CRICKET PITCHES

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 128, 28 February 1928, Page 16

CRICKET PITCHES

“BASIN GOING BACK” APPEAL TO DIRECTOR OF RESERVES The following letter was addressed to the Director of City Reserves (Mr. J. G. McKenzie) yesterday by the secretary of the Wellington Cricket Association (Mr. A. Varney):— "My committtee desire to bring under your notice the necessity for procuring "soil for the match and practice wickets on the Basin Reserve. We cannot help thinking that these are deteriorating, and if they are not propertly dressed from time to time with suitable soil they will get worse, and Wellington will bo in the unfortunate position of providing the worst wickets in New Zealand. "We wish to point out that whilst criticism about the wicket breaking is quite correct, it is through no fault of the groundsman, but is entirely due to the soil that is provided for him to top dress with. We want to earnestly ask you to bring this matter before the Reserves Committee in order that same may be provided at once. "Any delay will mean the loss of a great deal of the value of the work ami money that have been spent on the reserve during the past few years, and will also materially affect the gate receipts, as good wickets will mean good cricket, and good cricket means good games.’’ The letter was endorsed at the meetin- of the Management Committee of the 'Wellington Cricket Association last “Everyone at this table,” remarked the chairman (Mr, C. G. Wilson), "will endorse the terms of this letter. As sure as 1 am sitting at this table, I can assure you that tbe wickets at the Basin Reserve are going to the devil. We are told that they have a largo quantity of soil waiting to top-dress the Basin Reserve with, but all cricketers know that this soil has no binding properties and will not bind with the soil at present on the Basin, The best wicket in Wellington at present is unquestionably on Kilbirnie Reserve, and this is owing to the fact that we supplied the soil for the wickets. If some action is not taken speedily Wellington will have the unenvious distinction of possessing the worst wickets in New Zealand, and none of us want this.”

GENEROUS DONATION FROM MR. E. RIDDIFORD FOR UP-TO-DATE SCORING BOARD. Tbe most interesting document on the table round which the .Management Committee sat was a cheque for .£250. This, the chairman (Mr. C. G. Wilson) explained, was a donation from Mr. Eric Riddiford, who had stated that he was so pleased with the improvement which had been shown in form in New Zealand recently, and the management of the game in Wellington, that he would like to do something to assist. Mr. Riddiford, continued the chairman. had asked in what manner it was proposed to expend the donation, and he had suggested that it could not be put to a better use than in providing an up-to-date scoring board at the Basin Reserve, which could be used for other sports as well as cricket. Mr. Riddiford had expressed approval of this suggestion. It was decided to earmark the donation as a fund for erecting a scoringbonrd at the Basin Reserve, and the secretary was instructed to write thanking Mr. Riddiford for his generous donation. BENEFIT FOD BADCOCK. The Management Committee approved of a proposal to award the professional, F. T. Badcock, a benefit match, and a sub-committee, consisting of Messrs C. G. Wilson, L. J. Brabin, and R. S. Johnston, was set up to make arrangements for the match. Mr. Wilson suggested that a suitable game for such a match would be a contest between players under 25 years of age. and those over that age, plav to commence at 12 o’clock. JUNIOR REPRESENTATIVE MATCH. A match will be played on. No. 2 ground Kelburn Park between a junior representative team nnd a team representative of tho third class clubs of the Wellington Cricket Association. The following have been selected as the third class team: —H. Gentry (captain), E. Gentry, J. Bringans (Khandallah), Devine, Coman, Flux (Petone), Sando (Midland), Kittleby (Stop Out), Bryant (Kilbirnie), Armitage (Karori), and Elvy (Kaiwarra). Emergencies: Marshall (Stop Out), Perkins (Y.M.C.A.), and Attridge (Railway). Players unable to take part in the match should advise Mr. 1). McKenzie at the earliest opportunity. JUNIOR COMPETITION. Junior competition fixtures for Saturday morning are: Technical College v. M.Y.M.1., Basin Reserve No. 1; Miramar Presbyterian v. Wellesley College B, Basin Reserve No. 2; H.Y.M.I. v. Institute, Basin Reserve No. 3; Wellesley A v. W.Y.M.1., Basin Reserve No. 4. INTERMEDIATE GRADE. The following will be the fixtures in the intermediate grade (secondary schools) competition next .Saturday:— First Elevens.—Wellington College v. Technical ’College, 'Wellington College No. 1; Scots College v. Institute A, Scots College No. 1; Hutt High School v. Institute B, Petone Recreation Ground; Wellesley (W.Y.M.1.) v. St. Patrick’s College, Newtown Park No. 7. Second Elevens.—-St. John’s v. Hutt High School, Hutt High Schoo] No. 1 : Rongotai Boys’ College v. St. Patrick’s College, Newtown Park No. 5; Institute A v. Scots College, Scots College No. 2: Technical College v. Wellington College, Wellington College No. 2. Third Elevens.—lnstitute A v. Scots College, Scots College No. 3; Institute B v. Hutt High School, Hutt High School No. 2; St. Patrick’s College v. .Rongotai Boys’ College, Newtown Park No. 3; Wellington College v. Technical College, Wellington College No. 3. THIRD CLASS FIXTURES. The following are the third class fixtures for Saturday next:— ’['bird Class A —Khandallah v. Midland, Wakefield Park No. 1; Petone A v. Railways, Petone No. 3; Petone B v. Kilbirnie A, Kilbirnie No. 3; Karori v. Y.M.C.A., Wakefield Park No. 2: Stop Out v. Institute, Wakefield Park No. 3; Hutt v. Kilbirnie B, Anderson Park No. 1. Third Class B—Petone v. Kaiwarra B, Anderson Park No. 2; Kaiwarra A v. Hutt, Anderson Park No. 3; Karori v. Stop Out, Wakefield Park No. 4; Eastbourne v. Institute. Eastbourne No. 1; Khandallah win by default from Midland. BOYS’ CRICKET LEAGUE. Boys’ Cricket League fixtures for Saturday are: — Senior. —Lvall Bay v. Stop Out. Lyall Bay; Marist v. Oriental, Prince of Wales Park: United v. Brooklyn, Prince of Wales Park; Trinity, bye. Intermediate. —St. Patrick’s A v. Lyall Bay. Kilbirnie; Trinity v. St. Patrick’s B, Nairn Street: Khandallah A y. Karori, Karori Park; Stop Out v. Oriental, Nairn Street; Marist and Athletic, byes.