CRICKET.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 15000, 25 October 1900, Page 2

CRICKET.

SENIOR CUP FIXTURES, 1900. First Round—Britannia, v. School 1., School Victoria v. School 11.,

Ground; School Ground; Rcg.na v. United. Victoria Park. Second Round —Britannia v. School IL, School Ground; Victoiia v. Regina, Victoria Park; United v. School 1., Cook's Gardens. Third Round —Regina v. School 11., School .Ground ; Victoria v. School 1., Victoria Park; Britannia v. United, Cook's Gardens. Fourth Round—Biitannia v. Victoria, Victoria Park; School 11. v. United, School GrouiKl; School 1. v. Regina, Cook's Gardens. Filth Round=-School I. v. School 11., School Ground ; United v. Victoria, Cook's Gardens; Britannia, v. Regina, Victoria Park. Any postponements wil' be posted in Goss' window before noon each Saturday. Thursday fixtures will lie notified later. Junior Cup matches do not start until 3id November, on account of grounds not being in order. \ NOTES BY "DUCK'S EGG." Another Saturday of ' disappointment! Well, we, are getting used to it now, and we only give a philosophic groan, and hope it will be alright next week. Anyhow, we have this consolation, that other centres arc having just about as bad luck as'wo are; in Wellington and Christchurch all! matches were declared "off" on account of tho sodden state of the wickets. Next Saturday \ve are timed to stint Cup matches, and can only hope for a change in tho weather; it is certainly most unfor-' tunato that practice has as yet been impossible. Say« the Post :>—"Of, the seven matches played by the Melbourne Cricket Club in New Zealand last season only two—those against Wanganui and Wellington—returned any profit. The following is the statement of receipts and expenditure for each match: Auckland match, receipts £IQ6 2s, expenditure £129 8s; Wanganui, £82 Os 6d and £80 Rs 8d; WeUirigton, £146 7s and £115 13s; Canterbury, £85 and £101 4s lid ; Otugo, £118 4s and £129 6s 2d; Southland, £7 aud £61; New Zea-^ land', £58 7s ,8d and £98 5s Id." But in: connectioli with our local match, it must be remembered that the Association had. littlo expense to bear in connection with entertainment^, some enthusiastic citizens generously came forward and took that upon themselves.' Chief'among these were His Worship the Mayor, who invited the visitors up the river in the Wairere, and Mr W. Eiupson, the President of the Association. Tho chief events of the past week have been tho mccti»gs of the local Association, and the N.Z. Cricket Council, hoth of which have been fully reported in the local, fress. I am glad "to see that the local Association intends to tiy and obtain a match with the Tusmanian team, whicj__is intended to tour ' the colony at the end-of the present season. It would 1 be well in view ol such a visit tq start right, away and- get

- Cook's Gardens in thorough order. '" Mr G. F. Francis has been elected. Sec retary to the Association, in the place of the Rev. J. M. Marshall, and should prove i the right man in the right place"; he is i brimful of energy, and has plenty of tact, so that I think we need have no fear of the I future of the Association. - '. Perhaps it would not be out of place to give a short sketch of -Mr Marshall's suet cessful efforts in connection with the local ■■• -Association. In 1895, when' Mr Marshall arrived here, cricket "was in a very disci organised state. The' old' West Coast As- '■• sociation had expired, and~- there was no governing, body; however, Mr Marshall a soon altered that, and immediately called a '- meeting" of delegates oi clubs, and the result was the formation of the present Ase sociation, which, however, was not recog- , nised by the New Zealand Cricket Council. For the first year or two there were s no cups to play for, but in 1898 Messrs ') H. I. Jo.nes .wd Sons donated a handsome S cup for the Senior Championship (ut pre--4 sent competed ifer by seven teams), and last _ year a cup for the junior Competition, was 3 procured. An application for affiliation lo thfe New Zealand Cricket Council was met j_ by the reply that only Associations,representing" the different Provinces were eligible; however, by constant hammering " away, and by Ac aid of Mr Harman, the then President, this rule was amended, and in 1899 the Wanganui Cricket Association was affiliated, the immediate result of wldch was the visit of the Melbourne Cricket Club's team in that season. At the beginning of this year the Association is in > a most flourishing condition, and is a stand- . in^- memorial to Mr Marshall's energy. , .lam :n receipt of an invitation to' view . Messrs H. I. Jones and Son's stock of t cricket and tennis material. I have not as . yet been _ible to avail myself of the invita- . tion, but I hope to be able to do so before 1 the end of the week. 3 In making my weekly inspection of grounds, I notice that Cook's Gardens is rather backward. The gross is only partly cut, and no rolling seems to have been done ; .1 good heavy roller on for a. few days now, while the ground is s»ft, would do an immense amount of good. I also „ noticed several cart loads of soil, prej sumably for top dressing. Sowever, it is now decidedly too late to take this in hand.