CRICKET IN NEW ZEALAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13857, 21 March 1907, Page 7

CRICKET IN NEW ZEALAND

THE PLUXKET CHALLENGE SHIELD.

(Pee United Phiss Assocutiox.) m CHRISTCHURCH, Jlaroh 20. Tho Plimkel; challenge shield, given by hra IweeUcncY the Governor to tho New /jcalatid Cricket Council for competition amongst tho various cricket jissociations 111 Aew Zealand affiliated to the council was presented by his Excellency to the oouucil this morning. His Excellency stated, in making; tho presentation, that it gave him the greatest pleasure to be able to piooent tho shield in person to tho council, and in doing so ho expressed tho Jlopo lhafc it ( might tend lo promote the interests of cricket in Now Zealand. He had taken very fjreat personal interest in the tour of tho English team through the colony, and congratulated the council 011 the success of tho tour. So far as football wis concerned, in Xew Zealand it had already reached a very high standard inOMd, but there was 110 doubt that the crickefc of the colony had not rcachod the saino standard of cnicioncy, and ho hoped that the competition for the shield would result ill bringing ulrout such an improvement ill the groat national game that in ihe course of a few years tho cricket of New Zealand might reach tho high level already attained by tho kindred national gamo of football. llr A. E. G. Rhodes, as ono of the yicc-prcsidonts of the Xew Zealand Cricket Council, Thanked liis Excellency for tho very handsome presentation made to tho council, and stated that tile council very greatly appreciated his Exccllcncy's generosity in making so handsome a'gift. He felt certain that the challenge shield would do much for cricket, in tho colony, and that the competition for the possession of tho shield amongst tho various cricket associations would undoubtedly act as an incentive to cricket. The Hon. E. C. ,T. Stevens stated that be could fully endorse tho remarks made by .Mr Ithodes and said that the challenge shield would certainly have a beneficial cftoefc in improving tho cricket of the colony.