DUNEDIN CRICKET' CLUB

Evening Star, Issue 17956, 1 May 1922, Page 2

DUNEDIN CRICKET' CLUB

CELEBRATE A SUCCESSFUL SEASON

The cricket, season just dosed was a good one for tho Dunedin Club, and their Micccss was celebrated on Saturday evening by the holding of a smoko concert m Kroon's Hall. The attendance included present-day members, old-timers who brj battled with bat and ball for tho dub in days gone by, representatives of the governing body, oi' the .sister dubs, and of the Caledonian hocicty and other .supporters of the game. From the call of “ play ” by ihe Chairman (Air W. Fleming, president of the. club) to the drawing oi the stumps, so to speak, the proceedings went with a rare, swing, and it was obvious that everyone present thoroughly ■enjoyed themselves. Tho speakers in whose hands the principal toasts had been placed all bad interesting things, to say, and many happy memories were- revived and many a laugh raised by references to the past. The programme of musical and oilier items was an excellent one, while the wants of the inner man were thoroughly attended to by Air J. C. Kroon and bis a-sistants. .VLer the loyal toasts had been honored the chairman extended a hearty welcome In thofe present, more especially Hie old membeiK, who, be was glad to see, were Gill taking :m active interest in tho club. Mr L. .led, vice-president of the Otago Clicket Association, in proposing the toast of “The Dunedin Cricket Chib,” said that although never a member of lire club him:.alf, he had been associated with many Diincdiii Gliib players during his long erieketing career. The ctn’o was nearing its thirtieth year of existence.' This, of nuii'sc was tlie present Dunedin Club, and not the previous chib, which ho could remember playing on the Oval. The firei -ess of the eiiib’s first eleven last sen son hud been achieved by ihe dctemiiininosi not to admit defeat. Tire last match of the season was an example of this, .Mr Joel, in conclusion, said that the. chib would have to look to its laurels if ’.t vd.-hed to retain the shield; but he cnihl candidly say that if tire team played tho game as it had done, during the past sea.s..n it would he very- difficulty to heat. Air E. S. Wilson was in happy vein when responding’ to the toast. A. ono oi (he founders of the club in 1895 ha citiihl speak with authority on n-attois concerning its progress .and ho gave, an intensely interesting outline if its histoiy. Jn doing so he. introduced an redotes of old members, and related incidents winch many of those present had reason to remember. The year 1892. ho srid, saw the winding up of (he. Warehouse.nen’s Cricket Club ami the iir.4 Dunedin Club, boih of which played on the Oval, which at (hat time was practically a- swamp ami was unfit for cricket. On September 19, 1-395. the present- Dunedin Chib was formed, there being present- at the meeting Mr A!. Fi’ncr and his two sons, Bill and .Alexander AlT.ean, Bill and Bob Skitch, H. C. Low, Alt Kinsey, W. Fielden, Alexander ARCrorie, Id. AHlntosh, Jar!; Burt, and himself. Mr M. Fraor was elected the first, president of the club. Air W. Frner was secretary, Air If. G. Low treasurer, and Air Bill Skilch captain. Tlie club idarted with about fifty members, and pul three elevens in (he li' Id. the third grade team winning all its me.idles, while the first grade team defeated Albion in both matches. Jn the early clays the members were, very keen c.n practising, and it was quite common to see seventy players on the ground during the evening.. ’The speaker then paid a tribute to the club’s late respected president, Air T. S. Graham, who r-eld tho position from the second year of -he prerent club’s existence until his death a few year; ago. In conclusion Air Wilson congratulated the club on the success of the past season, and hoped that members would endeavor to take a keener interestin the club, which had sonic fine traditions to maintain, one being that the teams always endeavored lo play the game in the proper spirit. Air G. A. Wycherley had ebaree of the toast of “Tlie- S'enior Eleven, Winners of Hie Championship.” Members generally, ho said, would feel proud of the fact Hat “Dick Torrance” and his men had brought honor to the club hy landing tho bin prize of the local cricket world. It had been a close shave, that last match against Carisbrook settling the matter in i-enaationnl style. But it could not be, said that the Dunedin team had not deserved its success. They had tho best perform-

