CRICKET

Opunake Times, 16 August 1932, Page 2

CRICKET

THE LOCAL CLUB. LAST SEASON’S EFFORTS. All cricketers and followers of cricket are asked to attend the annual meeting of the Opunake Club on Thursday next at 7.45 p.iu. For many years past followers of the game have endeavoured to start a club in this district and it was not until last year that sufficient men rallied together and entered teams for competitive matches. A review of the season shows that these men’s work was not in vain. Cricketers, old and young soon turned out in full force and within a very short interval the players themselves had prepared a serviceable pitch on the school ground while an enterprising committee had gathered in sufficient funds to put the club firmly on its feet. Cricket was in full swing. The Wednesday team had a great run at the, head of the competition and for a time appeared as if they would be in at the finish. For the first round defeat was a byword of the Saturday players, but every members was practicing conscientiously and the team as a whole was gradually settling down. For two matches both Old Boys and Patea received frights and then the first victory in senior play came at the expense of Old Boys A. The local men emphasised that this was no fluke, by a wonderful battle with Stratford, the ultimate winners of the South Taranaki division.

The bowling and fielding of the Opunake team were right up to standard, the bowling of H. Wilson and W. Burgess in particular, being first-class. Failure to play every ball on its merits proved the downfall of the majority of the local batsmen. Several players could be depended upon to make a stand but the tail seldom wagged, with the result that Opunake were dismissing leading teams for ridiculously small totals only to be dismissed with a smaller score to their own credit.

This season, however, will see a vast difference as several new members are expected to join up, with the benefits of a season’s experience, last year’s members Uarei expected to show improvement in their performances.

Everyone is cordially invited to attend the meeting on Thursday night as there is work to be done on a new pitch and full arrangements to be made for the forthcoming season. Don't forget, a full muster at the school on Thursday at 7.45 p.m.