AT THE WICKETS.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 31598, 26 October 1923, Page 5

AT THE WICKETS.

PROSPECTS FOR THE SEASON. The boom of cricket last season, when ten teams were engaged in competition fixtures, was apparently shortlived Indication for this season shows that only seven will take the held. Two of last year s Saturday teams will be withdrawn from the Saturday competition, owing to the »a/dly decreased membership of the Pahiatua and Alf red ton Chibs. i’akiatua suffered a severe blow with the loss of Messrs H. R. Nelson. H. \Y. AX onnushan, AV. Beales, L. AA'iHiams, .1. G. Swainson, and H. Griffith. The first four members have left the district, and the remaining two are retiring from the game, but it is a severe blow to the club’s prestige not to be able to field a Saturday

team. Difficulty is being experienced by the club in raising a Wednesday team, is some of its members have transferred to the ranks of the Sports Club. This is deplored, for AT a n gat ain ok a also will be unable to raise a side for mid-week competition, so that only the Sports and Eketahuna club® will compete. Sports it is understood, has now a large memb'-rshio and 't is thought that much benefit would he derived if some of these players would transfer to Pahiatua, if only for the sake of keeping competition alive. The Mangatainoka Wednesday team _ was a. keen. one in the competition last year, m spate oi the fact that it was principally composed of boys. Seeing that a team, cannot be raised n that neighbourhood now, it is not wii; for these youths to drop tlie>:r i i icket completely. Other clubs -are •siting for assistance, and will he < ieger to enrol them. At the beginning of last season Piihbitisa had a crowded' meniber- ; ip. and then the Sports Club sorting into being, with the result •at nrinv of the Pahiatua players tg!i: - I erred. AY, odville lias lost the services of i Graham, probably the finest adliMini cir kete-r in Tararua last yea r . ,i oi an v new members have come to . lii. ’-Uir-e. and there is eveiry in,ni ; iit two teams will he en- ! I ; oin the Northern club for rdnv competition. The Sports .. < xf . pt for the loss'of Mr A rmis ns strong and as onthnscver. being the only ones < .mmcncc practice up to the preMa ir atainoka will not be at its having lost the serof 11. AT Tate re. .T. Hunt, S. Wat. ,11 and Fred and Frank Peid. A 1 is i 1 nderstood. however, thatySorne rdavers discovered recent!v will TW tbe club in prominence. Of At 1 nrj little has been beard, but in *' 'nsation with mu of the ATaV 1" irb.vers, it was learnt that the ohrb will a-f-ain send forth a team to do batt'e for Ohamrvion<diir> honours The rumour that existed at the end of last veer to the effect that TTimli's w'liifii enter n team in tlm eon’oafiti, ». tliis vrMiscn scents to hare been quickly dispelled, for no meeting has

yet been called, and, from what can be gathered, the dairy herds claim preference in that neighbourhood. The question of grounds is causing some clubs iio little anxiety. Pahiatua will not have the use of the Recreation ground: for some considerable time as the Borough ris at present engaged in leve ling and sowing it. .after having put in effective drainage, while the Sports club will have to suspend play on the Showground until the A gi« cii Itm al and Pastoral Association has had the ground properly drained. It is expected that, in the event of the Puhiatiia Club raising a team, it will seek permiss on to use the showground also, until their usual ground is in a tit state for play. There will he ample room for two. matches to be played at the same time on the showground. The Alan.gataino.ka Domain Hoard intends to tnp-'Jress -its ground shortly, and until tfi s lias been completed cricket in that district will be at a standstill.