M.C.C. TOURS

Evening Star, Issue 20309, 18 October 1929, Page 14

M.C.C. TOURS

PUBLIC INTEREST AROUSED Visits from overseas teams have been so fairly frequent ol late that they are not now regarded as angels’ visits, but the visit of an English team to these shores is always a happening of moment, and never fails to arouse lively public interest. Tim M.C.C. team, which will open its New Zealand tour with a four days’ match against Wellington in December next, will be the eighth English combination to tour the dominion (says a 4 Dominion ’ writer). The first English team to honour Now Zealand with a visit was the combination captained by George Parr, which xdayed three matches against 22’s of Otago and Canterbury, and also a game against a combined 22 of the two provinces. Thirteen years later, in 1877, an English team, under Lillywhite, played eight matches in the dominion, of which they won six and drew two, all these games being against odds. Then followed a visit, in ISB2, by an English team, under’Alfred Shaw, which won four and drew three of the seven matches played against odds. In 1888, a strong English side, captained by Smith, played three matches in tho dominion, drawing with a Wellington 22, and 18 of Canterbury (twice). That team included such world-renowned players as Lohmami, Shrewsbury, Maurice Read, Briggs, Uiyott, Pougher, and Pilling. It was not until 1902-03 that the next English team came this way. This was the strong combination captained by P. F. Warner, Avhich included such fine players as Bosanquet, Fane, Taylor, Burnup, Thompson, Hargreaves, Johnson, and Dawson. The advance which had been made at the game in this country was evident from the fact that New. Zealand met this fine side on level terms. England Avon the first test at Christchurch by seven Avickets; the second at Wellington by an innings and 22 runs; and defeated a South Island eleven at Dunedin by an innings and 130 runs. The M.C.C. sent another team to New Zealand in 1906-07, Avliieh Avas captained by Earl de Trafford, after Captain Wynyard strained a tendon, and had to return to England. This .combination included Johnson, Fox, Burns, Harrison, Douglas, Page, Branston, Simpson-Hayward, Torrens. May, and Earl de Trafford. England Avon the first test at . Christchurch by nine wickets; but there was great rejoicing: Avlien Ncav Zealand defeated' the visitors .n the second test at Weilingtoii by 56 runs. New Zealand scored 105 and 249, and dismissed the Englishmen for 160 and 198. Splendid howling by Arthur Fisher, of Dunedin, Avho captured four for 25 and five for 61, had a Jot to do Avith N gav Zealand’s first victory on level terms with an English team. The last English "team to visit these shores Avas tho M.C.C. side, led by the veteran Archie MacLaren. which came this way in 1923. Besides tho captain, that team included Percy Chapman, avlio led tho English team to victory in- the last tAvo series of fights ior the ashes, and Tom LoAvry, who captained the Ncav Zealand team on the English tour in 1927, and has led the dominion team evei since. Others in the M.C.C team Avhich came to New Zealand in 1923 Avero Titchmarsh. Wilkinson, Calthorpc, G. Wilson. Brand, MtLean, and Freeman. England Avon the first test match at Wellington by an innings and 156 runs, MacLaren playing a magnificent innings of 200 not ont in a. total of 505. ’The second test of the series at {.'hristeliurch_ Avas drawn, 1 and the third tost at Wellington England Avon in- an innings and 20 runs. In England’s only innings of 401 in the third test. LoAvry contributed a dashing score of 1-30.