The Star. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1882.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4562, 7 December 1882, Page 2

The Star. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1882.

Wbbb wb asked to give off-hand the leading feature of the late very capital cricket match between Canterbury and Auokland, we should name something altogether outside the game itself. What we ahould point out would be the wonderful impartiality and general good taste shown by the excited crowd of onlookers. Not only is it not the least exaggeration to say that every deoent piece of play on the visitors' part was applauded every bit aa heartily as aimilar displays on the part of the looal men, but the spectators went further than thia. Aa a rule an impartial orowd will cheer a fine hit or clever catoh by one of their adversaries. But in the match under notice the ring ahouted almost as loudly when a Canterbury wioket was bowled as when the like fate befell one of the Auckland eleven. In faot, several of the Canterbury players jokingly congratulated their adversaries on their superior popularity with the public Thia of course waa an exaggeration, aa the frantic shouts of joy whioh announoed Canterbury's final triumph very well showed. The onlookers wished well to "our aide" with all their hearts. But the said hearts also had a warm corner for the plucky Aucklandera who died so gamely, and each and all of those watching the struggle seemed to feel that they were our guests, and should be taken under special protection accordingly. The Canterbury public are not Laodicean in orioket matters j anything but it. They take a keen interest in the doings of their ohampiona, and their impartiality, above referred to, springs by no means from cynicism or lukewarm* ness, but from a most healthy,, proper, and sportsmanlike feeling of hospitality and fairness. May onr athletio oon* teats ever be noted for this, and for a complete absence of that narrow provincialism whioh regards every opponent aa an enemy, to be treated by fair means or foul. For the rest there can be little doubt that the victory has come at the right moment. The game here has long wanted a fillip of come Bort. For the last season or two it has languished, not so much because those playing have not done their beßt, as because adverse ciroumstances have been too many for them. From one reason and another nearly all the fine players who four or five years ago made the name of Canterbury noted throughout tho Australasian Oolonieß have left us. To replace their losb in a day has been out of the question. Efforts have been made, and &r» being made, to train np younger players to take their places. In the end these are quite oertain to be orowned with aucoesa. In the meantime our orioket management must do the beßt it can with tho materials to hand. Beyond thia there is nothing for it but patience. Let the publio exercise that quality, and rest assured that in a year or two Canterbury will turn out afirstolass eleven.