CRICKET.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1844, 2 September 1913, Page 9

CRICKET.

THE AUSTRALIAN TOUR. Mr. Sydney Smith tells me (says a writer iiir the Sydney "Refereo") that tho guarantees received to date for tho matches of tho Now Zealand team in Australia' amount to £475. , So far tho South Australian Association and tho South Melbourne C.C. have not agreed to givo tho needed guarantee. South Australia offers tho liot profits of the match, which may mean littlo or nothing. If our good friends of Adelaide be unable to see their way clear to givo a guarantee of £50 or £75, as is being given by the associations of New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland, Lho match, one supposes, can hardly bo played. It is an expensivo rail trip to Adelaide to undertake, with tho prospect of getting nothing from tho gate. The South Australian Association, unless faced by some exceptional financial impediment, ought not to hesitate about this guarantee, for it means that tho match will provido its players, several of whom will, no doubt, bo colts with their names to make, with match cricket of'tti.naturo that . is not 'as frequently obtained by Adelaide men as of thoso' of Svdney and Melbourno. Moreover, and I say this without anydesiro to hurt anyone's feelings, South Australialias been assisted by two of tho other States in no, small-way, and by the Melbourne C.C., and when her turn as sponsor comes she ought to bo prepared to play tho part._ Now Zealand has welcomed Australian cricketers—among them several distinguished South Australians—and done much: to provido tourists from this country with very happy experiences, and in some cases with an enhanced bank balance. In talking with Mr. Smith tho other day, I remarked on the fine spirit shown in this matter by some of tho country centres, such as Toowoomba (Queensland), Maitland, and Albury. Mr. Smith then linformed mo that Toowoomba had agreed to tho guarantee, but on working out time-tables, ho thinks that ono of the two days at the picturesque Queensland town will have to be foregone. In that caso it will, no doubt, bo found necessary to reduce the guarantee. Tho New Zealanders will leave for Sydney on Dccomber 9, and leave Sydney for Now Zealand again oil January 24.