Sports and Pastimes

Free Lance, Volume XV, Issue 799, 22 October 1915, Page 19

Sports and Pastimes

By Touchline.

CRICKET. A Pleasing Commencement. UNDER the pleasantest of circumstances the 1915-16 cricket season in Wellington was opened last Saturday afternoon. Two fine sides had been chosen, the one representative of Wellington and the other chosen from • the soldiers in camp at Trentham and Tauherenikau. . The afternoon was a glorious one, the band from the Trentham camp enlivening the proceedings with much martial music during the play. Before discussing the match itself, there are one or two things that I 'would like to write about. The Basin Reserve itself is a theme that calls for, favourable comment. His Worship the Mayor (Mr. J. P. '-Luke) and "the Prime Minister (Hon. W. F. Massey) were present during the afternoon, and I think they will agree with me when I say that it would be a suicidal policy to curtail the dimensions of the Basin Reserve in any way. Although the game was played in the centre of the ground, the ball was occasionally hit outside the limits of - the Reserve itself. If the area was made any smaller/ it might be dangerous to walk round the outside of the ground while matches are in progress. I nope, therefore-! in the interests of the public, as well as of the cricketers, His Worship the Mayor will desist in his efforts to cut up the Basin Reserve, and that the Prime Minister will use his influence in Parliament in a similar direction if the Bill advocating such cutting-up again makes its appearance. . "The Basin Reserve is in the best condition I have ever seen it in : it is now a cricket ground." This is a statement made to me on Saturday by J. H. Bennett, the Canterbury and New 'Zealand representative player, and is a striking commendation of the fine work put in by Mr. Bert Brewer during the short time he has been custodian of the ground. The wicket, also, came in for a lot of praise, having rolled out splendidly, and playing nice and true right through the piece. It is rarely that cricket enthusiasts have been able in the past to talk in a cheerful strain about the Basin. Reserve, and now that that privilege is ours, surely the man responsible for the improvement ought to receive the credit that is due to him? * * * * v The Match resulted in a victory for the Trentham team by 191 runs to 122, the soldiers batting first.. The double-figure scorers for the winners were —D. M. Sandman 54, W. P. Naughton 50, G. Hawke 32, J, H. Bennett 13, S. W. Dempsey 13: The principal contributors to Wellington's total were —W. S. Brice 37, W. A. Baker 27,-H. E. Burton 17, C. W. Robinson 12, W. R. Gibbes 12. J. S. Hiddleston was the most successful bowler on the day, securing the good figures of eight wickets for 62 runs off 15 overs. C. W. Robinson was the only other Wellington bowler to get wickets, his two costing 42 runs. For the soldiers J. H. Bennett started off in great style by bowling F. A. Midlane and getting J. S. Hiddleston caught off his bowling before a run had been scored. He wound up with three for 47, D. M. Sandman getting three for 29, E.-H. L. Bernau one for 17, and R. G. Hickmott three for 22. * *.' * * About the Soldier Players. M. P. Naughton, who captained the men from Trentham, gave a wonderful display of batting considering the years it is since first he played senior cricket in Wellington, for he is the same 1 player who, in the nineties, was a member of the Phoenix team, and # one of the soundest batsmen in Wellington. Right through his innings he played like a, man in form, some of his shots, especially the square cut, being beautifully timed. Now and again he made a weak stroke, but generally "Mick" gave the impression that, although over twenty years ago he was a senior cricketer, he is still worth a lot of runs with the bat. While writing, there is a match in which M. P. Naughton played a prominent part which thrusts itself on my memory. By good fortune, I will say, I have the details of it by me, and the history of it is worth recalling. The

