DOMINION CRICKETERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16485, 26 February 1914, Page 10

DOMINION CRICKETERS.

THE AUSTRALIAN TOUR. REPORT TO THE COUNCIL. THE LESSONS LEARNED. Mr S. A. Orchard, the manager of the New Zealand cricket team which recently toured Australia, has presented the following report to the Management Committee of the New Zealand Cricket Council: —, ' '. I have to report in connection with the tour that the team sailed from Wellington by the Tahiti on December 6, 1913, and reached Sydney ono day late owing to the late departure from Wellington. We were met at the wharf by i the secretary of the Board of Control who 6tated that a rej oeption had been- arranged but on I account of the uncertain date of the ! arrival of the team it had to bo indefinitely postponed. The following afternoon the team left for. Maitland, leaving the manager behind as he had met with an unfortunate accident on the boat which necessitated his staying in Sydney until the team returned on December 24. On the northern trip. Mr Boxshall very efficiently conducted the management and to him the Council is under a deep debt of gratitude. The game in Maitland was played under very fine conditions; the wicket was first-class, and resulted in a comfortable win for New Zealand. While in Maitland the entertainment ' was exceedingly lavish and .the thanks : of the Council,;are; ; due/;to. the Mayor who officially received the team, to the honorary secretary Northern Districts No. 1 Association, the president and many others. The team left Maitland at 9.9 p.m. for Glen Inries and on arrival there were officially received by the Mayor and Alderman, the president of the Glen Innes Association and the honorary secretary. The School-of Arts, with billiard rooms, was'thrown open to the team and was greatly- appreciated. While liere. we were tendered; a smoke 'concert followed by ..a dance, and we were also the guests of the Catholic Bazaar Committee. Previous to our departure a. banquet was also given us; consequently : the, team have every reason to look back upon iheir visit "there with pleasant recollections. This match was also won very comfortably: , At,10.6 a.m.-on Thursday, December 18, we.lefb for Brisbane, arriving there at midnight and were welcomed by the president of the Queensland Executive

and the honorary secretary. The following- morning the Mayor and aldermen of South Brisbane officially welcomed the team and afterwards the Queensland Association officially received us. While here we were the guests of a river picnic and were also made honorary members of the Commercial Travellers' and Irish Clubs, while to all houses of entertainment free admission was given.. This match ended in a, very meritorious win for us by twelve runs. Wo left Brisbane at B,a.m. on December 23, for Sydney, arriving at 10.45 a.m. the following day. In the interim before the match here the team practised on the Sydney Cricket Ground, but unfortunately it rained, and we had to forego the greater part of it. We were officially welcomed by the New South Wales Association on December 26, the opening day of the match, and during our stay in this city much hospitality was extended to us. • While here we were the guests of the promoters of the Twenty-Four Hours' Cycling,Carnival, Band Carnival, Professional Musicians' Club, Civic Club and Spencer's Pictures. Unfortunately, the match here ended disastrously ; we were hopelessly outclassed, but I think that there is no doubt but that the importance of the occasion had a great deal to do with our poor display. While in Sydney I took the opportunity, at the request of the New Zealand Council, of presenting to the secretary of the Board of Control a grandfather's clock ard a liqueurstand, as a slight token of its appreciation of the way he had arranged the tour. We left Sydney for Goulbourn at 9.45 a.m. on December 30, arriving there at. 3.23 p.m. We were received by the secretary of the Goulbourn Association, and were nfterwards officially received by the Mayor and aldermen and the Cricket Association. We were elected honorary members of the Goulburn Cluh, and also had free use of the swimming baths, which was greatly appreciated. Plere we played on an'excellent wicket, which was quite good enough for any test match. After a pleasant game we again.had a comfortable wiii. While here the Goulburn Association entertained the team at dinner. , ■ We then left for Albury at 11.26 p.m., and'arrived at our destination at 7.5 a.m. on January 2, being welcomed at the station by the honorary secretary and treasurer of the local Association. Here again we were officially welcomed by the Mayor and citizens, after which the team indulged in some practice. We were made honorary members of'the Albury Club, and on the Monday were entertained at a din-

