WELLINGTON CRICKET.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 619, 23 September 1909, Page 8

WELLINGTON CRICKET.

• ASSOCIATION'S ANNUAL DEPORT.' , '.'. The roport of 'the\Wellington Cricket Asa>'. . ciation, to bo presented at the annual meetinj to-morrow,-states that there'was' no > falling-en-in ; the interest taken in- last?season's championship competitions. It was a matter of, re- v grot, however, that numerous interruptions ta cricket were caused'owing to! tho'Basin Reserve .-) being frequently utilised for sports vari; .ous'athletio' bodies!,> More Saturdays woreilost in'this.manner.than had boon.tho :caso: during any preceding season',.and theVcbAmpionship ' committees 1 wrto: seriously hampered,in conse- . queiice..'Owing to" the-largo .number.,ofv.entries for the senior championship, it was found necessaryto utilise additional wickets for that •gradeiat the. Hutt apd Petone.' L 'A quiet season was experienced in-representative matches;: the only, homo game being against Hnwke s Bay., The-annual ,fixtureVwith-', Canterbury 'tookplace, at. Christchurch,- where, thei Wellington representatives were defeated. During the .coming- .season Canterbury -Avill/risit. , and a'visit is duc.to Hawko'i*'Bay. 'The'first ■ challenge issued on'hchalf of Wellington'for possession of. tho Plunket Shield.has been For- • warded to". Auckland,' whore , the, match', will take place on December 27 and onsuing'WS. In connection with' tho- anticipated _ visit ol lan Australian-team next season, the L New;Zea. -. land Cricket Council, advised that it proposcc .to adopt the'pooling method of'financing thi tour, and invited .Wellington's,'-;ngreomenl thereto. 'As tho Wellington Association: is stiU • suffering .financially through;.its': untortunaw. . experience during the. recent, M.C.C. iour, when ■similar:pooling roothods were, employed; .the committee declined:to agree to; the: suggosted proposals.' -An. alternate offer for Jin Austra-. • linn-Wellington :n)atch -was submitted to'■ tM. The ilawke'sßny match, played' in Welling.' ton, was-won by 186 runs.: . Tho Canterbury ■match, at Christchurch. -was lost ■ • ■.-. The. following were the) winners of the varions competitions:—Senior:.Wellington.-College Old' Boys. \ Junior: Wndostew.h. ; Third-class t: ■Karori.' Fourtli : elass: Wailostown.. , - 1 Regret is' expressed 'in. the 'report .mat.tha 'financial.} oositioh - of : , the; association -shows no : improvement. Tho one i-opveseutativo; match hold in Wellington , only produced a '6iuall profit, while in addition there woro tho:expenscs of the team .travelling to Christchurch, and further, it, was found necessary to expend .£36 in improvement of the Basin Reserve after the-close of the season.* :...!.:'■'.', ■'.. The movement to engage . a professional Ticket coach resulted, after a desultory canvass in' a sum'of .£ll6 being .collected.'., Owing . to the near approach : of tho district 1 scheme •> it wiis decided to defer the idea-for this soason.' '. Thanks' tiro tendered Messrs; Treweek- and Williams,' association delegates to : tho New ;, Zealand Cricket ■ Council, ■to - the press,. and to thovmember's of the* Umpires''Associatioa, who ' unselfishly rendered good: • servico .; for ,; both . senior and. junior games.. , .','-'■'; . With ■: tho coming meeting -. tho • association enters upon a. new d'under, a district schniue. For.the past' few ■ years it had. been!apparent that cricket was not'ndvnncing in Wellington under the club regime, and, after mature consideration, . it was 1 considered'.: advisable, that some drastic change: in tho conditions under , ■ which the'game was played.horo should' be. made. .With the fortunate' experiences of Auckland nnd.Christchurch before it, tho committee decided that a new and -proven system should .oust tho old, and placed-a scheme of ,; :district cricket before:' tho '.delegates.,'. Tho scheme'was-approved, 'districts allotted, and a new constitution framed. :Itwas inevitable that the disbandment of'the clubs-should. 1 in many instances entail: - the. dislocation ol pleasant) associations of many, years', standing,' Notwithstanding! this fact, .sentiment.lias been subordinated to the endeavour to uplift cricket, ' and much of thc.eiiergy ofthesnpppMersof tli« various clubs has been devoted t<v the welfare ot tho. now 'districts.. The enthusiasm and. good' will with which, this., has been carried- ont would appear to boar -good : promise, for. th« .! future of cricket in Wellington.,, Tho repori concludes with the committee's opinion thai the best, results of .district cricket .cannot.bt obtained until each district has; its own ground, but its adoption, is calculated. lo load-to thai «rid: -■-■-.':„!■ ;'■'-':' : '-'' ; ..■■■'.•.,'■',,■, The financial' statement shows' receipts.- tt hnve been £U2 t lfls,; -the .balance nyerdrnft at the. hank.,.being lfis.i J3.\-pendihire : ii, set down as ,£739 15s. Assets amount to ,£2O! ; 195.,' and' liabilities:,-CiOG' 16s, W.i living' 6 credit Monw-oi .•■•'■"'-'-,.-!::