M.C.C. ELEVEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22346, 18 February 1936, Page 14

M.C.C. ELEVEN

MATCH AGAINST AUCKLAND HEAVY EXPENSE INVOLVED In view of the heavy expense incurred by the Auckland Cricket Association, amounting to over £6OO, in connection with the match between the visiting M.C.C. team and the Auckland representative eleven to be played at Eden Park on Friday, Saturday and Monday next, Mr. W. R. Fee, chairman of the association, has made an appeal to business firms in the city. He asks for their co-operation by permitting as'manv members of their staffs as possible to attend the match on Friday and Monday. He points out that the finances of the association are not in a position to stand this heavy strain, and that a very substantial public support must be forthcoming if a serious loss is to be avoided. These matches are not money-making concerns, bu£ if tho association is to continue to arrange for the visit of international cricket teams to Auckland the cost must of necessity be covered by the patronage of the Auckland public. For the next three years other international teams are expected to visit New Zealand, and this makes it even more essential that the forthcoming match should not result in a loss.

The present M.C.C. team is probably the strongest English team that has ever visited New Zealand, with the exception of Jardine's test team. It contains eight test players who represented England against South Africa last year and includes H. D. Read, the express bowler, and chosen successor of Larwooil. The Auckland team is one of tho best that has ever represented the province. It has an unbeaten record in this year's Plunket Shield -competition, and, in fact, has lost one match only during the last three years. The public can, therefore, anticipate a well-con-tested match with cricket of a high standard. The visiting team has also acquired a reputation for bright and forceful cricket. The M.C.C!. team will play Piako at Matamata to-day and to-morrow, and will arrive in Auckland on Thursday. The Piako team is comprised largely of Auckland players, and will be captained by the former Auckland and New Zealand representative, N. C. Snedden.