CRICKET.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 94, 30 April 1901, Page 3

CRICKET.

VALE SEASON 1900-01. ! Notes by “Biffer.”] Tijk .season of 1900-01 has come and gone, and athletes at the present time enjoy that brief lull which usually exists between the close of the cricket and the commencement of the football season. While enjoying this breathing space, a retrospective glance at the work of the season may prove interesting and beneficial. The i season opened under favorable auspices, and with considerable eclat. Victoria Domain was played on for the first time, and, in the opening match, such magnates as His Worship the Mayor and several of the City Fathers, I am told, took the field for the respective sides. Enthusiasm in the game was kept up until the new year, when a representative team was sent to j Napier, and acquitted themselves most I creditably. They played three matches in all. In the match against the strong Seindc Club, they were defeated by 99 runs, and also suffered defeat against the United by 4-1 runs, but covered themselves with glory by defeating a combined eleven from the Scinde, United, and County clubs by 17 runs. The local men's play surprised such critics as H. B. Lusk, A. H. Gore, 1 George White and others, and the former gentleman expressed his amazement at J the form displayed, considering the wickets c and grounds on which that form had been acquired and kept up. The Gisborne team were treated most hospitably by the Napier men, and will ever look back with pleasure upon the tour, and retain sunny memories J of Host and Hostess Moeller, of the Napier Masonic Hotel, and their kindness. Mr Moeller presented no less than five members of the team with the best bats 0 they could select in Napier for deeds of j r prowess in the field. Their visit clearly j demonstrated that there arc several men among the local players who can show w first-class form even among the best ex- [ c ponents of the game, and at the present time an eleven could be sent into the field who could give the representatives of any province creditable opposition. II Let mo pause here a moment, and ask C< the question : “ Why is it that a town of N such importance as Gisborne lias not a Jt cricket ground worthy of the district?" II

The captain of one of the local country clubs gave utterance recently to the remark that “ the Gisborne cricket ground was a disgrace to the cricketers of Gisborne." Now, f cannot exactly admit this, but f certainly consider that the present ground is a standing reproach to the town and district. Twenty years ago, Mr .1. W. Nolan made an effort to provide a good ground. A turf wicket was laid down on the Kccreation ground, and I have been told that fully .£9OO was expended in improving the ground. About this time, Mr W. L. Itccs went to considerable expense in laying down a private wicket at To Ilapara. There seems, if tradition is to be believed, to have been rivalry between the two grounds, and the ultimate result was that a great deal of valuable money was spent in providing grounds, which are of no use to the present generation of cricketers.

Let us compare for a. moment the state of the game in Napier at the present time with that which exists here. Never in the history id' the town has cricket boon in such a flourishing state in Napier as at the present time. They have what the Queensland players considered, when over here a few years ago, the best scoring wicket in New Zealand. They possess all the requisite machinery lor keeping a ground in first-class order—such as a horse-roller and lawn-mower of the very best make, and a, water-supply. They have also a. professional caretaker, Is it any wonder that they possess what 1 consider to lie I he, strongest representative eleven at the present time in the colony ? The pronounced defeat they indicted cn Auckand recently by an innings and 75 runs, and the recent draw with Wellington in their favor, prove what a strong side they have. On top of all this, there conies the munificent; offer of Air E. 11. Williams to donate £2O per annum towards the expenses of a professional eoaidi. and the equally liberal offer of Air Frank Moeller to provide the conch with free accommodation at his hotel for twelve months. [(), that a Moeller or a Williams would arise locally !| It appears to me that the public men of Napier are much in ore patriotic than those of Gisborne. They take an honest pride in the institutions of their town. Now, I take it that it is a henfthy sign to see athletic sport nourishing in a town, All broadminded, liberal men rightly argue that in order to possess a healthy mind, one must possess a healthy physical condition, and the best way to acquire this is by taking plenty of healthy out door exercise. The leading public men of Napier arc wise in their generation, and liberally support their local athletic institutions. Now, wo have a number of influential men in Gisborne who were first.-chiss cricketers in their day and generation, and still take a certain interest in the game. This is wherein we differ from Napier. I take it. The old players there never sever their connection with cricket; but, when they retire from active participation in tho game, they still remain members of their clubs, and occupy prominent positions on the executive bodies which govern the game, and by their wise counsel and ripe experience materially -'assist the rising generation in carrying on tire game to tho very best advantage. Now, how many of our local magnates manifest an active interest in flic affairs of the Gisborne Club '? With the exception of Air Nolan, I have never seen one of the older generation of players present at a single meeting. Next season. I should like to see an effort made to induce several leading imlluential men to accept positions on the executive of the club, afid a live, flourishing institution formed instead of the present club, which exists in name only. Let all active cricketers and sympathisers with the game make a sustained effort to bring about a more healthy state of affairs than that which exists at present. But to return to a review of the past season. After the return of tho representative team from Napier, a most inexplicable cessation of play occurred, and matches were not resumed until near tho cud of February. The remainder of tire Club matches were then played off, but players were out of form after the long spell, and tho games excited but little interest. The following arc the results of the different competitions : Saturday Shield Competition. Wins Losses

