CRICKET NEW ZEALAND TEAM BACK IN LONDON

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 April 1949, Page 9

CRICKET NEW ZEALAND TEAM BACK IN LONDON

LONDON, April 25. Messages from the Duke of Edinburgh and Sir Donald Bradman, wishing the New Zealand cricket team an •nijcyable tour of England, were read bv Mr E. W. Swanton, chairman of the Cricket Writers’ Club, when the visitors were the club’s guests on their return co London from Eastbourne. The toast of the evening .was “The New Zealanders,” proposed by Mr Justice Birkett, and replied to by the New Zealand captain (Mr A. Hadlee). Mr Justice Birkett extended a warm welcome to the New Zealand team. He wondered, he said, whether Hadlee was preparing a similar onslaught on English cricket to that made by Bradman last year. “Hadlee is a public accountant, which strikes me. as pretty ominous,” he added. Mr Justice Birkett said New Zealand cricket had always been distinguished by a spirit of sportsmanship, and he knew the team’s matches would be played this year in a true and traditional spirit? Wishing them . “good cricketing weather and. if possible, a season of warmth and sunshine,” he said: “You will make our season a memorable thing. You will give the greatest possible pleasure wherever you may go, and stimulate the game in every part of the land.” Hadlee, in reply, said that so far as it . lay in the New Zealanders’ powers, they were hoping, to achieve a definite result in their three-day matches. While they believed the game should be played for the enjoyment of the 22 players, the New Zealanders would not sacrifice any match for the sake of socalled bright cricket, but would put the emphasis on interesting cricket. After attending an Anzac service today, and an Empire Societies’ luncheon, the New will leave for Bradford oh Wednesday. Their match against Yorkshire will begin on April 80.