REPRESENTATIVE CRICKET

Taranaki Daily News, 15 October 1930, Page 4

REPRESENTATIVE CRICKET

PAST SEASON REVIEWED MATCHES" TARANAKI TEAMS ANNUAL REPORT OF ASSOCIATION [Representative cricket in Taranaki last season is reviewed in the annual report of the Taranaki Cricket Association which is to be presented at the annual meeting in New Plymouth to-

morrow evening. Due to the visit of the M.C.C. team to New Zealand the past season may lie considered one of the most important in the history of the association, states the report. The visiting team included some of Englands most famous cricketers. The fixture was a strong incentive to players to win a place in ■■ ’ the provincial eleven and there is no doubt the match was of material benefit to Taranaki cricket in general. The fixture was drawn up for play at New Plymouth on January 31 and rcbiuary 1, Taranaki being gran J d a week-end match. Owing to a last-min-ute re-arrangement of the tour, however, tho dates were altered to February 26 and 27. As the loss of the week-end was a loss of potential ic- ! "venue, and as the association had already spent a considerable stun in advertising and arranging for the match, the association approached the New Zealand Council for compensation. Through the offices of Mr. G. T. Weston, the association’s representative on the council, the council remitted to the association the sum of £37 10s as compensation for the loss of the week-end. The association acknowledges its debt i to the council and thanks Mr. Weston / for his faithful and capable represen- ■> tation of its interests. The largest cricketing crowd ever seen in New Plymouth attended Pukekura > ‘ Park oh February 26 to see’the match i against the M.C.C. team, lhe wicket had been carefully preserved for , the match and was in excellent order. Taranaki won the toss and batted first and ? •" scored 138, Nasmith playing nearly right through the innings for 59. The M.C.C. team, after having three wickets down for 47, dug itself in and took command. Turnbull made 79 in a correct and patient innings. In some brilliant batting on the second day ,thc M.C.C. te # am made 364 runs, including a slashing innings_for 98 in forty odd minutes by Earle. Taranaki in its second innings was all out for 155, including another hard hitting innings by i'.X Brown. Financially the M.C.C. match was a success, due to the perfect weather, the complete arrangements and the loyalty and interest of the cricketing public, i , /A large number of Taranaki residents undertook the responsibility of giving a guarantee of, £125 so that the team might visit Taranaki. To them the association offers its gratitude. The expenditure on the match whs £232 and the receipts amounted to £273, making a credit balance-sheet on the match of £4l. A challenge match for the Hawke i Cup was played against Manawatu on January 1 and 2. Some difficulty was experienced in getting the team away owing to tho holiday period. At the last minute two players telegraphed their inability to attend. The Taranaki team was captained by Nasmith. Taranaki opened well and, aided by an excellent 49 by Cheeters, carried the score to 154 on the first innings. Due to the iiile bowling of Clarke, w.ho took five wickets for 11 runs, Manawatu were all out for 90 rune. In the second innings, however, Taranaki made a disastrous beginning. Tho drying wicket suited the Manawatu attack and the whole Taranaki side was out for 48 rune. Left with 114 to make on a dry wicket Manawatu settled down to good cricket and scored 116 for four wickets. The re-arrangement by the council of the Hawke Cup fixtures has been published in the newspapers. Under- last - season’s arrangement Taranaki was drawn against Waikato for the eliminating round. Now, however, it appears > that in future Taranaki will be drawn against .Wanganui. Under this scheme the extremely long distance necessary especially for southern Taranaki players, to travel to Hamilton to play Waikato will be avoided. The annual fixture against Waikato was played at Hamilton on April 20 and April 21. A drawn game was played with the honours in Taranaki’s favour. In the first innings Taranaki made 179, " .Harding topping the score with 49 runs. Waikato made 93, averting the follow-on by a narrow margin of runs. L. Petty took four wickets for 27 runs. In the second innings Tarhnaki declared with nine wickets down for 200 runs, A. Petty making 43 and Budd 35. Waikato were left with 286 runs to get in three and a-half hours. The wicket was lifeless after heavy rain and Waikato dtrg themselves in to z make 208 for four wickets. The prospects for representative fixtures during the present year are quiet. No doubt the association will challenge for the Hawke Cup. Apart from that and the annual match with Waikato, there are at present no definite hopes of .representative fixtures this year. It appears, however, that the New Zealand Council is endeavouring to arrange for the visit of an Australian XI which "Would include Bradman.