CRICKET REVIVAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26114, 29 March 1946, Page 6

CRICKET REVIVAL

AUSTRALIAN AMBASSADORS RECEPTION IN PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS (P.A.)'"***” - “The bonds of friendship between Australia and New Zealand have never been closer than they are at present. The more interchanges of sporting visits between the two countries we have the better.” said the Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser) in extending a national welcome to the Australian cricket team at Parliament Buildings this morning. “ The goodwill you have earned is reflected in the fact that representatives of every sports body in the Dominion are here to welcome you. Your visit is giving a great impetus to the game in this country.” A welcome to the team was also extended by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland), who agreed with the Prime Minister that these interchanges of visits did a great deal to cement the bonds of friendship between the two countries. Stimulus to the Game

The president of the New Zealand Cricket Council (Mr J. H. Phillipps) said that the council owed a debt to the Government for allowing the visit and also to the Australian Board of Control for making this tour the resumption of first-class cricket after the war. The Australian players had proved themselves model tourists. The tour .would lift New Zealand cricket to a higher plane than it had occupied for years.

“ I could not have met a finer buncn of chaps,” said the captain of the New Zealand team (W. A. Hadlee). “They play the game hard and give nothing away. We ourselves will play as hard as we will be expected to do.. We hope that some day New Zealand will be able to defeat a great Australian team. This visit by the Australians has been of immense advantage to New Zealand cricketers.” Mr S. S. Dean (chairman of the council of the New Zealand Rugby Union) and Sir Charles Norwood (president of the Australian Association) also spoke. The manager of the Australian team (Mr C. Yeomans) expressed gratitude for the overwhelming hospitality which had been showered on the team. One thing which had given him great satisfaction was the exemplary manner in which the members of the team, headed by a grand captain in W. A. Brown, had conducted themselves. They had proved ideal ambassadors for their country. Helping Young Players “The members of the team," Mr Yeomans said, “in their spare • time have taken every opportunity to give instruction in cricket to the boys of New Zealand. Brown and O’Reilly in particular have gone round , schools, into colleges, and wherever there were boys, to hand out their cricket knowledge. If the tour has done nothing else, it will be 1 worth while for the work it has done among the boys of New Zealand. “ There is going to be a great revival in cricket,” Mr Yeomans added, “Your public has proved that to us. Public interest in the resumption of the test matches between England and Australia this year is going to be intense.” . Mr Brown paid a tribute to the public of New Zealand. Throughout the tour it had been absolutely impartial. “We have played on delightful ‘grounds against sporting opponents, and we are looking forward to the test match. We will do our best to beat you, but I wish the New Zealand team the best of luck. ”