REPORT OF CRICKET MATCH.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5412, 17 April 1929, Page 2

REPORT OF CRICKET MATCH.

(To the Editor.) Sir, — As one who has the interests of cricket, and sport generally, at heart, I respectfully take exception to the report on the match Paeroa v. Matamata played on the local domain recently, and trust that your courtesy will permit publication of this. lam unaware of the identity of your correspondent, but maintain that he has shown a lamentable ignorance of the finer points of the game, and to a lesser extent a lack of sportsmanship in doing less than justice to the visiting team—Matamata. In eulogy of the performance of a local player I, in common with others, consider he drew greatly on his imagination in stating that “through an unfortunate slight misjudgment on his part his wicket fell.” Spectators were under the impression that the man had been cleaned bowled ; and, indeed, it might be said, with equal justice, that any runs this player had scored were the result of “unfortunate slight misjudgment” on the part of the opposing bowlers. This batsman played sparkling cricket, at times brilliant; so brilliant that the Matamata bowler who dismissed him is deserving of all praise for the feat. But this is contemptuously dismissed owing to the batsman’s "unfortunate slight misjudgment.” Excellent fielding and sound batting was a feature of another man’s play, but this was not’ considered worthy of mention. Obviously, he is not a personal friend of your correspondent. Another player, after a chancelcss innings, is reported to have not looked “too comfortable,” while yet another is said to have looked “as though he was about to score freely.” I do not know how men look in these circumstances, and it requires a man of great discernment to detect the symptoms. Most fortunate Paeroa folk ! you are to be congratulated on the excellent park you have right in the heart of the town, reflecting the greatest of credit on the foresight of your civic fathers, who have retained for you this great heritage. The more one has travelled the more does one realise this. With such splendid facilities afforded, good, manly sport should flourish and become another asset to assist your town to fulfil its destiny and become the town of the future. Sport instills into one the sense of fair play, and the team work or cooperation, which, becoming ingrained and carried into civic life, is such a factor in promoting the welfare of the community as a whole. And you players and supporters, be sports in the truest sense ; play to win, but play the game, as your town requires the best advertisement you can give it. I think the following few lines will not be misplaced : “And it’s not for the sake of a ribboned coat, Or the selfish hope of a season’s fame ; But his captain’s hand on his shoulder smote, Play up 1 play up ! and play the game.” FLANNELLED FOOL.

[The above 1 effusion is published with some diffidence, as newspaper space is valuable, as is the time of those concerned in the issue of one. Had the criticisms of “Flannelled Fool” been justified there would have been no hesitation in publishing his literary effort; but as everyone who has read the report in the “Gazette” of the Sth inst., will easily observe, “Flannelled Fool’s” letter is palpably weak, and written by someone, to use his own words, who shows “a lamentable ignorance of the finer points of the game,” in that he gives ample evidence that he does not understand cricket at all. Added to that, his letter proves in him “to a lesser extent a lack of sportsmanship,” by showing conclusively that he is suffering from a sore head. That is the only way to politely excuse “Flannelled Fool’s” churlishness. —Editor.]