RETURN OF TROTT'S MEN TO MELBOURNE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1675, 15 February 1913, Page 12

RETURN OF TROTT'S MEN TO MELBOURNE.

. ; ♦— CAPTAIN INTERVIEWED. (From tho Melbourne "Age.") After a .wholly enjoyable and successful six weeks' tour in Now Zealand, nine of tho members of tho South Melbourne cricketing 'teum returned to Melbourne (says the "Ago"). The Sydney express, as usual, .was 'running late, and scores of people were restlessly pacing the platform at Spencer Street. At length tho first'section of the express pulled in,'and tho tension was at an end. The captain, Harry Trott, had disguised himself by removing his moustache and increasing his bulk by about 111b— his weight is now just On 18 stone. Other members of the' team had "put on almost .as much weight in New Zealand, but they lost most of it on the extremely rough return voyage in the Wnrrimoo. After the steamer left Wellington the seas were so upsetting that five members of the team could not leave their bunks until the boat' had passed through Sydney, Heads nearly six hours late. The only players missing were M'Cormack, Scott, and Gray, who remained behind to go' from Wellington to Rotorua. They will not return until to-morrow. ,

In Now Zealand tho tour was generally referred to ns that of "Trott and ,his Merry Men." Of nine matches played; they lost but one, fivo were won, two were drawn, and ono abandoned. "Canterbury Whacked Us." Tho captain, Mr. Harry Trott, spoke freely of the tour. "Better treatment and. tho company of a better lot of chaps," he said, "I nave never experienced in my liiei Wo,had a side, 1 think, capablo of holding'its own. Canterbury whacked us, nndl suppose wo deserved it. I am not making any excuses, though after'n smoko night at Ashburton wo did havo to spend five hours in the train covering fifty miles. Wo felt all right, but all I can do is to use Alec Bannorman's expression: 'It .is one of those unaccountable tilings you can't' account for.' The hospitality of the people of 'tho Dominion was remarkable—molar, rides galore, and every sort of kindness.' At Mnsterton, Christehurch, Duncdin, and Tapanui wo had a great time." .'.'','

: . ~ Tapanui. ."What kind of town is Tapanui?" the interviewer niked. "Well," said Youth's skipper, "it is a nico little place; but I have never seen ■so. many dogs in any place in,my lifemore sheep dogs there than people', Tho two days wo played-there were tlie coldest. I have ever felt, not excepting England.: The only accident our fellows had was at Tapanui. A, hall struck .Purvis "near' Hie eye,, and he had to get three stitches put in. It kept him out of the game for a time. : But there was no other casualty, not even a hit on "the fiugor. ISv the v.-ay, vb struck our only matting 1 iv;cket at Tapanui. All the others are turf, but a bit on the slow side." . The Two Jokes of the Tour. Mr.. Trott nt.this stage of the conversation told, of an amusing incident-of, tho tour. A Ihincdin daily paper published a letter referring to certain alleged misdemranonrs by members of .thV last Australian Eleven in England. "The proprietor of the hotel whora wo were staying," ho continued, "thought it might reflect on us awl hurt our foaling*, ?o off he went, to the newspaper office, without our knowing it. The following day this explanatory paragraph was published :—',-''

"'ln our..correspondence column of yesterday a letter under the heading "Results-of Drink," iii : which >' tho writer made mention of.the "Australian Cricket Team," obviously referring to the representative Australian team, which recently toured tho "Old Country," and respecting tho behaviour of certain membsrs of which allegations were mado' on their return to the Commonwealth. No reader of ordinary perspicacity would for a moment, of, course, construo' our, cor : respondent's' reference as applying to' tho South Melbourne (not Australian) team now visiting Duncdin.'

This was' regarded by all as one of tho biggest jokes of the tour. Tho only thing to touch it," said the South MolGburne captain, "was" when wo. went fishing, at jicton. 'Bill' Scott, who was supposed to be tho 'dabster' fisher of the party, had lines and hooks and bait all fixed up for him; but fjouiehow lio was the only ono of tho'lot .who did not catch'one. wo had caught about four dozen bine-cod; and away ho went in disgust for a walk. Meanwhilo we put a dead ono on his hook, and called him back. Ho brought it up in great style, and we took it off the hook as quick n's.possible. Well, some timo afterwards he remarked that tho blue cod- in Now Zealand did not pull anything- like as hard as sehnapper or.a gummie..

The Friends of the Team. "Now Zealand cricket lias improved out of all knowledge," said Mr. Trott. "Their fielding was excellent in overy game,. I think they will come over here next season, and, if they, do, o number of country matches should be arranged.. Wo hnvo to thank particularly for the success of our tour Arthur George (formerly' of South Melbourne), I?. Patterson (Canterbury), John Cusaek (Wellington), D. Rceoo, and T. Grouch. The last-named 'chaperoned' us most of tho time." Maoris. A final question in regard to jdio Maoris mado Mr. Trott smile. "In' a Maori villapfe near Mnsrei'ton," he said, "most of thorn were in molor-enrsj why, I saw Maori women pitting in nieo motor-cars smoking pipes nil the time."