Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1904. A CRICKETING QUESTION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXI, Issue 6203, 25 February 1904, Page 2

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1904. A CRICKETING QUESTION.

Local cricketers are understood to be desirous of arousing greater interest m " the king of gauies" than has been apparent during the past season or two, and suggestions have been made, which it is to be hoped mny take concrete form during the coming winter months. In the, multiplication of sports facilities, and the opportunities for healthy exercise afforded by the several clubs, whose tennis courts, bowling greens, and croquet grounds form such a feature of the local T)otni<in, the interests of cricket have not been cared for as well as they might have b»en. Not that there is any real lack of cricketing enthusiasts ia our midst, for the formation of the Tradesmen's Crickefr Club, the reformation of the Tiuwajd Club, and the successful doiogs.o? the Aahburton Cricket Club, during fcho ees-sou ijow drawing to a olose, argae tb» j>vesene,e ivmongst- us of many who take a very lively interest m the fine old English game. The trouble is that these enthusiasts are not; so well supported a3 they should be, either by the Domain, authorities or the general public, and the game being a somewhat expensive one, where it is considered desirable to secure the presence of representative teams from other centres and to play return matches with visiting clubs. The local players thus find they are continually putting their hands into their pockets m their endeavours to uphold the honor of the county m cricketing circles. The drain upon their resources, m the course <>fa single season, is thug yery considerable. Unless they meejb fchgse representative f eam,s ,our local players fraye no' opportunity of engaging m nnything approaching first-class cricket, nor of guaging their o\vn progress and proficiency m the game. Eeally interesting matches, m which the Ashburton public can take a pleasurable part as onlookers, are thus wanting. The lack of training facilities is another disadvantage under which local wielders of the willow labour, and the more enthusiastic supporters of the game would very much like to see a professional coach engaged, whoso business it would be to look after our rising colts, and attend to the ground, keeping the pjtch m order etc. The condition of this latter, ant^the difficulty of keeping a fiyajb class. wicket going, is one 6f the troubles whjeh. beset pur Jocal players, who point out that while the bowling green is kepfc carefally fenced m and the public are rot allowed .even to crosa the turf, the cricket ground is overrun by hundreds, even thousands of picnickers ia the course of the season, and that consequently all their endeavours to keep the wicket from crumbling are frustrated. No sooner have they got a good wicket going'iha« it fe destroyed by excursionists. With a." coach Yin charge of the ground this trouble might be very largely obviated, and improvements could be effected which are at present Out of the question. 'Vtfhile contributing to the upkeep of th.c 3posi Assoqhtion, on w.hat is felt to be an altogether disproportionate basis, ': whoa the benefits con|e}?red are taken into : acoannt, cricked3 feel fcbafc $,eir. interosts ' will never be properly safeguard until they bava a caretaker ot then? own ground. But this, of course, means a much, larger annual expenditure than m afc all possible unless outside assistance can bev B enUste<*, The question that really confronts them is how *ymp;&tby can be sufficiently-awakened to induce theiad^es of Ashburton to come to their rescue, with a Binary Fancy Fair, or Art Union for the purpose oi >'»iains: funds to enable them to engage W efficient; " coach,,' who would look after the interests of cricket m the county and act generally as f.fj'risfir.to the several clubs.and asiaetrnc-, torioth^^ijiS^ generation, of cricketers. Both at Ghripiojiur^ii v pnd Dnnetfin considerable improvement.^ iojtm v htts been ; noticeable amois^sfc the younger generation j of cricketers since the psViay of obtaining < profesa'.Gcal " coaches " as tralueus hag beon \ adopted. In the recent match between the i i Ashburton v. Temnka clubs afcTemuka, cur | m^p'n hid femple evidence of the benefits' following fyxfyxb tiraining, m the splendid batting and fowling $ Mv Harper (a son;: of Mr C. ,T. Harper, of $aolti#i.or#e^ who: has had tho advaniage of fcwo^ spa6ons|^ under Mr C. Bannerman, the Christ's College:! coach, and whose "up-to-date" cricket':) ] was a fherae p.f general admiration. And; we feel suv'e t£s.t if members of the A.C.C;' | and kindred cricjk^fc ci^tioc roll only voice, theif wi^hfs ideas intolngfeQi'V' tyvf; ■■': I will fie(? a sympa&et'ic response on fhej j Ash-batioii^bl\c. as wUl'enable thrm j to enter upon lftJ.^-5 seasp.n ,under morp ' favourable circumsfcaHGefc th?.n have yet; heeu apparent. The soonee a mnvb ia »;ad^ j] m this *freet'ou the bettef *ov thcasekes. ! Some very able expouenis of the game aria avai!ab& from Australia afc a reasonable rem««er*tivw. Aa V .preliminary move we would suggest that ,%<>> cricketers arrange a meeting among tfoemseksp $$& -"c. 3"l^ ; upon a common plan of ach«n, tybsu || that is done their views cm bo placed m ij concrete fashion, and a common move, ft&n bo Kiado to improve matters on the lines 1 which. m& foe .thus suggested.