WELLINGTON CRICKET.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 407, 16 January 1909, Page 4

WELLINGTON CRICKET.

Ouk correspondent "Boodle," whose letter on this subject we published on • January 6, has been guilty of a welcome ' innovation., .Hithorto it has been the cus- ' torn for such letters to reach the Press after the-season is over, and when, consequently,\the thoughts of those interested and the general public are turning towards football and hockey, and, as a rcsultj nothing comes of the correspondence. Let us hope that a better result will follow now that the subject, has been revived , at: a seasonable time. Our' correspondent's letter divides itself naturally into two parts, the first, a call to the local council to show more energy , in the ■matter of representative matches, and the second, a reminder that tho capital of the Dominion is still without a competent "coach" froti Home. From its inception The Dominion has been a whole-hearted .supporter,,of. "clean," healthy, sport of every description, and it is prepared to assist in efforts to.infuse some energy into the management of local cricket. It is not our intention to say much to-day on ithe subject of arranging more representative matches for the second half of tho season, because we have no doubt that it is now receiving : the attention of the Cricket Council. We will content ourselves with expressing a hope that in any matches to be played the Selection Committee will consider the advisableness of continuing the encouragement of proamateurs. Amateurs we understand,'professionals we understand, but tho pro-fessional-amateur belongs to a class which, from .some points of view.,at least, 1 it is not.desirable to-encourage. As regards the question of a professional "coach" from England, ; Wellington occupies a position that is very far'from being creditable to, her. She is the capital city of the Dominion; sho is the largest and the wealthiest city, and she claims, usually with'justification, that she leads all 'the other cities in point of enterprise and energy. Yet in this, matter she has-not only allowed - Auckland; and Canterbury to show her the way, but she appears willing to continue to do so indefinitely. It, is not as if the game' received no encouragement from tho local public, i "Boodle" is within the mark, when he. .Bftya,that.there.ia a hotter paying public ■ hero .than- in any other centre. And it is

not as if there was a paucity of ' local talent. There is plenty of it already known, and probably as much more as yet unrecognised- But Wellington crickcters continuo to sleep the sleep of the sluggard, and the Plunket Shield remains in Auckland.