dices, and had beaten bath of (ho strong j north end team?. Their win was due to lli.> excellence of their all-round play- and to (heir keenness. The team nossesse* no brilliant batsman, but .nirnost e\crv one of the eleven was capable of ranking a score. In bowling they had been perhaps stronger than any other team, for in J.cn Casey they possessed a howler v I o was of tremendous assistance to the side, fib record of forty-two wick 3(s lor an average, of 12.25 was, for a r ast liow'er, an excellent one. Edwards was a s'artline e.ll-roinider, too. while in rap yn-i/cr division Cherry showed lino pr: nu ; e. That their folding had been fabiy pood was proved by the fact 'hat they a a 1 been placed second to the redoubt.ihle (! range in computing points for the Clark lidding trophy. The, speaker rd.-.n made reference to the Ion" and faithful sen ices of Mr A. Grogan as scorer - for the ren’ot team. The club had once before won tho First panic shield—in 1996-7 —and in winning it this year and bringing it to (he south end they were doing a service to cricket. They’ had begun to wonder, he said, whether''tlie shield would ever again cross the Octagon. The last occasion it had done so was in 1912-13, when . the Carishrook 1! team were champions. Tn conclusion Mr Wycherley ■ said that tho Dunedin Chib bad always endeavored to play the game—had, as an old and esteemed life member of tho club had rues remarked, “No blot upon their -Marutch.eon ’’—and he was sure that tho firsteleven would at any rate put up a hug ami clean light next season ’o retain too shield. The toast was drunk with cr.trn.uafni, and tho chairman then called upon M 1 Crosby Morris (president of the 0.C.A.) to present the shield to tho captain of tho winning team. Mr Morris, in handing over the shield, said that everyone would narco that tnc Dunedin team had thoroughly desenon their win. There had boon some difference of opinion regarding tho association s deciciou to conclude the unfinished matches nn April 1 ; but tbev would be glad to know that tho Albion Club had_ accepted the position in true sportsmanlike manner. and was content that the Dniicdm Club should, reap tho reward of its admittedh- fine efforts, Mr Torrance accepted ill eg shield on be--' half of his loam, -who, he said, bad. played the game in tine style, ’they would try to retain it next year,' but if any other team brat them, then good luck to tnem. Do paid a, tribute to tho groundsman of the Caledonian Society, who had provided such good wickets, and to the scorer. H-o a! c o thanked Mr Siedcberg for his manly letter of congratulation, which, in all _t-hc cucumstances, he very much appreciated. Mr W. \V. Mackersy proposed the toast of “Tho O.C.A.’’ Tho association executive, ho said, 'was comprised of as lino a body of men as could bo found controlling tho " game. Under tho guidance of their sterling president, Mr Groyby Menus, they had put in a lot of strenuous work, especially during the past season. In addition to financing tho northern tour of the Otago team, they bad been game enough to engage a coach. In addition, they repeated with success tho Country _V\cek experiment, and had run an art union to raise funds for tho northern tour. They were full of grit, those members of the governing body, but ho regretted having to say that the players (speaking generally) had not supported them as they should have dono, especially in tho direction of making a. success of tho art union, which should have returned a far bigger profit than the £IOO which had been tho result. However, tho O.C.A. would, ho knew, go on doing good work in encouraging tho game of cricket, and ho urged tho younger players particularly to remember that they were playing not -only for themselves but for Otago. Mr Crosby Morris, in replying, said that the association had been able to engage tho coach only because of the assistance given by the clubs, the High School,

and the Old Boys’ Association. It was largely by good coaching and Hie providing of decent grounds that cricket would bo pushed ahead. A scheme for the coaching by old players of iho primary school Iwys (a scheme initialed by Mr H. S. Wilson).had been begun last, season and would he continued. This, the speaker felt confident, would do an immense amount of good. As to grounds, bo thought Dunedin had a lot to thank Mr - Tannock (tho superintendent of reserves) for. Speaking of the finances, Mr Morris said that two or three years njgo the association had a debit balance of £SOO, but the public had responded splendidly to various appeals, and now (ho debt amounted to only about £BO. Ho agreed with Mr Macke rev Unit players might have given greater assistance in Iho matter of the art union. Next year there would be visits from the Auckland. Wellington, and Canterbury teams to Dunedin. and possibly a match with the: proposed Knglish team. If these matches were well supported, by the public there should be no fear of financial diiiicnllies for some lime to come, Other toasts honored were: “The Umpires’ Association, ’’ proposed by Mr L. Casey, and responded to by Mr It. Wilson : Sister Clubs,proposed by Mr J. Robson, and responded to by Mr A, Martin (Cariabrooki, Mr 11. C. Sicdcherg (Albion). Mr W. Rowland (Orange). and Mr Marble (Xorth-east Valley); “ The Caledonian Society,*’ proposed by the. chairman, and responded to bv Mr J. Brown; “The Press,” and'"The Performers,” The performers, upon .whom lay the main responsibility of keeping the game going mernly, were: IVic.ssrs Wise and Thomas (whose lively selections on piano ami piccolo were just the thing for the occasion), Mr C. IT. Russell {win. so irritations were very warmly received', Mr R. Bryant (a. .singer who never fails to scoreheavily). Mr J. Drakev (a stciy toller, comic singer, and ■ merry jester withal), Mr R. Walls and Mr W. Strang (singers of “i-Daight ” /songs who were bath in excellent voice), and Mr J, A. llaggitt (who. hesiil-cs acting as. accompanist. sang some langhter-raiMng humorous songs).