CRICKET NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 December 1922, Page 1

CRICKET NEWS.

ICSTIIALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. MACLAREN’S VIEWS. . THE FIRST TEST. ' WELLINGTON, Dec. 28. The visiting English cricketers indulged in practice to-day, and a large number watched them with the hat and hall. MacLaren said lie was tillable to form a definite opinion about New Zealand cricket, hut he said he was quite sure that the test would he a hard struggle. Touching on the question of wickets, MacLaren said: “So far we have not played on a good wicket in New Zealand. Something is wrong with the composition of the soil, and the wickets became powdery after a few days’ batting.” In England a great deal of time was spent in getting suitable soil, so that the wicket would bind. Regarding the watering of wickets, would never allow such a tiling to be none. It was against the principles of cricket, as understood in England. The test match captains, MacLaren and Sneddon, met to-day, and arranged the preliminary details. A 0-ball over was agreed on, there being no option according to the M.C.C. rules, though New Zealand is playing the 8-ball over. As to rolling the wicket, it was agreed that in the event of fairly heavy rain during the progress of play, the wickets should be rolled immediately after the termination of play, and on a dry day should he rolled before the commencement.