THE CRICKET SEASON

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 249, 21 October 1936, Page 4

THE CRICKET SEASON

PROSPECTS IN WANGANUI PLAYERS OLD AND NEW MATCHES BEGIN THIS WEEK (By “Batsman.”) Wanganui cricket commences next Saturday, the same clubs as last year entering the respective competitions. Peat Park lease has been surrendered and, so far as the junior grade is concerned, activities have been transferred to Victoria Park on St. John’s Hill. Senior matches will be played as usual on Cook’s Gardens. Looking at the personnel of the various senior teams one is aware of the usual opening-of-the-season adjustment. Some of the older players have dropped out, others have forsaken the game for other avenues of sport, some have changed club colours and some have left the district. One or two new arrivals have taken their places. A casual look through the talent of last year and through the list of prospective new players and promoted juniors one finds as follows: United Club.—The stalwarts of last year w’ill be in the limelight again— L. A. Wood, C. Holland, Dick Sewell, F. J. Jhcobs, G. McDougal, E. Gee, A. Deere, B. Currie and Wilson. Orton has dropped out and Mackie has gone to athletics. Aves, a Technical College boy, is available for United colours and S. Cottier has come over from Marist. Technical College Old Boys.—Last year’s championship winners are looking forward to a good season and the acquisition of P. Fraser, a Poverty Bay representative, and D. G. Barton, the Wanganui Rugby representative five-eighth and centre, has brightened the picture so far as this club is concerned. Barton will not be out for a week or two as it is understood he is taking his annual leave in Australia. A. Davidson will not be playing for a week or two either. Fraser is a likely-looking bat and can keep

wickets. His ability to score against good bowling will be of value to the club. Among those who have been lost to Technical Old Boys are J. Connor (going to Wellington) and R. Galyer (now in Dannevirke). The club will still be served by J. Hinton, L. Connor, C. Smith, J. Spooner, R. Falconer, J. H. Dark, W. B. Gilmour and R. Thomas. A. McCormick, captain of the v. ill be promoted for the time being. Wanganui.—This club’s most serious loss will be Arthur Bullock-Doug-las, who is taking up swimming, and E. Thomas, who has decided that it is time for him to make way for younger men. Kilpatrick has been fired with the same idea and is standing by. W. Dallard has also retired. So far as Thomas and Kilpatrick are concerned the probability is that if the club needed them they would be there. Old players find it hard to drop out, especially if team mates are insistent. Wanganui will again be served by George Orr, G. and W. Thrush, C. Stewart, F. Warnes, L. R. Spurdie, E. Gordon and J. Broad. Newcomers to these colours will include J. Sherriff, who played a useful game for the Collegiate School some two seasons ago, Charlie Byers, who has changed over from Technical Old Boys, and J. Griffen. H. “Spike” Lowe will not be turning out in the meantime, but is expected to resume his place shortly. Wanganui looks to be well off for talent. Marist Club.—Some of the old players of Marist have flitted, others have taken their place and the greens look likely to put a serviceable side in the field. T. Moran has gone to Wellington and the mantle of captain has fallen on H. Cummings, who hails from Wellington. He played junior last year and, promoted to the senior ranks, came to light with a* score of 118. S. Cottier has gone to United, N. House, good at both batting and bowling, has returned to Christchurch, G. Harding has gone to Wellington and P. Jeffries has been transferred!. The greens will still have the support of E. Anderson, B. Dow (wicketkeeper), E. Neale. Jimmie Oliver, J. Workman and J. Hastings. L. Kooroy, B. Farrell and J. Hodson are promoted juniors, and the club has Gamboni, an ex-Nelson College boy practising under its colours. M. Cameron, [who hails from the Albion Club, Dunedin, is expected to strengthen the club’s bowling standard. The School Teams. Both secondary schools, Collegiate and Wanganui Technical, will be to the fore again this season. School teams have a habit of changing from season to season as the boys leave but, generally speaking the same combinations as represented the schools last year will be available again. Sole Selector For Hawke’s Bay. The controversy, sole selector v. selection committee, which has raged in Hawke’s Bay during the past few years was settled with surprising promptitude at the annual meeting of the Hawke's Bay Cricket Association. When it was moved that F. (“Butcher”) Cane, be appointed sole selector there was not a single dissentient. So it came about that after a lapse of two years F. F. Cane resumes the office which he had previously filled with considerable distinction for a number of years previously. Club Secretary’s Record. A record of which any club secretary might well be proud has been put up by W. A. Rowland, of Dunedin, who was recently elected hon. secretary of the old-established Grange Cricket Club for the 22nd consecutive year. Mr. Rowland is a prominent figure in Otago cricket administration, and with the exception of a short break has been a member of the Otago Cricket Association since 1918 continuously. He was the association’s scorer for 15 years, and has frequently been manager of Otago teams on tour.