A VETERAN CRICKETER.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18018, 10 March 1924, Page 8

A VETERAN CRICKETER.

EARLY REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES. (STKCUL TO "IKB FXESI. ') • DUNEDIN, March 8. A link with the very early days of Otago cricket was broken by the death recently of Mr J. B. Borton, at the ripe old age lof ninety-one. It was in February, 1865, just fifty-nine years ago, that Joseph Borton first played in an interprovincial match, representing Otago against Canterbury, at Christchurch, when the home team won by four wickets. A year later he again played against Canterbury, this time at Dunedin, Otago winning an exciting game by two wickets. He was a lefthanded bowler.

Those who complain nowadays of the "wearisome journey" of nine hours by train between Dunedin and Christchurch will shudder at the experiences of travelling teams in the 60's. When Otago men went to Christchurch in 1865 (by sea, of course) they got such a shaking that most of them were quite unfit to do themselves justice, while the Canterbury team, which came to Dunedin a year later, had an even worse passage, being two days on the way. The newspaper report says: "It was found that the steamer, though going full steam ahead, had actually been driven some miles backwards." At the funeral of the late Mr Borton the Rev. E. O. Blamires appropriately enough officiated at the graveside.