AUSTRALIAN ELEVEN.

Northern Advocate, 30 January 1922, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN ELEVEN.

MANAGER WELCOMED

TOUR REVIEWED

SYDNEY, Jan IS

Mr Sydney Smith, Jun., manager of the Australian XI., was officially welcomed back to Sydney at the monthly meeting of the New South Wales Cricket Association last night.

Mr W. R. Jones, who occupied the chair, said that the association must feel high If delighted with the success of the last tour of England. Mr Smith had been a member of the association for many years, and he felt sure that every individual member was deeT>iv gratified at the distinction conferred upon Mr Smith by tho board of contryl. Mr Smith had a very heavy task, and. although he received tho -assistance of the cricket bodies throughout, his task was made mere difficult by the conditions then prevailing in England. He managed, however, to cope with all the difficulties, and in addition transacted business for the Board of Control with regard to test matches, and also with the Marylebone Cricket Club. He was a capable and tactful manager, and as f.ir as the team was concerned, the members were associated on and off the field without dissension.

Mr Smith, in reply, said th.it he felt proud of having been manager of ihe loth Australian test team. They had had great difficulties at the start, but with the team "pulling" together they had got round Great Britain satisfact orilv. In the first match the trains were running irregularly, and he had to give the members four different instructions as to what train to catefi for Leicester. He also had difficulty ui regard to the hours of play, but he war able to overcome the trouble, and consequently the English authorities decided to play from 12 noon to 0 p.m. They were most fortunate in experiencing gooil Australian summer weather throughout the tour, and only lost tlnen days owing to rain. England had not

recovered from the great sacrifices made during the war and one had to visit there to understand the situation.

"With regard to the team," added Mr Smith, "all I can say is that a finer lot of men never left Australia. I have been accused of saying that it was tho host team to visit England. I want to refute that. I do not think any .man could give an expression of opinion as to which was the best team, because the conditions under which they played would have to be taken into consideration. But this team had a better record than any other team. We had the same number of losses as the 1902 team, but we were able to win the ashes, which that team did not. The members were very keen, and they were always ready for work the morning a match had to be played. It was reported that there was dissension among the members, but I want to give this the lie direct. I think we established a record, because from the time we left Australia until we returned there was never a row." (Applause).

Later in the evening Mr J. T. Pope raised the queston as to what facilitias would be afforded delegates to peruse the manager's Tcport of the tour, together with the Board of Control's recommendation relative to a distribution of the profits. NEW ZEALAND TOUR Mr E. L. Waddy said that it had been reported that at a meeting of the Board of Control a £100 bonus had been granted Mr Howard, manager of the New South Wales team, which visited New Zealand. "In fairness to Mr Howard," hi* said, "I wish to correct this sfcateir.ent. The £100 was voted to Mr Howard to recoup him for money which he expended during the tour, but for which he had not claimed. I understand that Mr Howard intends tjO refn&e the amount, but, having been a member of the team, I know he is entitled to it."