CRICKET.

Evening Star, Issue 3621, 30 September 1874, Page 3

CRICKET.

PROPOSED VISIT OP A VICTORIAN TEAM,

At a meeting of cricketers at Christchurch on the 24th instant, a letter was r. ad from Mr Rattray, as President of the Dunedin Cricket Club, inviting the co operation of Canterbury cricketers in arranging for a visit of Victorian cricketers this summer. Mr Rattray wrote:—“We reckon on drawing about LSO for the gate money, and getting LSO subscribed in guineas by admirers of the game. Our ground is, unfortunately a public paik, or we could reckon on L2OO from gate money |or such a match. I quite think a visit of this sort would stimulate cricket in thhtwo Provinces .is ranch as .a bigKnglish affair, and it has the advantage of admitting of a return visit by and bye. Mr. hunting Bays the time which a team could give for i hj > trip would be, at the most, five weeks. From annexed calculations of their timetable, they can scarcely play in any ether Province if they play Canterbnry and Otago. ” Probable Time Table —Team leave Melbourne; say per Alhambra, February Ist; arrive at Dunedin, February 7th; play Dunedin, February, 10th, Ilth, and 13 i ; leave Dunedin, February 14th; arrive at Christchurch, February 15th ; play at Christchprch, February l§th,‘ IQtlj, and gOth ; lpaye Christchurch, ?ay ppr Otago, February 32nd ; leayo Hokitika, February 26th; arrive at Melbourne, March 4tb.

Suggestions for a visit from a Victorian team o! cricketers to Otago and Canterbnry Messrs Beal, Meares, and Rattray to be a committee for undertaking all arrangements for the match at Dunedin, and for selecting the Otago team. They to correspond with the Canterbury committee, and to arrange with them a joint invitation to be sent to Melbourne. The invitation to be something like this : To be addressed to Mr Bunting, of the Melbourne Cricket Club, inviting a V'ctorian eleven to come over in January, 1875, the eleven to include at least five of the eighteen who played against Grace’s eleven at Melbourne in December, 1873; the eleven to play a three days’ match at Dunedin against fifteen of Otago, and a three days’ match at Christchurch against of' Canterbury. Otago committee to give Victorian team LIOO towards their expenses fund on the day of their arrival in Dunedin ; Canterbury committee to do the like on the day of their arrival in Christchurch.

Mr E J. C. Stevens said that when he was S Melbourne he asked Mr Handfield wheer the M.O.G. would send an eleven between the 12th of January and the 12fch of February next, to play first in Dunedin against Otago, and afterwards in Christchurch against Canterbury, and then against a united eleven of the two Provinces on the Canterbury ground. He (Mr Handfield) undertook to write, stating the amount required to defray the expenses of the Victorian eleven, and said that no doubt they woulJi send an eleven if we would send one fn tarn to Victoria; ; but that, if not; they would send one if the expenses were paid. In passing through Dunedin he saw Mr Rattray, and found that that gentleman was on the point of sending to Mr Beal (who was in Melbourne) instructions to arrange a match Sith Mr Bunting, secretary to the South elbourne Cricket Club, on the bans of the proposal already read. It Would be seen that the Otago managers thought of an “ odds ” match fifteen of Otago being played. He (Mr Stevens) remarked to Mr Rattray that he doubted whether Canterbury would play an “odds” match The proposed stipulation, that Victoria should send at least five of the eighteen who played against Mr Grace’s eleven, could not be accepted by Victoria, for the reason that their match engagements would prevent it. Mr Handfield had told him that one professional bowler would certainly accompany the team. His own view was distinctly against an “odds” match so far as Canterbury was concerned, or as regarded any united match.

Messrs Williams, Stevens, and Fowler having been appointed a committee to ascertain if a sufficient sum of money could be raised to provide Canterbury’s proportion of the expense of a visit from a Victorian eleven, and to communicate with the Dunedin committee and make what arrangments they might think fit-Mr Stevens said that as the committee had been appointed to do certain work, it would be as well that they knew what they were to do. The Otago men wished an “ edds” match, and they ought to decide that point that evening • also whether the cricketers in the Province wished that a match should be played against a Canterbury eleven, and one against a united eleven. He pioposed—“ That any ihatch either against a Canterbury eleven, or united eleven, be played on even terms.” Which; w» agreed to.

Mr Stevens proposed—“ That if possible it is desirable that a match should be played 'n this ground against a Canterbury eleven, and if possible against a united eleven, to be taken from the t 'tago and I 'anterbury Sevens, and to be selected by the captaira of the two teams.” The team should be selected on its cricketing merits, and he did not think that any peisons were so likely to select tlin team on its merits, and apart fr m local prejudice, as the captains.—(Hear, hear.)

Mr Ollivier had very great pleasure in seconding the resolution. That was the proposal when a match was contemplated in 1868, and he believed with Mr Kattray that a team from Victoria would do more to improve cricket in New Zealand than a visit from the All England Eleven, as not only would the expense be very heavy, but, as on the last occasion of their visit, there would most likely be a great deal of cricket before the match, and none for some time afterwards. The resolution was put and carried.