CRICKET.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 140, 26 March 1935, Page 2

CRICKET.

THE ASHBURTON ASSOCIATION. COMPETITION ENDS ON SATURDAY. At the conclusion of Next Saturday's matches, no matter how they may result, the senior competition of the Ashburton County Cricket Association will be declared closed. This was the decision arrived ati by the Management Committee of the association at its fortnightly meeting last evening. The meeting was presided oyer by the president (Mr F. Pritchard), others present being Messrs S. Willis, R. H. Biggar, J. H. Browne, S. W. Kerr and J. B. Nicoll, and the secretary (Mr 3. M. Cassidy). The Lauriston and Coldstream Cricket Clubs wrote, complaining that when their teams arrived at the Technical cricket grounds on Saturday they found the gates locked. A delay of an hour was incurred before the match was commenced. • The secretary explained that Mr ** L Kerr, who held the keys to the ground, had informed him that he was half-way to Methven before he realised that he had not unlocked the gates. It was decided to write to the Lauriston and Coldstream Clubs explaining the position and expressing regret at the inconvenience caused. • A letter was received from the Canterbury Cricket Association stating that it was impossible to arrange for a Saturday match between a Canterbury team and a side from Ashburton this season. The letter was received. Regarding the matches to be played in Ashburton on Saturday between the junior and colts' teams of the Christchurch Suburban Association and Ashburton sides, the Suburban Association notified that it could not comply with Ashburton's request to commence play at 11 a.m. It explained that as several of the visiting members had to work on Saturday morning, it would be impossible to begin the matches before / o'clock. , , , Dissatisfaction at the late hour decided upon was expressed by the members Mr Pritchard said that the teams were not leaving Christchurch until 12.15 p.m. and anything might happen on the way to Ashburton. "The games probably will not start until 230 p.m.," he said. "It is very unsatisfactory, because at the outside there will be only about 3j hours play." . , The letter was received. Unless Fairfield is defeated by Ashburton B in the senior championship match on Saturday it was decided that it should be declared the winner ofc the championship. In the event of its losing, it will hold the cup conjointly with Ashburton B. . . Fairfield was given permission to challenge the winners of the Timaru senior competition for the Bristol Cup. The match will be played/ at Timaru on April 6 should that date prove suitable to the Timaru side. ' . Kia Ora was declared the winner oi the junior competition, though play in this grade is not yet completed. Messrs C. T. Moor (junior) and G. V. Furby (colts), were appointed managers of the Ashburton teams to meet the Suburban Association in Ashburton on Saturday. Umpires were appointed as follow: Junior, Messrs" C. T. Moor and R. H. Biggar; colts, Messrs G. V. Furby and E. E. Bell.

KEENNESS TO WIN. A TALE OF " W.G." Although W. G. Grace was a big, burly man, he was very "slim" m the sense of a Boer word Avhich has been Anglicised. Some of the many anecdotes about him suggest that he carried his keenness to win to a degree which is not to be commended to other players. However, moral considerations apart, there is some humour in a story which Charles McGahey, noted Essex cricketer, who died recently, was fond of telling. ''W.G." was leading the Gentlemen against the iPlayers, at Lord's. At the start the game went badly for the amateurs. Immediately the adjournment for lunch was taken Grace walked into' the amateurs' dress-ing-room and ordered McGahey and others to take off their boots. When the Players retunned to the room after lunch they found that their boots had

been re-studded! rather abundantly. "Now, you young fellows," said Grace, "just take your bats out there and run hard—and you need not mind where vou put your feet." McGahey would finish the tale with: "And the Old Man bowled darned well when the Players went in." BABE RUTH AT CRICKET. PUZZLED BY SPIN BOWLING. In the course of a world tour, Babe Ruth, the famous American baseball player, recently paid a visit to London. He spent an interesting afternoon at the Alan Fairfax School of Cricket. He was induced to try his hand at cricket, a game he lhad never seen played. "He didn't know which side of the bat to use," said Fairfax, "but it did not take him long to pick up the game. "Anything in the nature of a full to-ss he banged unmercifully. He has a fine eye, and would have made a grand cricketer. He was all at sea when 1 bowled him spinners. He couldn't gauge the speed of the ball from the ground. But didn't he hit! He smashed a new bat with a tremendous smack, but Ihe made amends by autographing it for me."