game I refer to was played between the Phoenix and Wellington teams in February, 1899. In the first innings Phoenix had been dismissed for 72 (M. Naughton 12*), the Wellingtons running up the fine score of 309 (A. R. Holdship 79, M. Redmond 55, C. A. Richardson 55, R. C. Niven 35). Then the Phoenix team started to make history with a huge score of 474, Naughton leading the way with 177. Other good scores were made by the late G. E. Burton, father of the present player (72),-V. Waters (61), W. J. Wallace (42), and A. Wright (42). Wellingtons failed badly at their second attempt, and, after being 237 runs down in the first innings, Phoenix finally won by 183 runs. Fred Midlane, then a colt, also played for Phoenix in this game, his share of the big score being 16. * * * * Three New Zealand Representatives. The three New Zealand representatives in the Trentham team —J. H. Bennett, D. M. Sandman, and R. G. Hickmott —are well-known locally, mainly from the many times they have played in Wellington as members of Canterbury representative teams. "Joe'' Bennett first played for Canterbury in 1898,. and has practically kept one end goiri» at the bowling crease ever since. He pleads guilty to being 35 years of age, and is a fine stamp of a man to go forth to represent the Dominion in this European war. I have always had a huge respect for this burly good-humoured Canterbury representative cricketer, the steadiness and, the' accuracy of his bowling being one of the things that helped towards that respect. ~ Donald M. Sandman is one of those batsmen whom it is a delight to watch. He is in with his first ball, and is busy all the time he is at the wickets, the straight drive and the square cut being his main run-getters. He is also a fine bowser, at times getting a huge legbreak on to the batsmen, and he can also send along a "googlie" now and then. Maybe, Sandman has not risen to as high a standard as some of his friends predicted for him, yet a New •Zealand representative team to-day could not be picked without Donald Sandman being a member of it. As a college lad R. G. Hickmott made a big name for himself in Christchurch by the consistency and the quality of his batting, and, although, he is still comparatively a youngster, has made a lot of runs for Canterbury, besides gaining a deserved place in the New Zealand team that toured Australia a couple of years ago. He did not get going with the bat last Saturday, much to the regret of the spectators and the satisfaction of the Wellington team. His enticing slows and "wrong-'uns," however, accounted for three of the Wellington men. *'* * * . * Two of the " Nomads." . E. H. L. Bernau and A. Arkwright were members of the "Nomads" team which toured the North Island a couple of years ago under the captaincy of H. M. Butter worth, who, as I stated last week, has been killed in action at Ypres. Bernau was a senior scholar at the Wanganui Collegiate School while Butter worth was a junior master, and the lad said to me on Saturday, "Mi". Butterworth was as fine a man as ever 3) met, and during my last two years at College he was more a friend to me than a master. I regret his passing very much." And he meant what he said, too. As a cricketer Bernau has just started on the ladder of fame. He is a lefthand bowler, with a nice swinging action, mustering up a lot of pace, and probably we will see a lot of him in cup matches during the present season. Arkwright—l am not sure of his Christian name —is a lieutenant when in the King's uniform, and will be leaving, with the next batch of reinforcements for the front. He is keen on the game of cricket, playing more for the love of it and the pleasure he gets out of it than for anything else. * * * * Of the Others. George, Hawke is an old-time Hawke's Bay representative cricketer, and brother of Fred Hawke, the ex-Petone and Wellington Rugby three-quarter, who is also in camp. "It's four years since I had a bat in my hand," said George on Saturday, but, although he pleads guilty to being over forty years of age. it would not take many visits to the practice wickets to make him show much of his old-time form. He credited himself with 88 runs against a Wellington representative team on one occasion, the last match in which he played at the Basin Reserve being in 1910, his tallies for Hawke's Bay then being 20 and 24*. S. W. Dempsey is the well-known Victoria University College captain and! master at Clyde-quay school, and one who has done more than his share to help along the game of cricket in these parts. He was batting nicely on Saturday, when he had the bad luck to hit his wicket while playing a late cut.

- Cyril A. Snedden is a younger brother of the New Zealand representative player, and, like his brother, played for the Ponsonby Club in Auckland. He did not stay in long enough on Saturday to give a fair estimate of his batting abilities, and the Wellington men did not worry the Trentham captain sufficiently to give him a turn with the ball. K. R. J. Saxon was a member of the Nelson representative team that played against the last Australian team that toured New Zealand, and is a promising lad. He was quiet with the bat,, but was full of life end energy in the field. The catch that caused Gibbes' retirement was a brilliant one, Saxon judging it . nicely while running into the wind and with the sun at an awkward angle for him. The only other member of the team left to refer to is J. C. Cameron, who hails from Dunedin. He is keen in the field, and of the stonewall variety of batsman. * * , * * Encouragement to the Soldiers. Mick Naughton tells me that the men are receiving a wonderful lot of encouragement from the officers in their efforts on behalf of the game of cricket at the Trentham camp. One of the officers presented a £5 note and two tip-top bats to the club—Naughton made his 50 runs with one of them on Saturday, and Sandman his 54 with the other. At least four of those playing on Saturday were lieutenants-— Hickmott, Saxon, Arkwright, and Bernau —and I believe Snedden and Cameron have commissions as well, but of this I am not certain. As far as he can gather, Naughton tells me that there are about fifty senior cricketers from up and down New Zealand in the camp at Trentham, and portion of the parade ground is now being rolled out into something resembling a cricket field. -A concrete wicket, to be covered with matting, will be put down, so that, besides tbe interest there will be in the matches between the team from the camp and the local elevens, Wellington players ' will 'have a new experience this.year, viz., that of playing on 'matting _ wickets when they get out to the soldiers' field at Trentham. There is just one other point in this connection. The third and fourth battalions of Lord Liverpool's Own are ing into camp at May Morn (Upper Hutt) directly, and the cricketers amongst them would like a game now and then with the town teams. They will not enter for " the competition, but Lieutenant Saxon would \ like to hear from club secretaries, if they care for a run into' the country at odd times or holidays. He approached me on the matter, and I have told him to get into touch with J. Rodgers, the Petone player who looks after the education of the Upper Hutt youngsters. These fellows are going out to fight for us, and it is the duty of the local cricketing fraternity to help to make their stay in camp pleasing to them. I am sure Mr. C. G. Wilson and the members of the Management Committee pf the Wellington Cricket Association will do their share if the players do theirs- * * * * The Wellington Players. One cannot help writing and talking about the war in Europe these days, and one of the things I ran up against on Saturday was—"Surely, some of these Wellington representatives ought to be in the firing-line by now?" I didn't agree with this statement, but it started me thinking. In the first place, 6f the eleven who # represented Wellington on Saturday, nine are married men —F. A. Midlane, E. M. Beechey, J. S. Hiddleston, H. E. Burton, W. R. Gibbes, W. T. Bray, W. S. Brice, T. R. Southall and A. Cate —and I take it the call is not to the married ■men until the single men have done their duty. T. R. Southall went through _ the South African war with a commission in a British regiment, but, although he even went so far as to offer himself as a private on this occasion, the doctors would not pass him because of varicose veins. W. A. Baker went to Samoa with the Advance Expeditionary Force, but was invalided home f rom, there, and received his discharge as a soldier. I doubt not but that when he gets physically fit he will again hand in his name. O. W. Robinson ricked his knee one time playing Association football, and there is always the tendency of that knee giving way with him. It has once or twice within my knowledge at the bowling crease, and if a man is not fit on his pins it is useless for him to venture on a trip to the Dardanelles. _ I am not seeking to make excuses for our leading cricketers not enlisting—l am only stating facts.' * * * * I might give an instance in this connection without mentioning names. A lad I know —a last year's Wednesday player —was eager to get to the front, but he sprained his ankle on one occasion, and one of the ligatures did not fulfil its proper/ duties afterwards. The doctor he went to on the first occasion

