Suburban Cricket Stalwart Retires

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28368, 29 August 1957, Page 15

Suburban Cricket Stalwart Retires

r FHE Christchurch Suburban Cricket Association will lose one of its staunchest workers this season when Mr H. W. Rogers retires from the position of publicity officer. Mr Rogers has held this position for more than 40 years, and his retirement will leave a gap that will be very hard to fill.

He began his association with suburban cricket in 1910 as a playing member of the Druids team, in a junior grade. His vivid memories of thgse days include an occasion when his team, being four men short, was dismissed for only two runs. The main destroying agent, Mr Rogers recalls, was M. Crossen, now a resident of Greymouth. The pitch had had very little preparation,

being simply mown and covered with matting.

Mr Rogers’s playing career lasted for only two years, and he resigned from his club upon being appointed secretary of the association. Before this, suburban cricket had enjoyed scarcely any publicity, apart from some captains occasionally sending in the results of their match to the newspapers.

Results The new secretary undertook the job of arranging to meet captains of teams either on Saturday nights or Sunday mornings, and collecting the results for publication. This frequently involved cycling to Hornby or Sumner for a result. After two seasons, Mr Rogers’s voluntary efforts attracted the attention of the editor of a city newspaper, who suggested that he undertake the work on a paid basis. So began a labour which has caused much pleasure to many cricketers and, not least of all, to Mr Rogers himself. A member of the Canterbury Cricket Association unwittingly paid Mr Rogers one of his greatest tributes when he queried the poor publicity afforded that association’s matches, compared with those of the suburban body. Mr Rogers well recalls one occasion when a newly-appointed chief reporter informed him that in future his staff would collect all the results themselves on the Saturday. Mr Rogers offered every assistance. The next communication from the chief reporter was on the Monday, when he was invited to take over the result-collecting once more. That was the only interruption of Mr Rogers’ work in 44 years.

Compliments paid by newspapermen are amongst the ones most cherished by Mr Rogers. Year after year, he has approached them for instructions, and has always been told to just “go on as you have been doing.” Travelling Matches in the suburban cricket association’s competition are played on 21 parks and 40 pitches during the summer, and many miles have to be travelled by foot, cycle or car to collect the results. This calls for good organisation of a team of boys, which is difficult with the increasing counter-attractions. In addition, Mr Rogers is practically tied to the telephone from midday Saturday to midday Sunday. The winter months have seen Mr Rogers just as assiduously collecting hockey results, both men’s and women’s. While there are fewer grounds to cover, the fact that there are usually two matches on each ground every Saturday means that it is necessary to be on the open parks from 1.15 to 4.30. So for over 40 years Mr Rogers has devoted his week-ends to furthering, in his own way, the sports which he played in his youth, cricket and hockey. The suburban cricket association, m particular, will find it difficult to replace him.