THE VICTORIAN CRICKETING TEAM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XI, Issue 3997, 3 September 1874, Page 3

THE VICTORIAN CRICKETING TEAM.

THE PROPOSED PROGRAMME FOR NEW ZEALAND. [FROM TIIE "OTAGO DAILY TIMES."] The following letter lias been received from Melbourne by a gentleman in town, and placed at our disposal. As the gentleman who wrote it lias great experience in these matters, and has entered very fully into what he thinks the best plan of arranging this matter, we give his letter in exten-io. We trust that since such an earnest desire has been expressed in Melbourne in favour of the proposed trip, some of our leading men will take the matter up, and endeavour to see how far it is possible to carry it out. Even if the team only played here and in Cliristchurch, it would be better than to leave it alone ; and surely cricketers in both provinces could raise enough to afford the public this treat.

" South Melbourne Club, "Melbourne, August 12, 1874.

"I notice the Dunedin papers have mooted the subject of a visit of the Victorian cricketing team to New Zealand. Tho paragraph has been copied into the Melbourne papers. Pending the rcceipt of a definite offer from your side, tho subject will not receive much attention, but wh.it cricketers I have seen are pleased with the idea ; and I have little doubt that a very good team can be got; but as I explained to you, and indeed as you arc aware, the quality of a team entirely depends upon the time that the trip will occupy, and it will bo necessary to arrange that it will not extend over five weeks. If you decide upon making the offer, I would suggest that the matches to be played should be arranged in such a manner that a steamer via Bluff", leaving Melbourne about seventeen days after the team, should pick them up at Nelson. This would enable you to play four matches of two days each, leaving nine days for travelling and recovering from the sea voyage. I cannot see how a match can be played at Auckland on account of tlie time that it would take to get there and back'to catch a steamer, unless Wellington and Nelson be left out of the programme ; and in arranging your programme you will, of course, pay due regard to tlie time occupied in travelling, bearing in mind that five weeks is all that the team will have from date of leaving Melbourne, and it must be of course a matter for your discretion whether it would be better to play three matches —say, at Dunedin, Cliristchurch, and Auckland, or four matches—say, at Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, and Nelson. In arranging for steamers, I think that M'Meckan, Blackwood, and Co., would accommodate the venture by sailing with the team upon a Saturday, and following the same route upon the next Wednesday fortnight. This would give a clear 17 days,in New Zealand, and the team would meet the steamer at Nelson. These are merely suggestions that have struck me in thinking liow much can be accomplished in the short space at command. Tlie only thing that X have to impress upon you is that any, programme that you may submit must be subject to the time named, otherwise the strength of the team will be materially weakened, if, indeed, one could be arranged at all. There are several intercolonial matches in prospective for . the coining season, viz., New South Wales, Tasmania, aad Adelaide ; it is therefore of importance that you should be early in the

field. I would suggest that February would be a good time to l:ave Melbourne, as many of our leading cricketers get their holidays about that time, and I am confident that any one who can arrange for so long a trip would prefer the New Zealand tour to any others. Trusting that your efforts to bring about this visit will be successful.—l am, &c., "W. J. Runting, Hon. Sec. S.M.C."