detected the weak spot, and hit him a crack on it that made him see stars for -. a few minutes. And then the medical ' man keel-hauled him for- wasting his time when he knew he hadn't a possible' chance-of passing the test. Nothing daunted, he tried again— under another doctor—but this 'time the ambulance brigade was what he asked to be tested for. Profiting-by his previous experience, he explained' his weakness to the doctor, who stated ■ that he could not pass him for ambttlance duty, but would recommend, him for something lighter. The sequel is that this lad, who is a postal official, is going to join the Postal Department at the front. And, maybe, when he gets : there, he will be able to do his little bit for King and country. This little tale ; shows that there are young fellows in Wellington who are prepared to go to any lengths to get an opportunity of a bout with the enemies of the Empire. ..._.*'. * * '. * The Wellington Men's Display. The stand of W. S. Brice and W. A. Baker for the seventh- wicket was the only bright feature in the Wellington ' innings. The long fellow from Petone : was m a particularly aggressive mood, two of his drives —one with the wind and the other into it —-going right out of the" ground. Both were sweet hits, and up to Brice's best standard. C. W. Robinson emulated his skipper's example, and smacked one almost oh to the- Caledonian Hotel. W. A. Baker batted very nicely indeed, as also did W. R. Gibbes and H. E. Burton. The others practically failed, but to hate two men like J. H. Bennett and l). Sandman at the bowling crease in the opening match of the season is a fairly big hurdle for any team to cope with. But this article of mine this week ii mainly a review of the showing of the Trentham fellows: there will be plenty of opportunity later on to write about the local fellows. * •- * * * Wanted, Umpires. For several years the Wellington Umpires Association have tried to hold meetings, but the attendances -have been so v meagre that the efforts .have resulted in failures. Last Friday night was a case in point. The animal meeting was advertised, and three regulars - —W. R. Bock, J. R. Gardiner, arid D. McEenzie —turned up. At ten minutes past eight a young . fellow approached the trio, who were standing on tke steps of the Y.M.C.A.-, and asked them if they were members of the Umpires' Association. For a moment the possibility of a re- ' cruit joining the ranks of the umpires made the trio feel quite elated, but their hopes were dashed to the ground when he. said that he was a reporter, and asked if there was a possibility of the meeting being held, as he had been, sent to take notes of it. They told him he could have a night at the pictures if he liked, for of a surety there would be no meeting that night. A statement in the paper that the meeting lapsed for want of a quorum would be sufficient, and the reporter-left, saying he would take 1 their advice, and spend the rest of the evening at some picture show. And thus did the prospects of someone, volunteering to assist in helping along the game of cricket in , Wellington by acting as an umpire fade away. The moral of my story is obvious. There is a Wellington Umpires' Association in theory, though not in practice. A few have carried out the duties for some years, and the, feeling "is 'with' them now that they deserve some help. There are plenty of old cricketers arid many enthusiasts who could take a turn at umpiring it is- up to them to do their share ."^ > This is more than & hint: it is a command.