CRICKET

Hokitika Guardian, 26 September 1930, Page 2

CRICKET

WEST INDIAN TEAM

VISIT IT) WELLINGTON.

WELLINGTON, September 24

Although a report from Christchurch, the headquarters of the New Zealand Cricket Council, stated that there was little prospect of a touring team coming to New- Zealand during fhe coming l , cricket season, Wellington, at any rate, will be visited by a team •pf cricketers from overseas. This will be the side to represent the West Indies in Australia, and, en route to fulfil its engagements in the Commonwealth, it is due to arrive in Wellington by the Tamaroa on November 11. The team will be here for about three days before proceeding to Sydney, where it is due on November 18. In view of the call at Wellingtop, the local cricket authorities are endeavouring to arrange for the touring cricketers to play a match here, and it is Considered that the tourists would welcome the opportunity of a game as a preliminary to their engagements in Australia. The matter was placed before the New Zealand Cricket Council, which body in turn referred it to the Australian authorities. AUSTRALIA'S CONSENT. Advice was received yesterday front Sydney that; the request for a match qt Wellington with the West Indies ijeam was considered at last Thursday's meeting of the Australian Cricket Jioard of Control. The request, according to the information from Syddey. was that the tourists should meet a New Zealand team. The hoard decided to inform the New Zealand pricket Council that the matter was pne entirely for the West Indies authorities, but there was no objection on the part of the hoard to the touring team playing a match as suggested, provided that there was no interference with the Australian schedule of the visiting team. At the moment, therefore, it would appear that there are good prospects of seeing the WestIndies cricketers in action at the Basin Reserve, and there can be no doubt that their, appearance would be a wonderful attraction. EXTENSION OF TOUR.

It is also ascertained that the touring team is to leave Sydney on its return trip to the West Indies on-March 6, and that, another call will he made at Wellington, the tourists arriving here on March 10. Arrangements are that they will embark here, on the Mataroa, which is scheduled to sail for Panama on March 11. Since the cricket season in New Zealand does not finish until the end of March, there would be time for the West Indies cricketers to play several matches here if arrangements could be made to have their tour extended for two or three weeks, In that case also, an excellent opportunity would be afforded of giving the New Zealand representatives some test play before they leave for England probably towards the .end of March. One or two tests between the West Indies and New Zealand, as well as two or three matches between the Wekt Indies and provincial teams, would make a great finish to the season. Moreover, such matches would be a. big help to the New Zealand Council in the matter of financing the tour of the New Zealand team to England. The matter is one that will require immediate attention, as the West Indies team is to leave Panama on October 24.