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Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 77, 7 May 1914, Page 10

16 Pages

It will be a little unfortunate if the broach between the cricket uuions of South Africa and the governing body, the Cricket Union, is allowed to interfere with the visit of an Australian eleven, which is due at the Cape next season. The cause of the difference,

according to the cable, is the lavish entertainment, involving what is regarded as wasteful expenditure, provided for the English team which returned Home some months ago. It will be remembered that a conflict of opinion 'between the leading Australian players and the Board of Control seriously prejudiced the prospects of the , team that went to England immediately afterwards. The Marylebone team, which was eminently successful on its tour through South A'frica, was also eminently unpopular. Towards the end of the visit the Englishmen incurred the displeasure, publicly expressed, of various townspeople who had gone out of their way to - entertain the touring sportsmen. With a generosity truly characteristic, the colonials, whether in Australia or South Africa, have invariably extended themselves in the matter of making the tour of oversea athletes as memorable as possible, btit it is a fact not to be denied that a certain type of Britisher, say, the classic amateur, has a tendency to accept this hospitality as a right, and not a courtesy.' This tendency has been displayed on more than one occasion in Australia (and in New Zealand), and it rather jars on the colonial, who 'never did take kindly to the strict line drawn between the social status of the amateurs and professionals of the same company of cricketers. The ■aftermath of the Englishmen's visit- to"the Cape no doubt has something to do with the social unpleasantness that accompanied the tour, and it will be matter for regret if the differences between the Cape cricketers and the union are not adjusted in time to clear ilhfe'jwav^ the approaching tour of the AustralranH