GAME ABANDONED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19700, 4 August 1938, Page 8

GAME ABANDONED

MATCH WITH INDIA GROUND UNFIT FOR PLAY RESERVE UNDER WATER VISITORS’ REGRETS The hockey match between the Manavadar Indian State team and Poverty Bay to have been played cn the Childers Road Reserve this afternoon has been abandoned in view of the bad state of the ground following the heavy rain. An inspection of the ground was made yesterday afternoon by the visiting manager, Professor Jagan Nath, and Mr. S. B. Browne, who is accompanying the team as a representative of the New Zealand Hockey Association. After almost 24 hours without rain, the area chosen for the match was firm, and would have been in good order to-day, if no more rain had fallen. A further inspection of the reserve was made at 12.30 p.m. to-day, after another 12 hours’ rain, the last few hours before lunch being very heavy. “The ground is Hooded and unfit for play,” stated Mr. Browne, when advising the Herald of the decision, “and it is with much regret that we will have to call the game off” Manager’s Appeal Speaking at the Poho-o-rawiri reception this morning, Professor Jagan Nath said that hockey was a game that was essentially one for dry grounds, for the ball could not move on muddy grounds. The Indian team was doing its best under circumstances which did not allow the best hockey to be played. The game in Wairoa was played almost in water, and it was difficult to make any progress with the half Three crack members of the team were now laid up, and he had asked the New Zealand Association’s representative to get into touch with headquarters to see what was to be done under such circumstances. The team did not Wish to disappoint the public, and would play if at all possible, but lie had also to protect his players, too If he did not look after his players they could not do their best in the tests, which were international fixtures. Tiie weather was bad again, he added. He had not seen the ground to-day up to then, but he would do so shortly after the reception. It would be with the greatest reluctance that he would cancel the game, but if that was necessary he hoped the people of Gisborne would not blame 'him.