CRICKET MATCH AND OTHER SPORTS AT PUKETAPU.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 156, 8 January 1864, Page 2 (Supplement)

CRICKET MATCH AND OTHER SPORTS AT PUKETAPU.

[Com mun looted ], I have seen many new years come in and old years go out at Hawke’s Bay—the new, mostly, coming in laden with the blossom of fair hope; the old, alas, but too often going out laden with the withered leaves of disappointment ; but never saw I such a fair and hopeful beginning of the year to the community generally, than this, the birth of 1864. Last Friday being New Year’s Day, Mr. Heslop, that worthy specimen of a loyal British yeoman, threw open his paddocks to all comers, therein to divert themselves according to their wont. There was, of course, a deal of still-born horse-racing, and general amusement. But the event of the day was the cricketing. This was the first regular stand-up game of cricket we have yet had played in this Province, and it augurs well of our present and future, that the disposition to revive that fine English game is to be found amongst us. I attribute this to the love of good-fellowship evinced by some of our settlers, amongst, whom it is pleasant indeed to place Major "Whitmore, as one of the most enthusiastic of the promoters. A glorious day, this Ist day of January, 1864, to be sure, a delicious breeze tempered the heat, and to make matters better still, it would be difficult to find a better place for the purpose of cricketing than Puketapu. Plenty of room and lots of excellent turf. Nature, too, smiled her sweetest, and wore her gayest looks to welcome in the New Year, and, it is to be hoped, the new era. But to the cricket; it is of that I have to speak. The wickets were pitched punctual-

ly at eleven o’clock, ami it was proposed, in order to arrive at some idea of what sort of cricketers we have amongst us, and at the same time to secure a good game, that the settlers should send in an eleven just got together without preliminary practice, to play the Defence Corps, that corps having, under the judicious guidance of Mr. Inspector Anderson, some time since formed a Club, and being able to show a capital eleven. So the Settlers went in first, the following gentlemen making up the side. Total score—2 innings. Brown (minor) ... ... 0 Bousfield ... ... 3 Curling ... ... ... 3 Cresswell ... ... 1 Danvers ... ... 3 Harris ... ... 19 Kentledge ... ... -2 Sutton ... ... 2 Tuke (major) ... ... 3 Tuke (minor) ... 9 Whitmore (major) ... 2 47 12 byes, 10 wides, Ino ball. Bowled by Drinkwater and Ferriss. Drinkwater’s and Ferris’s bowling was very severe, they put the wickets down with unpleasant rapidity, and being supported by a good field the settlers’ eleven were cleared off for the first innings with a score of 35, including 4 wides and 6 byes. This shows fine bowling and good fielding on the Defence Corps side. The Defence Corps next go in, the eleven being made up of the undermentioned officers and privates.

42 19 byes, 7 wides, 1 no ball. Bowled by Whitmore and Danvers. The howling by Major Whitmore and Mr. Danvers on the Settlers’ side was very good and very severe, and in spite of some good batting, the wickets went down pretty sharp. Danvers’ bowling when in good practice must be tremendous, and the Major, for a man of his weight, puts the ball about with astonishing force and truth. These two gentlemen in good practice would make a pair of very severe and clever bowlers indeed. The Defence Corps’ wickets were cleared for the first innings with a score of 55, including the alarming number of 15 byes and 6 wides, giving as the difference of the score made off the bat by the settlers and themselves 9 only. The settlers’ side was lamentably deficient in fielding, and it will be well to practise this part well ere they can show a good figure. The bowling was excellent, and the batting of Messrs. Harris and Tuke very good—Mr. v Harris making the largest score of the day, and with practice I noticed that many others of the eleven would soon bat well, but still this does not lessen the importance of good fielding. Mr. Routledge’s wicket-keeping was excellent, as also Mr. Harris’ long-stop. Thus ended the first good day’s sport at cricket I have seen in these parts, and all lovers of that noble game sincerely hope that it will not be the last. Upon the whole, good judges pronounced the play as very good. Upon the strength of the result of this day’s work, it is intended to form a regular Club to incorporate all the players in the province willing to join, for it is clear that a very good eleven can be made to carry the bats and the prowess of Hawke’s Bay into the hearts of the neighboring provinces. The day wound up with a small episode in the racing line between Mr. Richardson’s Blue Skin and Mr. Heslop’s well-known Pony, the Blue Skin winning easily. lam sorry to say the Pony showed unmistakeable stiffness, whereas his opponent went off like a windmill. There was dancing on the green, and all sorts of sports and fun going on to the delight of all.

Cambridge Total score. 1 one innings Drinkwater ... 10 two « Claridge 1 one u Caulton 0 one u Ferrisa (major) .. 0 one jb'erriss (minor).. ... 17 two it Gascoigne 0 one u li odges 2 two “ not out Knight 5 one it Maunsell 4 two not out Power 2 one “