THE M.C.C. TEAM.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17645, 23 December 1922, Page 13

THE M.C.C. TEAM.

ARRIVAL •IN CHRISTCHURCH. The M.C.C. team, captained by Mr A. C. Maclaren, arrived in • Christchurch from yesterday morning, and were welcomed bv members of the Now Zealand Cricket Council, the Canterbury Cricket Association, well-known cricketers, and prominent citizens. The party was housed at tho United Service Hotel, with the exception of the two professionals, who aro Staying nt the Clarendon. CIVIC RECEPTION. The City Council Chamber was crowded out when tho visitors wero tendered a civic recoption later in the morning. In welcoming the Englishmen, the Deputy-Mayor (.Mr J. A. Elesher) said that it gave hini great pleasure to otter on behalf of tho citizens ot Christcnurch, to Mr Maclaren and his men, a welcome as warm as the day was bright and sunny. In Christ-church they would find a little bit of Old England, for it was essentially an English city, nnd was recognised as tho ..vow Zealand home of the English national game. Cricket waa a grand old game, and no cleaner game was played. The visit -was the first from an English team since beforo the war, but sucii visits helped to cement the bonds of Empire, and to make all British people feel that they belonged to one great brotherhood. Mr. Maclaren's name was known throughout tho Empire; he was known as a man who had made the biggest score on record in big English cricket, 424 for Lancashire against Somerset. The present visit should be an education to the younger players in New Zealand, and should do much to help the game here. Notwithstanding tho smallness of the population, Is'ew Zealand would <j;ive the visitors "a good • go." Canterbury, he was sure, would jrive of its best, Ho honed that the visitors would take away pleasant memories of Cliristchurch.

* Mr F. Wilding, K.C.. on behalf of the Canterbury Cricket Association, nnd Canterbury cricketers in general, also offered the visitors a sincere welcome. Visits of English teams to New Zealand had been like "angels' visits. Few and far Between." All welcomed Mr Maclaren and his "angels." and ho trusted that if Canterbury did not raise its "drooping head" sufficiently to win, it •would at least put un 'a really cood fight ''against a team of the best, dashing young players* Encland _ can send us, led by a man whose name is a household word where cricket is more than a trame —a sacred institution."

Mr T). Reese, a member of the New Zealand Cricket Council, -welcomed the visitors to Christehurch as Hhe _ headquarters of the Council. Such visits, lie said, involved the Council in heavy financial responsibility, but he believed fiat Mr Moclnven's side was a tccomp"iux> for nil the trouble the Council lwdi taken. 'New Zealand had always befen enterprising in the matter of English tours, the first of which had been in 1864. Then the content had been between Englishmen and Englishmen: now the visitors would meet the grandsons ' of the pioneers. New Zealand realised the-greatness of the Marylebone Cricket Club, which controlled'cricket throughout th<* world, though it still remained a private club.- It was still conservative in, some of 'its ways, and its constitution was not sufficiently democratic to suit the ideals of all cricketers overseas, but it was greatly to be admired, .as a great institution. Mr Reese paid a very high tribute to the prowess oF Mr Maclaren, who, ho «ud, was one of the greatest cricketers England had ever produced. The youth of England had shown that jt could rise on every -occasion, and tho Old! Country would yet be able to give .the best Australian eleven .an. evenly-contested gamo. *' Mr Flesh-er remarked that one membor of the visiting team, Mr Lowry. was a New Zealander.who had' learned a, good deal of his cricket in Ohristchurch. ■ Mr Macjaren, who was loudly ap«plauded', said that,ho sinoerely appreciated the warm welcome to his team and the kind references to himself. He hoped that Christchurch would prove an exception to what they liad so far) experienced in JvTew Zealand and provide good weatner. It was the sincere desire of the team that New Zealand ! cricket should benefit from the visit, and he was sure that the younger members of his team, would Benefit, too. They* would be only tco pleased to give any assistance to any young New Zealanders who paid them the compliment of asking' for advice. Two thingß, in particular, Mr Maclaren continued, had impressed him and his" team. One was that there was much greater difficulty., in selecting a team in New Zealand than in England, owing to its situation. Lambert, in the anganui match had particularly impressed them as a "thundaringly good hat," and if New Zealand liad others like him they would beat the visitors easily. The bowling of Alcott, of Auckland, had also impressed thorn vej-y greatly. Both men wore really good players. He hoped that the best available team in New Zealand would be selected to meet them; he would rather see the best New Zealand team put irito the field and beat hisl side than me«t and dtefeat a weaker team. To meet the! best team would Be* more satisfactory in every way. Of his own team he could say that thcrei were two or three who ehould eventually represent England. He was sure that all tho games would be played in the best of spirits, with no differences of opinion, and that it would be a "wonderful two months for all of us." Mr H. IX Swan, hon. manager of the team, expressed his pleasure at renewing old' acquaintances in Christchurch. The Marylebone Cricket Club, he said, was keen to foster cricket in all "parts of the world, and at present it had teams in South Africa and 1 New Zealand, the first time in the history of the club that two representative teams were touring at once. Hearty cheers were given for Mr Maclaren and his team, i ' TO-DAY'S BIG GAME. Great interest is being taken in the first appearance of the M.C.C. team at Lancaster Park to-day, when they will meet Canterbury. Play will commence at noon. The Englishmen spent some time at practice at the nets at Lancaster Park yesterday afternoon. The Oval at Lancaster Park is look- ■ ing very well, and the wicket is expected to roll out in first-class order. The bookings .for reserves have been very good, and given a fine day something like a record crowd Bhould attend the park. It is twelve years since an English cricket team last played in New Zealand, and Maclaren'a team comes here with a splendid reputation already gained in Australia and in the Dominion. The touring team consists of: A. C. Maclaren, captain (Lancashire); J. C. Hartley, vice-captain (Sussex); Hon. F. T3. G. Calthorpe (Warwickshire); Hon. D. F. Brand (Eton); C. H. Jitchmarsh (Hertfordshire); G. Wilson (Yorkshire); A. P. F. Chapman (Cam- ! bridge University); W. W. Hill-Wood | (Devonshire and Cambridge Univeri sity); J. F. Maclean (Worcestershire); A. C. Wilkinson T. C. Lowry (Somerset); A. P. Freeman, professioal (Kent); H. Tyldesley, professional (Lancashire); H. D. Swan, hon. manager (M.C.C.). The Canterbury eleven will be as follows: —B. C. Blunt, D; M. Sandman, L. R. Brunton, F. Smith, W. Hayes, A. W. Thomas, W. -R. Patrick (captain),

