CRICKET.

Hutt News, Volume 1, Issue 20, 11 October 1928, Page 7

CRICKET.

(By L, T. Oobcroft)

The Hutt Club should again hold a -very strong hand by the time the finals come round of the various grades in cricket. During my lengthy cricketing career which has extended over some 48 years wherein I have played in New South Wales, Canterbury, Wairarapa, Wellington and the Hutt Valley, 1 must admit that the Hutt Club is the most up-to-date club I have ever had the honour to be associated with. The governing body of this club is alive to anything which will improve the game, not only so far as the actual game itself, "but to that all important branch of any outdoor sports —the social side of it. The office bearers apart from the management committee, are ii, attendance at the games eacli Saturday and besides taking a lively interest in the games played are •always ready to make visitors feel at home on their charmingly situated ground. Then again look at the great part the ladies play in entertaining so -lavishly in afternoon teas. Is it therefore any wonder that this club is in such a financial and high social position,

Mr. Elsom, who proved himself such a wonderful secretary for a number of years, and who with Mr Doig, the chairman of the management committee, are .greatly responsible for the sound position of the club to-day, is giving the secretarial role a spell this year, Mr. Pegler being appointed to the position. .Mr. Pegler is quite a live member and should be a success in the position, but the precedent set up by Mr. Elsom will make his duties much harder to live up to. Nevertheless it behoves all members ■to give the holder of this unthankful job «very assistance and all will be well.

The senior team should be more in ■evidence this year than last as that fine all-round cricketer, Herb. McGirr, will be playing regularly. Outside the replacing ■of Tattersall by Bigger, the young Thorndon wicket-keeper, there will be very little alteration in the team. Virtue, who played for Y.M,C.A., last season and a couple £>f promising colts from the Palmerston High School are also available, the former not fbr the first couple of games. Lees, Wames, Williams, Ross, -and Gwilliam. should go well this year as they are now over their stage fright, which happens to nearly every youngster when, promoted to a higher grade. I have no hesitation in saying that these boys will give a number of our senior bowlers a headache trying to get them out, make no mistake they can bat; added to this they- are reliable in the field.

The Juniors should prove a harder nut to crack this year if properly handled; one or two games last year were lost through indifferent captaining.

All of the lower grades give promise of an improvement in their elevens, and the only tiling remaining to make a successful season is regular attendance at the practice nets. After Christmas last season ■ quite a number of promising youngsters failed to put in an appearance regularly at the nets. Now boys, you cannot possibly hope to be a success (particularly at cricket) unless you attend at the nets and while there, take

your practice seriously,

When one glances over the names of Warnes, Lees, Williams, Ross, Wall, Gwilliams, Wright, Phillips, the two Judds, McKay and several other promising lads', I feel certain that the Hutt Seniors will be in the first flight of senior clubs for some years to come.

The Hntt Club made a wise purchase of cricket bats (Stuart Suxridge) some weeks ago, and each bat has been worked up and oiled. The bats are beautifully grained and all nicely balanced.

The club should purchase half a dozen

right handed batting gloves, as no batsman should practice in the nets or go into bat in a match without at least the lower batting hand covered.

My notes will appear in this paper each week dealing solely with Hutt

cricket

Although the day for the opening became a little too cold for cricket as the day wore on, quite a large number of players took advantage of the chance of loosening their shoulders and knocking the rough edges off, in lieu of the opening of cup fixtures. The ladies, as usual, kindly dispensed afternoon tea.