The prospects for the next season are encouraging. At a comparatively trifling cost, a good turf wicket could belaid down on Victoria Domain, and we hope to sec this done. With a little attention, the ground could be made a good one. All that is wanted is a good working commit; tec. who will attend to the interests of the Club, and not neglect their share of the work. A secretary, no matter how good he may be, does not constitute a club, nor should he be expected to do all its work clerical and manual. Cricketers will be pleased to learn that several valuable acquisitions to their ranks c taken up their residence in Gisborne within the past week or sq. Among these are Messrs A. S. Seymour, H. E. Hill, and Cr. C. Lyttelton. The former is an exChristchurch United man, and can handle both bat and ball with more than average abilitv. Mr Hill hails from Napier, where ”he played for the United Club. Mr Lyttelton comes to us direct from the Christchurch High School f some idea of his Capabilities may he judged from the fact that he scored'a century against Sydenham. playing for the High School, in the Christchurch President's Cup competition, and also headed the list of batting averages for his school for the season just efosed with an average of a trifle over 31 runs per each completed innings. I hear the Bughy Union are likely to take over the ground, and improve it greatly. Let both cricketers and footballers work with a combined and sustained will to provide a ground that will be worthy of the town, and on which we can without shame ask athletes from other towns to engage us in friendly rivalry in the great national summer and vintqr pastimes,

Wc lose a sterling player in James Hussey, and congratulate our Napier friends on securing his services. Gisborne may fairly claim to have brought out this brilliant young batsman. The Hussey who leaves us is a very different stamp of batsinan to the Hussey who arrived here three years ago. He is fortunate in the fact that lie will secure the coaching of

the professional whose services the Napier Cricket Association intends to secure next season. I shall be disappointed if Ido I not see Hussey's name among the first- | /lighters ere long. I trust that some ' tangible recognition will be made by the authorities of the valuable services rendered to local cricket by Air Hussey. The young Gisborneit'e will fill the large gap made in the ranks of Napier players by the departure of that sterling player and right down good fellow, H. C. Wilson, who lias rendered such signal service to Hawke’s Bay cricket, and who has been transferred to Christchurch.

Air Edmund Jardine, the popular skipper of the Ormond Club, has left on a visit to the Old Country. I hope that he shall, on his return, after hobnobbing with Ranji, Fry, Foster, Jessop, and Co., be able to initiate local players into the mysteries of the “ Harrow drive,” the “ short-arm hook,” the “ push stroke in the slips,” and the .Jessopian methods. The Summer King (cricket) is dead ! Long live His Imperial Majesty the King of Winter Pastimes (football) I

Gisborne 13. 0 0 Ormond a 2 Gisborne A. 1 4 4 Losses Kanginui Thursday 0 Competition, Wins Gisborno A, 1) 0 Gisborue 11. 2 1 U nion i 2 Common, Shelton i 0 2