CRICKET.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 210, 9 October 1914, Page 5

CRICKET.

CITY AND SUBURBAN NOTES. If one can, judge by appearances, the Christchureh City and Suburban Cricket Association's season, which will - open to-morrow, should prove the most interesting and. successful since the Association was formed. In reviewing. the entries for the. senior competitions, one notes at least three teams with very goofl chances of winning. The juniors are just as hard to.pick, as, among sixteen entries, some six or eight teams should be well up at the finish. The President's grade, with eleven teams in the field, is bound to provide an interesting competition, as there are several new teams this year. All of the leading senior teams of last season are said to intend to make big bids for the shield, and are doing their utmost to obtain fresh members likely to strengthen their teams. The new senior teams contain many men of whom much should-be heard later, such as Bartlett (Rangers), Kenny (Belfast), Griff en (Marist Bros.), and many others. It is to be regretted that the old" Sumner Club has found it impossible to muster a team, as there were five men in the Sumner team last year who. would be'a credit ' t6 any' senior team. Of course, the war has interfered with teams to some extent, as many of the younger players have left with the Expeditionary Force. _ One of the most pleasing- features noticeable this season is the trouble that the various clubs are taking in the improvement of their wickets. There is a marked improvement all round, and I notice that some of the clubs have been at work for two or three weeks past in-preparing their pitches. I hear that R. Harry, who played for Linwood Wanderers last year, is playing for the Sydenham District Club again, and that the old Linwood team has suffered the loss of Grammer, and Bentley a&well. It is to be hoped that the twd last named will reconsider their decision, and will play once more. It is rather early in the season to judge, but, taking the first round as it appears on paper, the Sydenham Hockey Club v. Rangers' match should.be very even. I am inclined to favour the Sydenham team, as, with the addition of Bellamy, Ford, and Holland, there should be an improvement, and I understand that Burton is going to get to work right away. Rangers, on the other hand, have many men who are as yet unknown, but when we come across such men as Bartlett, Norman, Porter, and Grant we expect to find something doing. Islington-Hornby will meet Glenmore with a team that is stronger than last year, if anything, owing to the inclusion of Exton and Kerr, but still Glenmore is a good team should it take the game seriously. Druids will be stronger this year, they having secured

C. Rix, late of Riccarton, as well as Kenworthy and from ■-' Hornby. However, I shall have more to say about the teams and individuals later on.. One suggestion I should like to make that may be taken up by the Management Committee of the Association is that all players be recommended ~to play in flannels. It is granted that the clothes do not make the cricketer, but what looks better than a big park like Sydenham filled with cricketers all in white? However, the Suburban Association should have the best wishes of all cricketers, as it is doing good work, and, should the time ever arrive when the two Associations decide to amalgamate, as is done in Australia, it ' will be shown that the -City and Suburban Cricket Association has done a vast amount of good in furthering the sport and providing recruits for the District Association. While on this subject • I must congratulate the Association on retaining its president and secretary, as these two officers have both proved that they have the interests of the sport' at heart, and the clubs can always rest .assured that they will _get fair treatment at the hands of these two gentlemen, c COVER-POINT.