REVIVAL IN CRICKET

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 91, 11 January 1921, Page 6

REVIVAL IN CRICKET

PRIME MINISTER IMPRESSED PRESENTATION OF THE SHIELD Enthusiasm of a kind unparalelled in the annals of 'Wellington cricket marked the closing of the three days’ contest for the Plunket Shield. Cheers were given for both teams as they left the field, and the Wellington players were accorded an ovation as they returned to the pavilion. Immediately afterwards the big crowd surged round the grandstand in order to witness the presentation of the shield. The ceremony was performed by the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W r . F. Massey), who as he rose to speak wa« greeted with the cry of “Whflt do you think of Wellington now?” This was followed by a renewed outburst of cheering for the players and a special round of applause for Mr. S. Brice, the captam of the victorious eleven. ' Mr. Massey congratulated both teams on tliefr display. “I want also,” he continued, “to congratulate the people of Wellington on the magnificent exhibition of cricket witnessed on the Basin Reserve during the last three days. (Hear, hear.) Like manj- others, I am exceptionally pitted to nohce the ver { large numbers who have been present during the mntch-particulariy on Satur-dny-and the interest they took in the nlav To me it means a revival m the interest taken by the British public in the -ood old game of cricket, and is, I belieVe, the very best of national Cricket lias done perhaps more than any other game in the formation of national character. I •believe that to be the case. “I want to congratulate Wellington most heartily-T do so on my “ - ? nd I congratulate them on behalf of I'll i Tnm finite certain tnat Mr. Fart’(president of the Auckland AssociaHnn) who is here, to-day, and the reprenn t-n fives of th© Auckland team th ormSlv a'ree with me, and will congr,tu?afe the Wellington team just as sincereTdo If a team or individual do l y as I do- don , t (leserve the country to howlprS mendous anwu Tpl " lin ton to-day, and Hmy’Xo, IYope, will enjoy themselves W “When re t’he Empire calls then it is for : 8 to sta^x^M- o dS: urtoYe a pre?ent - ”'(Applause ) Concluding, the Prime .Minister P-ay a. ill Mr f° r dhe Wellington £’m and another 5 round for the visiBrice, as captain of the winners, congratulated the .Auckland team on the splendid fight they had put up. As most of you know,” he remarked, ve thought we hud a really good chance, th is morning, but we did not belittle the powers of the Auckland batsmen, and they put up a great fight. He only hoped, he concluded, that the next time the two teams met that they would have as great a game. (Applause.) Air Brice then called for three cheers for the Auckland team, and these were followed with cheers for the Prime Min16Mr Snedden, tho captain of the Aucklanders, gracefully congratulated Wellington on their win. "We put up a ■mod fight,” he said, “but we were beaten by the better side. The game was one of the best I have played in. I want to congratulate, the AVellington team on its performance —batting, hoi:ling, and P al “ ticularly fielding, in which latter department they showed us many points. May I also congratulate the caretaker, Mr. Brewer, on one of the hpst wickets I have ever played on in New Zealand? I wi«h to congratulate Air. Brice on his caytaincv of the team. It was excellent all through.” Concluding, Mr. Snedden acknowledged the hospitality extended to during their stay I in the city, and at his call there weio more cheers for AA ellington.