CRICKET IN KAITAIA

Northland Age, Volume XVI, Issue 18, 29 November 1946, Page 4

CRICKET IN KAITAIA

Sir. Sporting panel - throughout the count! y are airuu : rg the query, ‘‘why don't individual New Zealanders shine in .-port wnen compared with overseas visitors." with the reply that New Zealanders lack the facilities early training and hard competition necessary to produce rial champions. That surely is brought right homt to us here in Kaitaia. when wc set that local cricketers do not posses? a decent ground, let alone a decent pitch. Cricket is a great game, a game ti be fostered among.-1 the youth; yet promising boys ale asked to play am practice in Kaitaia on an outfiek rough even for football, bat on ; wicket while stroke play is impossible ar.d or.e must hit out or go out and bowl on an approach where it .. difficult to retain a foothold. A good wicket at least is provide! by outside teams although the out fields throughout the County an poor. When these teams visit Kai taia they expect to play on a true properly prepared and marked-ou wicket with a definite boundar; •round the ground. If this County is to produce an; real cricketing ability then better facilities must be offered players. A the present time there is no horn ground in Kaitaia. Although n wicket at all exists on No. 2 grouni there will probably have to he tw or three games idaycil there be for Christmas. Nobody seems to know or car

when the wicket on the main oval will be ready for play. That is a good wicket, and a fair outfield, the sooner cricket is resumed tfiere the better. Can 11 men in sandshoes do more harm once a week than several cows grazing and strolling over the ground and wicket? Yours, etc., . ENTHUSIAST.