Cricket.

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 170, 3 October 1903, Page 19

Cricket.

The signs of the approach of summer pastimes are with us, the annual meeting of the Wellington Cricket Association being one of the most significant The meeting of that body, last Monday night, was slightly different from similar meetings in preceding yeais — firstly, because the outgoing Committee had a substantial credit balance to report upon, and, seoondly, the life given to the meeting because of the recent proposals to take the tram-line through the Basin Reserve. The Cricket Association is a body that takes a lot of moving, and if the Basin Reserve agitation infuses new vigour into that body it will do a lot of good ultimately to cricket. While on Che Basin Reserve, I would suggest to the Association that the Reserves Committee be approached to limit the number of "ofi" matches played on the portion of the Reserve not under the control of the Association, or on the other hand to give the controlling body ot the cricketers jurisdiction over the whole Reserve. There >no need, far me to enlarge upon this matter just herei— -the experiences of cricketers in past seasons are sufficient arguments m themselves. Another matter I have written about before I will again touch upon and that is, reports of the meetings of the Association should be supplied to the newspapers. If that body cannot see its wav to invite members of the press to attend their fortnightly meetings, the appointment of one of their number to supply reports would be the neixt best course to pursue. In any case, reform is needed in this direction. The Cricket Association but rarely changes its officers, and the same names, year in and year out, are round among that body's executive. ''Daddy Ashbolt, the head and shoulders ot cricket in Wellington, is once again on the championship and selection committees. Associated with him are Messrs. Stevens) and TJpham on the former and Richardson and Wiren on the latter. The first named -three are old hands in these positions, Mr. Wiren

being a new-comer on the committee, although an old hand as a cricket sport. Messrs. Manson and Hyams have been re-elected secretary and treasurer respectively. Mr. Manson is practically a new hand as cnoket officers go, this being his third season, but Mr. Hyarns' first election as treasurer goes back into the far-distant, past. * * * The cricket season opened in Christohurch last Saturday, with practice matches. In Auckland they have adopted the district scheme in connection with cricket matchesi. doing away with all the old-time clubs thereby. The move is expected to increase the interest in cricket in the Northern city. I have to thank Mr. Hyams for a copy of Anthony Hordern's "World Cricket Record" for the present season. It. is a splendid guide-book to cricket statistics, and is one of those things a writer on cricket matters is always pleased to have by him. The aHtation for the formation of an Umpires' Association is again being promoted. A meeting was called' last year, and fairly well attended, but nobody being found willing to undertake the duties of secretary, tihe affair fizzled out. Another attempt should be made this season to make the Association an established fact _ for there is no question but that it wi.l do a lot of good to the game.