PONEKE CRICKET CLUB.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 810, 9 September 1887, Page 13

PONEKE CRICKET CLUB.

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the PonekeCricket Club was held at the Post Office Hotel on Monday night. There was a good attendance, and Mr S. Nicholls was in the chair; The sixth annual report and balance-sheet, which were submitted, were received with satisfaction, and were adopted. It was stated that there was a marked improvement in the- Club since the previous season.. The first eleven played six’ matches, three of which they won. In the. Senior Cup matches the Club met two of the strongest teams, the Stars and the, Midlands.. Ik the hatting in the Senior Cup matches- Mr S. Nicholls led the van with an average of 10'3, Mr S. Alpe being second with 10. Mr W. Kirker had the best bowling average, with 11 wickets for an average of’ 11'4 apiece. The second eleven won three Cup matches and lost two, beside winning two Club matches. The second eleven were also the runners-up for the Junior Cup, a result which was brought about by the batting of Mr A. Merlet, the bowling of Messrs Bull and Pownall, and the good generalship of Mr J. Dawson. The team also made the highest score recorded in Junior Cup matches, viz., 235 against the Midland Club, and Mr C. Pownall made the highest individual score, 86. In batting in Junior Cup matches Mr A. Merlet took- firstplace, having made 206 runs for six completed innings, with the average of 34 '2. Mr C. Pownall followed with an average of 14T, Mr A. Richardson 11 '2, and Mr J. Dawson BT. In bowling in the Junior Cup matches Mr 33: Bull was first with 24 wickets, for an average of 7 ‘2l apiece ; Mr C. Pownall following with 32 wickets, for an average of STS apiece. The excellent long-stopping of Mr F. Dixon was a noteworthy feature of the season. Mr A. Merlet scored the highest batting average for all matches, viz., 17 '9, for which he won the bat presented by Mr

H. Beauchamp, and Messrs Kirker, Nicholls, Stinson, Alpe, Richardson, L. Dixon, Ogilvie, PoWnalL Davis, and Dawson all showed goad figures. Mr S. Stinson was first in bowling, with 24 wickets for 176 runs ; average, 7*2. He took the trophy-pre-sented by Mr W. Fitz Gerald. Good bowling was also shown by Messrs Bnll, Pownall, Stack, Kirker, and Richardson. Mr C. Pownall was the winner of a ball presented by Mr J.- S’. M. Thompson for the best all-round play. The way in which the finances of the Club had been managed by Mr F. Francis throughout the year had brought its-affairs into a most flourishing condition. He had cleared off a very heavy deficit, which had been a great encumbrance to the Club. The Committee expressed their gratitude to- Mr E. J. Hill for having worked up a concert in aid of the Club, which had added an amount of Ll 5 8s to the Club’s funds. In accordance with a resolution passed at a general meeting of the Club last season, the Committee had exchanged pitches with the Surrey Club, that Club receiving L 3 in the bargain. This had been turfed at an outlay of Lll. In conclusion, the Committee asked members to work together for the advancement of the Club, assuring them that if they did so a bright future was in store for the wearers of the red and black. The Treasurer’s statement showed that during the year 'there had been an expenditure of Llll ss, and the total receipts were LllO 14s 6d. The report and balance-sheet were received with loud applause. The following new members were elected to the Club: —G. Chatwin, F. Keefe, W. Knapp, C. B. Mann, G. Hawke, J. Ferguson, L. Ledger and W. Davidson. The election of officers resulted in the re-election of nearly all the officers of last year, as follows —President, Mr J. S. M. Thompson ; Vice-Presidents, Dr Newman, Messrs A. W. Brown, 11. Beauchamp, and W. Fitz Gerald ; Captain, Mr S. Nicholls ; Vice-Captain, Mr H. Davis ; Secretary, Mr A. Wiren ; Treasurer, Mr Mr FI Francis ; General Committee, Messrs Dawson, Bull, and Alpe (the Captain, Vice-Captain, Secretary, and Treasurer are members of the General Committee ex officio) ; Match Committee, Messrs Nicholls, Francis, and Davis ; delegates, Messrs Nicholls, Alpe, and Wiren. After the election the Chairman said that a pleasing duty devolved on him, which was to present the trophies which had been won during the past season. He then presented to Mr A. Merlet the bat given to the Club for the highest scorer in batting ; to Mr S. Stinson, a ball mounted in silver, with an inscription, for the best hatting average, and one to Mr C. Pownall for the best all-round play. The Secretary presented Mr S. Nicholls, tlie captain of the Club, with a ball for the best bowling in the season of the year 1885-86, the Club’s finances not having allowed of its having been given at the time. The various recipients of the trophies replied suitably. A vote of thanks to the chair terminated the proceedings. /