Cricket Award

Press, Volume C, Issue 29620, 16 September 1961, Page 9

Cricket Award

In the early 1920's T. W. C. Tothill, H. M. Chrystall and several other Christ’s College old boys used to meet regularly for supper on Sunday evening after chapel. At one of these Sunday gatherings “Sammy" Chrystall suggested that a team of Christ's College old boys should be entered in the local cricket competitions.

“And that was the genesis of the Old Collegians Cricket Club,” said Mr Tothill, patron of the club, at the club's annual meeting this week. “In 1925 there were eight old boys playing competition cricket in Christchurch; now this club fields six teams. If anyone deserves to be called the founder of the club, it is Sammy Chrystall” Mr Tothill was speaking on the occasion of the first presentation of the H. M. Chrystall Trophy, awarded for the outstanding performance for the club each season.

Mr Chrystall. now living in Auckland, sent the club an assortment of cricket gear. A ball which Mr Chrystall sent has been mounted, and the names of the annual winners will be inscribed on the silver base.

This year's winner was D. R. L. Partridge, who won promotion to the senior team after an exceptional bowling performance of eight for 11 in second grade. Partridge is also an active committee member, being in charge of the preparation of match and practice blocks at Elmwood Park.

“It is appropriate that the first winner of the Chrystall Trophy should be a club member who has done so much to improve Elmwood Park, where Sammy Chrystall established the club nearly 40 years ago,” said Mr Tothill.