NEW ZEALAND CRICKET.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16681, 13 March 1922, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND CRICKET.

ENGLISH VISITOR’S IMPRESSIONS,

An enthusiastic opinion of the potentialities of cricket in New r Zealand w as. expressed to a V importer last evening by Mr J. H. Do-uglas. father of Mr J VN • H- 1 Douglas, the famous English onokete.. Mr Douglas, who is visiting New Zealand with his wife and two daughter®, was an interested spectator of the Inter-Island cricket match at Lanqftster Park on Friday and Saturday. ■' I have been looking forward to coming out to- New Zealand for many years, and one of the principal renHons was that I wanted see nay old friend. Dan Reese, again.” said Mr Douglas. Dan Reese used to play for London County together with my son about the year 1902. when they were under that veteran of cricket, the lot*-* Dr W. G. Grace. I had hoped he would come back to England to sea us. but as be didn't do so T simply had to come out here and see him *’ Speaking of New Zealand cricket as he had seen it at Lancaster F*ark. Mr Douglas said the material was good, but there wks not the. slightest doubt that the players had not seen high class cricket played, and because of that had not had a chance of learning the finer points of the game. “ You have many really good boys here, who if they had a trip to England would come back a really excellent side.” hj added. “You have never sent a New Zealand team to England and you ha ve not bad an English team here since 1906-/ What is wanted is that little bit of difference that makes all the difference in cricket.” If New Zealand sent ;* team to England lie felt quite cert a. n it would he a financial success. Tin team would lie beaten in its first fe' T matches against county teams, but in the end he was confident it would have more wins than defeats. Cricket uas on tlie boom jusfc now in England and the very fact that the Australia > team had beeu so successful would augur well for the success nf a New Zealand team- The New Zealand climate was very similar to the English climate, and once the members of team “felt their feet.” they should bv. able to give a good account of them Mr Douglas was enthusiastic concerning the performance of R. C Blunt at Lancaster Park on Satnrdav " He played like a cricketer,” said M Douglas. “ and if he had had a better wicket I’m «uire he could do much better." Referring to the propose l visit of a team of English amateurs under Archie M 'Laron, Mr Douglas said that M’Lareu was as good a judg; of a cricketer as was to he found in England and lie could he depend! upon to bring out a good team. Some of the probables who, he thought might be selected bv M’Laren for th -• tour were Gerald JTuburt and C. T. Ashton, M. Falcon. Chapman, of Cambridge. Eniversity, Caltliorpe. captain of the Warwickshire eleven, Carr, captain of Notts, the two Bryan brother.-., the Kent players. Jack White, the Somerset howler. Frank Gilligan, th * famous wicket-keeper, and C. V. Jupp. the Sussex player. “Those were, 1 think, the pick of the amateurs at the • lose of last season," added Mr Doug las. Mr Douglas expressed the opinion that Lancaster Park was a beautifu' ground a.nd its appointments were excellent. Bur what it did need w.n - a stiff top-dressing. The wickets, however, needed improvement, hut otherwise it compared very favourably with the English cricket grounds.