CRICKETERS HONOURED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22204, 6 March 1934, Page 13

CRICKETERS HONOURED

REPRESENTATIVE TEAM ENTERTAINED FAREWELL TO OTAGO COACH. At the City Hotel last evening, the members of the Otago representative team were the guests at a dinner given in their honour by the president of the Otago Cricket Association, Mr J. M. Fraser, the function also being made the occasion of a farewell to F, T. Badcock, the association’s coach, who will depart for England to-morrow morning. Among those present were Messrs J. J. Clark, A. Martin, and members of the association, representatives of the various clubs, and the Otago selectors (Messrs F. Williams and W, Butler), Following the honouring of the loyal toast, Mr Martin proposed the toast of “ The President of the Association.” The association, he said, had had many fine presidents, but none of those who had preceded Mr Fraser was jealous of the yeoman service he bad rendered to the game during the time he had occupied the president’s chair. Mr Fraser had had the privilege and honour of being president last year when Otago won the - Plunket Shield, and although the team played the game for the game’s sake, the honour it had brought to the province was gratifying. During the past few seasons the association had done its best to advance the game, and he thought that with the assistance of one of the best coaches who had ever come to New Zealand it had succeeded. Mr Badcock was an asset to cricket, and one who, during his sojourn in Dunedin, had done much to make local cricket attractive and worth going to see. He hoped that next season the member* of the association would take more interest in coaching than they had done in the past, for if they did this they would be giving valuable service in- the advancement of cricket in the province. Mr Fraser thanked Mr Martin for his remarks, and expressed pleasure at the presence that evening of the Otago selector*, who, everyone would agree, had given them a square deal , and a good team. Regarding this team, he would like to compliment the members on their play and their behaviour whilst on tour. Every man had acquitted himself well, and he was pleased to say that the prospects for the coming season were distinctly good ; moreover, with the young players that were coming on this should be the case for some years to come—a state of affairs for which Mr Badcock was -largely responsible. He would admit that the association had not, perhaps, taken the interest in coaching that it should have done, but he should explain that the, coaching fftnd was largely subscribed by individuals who had the interests of the game at heart. He (bought that it was reasonable to look forward to a continuance of this support, and ho considered that the Coaching Committee and the cricketers themselves should show their appreciarion qf .it by interesting themselves keenly in coaching activities. Commenting on the forthcoming match against Southland, Mr Fraser expressed the hope that as many of the selected players as possible would make the trip to Invercargill. Chi behalf of those present. Mr Fraser then presented Mr Badcock with a fountain pen as a tangible mark of the esteem lin which they held him. The gift carried with it the best wishes of the members of the association; and the hope that after scoring, many runs and taking many wickets in the Old . Country their coach would return to Dunedin in better form than ever.' In conclusion, Mr Fraser,intimated, amidst loud applause, that J. A. Dunning had been awarded -the Wycherley trophy for the. beat bowling performances in Plunket Shield matches. Mr Badcock said he was more than gratified at Mr Dunning’s success. As captain of the Otago team he had had to call on Mr Dunning to endure some hard spells, but despite this, he had come out on top. Touching on the perform-; ances of the team, Mr Badcock said he, had to thank the members for their .‘an-. faillDg 'loyaWy and support whilst on tour, and he wished to congratulate them on their 1 behaviour, which, despite riimonrs to the contrary, had been all that could be desired. It *as unfortunate in many ways’ that they had lost the game against Auckland, but he doubted if any team could this season have beaten Auckland on its own groind. He was iriore than pleased that the association ■ had ■ seen; fit .-.to. continue , his contract for another two years.'; He took this as a compliment, bat he would appeal to the members of that body to take: a greater interest in coaching. To watch representatives practice was not enough—the members should attend the colts’ practices, and until they had done this they had no right to . criticise either the Coaching Committee or the coach. He hoped that the association would consider the possibility of a colts’ team being formed, for until this was done it waS not getting full value out of its coach. Coaching did not end at net practices. Fielding and Funding between the wickets were also matters' that should be given attention, and ths formation of a colts’ .team would materially assist in improving these branches of the game.—; (Applause.) Mr, Fraser agreed that the formation of a colts’ team was a vital matter to the association and he proposed to take a strong stand with a view to ascertaining if, by some means, such a combination could not be got together.—(Applause.) The gathering was brought to a close by the singing of “ Auld Lang Syne.”