ner given by the Cricttet Association. I'.This match was played under somewhat j > trying conditions, a matting wicket ! and the thermometer registering 100 I in the shade, but we managed to win I very comfortably. We played on two matting wickets during the tour, the other being' at Glen Innes. | We left Albury at 7.54 a.m. on Jan--1 .nary 6 and arrived at Melbourne at 12.51 p.m. that day and were, met by I the secretary of the V.C.A., the secretary, of the M.Q.C:, the secretary of I the South Melbourne Cricket Club' and | 1 many others. We had a practice that j afternoon and the following day, but j apparently it was not much good as I here again we lamentably failed, due jno doubt, to the same cause as in Sydney. While here we were most, hospitably entertained, and we were the guests of the M.C.C. to a baseball match, America-Victoria. We left-at 4.30 p;m. on January 14 for Adelaide, arriving at 9.55 a.m. the following day and were welcomed at the station by the secretary and officials of the Adelaide Cricket Association. Here we. were made most welcome and. the citizens generally could not do enough .for us. We were.made honorary members of practically all the clubs in Adelaide and we were exI tremely indebted to the Executive of the South Australian Cricket Association, the president of the Commercial I Travellers' Association and the New Zealand* Government agent for their . unflagging generosity. While - here we had a most enjoyable motor run to | Mount Lofty and for this we are great- ' lv indebted to the chairman or the South Australian Executive. We were officially received by his,Worship the Mayor of Adelaide. The game, however, I ended in a draw, but the cricket was of a very high order and established the reputation for New Zealand cricket. We left Adelaide at 4.30 p.m. on January '2O and arrived at. Melbourne at 10. o'clock the following morning and played the concluding match of , the tour against M.C.C, this also endinc in a draw. Whilst here the South Melbourne Cricket Club entertained us atthe theatre and supper and we spent one of the most enjoyable evenings we had on the tour. Trie-following even-' ing the M.C.C. entertained us at an-, other theatre party and supper which > was also greatly appreciated and we, left for Sydney next-evening. ■' -\ Before leaving Sydney 'we had the pleasure of witnessinc a, portion of the New South match, but had to leave early in order to . catch the Moeraki which left for-Wei- ' lington that afternoon. We arrived there on the Wednesday morning and in the afternoon .were officially welcomed by the Mayor of Wellington. One thing I would like to point out in connection with any future tour is this. I would recommend that allowance should _be made for three or four i days practice before starting any games on the other side v The wickets were quite too, fast for our players in order to do themselves justice and it is a matter of importance that this, suggestion be considered for the future. On the whole the members of '.he team ;gaye no trouble and whereover we went'ono and all enjoyed themselves and many ' frjehds were' made. The general impression throughout the tour was that on and off the. field the team conducted themselves as sportsmen and ■ gentlemen. - ... No doubt the trip will be of some benefit to New. Zealand cricket, at any rate 'it. should be, as most of the players were young and keen to learn. They had many opportunities ofy study- . ing the play of some of the world's best cricketers, and it is to be hoped that they will impart some of the lessons karat to- the players on this side. Another point I would like to men- ! ticn which is well to consider in connection with - future tours is in. reference to advertising.,' Very little was done -, in this direction in connection | with the matches', particularly in : Syd- ' ney and Melbourne, and I think if a little more ■ money had been spent in this direction the attendance would have been larger! I would recommend that in future the,Council take this . matter up itself, ,; ',.£i,|. '"■■ The team, was very efficiently captained by Mr Reese, and it is very pleasant to report that the utmost harmony existed between him and,, the '■ players. - Mr Hemus also .efficiently filled the position of captain on-the odd occasions when Mr Reese did not play: It would be as well to mention that; in reference to the extra man, wo found that the - conditions under which we played fully justified his inclusion. Alter the first three or four> games we found so many players were suffering from various minor injuries that it took us all our time for ..the rest of the tour to.place a sound team in the field. In. fact, on one. or two.occasions this ,was impossible, and even .with the fourteen players at,times wehad to take the field severely handicapped by one or two members sufficiently indisposed, to be unable to do themselves and their side, proper justice. In regard to the expenses, these would have been under the estimate only for the fact that there is' a railway regulation in Australia which prohibits' anv concession whatever seven days before and' seven days after Christmas Day. This made a considerable difference to the railway fares, and the other item which was not on the estimate was the presentation to Mr Smith. Omitting these two items,, the expenses would have been under the estimate. The following are the results of the matches: —• . . .''.;■

New Zealand v. Northern .Disencts No. 1, played at Maitland, December 12 and 13—i New Zealand 228 and 286 for six wioketß; /Northern Districts 120 and 90. New Zealand won by .three wickets and 303 runs. . „...,,-„„ New Zealand v. Northern Districts No. 2, played' at Glen'lnnes, December 16 and IT—Kew Zealand 232; Northern Districts ,86 and 100. New Zealand won by an innings and 46 runs. ■ ■■• New Zealand v. Queensland, played at Brisbane, December 19, 20 and 22—New Zealand 89 and 161; Queensland 124 and 114. New Zealand won by 12 runs. - New Zealand v. New South Wales, played at Sydney, December 26 and, 27—New Zealand 161 and 105; New South Wales 613. New Zealand lost by ah innings and 247 runs. ' \ New Zealand v. Southern Districts No. 1, played at Goulburn, .December 81 and January I—New Zealand 230,and 82 for two wickets; Southern Districts 142 and 163. New Zealand won by eight wickets. New Zealand v. Southern Districts No, 2, played at Albury; January 3.and 57-New Zealand .378; Southern Districts 75 ' and 176. New Zealand won by. an innings and 127 runs. New Zealand v. Victoria, played, at Melbourne January 9 and.. 10—New Zealand 141 and 188; Victoria 439. New Zealand lost by an innings ■ and 110 runs. New Zoaland v. South Australia, played at Adelaide January 16, 17 and 19—New Zealaud 362 and 287 for Bix wickets; South Australia 433 and, 161 for threo wickets. Drawn game; . • ' New Zealand v. Melbourne Cricket' Club, played at Lembourne, January 21 and 22—Now Zealand 209 and .182 for three wickets; Melbourne Cricket Club 251 and 130 for one wicket. Drawn game. Total matches played 19, won 5, last 2, drawn 2. ' ' The expenses of the tour amounted to £1157 12s 3d, and the total receipts and contributions to £1192 4s 6d, leaving a credit balance of £34 12s 3d. This would be refunded to the various Cricket Associations as follows .•—Canterbury, Otago, Wellington and Auckland Associations each £6 9s 10d, New Zealand Cricket Council £8 12s lid. The receipts from the matches in Australia amounted to £714 4s 6d (Maitland £SO, Glen Innes £SO. Queensland £75, New South Wales £193 14s ,7d,: Goulburn £SO, Albury £SO, Victoria £75, South Australia £l2O 9s lid, Melbourne Cricket Club £SO). .