DUNEDIN CRICKET.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10680, 29 January 1913, Page 3

DUNEDIN CRICKET.

a . [Funu OITR CoHRXSPON-DENT.] The following is the position of the First Grade teams at tho end of tho first round, which was completed on Saturday last; —

Tho convincing defeat of South Melbourne by Canterbury created no surprise here, as it had been felt all along that tho South Melbourne team was not a great side. Certainly oil the form tlio Australians showed hero the surprise is that Canterbury did not defeat tho visitors at the first meeting. My own belief is that Canterbury would defeat South Melbourne' three times out of four. There wero only throe batsmen on tho side who could claim satisfactory recognition—Kenny, Giller and Scott. For the rest tliey were just as likely to got out as to make runs, though I confess that Deas was a nice frpe bat. Kylo was a good all-round man.

The almighty dollar or rather the lack of.it, is troubling the Otago Cricket Association, and vexing that body exceeding sore. Ways and means have recently been discussed to get hold of the lucre, but recent experience? of representative matches has forced the Association into other channels in search of the wherewithal. Following on the lines set by that keen legislator ol cricket, G. Wilson, the local Association purposes canvassing for honorary members at a guinea each. Surely tliia is buying honours with a venfeance, but how ridiculously cheap! To e an honorary member of the Otago Cricket Association for a guinea I—- " but the privileges are great, as they sing in '"'The Gondoliers"—free pass to all representative cricket, including ladies' tickets' and the right to walk into the players' enclosure and pat the representatives on tho back as they take the field. Anyway, the local Association hopes to raise fifty or 100 guineas by this means, and who will deny ?

Seriously, to the repeated and consistent —so horribly consistent—failures of the Otago team must be attributed in a great measure the lack of funds by the local Association. "The poor wo have always with us " is an old saw, but brought up-to-date and with sting in its application: " The Otago team wo have always with us." Loss of public confidence, that's what's the matter. Canterbury can always get a gate—a profitable one, too—in Cfhristchurch, because Canterbury rarely lets the public down, but Otago has done it so often that the Dunedin public is sick to death of the whole business. They go out to see Otago make a good start, and next morning, while hustling to get out to witness the continuation of the <j;ood things, hear of the tail-enders —which usually commences about the shoulders, —being skittled ,like so many ninepins. This has been going on for years in Otago representative cricket, and no one knows it better than Canterbury. Then once in every ten years or so a " no chance" team goes on tour, and comes back with honours to the accompaniment of brass bands and the booming of cannon. So the public is again deluded for another few seasons, but the end is near, and the public is staying away from cricket in legions. Probably the whole trouble lies in the fact that Dunedin does not really boast a cricketing public—a public that is in love with the game itself. Other influences, such as dispirited life and action and the attendant circumstances of slow cricket, have wrought such havoc as the history of tho game in Otago never knew. This comment is not exclusively of Otago cricket. Several visiting teams have, by their unenterprising methods, left our public in a worse state than thoy were before. Tho unfortunate combination of circumstances is tending to drive people away more and more to the seaside, or any l old place but a crickot field. There may come a time when—heaven forbid—only those taking part in the game will turn up, and even these will be late or want their tram fares paid. 'Tis a spoon-fed generation this, my masters. If a drastic remedy were wanted it might be found in the introduction of dashing batting—something in the nature or cricket pyrotechnics. The "fireworks" would at least waken the sleepers on the benches. More might be expected, but nothing less will do with a public which is out for a thrill with every stroke. This, of course, would be a tremendous sacrifice of the game, but. it is the one means presenting a reasonable chance of capturing the casual and indifferent, of whom" Otago holds a full hand. It is impossible as the game is now played to eliminate commerciality unless by recourse to the village green. Even then I doubt whether " admission ■ free" nailed up on bluegums would not bo suspected as a catch for a " collec- | t'.on after the services." . ■ "Wellington has treated Otago disgracefully," said a prominent commit- ; teaman at the meeting of the Otago As-

sneiation the ot-lior night, and. Red In-dian-like, tho others; grunted assent. Frankly. W'ollinp;fcoTi has not " played 1 lie game," cortainly not. by Ota;;o. H'liom tliey are due four visits to one. Somewhere back in tho dark ages a Wellington cricket team did deign to visit Dunedin, but " tho oldest inhabitant" died tlio other day and took tlio secret with him. Still wo are not without hope now that Wellington has had its Plunkot Shield lesson a team will be sent to Dunedin this season, even if only to show un hosv Wellington should liavt' beaten Auckland. Apropos of the foregoing, there was a suggestion to offer special inducements to Well ington to eond a team to Otago this season. If any special inducement* are offering they should come from Wellington, after theso years of promise sans fulfilment. Australian atmosphere is being introduced into Otogo cricket on Cup Day next month by a malch, Resident Australians v. 'Rest of Otago. Tho resident Australians include such cracks as Callaway, Tuckwell, Hopkins, Ramsden, Huntly, Beale and Eekhold. So .you can see what a hot side the " Australians" make up. The Rest of Otago would include many , well known to Canterbury readers—Siedeberg, Austin, Downes, Condliffe, M'Farlane. Torrance and others. By the way, it has been suggested that tho match should bo a benefit to old Alex Downes. Personally, I should hopo the veteran would be done better than that by offering him in graceful recognition of his services an Otago and Canterbury match. It is in this series of matches that Downes's association with cricket has been built up—certainly in the matches against Canterbury, Downes has proved of inestimable service •to Otago. A benefit match Otago-Canter-bury (if it could ho arranged) would be eminently fitting and decidedly worthy. '

It has been suggested that the annual interprovincial match against Southland should be played at Easter. This is Otago's suggestion, but may not meet with much favour by Southland, who, it is known, are anxious to play the fixture liext month. Easter is certainly convenient from a leave-getting point of view, and as it falls comparatively early in March this year there may be no serious objection to the suggested date. In connection with the foregoing, however, there is just this to be said: that quite a number of our best cricketers take the opportunity of going out of town at Easter, and consequently there is the danger of a "scratch" team being sent south. There is also the fact or.a Carisbrook team making a tour of tho Goldfields at Easter. I understand that quite a number •of Otago representatives in the. Carisbrook Club have decided to make the trip. This would almost certainly prevent anything like a representative team playing Southland at Easter.

I'layocl. 'Won. Lent. Drwn, Pts. Cnrisbrook A. . . o a 0 2 10 Carisbrook B. :i .1 1 8 TJuncdin . . 5 2 1 7 ("J ration . . r, 2 2 1 fi Onoho . . r> 1 3 1 i! Albion 1 i o a