THE VICTORS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 16156, 5 February 1913, Page 12

THE VICTORS.

RECEPTION TO THE CANTERBURY ELEVEN. A SUCCESSFUL FUNCTION. A large number of cricket enthusiasts attended a smoko concert in tho Chamber of Commerce last night to welcome the Canterbury eleven which won the Plunket Shield in Auckland last week. Mr G. T. Weston presided. Ho 6aid that the gathering was a spontaneous recognition by Canterbury cricketers of the prowess of tho Canterbury eleven that had brought hack tho Plunket Shield. (Applause.) Canterbury was proud of the team, which had won back tho shield fairly. All the season the team had played strongly) and after tho second South Melbourne match he felt that the result of tho game was a foregone conclusion. Auckland had done well in holding the shield for so many years, and when they lost it they set about like sportsmen to get it hack as scon as possible. It was unnecessary to go through the personnel of the toam, but there wore one or two who deserved special compliments, notably Reese, the captain, Bennett, Hayes, Lusk, Patrick and last, but not least, Sandman. With tho exception of Lusk, all those men were genuine Canterbury players, who had been taught their game in Canterbury. The selectors were to be congratulated on having started to use the young blood of the province. It was a pity that Rickrnott had been unable to play, but his cricketing career was before him. Canterbury was proud of the team, but it should be remembered that Canterbury enjoyed special advantages in good grounds. There was still much to do. More grounds wore needed and the cricketers should strive to bring the game to its highest pitch in every department. Cricketers of the present day should bo proud, too. of the fact that the Canterbury public, including many old * cricketers, gave the game solid support, recognising success and good play quickly. He proposed die health of tho team. Tho toast was honoured, and Air Reese-(captain) and Mr E. R. Caygill (manager) responded. Mr Reese was received with prolonged apoiause. He eaid that on behalf of the* team lie was pleased to bo able to acknowledge the reception accorded to the eleven. Ho felt that tho season’s programme of representative cricket was one of the most successful the province had had. 1 no success of tho year had not depended on anv small section of tlio players, had commenced with fine displays J Patrick. Hayes and Sandman, and haa ended in Auckland with brilliancy. «j wish you could have seen some of that Auckland match ho said “ You have known Sandman as a hitter, but I have never seen finer, footer, quick-footed batting. Fine though it was, it was equalled by that of Lusk on the last day. . For consistency however, the palm is taken by Bennett, whoso bowling this year is the feature of cricket in the dominion. M Reeso added that he was pleased to sot in the newspapers that ivott had said that Bennett was the best bowler in the dominion. His performance overshadowed anything else, but the Canterbury eleven had good bowling, well varied, and the bowlers were easy, to handle. Amongst the batsmen, lie wished to mention Hayes. Canterbury had seen him as a steady, sturdy bamman, difficult to dismiss, but Auckland had seen him as :l finished batsman. His back cutting in Auckland had been remarkable. Aucklanders Jiad always been impressed by the quick-footed play by tho Canterbury batsmen, bur Sandman going down tho pitch had boon remarkable. Sandman bit up 2 1 runs in nine minutes, GO runs in twenty minutes, and tho 93 in just over the hour. Lusk, who had to make good his theories about playing slow bowling, had played just as brilliantly as Sandman. Ho had gone to the wickets in tho last innings with the remark, “ I’ll show you how to pick up a bally shield.’.’ (Laughter.) Caygill’s two knocks had been invulnerable, and Carlton had scored in fine style, back cutting off tho leg stump—(laughter)—and hitting balls pitched on tile off stump to log. (Laughter.) The strength of tho batting of the Canterbury eleven was exemplified by the fact that Carlton went in ninth and could not bo moved any higher up. The fielding had also been brilliant. Mr Caygill said that two players who had escaped Mr Reese’s notice were, tho captain of the eleven and Boxshall. The captain had managed tho team brilliantly. In Reese the province had a player who meant much by reason of hri personality, and it was largely duo to his management

that the eleven had been successful. ' In Auckland Boxshall had given a display that had eclipsed anything previously done by linn. The fact that I tho extras were heavy was not to he laid to Boxshall’s blame, tho ball nipping a wav in a manner that made it next to impossible for a wicket-keeper to take it. . Mr T. W. Reese proposed tho health of the Selection Committee, referring in a brief speech to tho selectors of tho past and of the present, and remarking that to them was due much of tho success that had attended Canterbury cricket..

Mr J. N. Fowke, one of the selectors, in responding, mentioned that in Mr J. Wheatley Canterbury had had a selector who had had the confidence of the players, and i,f lie would consent to take up tho work he personally would be tho first to propose him. Mr Fowke said ho was proud to bo a selector of tho team, ana proud that_ he had been instrumental in bringing forward some wonderful cricketers for Canterbury. A selector had his moments of prido when the team he picked was successful and tho young blond lie brought forward made good. Ho was an old player, and perhaps ho might be exoused if lie caid that the old players were tlio best, but he had no hesitation in saying that Canterbury had never had a finer team than the one that had played in Auckland. With the young men that Canterbury now had playing it would be difficult for any team in tho next few years to wrest the shield from the province. Mr H. B. Whitta also responded. Mr Weston then proposed the toast of the Auckland cricketers, to whom, he said, the improvement of cricket in Canterbury wa3 largely due. Auckland had hold the shield for a number of years and had held it worthily. They had beaten Canterbury twice at Hagloy Park and had proved themselves, good sportsmen and good cricketers. Canterbury was successful at present, but Auckland would bo sure to give the province some good battles in the future.

Mr H. C. Ridley, the Auckland delegate on the Now Zealand Cricket Council, responding to tho toast, remarked that tho Auckland team, though beaten, was not disgraced. Canterbury was fortunate in dismissing Auckland cheaply in tho first innings, and tho second innings, with its uphill fight, was a gallant effort. He felt certain that the Auckland cricketers and the Auckland public would acknowledge the supremacy of the Canterbury eleven. He felt, too, that tho team that wrested the shield from Canterbury should do so at Lancaster Park. The shield matches should always be the test of amateur cricket in tho dominion, and their importance should be preserved by ensuring that tho games should bo played on the grounds of the holders. Mr F. Hubbard proposed the toast of “ Tho Umpires.’’ Mr R. Spencer responded. Mr F. C. Raphael then, proposed tho health of those who had provided tho programme. Songs and recitations wore given during the evening by Messrs G. March, J. Wyn Irwin, It. Vincent, A. L. Cropp, A. Hanford, C. Hoklship, and C. Boxshall, tho last-named singing the Canterbury team song, which criticised the players and retailed some of tho secret history of the tour.