown. A year or two later I well remember a grim struggle between Gillies (72 not out), Jonsson (47 In 3 hours) and Hugh Tayfield, who was then at his peak for D.H.S. Tayfield lost, for he took no wickets and Kearsney scored 236 for 5 wickets. Peter Jonsson played for Natal schools as a wicket-keeper batsman and a little later Gillies played for Transvaal "B". I must not forget to mention the bowling machine which I imported from England. I believe the Rhodesian team today ascribes some of Its cricket Improve ment to the"novel"Idea of a bowling machine. Well, we got in first, by 20 years! It was worked rather on the principle of a Roman catapult. A long arm, with a ieather cup to hold the ball, was wound back into position and then suddenly released. By adjusting the tension one was able to bowl fast or slow balls; an elevation screw made it possible to bowl full tosses, yorkers, or halfvolleys; and of course direction could be obtained by sighting the arm. A slight twist in the cup even produced breaks. The coach was therefore able to bowl the same ball a dozen times In succession and help to eliminate faulty strokes. This bowling machine disintegrated on our arrival at Botha's Hill and was used no more. These rather random reminiscences cover a period of about 20 years and end ten years ago. I have pinpointed a few highlights in our earlier cricket history, just as they come to mind,and no doubtOld Boys will remember them. Boys have grown up,and their sons are now with us,following worthily in father's footsteps, and others will follow in succeeding years. If there is any moral attached to these thoughts. It is that I am a firm believer that every loose ball should be treated as a gift from heaven and despatched tothe boundary, and that a little quick footwork can turn a good ball Into a bad one. Especially do I believe that straight fast balls can be driven back over the bowler's head, and the faster the better. I always coached this and practised it myself. The bowler is at a loss what to do, for if he drops the ball short it can be hooked or cut. Perhaps there are fewer loose balls to-day. Perhaps, too, the uncertainties of turf wickets, unless they are really true, do not promote stroke play tothe extent that is possible with matting. For that reason I believe that all formative batting should be done on matting. 232
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