The Hawera Star. FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 1927. THE NEW ZEALAND ELEVEN.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 1 April 1927, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 1927. THE NEW ZEALAND ELEVEN.

Delivered every evening by 5 o'clock in Hawera, Manaia,. Norma,nby, Okaiawa ■ Eltham, Mangatolti. Kaponga, Alton Hurley ville, Patea, Waverley, Molmia, Whakamara, Ohnngai, Meremere. Fraser . Road and Ararata

The departure of the first New Zealand cricket team to visit Great Britain marks a distinct stage in the history of the game in this country. Other branches of sport, notably Rugby football, athletics, and bowling, have in the past sent representatives to challenge the Motherland to a trial of strength in the games that are characteristic of the British pepole, and, without vain boasting, we can say they acquitted themselves with credit both on and off the field. Even on the occasions when the chosen of the Old Land were compelled to admit defeat by the representatives of the youngest of the Dominions, they did so with a certain amount of satisfaction that it was defeat at the hands of their own sturdy kith and kin from overseas. It was not, however, so much the possession of athletic prowess that has given our New Zealanders so high a reputation as their sportsmanlike hearing, their cheerfulness in the face of odds, and their modesty in the hour of victory. To the British the .world over the spirit in which the game is played counts for most. ' There is a story, possibly without historical foundation, but illustrating a traditional attitude, that a foreign visitor to Oxford said that the thing that struck him most in that great university was the fact that there were 3000 men who would rather lose a game than win it by unfair means. New Zealanders are convinced that their cricket team will play its games according to the best traditions of British sport. Its members have recently proved their quality against a strong Melbourne team, showing that New Zealand has now reached a standard that warrants a challenge to teams in the home of cricket. This has been made possible by the engagement of skilled exponents of the game, whose expert advice has been of material advantage to Dominion players, and by the valuable lessons learned from visiting Australian and English teams. "We labour under the disadvantages of a small population from which players can be chosen, of a short playing season, and geographical separation, but with climatic conditions and grounds somewhat similar to our own, the team, composed as it is of young and enthusiastic players, can be relied upon to make a brave stand against the more experienced cricketers of the Old Country. Their recent success against Mr Warwick Armstrong’s team will not only give them a desirable measure of confidence, but will also increase interest among the people of England in the forthcoming tour. As New Zealanders there is no doubt of the heartiness of their reception, and though their achievements may not equal those of the Rugby Union “All Blacks’ ’ in their two memorable visits to Great Britain, the reputation of our first cricket team as worthy representatives of the Dominion will undoubtedly set the standard for all teams in the future. This initial cricket venture in the Old Land will be followed with interest by the people of New Zealand.