CRICKETERS SPEAK

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 67, 21 March 1933, Page 13

CRICKETERS SPEAK

YORKSHIREMEN'S WELCOME

PLEASED WITH RECEPTION

One hundred and nineteen Yorkshiremen assembled in the Dominion Farmers' Institute last evening to welcome members of the M.C.C. team to New Zealand. The function was announced as a welcome to the Yorkshire members of the M.C.C, Messrs. Suteliffe, Leyland, Verity, and Bowes, but other members of the team were present and the welcome to them was no less warm than it was to the Yorkshirenien.

The four Yorkshirenien spoke for thirty minutes, and despite their protestations that they were not fond of or accustomed to speaking, they thoroughly interested, and at times entertained, their listeners. The first speaker was Mr. H. Sutcliffe, who said speechmaking was a -.questionable' pleasure, and that he would sooner open with Hobbs or Jardihe to a barrage of legtheory bowling than make a speech. As Yorkshirenien, they appreciated their welcome. He hoped their performances "down under" were in keeping with those of the great Yorkshirenien who had helped England in the past. Yorkshire had- won the championship two times in succession, and they were out to do the "hat trick." The county could always produce men when in need of them, and two of them were Messrs. Bowes and "Verity, whose rise to fame had been meteoric. They would represent, he hoped, Yorkshire and England for many years to come. He hoped Mr. Leyland would continue ■to represent the county and his country for many years. Mr. Sutcliffe said this was his 'first visit to New Zealand, and he had travelled four hundred miles to Poverty Bay. where Captain Cook, if he, returned, could not receive a warmer welcome than he had. He had stayed at two delightful sheep-stations, and the scenery round Gisborne was "absolutely delightful." "ALMOST A RELIGION." Mr. H. Verity followed Mr. Sutcliffe, and although he protested that he disliked public speaking, he said there was nothing he so much enjoyed as playing and talking about cricket. "Cricket is almost a religion with me," said Mr. Verity. He spoke of his early fears of' "letting Yorkshire down." Mr. M. Leyland's speech was undoubtedly the most humorous of the evening. When he rose to speak 'he caused, laughter by pointing to the microphone and asking, "Is that thing turned on?" He recalled being in Sydney about four years ago, and with other members of the team having to got up at 5 a.m. on Christmas Day, or some such day. Like other members of the team, he was nervous about having to go before the microphone and speak a few wordj to the "people at' home," but after all their anxiety they found "the thing wasn't turned on." He had brought along Mr. Voce, of Notts, he said. "It was a long way to come," said Mr. Leyland, "for a meal without Yorkshire pudding" (laughter). Mr. Leyland told a number of humorous stories. Mr. W. E. Bowes confessed to being the youngest member of the party. He was not a fast bowler, he said, but he had been accused of bowling at, batsmen. However, he ;had only once bowled at a batsman, and that was in a match against Somerset. Begarding a certain batsman named Lee, he had been told "to give him one," but instead of giving him a run, he had in mistake bowled at him, but without hitting him. ■ CHAIRMAN'S REMARKS. Mr...Karl^ Atkinson (Bradford), proposing .the toast- of' nTh'B'\ Yorkshire members of. the. M.C.G.,". ;saidr't"hat L %6; many YorTcshiremeri ' throughout NewZealand had been anxious to' h.ear"tlie' proceedings that he had arranged for part of them to be broadcast. It was to this historic tour that the Yorkshire Society of New Zealand owed its revival. It was 164 years ago-that Captain.. Cook,. an historic. Yprkshireman, ■put into Poverty' Bay, and since then many thousands of Yorkshiremen, including the Rev. Samuel Mar'sden and other prominent people, had come into New' Zealand. The most recent was Mr.. H. Suteliffe, whose exploits in Poverty Bay had caused as much astonishment to the natives as had Car/tain Cook's. Dr.. Reakes and members of the local Kentish Society were present, and Mr. L. E. G. Ames, of Kent. Yorkshire had a remarkable record in cricket, having won the championship last year with 315 points out of a possible total of 420, and sixteen times had been head of the championship in thirtysix seasons. '- • ■ • Mr. E. Bold proposed the toast of "Other Members of the M.C.C.," and was replied to by Mr.' L.' E. G. Ames: Mr. J. H. Helliwell .proposed the toast of,the "Kentish Society," and.was replied to.by Dr. Eeakes. "The, Wellington Cricket Association" was proposed by Mr.'H. A. : Askew, who referred to the generosity of the association in supplying five hundred tickets for the unemployed for the big cricket match. i , In reply, Mr. P. B. Broad, chairman of^ the Wellington Cricket Association, said that the idea of supplying five hundred passes to .the unemployed, and half that number for returned soldiers, came from the English visitors when they were in Australia.' "(Applause). During the evening items were given by the Melody' Four, Mr. Eoy Hill, Mr. Will Bishop, and Mr. G. Burnette. '