R. D. Worker, R. Scad, J. Young, C. T. liix. Messrs H. TO. Lawrence and ft. Barry have been appointed umpires. Three trophies have been given for the best performances by Canterbury men in the match. Mr 11. B. ("iormley, jeweller, Ims given a gold medal for the best all-round performance in the game; Messrs Pev and Throp have presented a bat for the best batting performance; and Messrs Ilearfield and Walker a pair of cricketing trousers for the best bowling performance. It has been decided that no player shall secure more than one trophy, and Mr E. Gaygill has boon appointed to make tho awards in regard to these trophies. The luncheon adjournamcnt will bo from 1.15 p.m. to 2 p.m. to-day, with the usual break for afternoon tea at ■i o'clock. IMay will cease at. 6 p.m. On Monday. Christmas Day, play will be continued at 1! p.m.. and on Boxing Day at 11 a.'.n., on which day- tho match will be einu'iti-.ieJ. Tho box plan for reserves will be transferred from Tho Bristol to Lancaster Park from about t'.i.lO this morning. Arrangements have been made for luncheon and afternoon tea to be ::vailablo at. the Park during tho match. The prices for tho mutch are: Embankment Is (id, EiicioKitui and East Stand and unreserved m. Members' Stand 2s (3d, all plus amusement tax. THE FIRST TEST. N\ 0. Sneddon (Auckland), has been appointed captain of the Xew Zealand team to meet the M.C.C. team in tho lirst test match at Wellington next week-end. AUCKLAND COMMENT. isrrci.u. xo "the tress.") AUCKLAND, December 22. Tho ''Star''' says in reference to the selection of the Now Zealand eleven: Tho inclusion of six Aueklandcrs is regarded with greatest satisfaction in Auckland, and with somo littlo stiVprise. Sneddon, Rowntroo and Aicott were looked on as certainties, and when Smith showed a return of his batting form it was expected ho would probably nmko a fourth, while Anthony iJaero, and JicLeod were discussed as' bare possibilities, whoso chances would be decided by form in the first match against England. Tho inclusion of Garrard and MeLeod indicates that youth and form have been the deciding consideration. Garrard has flayed himself into tho team, and is to bo heartily congratulated oiv getting there. Tho fly in tho ointment forAuckland is tho fact that the solection of tho greater part of tho toam for the test match leaves the province correspondingly weaker in tne Plunket Shield match against Canterbury, Th» task of the Auckland skipper (W. IS. Smith) in attacking the Canterbury batsmen without the assistanco of such bowlers as Aicott, Snedden, _ Garrard find S. G. Smith is not an enviable one, leaving him ns it does with players liko Anthony, Cummings and Dacre as* his loading trundlers. Should tho wicket be good, tho scoring is bound to be big, and it looks as if Auckland will liavo to win on ite batting. THE CANTERBURY ELEVEN. TO TOE EDITOR Or " TflE PRESS." Sir, —I should like to be allowed to modify a statement of mino in a letter which you wore good enough to publish in this morning's issue of your papor. I remarked that tho team chosen contained six or seven men, well advanced in years (crickot years, of course), and that in their best days they had been consistently excluded, from tho Cantorbury elevens of 1907-14. I ought to liavo said that some of them had boon so excluded, especially three of the bowlers who aro to do battle. Canterbury has a reputation for oxcelling itself in matches against teams from overseas, and if tho present. weakened team should surprise ug witty a fine display, even those who have criticised the solection will rejoice unfeignedly with the selector; but I hope Mr Caygill "will keep his eye on the year 1925, when we hope to seo a Now Zealand team sail for tho Mother Country. The fact that the excellent team chosen to represent New Zealand at the first.test match in "Wellington has only one Canterbury man in it is a challenge to our local Association to adopt heroic measures to improve the play of our colts. Ton and twonty years ago we provided moro than half of a Now Zealand eleven. Many of us think that, with tho wise uso of our young material in the next throe seasons, we can do tho same in 1925. Yours, etc., V • | ' MIDDLE AGE. December 22nd.