BRIGHTENING THE GAME

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21728, 10 March 1936, Page 13

BRIGHTENING THE GAME

TRIBUTES TO THE M.CXL

COMPLIMENTARY TEA TO THE

TEAMS

"When the names of the Marylebonc Cricket Club team to visit New Zealand were announced we at orice realised that it was a good side," said Mr D. Reese, president of the New Zealand Cricket Council, at an afternoon tea given to the teams yesterday by the cricket council, "Mr Holmes had already a reputation of being a great leader in the game, and on this tour has shown how to lead his side in making the game bright and interesting. The criticism which has been made against the team in its second innings on Saturday I would rather take as a compliment to the strength of the game in New Zealand," he continued. Mr Reese said that after the war the game had to b* rebuilt, and it was, natural that with men more than 40 years old forming the representative teams the game should be slow. Players the world over were now giving brighter displays. In Australia this was moat evident, as Bradman was replacing the more solid style of Woodfull and Fonsford. The game was now in the full charge of the young men. - Reputation of M.C.C. "I must here speak of our indebtedness to your great club," said Mr Reese. "It goes back for 70 years, when England first started to send teams abroad. All the cricketing countries of the world now long for the time when they can send teams to England or welcome teams from Home. In New Zealand we have never had a team who have proved themselves better mixers both on the field and off. When you return I hope that you will use your influence, to spread a knowledge of New Zealand, and I hope that whatever impressions you have formed of- our country and its pepnle you will realise that New Zealand is a place where, cricket is played as it should be played, and where English'teams are always welcome," he concluded Mr A. T. Donnellv. chairman of the management committee of the council, *said that he had nothing but praise for the way in which Mr Holmes and members of the team, had helped, in the management of the tour. Every request that had been made to them had been acceded to: The tour was a difficult pne, with the weather and travelling, and many things which he had not to ask of the visitors had been done. With the conditions in New Zealand it was perhaps impossible to produce teams ud to international test standards. New.Zealand players were like club players in England, but he was proud of the of New Zealand players in England. > "I can say auile confidently that I no more charming team has come from England to these shores, and 1 was very pleased to see both teams take the game as a sport and not as a competition," he concluded, "Sorry to Leave" "Before we left England the New Zealand Club gave us a luncheon, and I said then that I was sure that we "'ould be sorry to say good-bye to New Zealend when the time came. The tour has been an experience which wiiriast for ever in our memories, and we can never forget your hospitality, the friendships and—l must say it—yci»r weather. For 10 out of the 18 games it has interfered,, with the matches."' said Mr E. R. T. Holmes, captain of the visiting team. He said that he wished to convey his very genuine thanks to all who in any way had been responsible for the arrangements on the tour, and he made special mention of Messrs Donnellv and W. H. Winsor. Mr Donnelly had done many things for the team which the members would probably never hear of. • "We have tried to play the game in a free and easy way. but could not do so on Saturday. The batsmen were playing to orders, and were told that they were not to get out. It. was perhaps, as has been said, a compliment to New Zealand cricket,", he continued. The team had enjoyed every match of the. tour, and, whereas representative cricket in England and elsewhere was not always enjoyable, the matches against the New Zealand teams had all been great fun. From a personal point of view he had got on very well with Mr Cromb, and on the five times that they had been rival captains, they had never disagreed about procedure. . Finally Mr Holmes paid a tribute to the members of his own team, and said that no captain of a touring team ever had an easier task. New Zealand had won a place in the hearts of every member of the team. Mr I. B. Cromß, captain of the New Zealand teams, also spoke, referring briefly to the excellent spirit which had existed in all the matches on the field as well as off.