A PAGE FROM THE PAST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 349, 29 March 1910, Page 6

A PAGE FROM THE PAST.

TARANAKI'S FIRST CRICKET CLUB. "C.W.W." forwards the following interesting particulars: The pioneer cricket club of Taranaki, the "Bush | Club," commenced almost simultaneously with or a little previous to the formation of the first volunteer corps, drilled by a Major Lloyd, a retired Indian oflicer, on the "Bent Hills," dose \to where now stands the Terminus Hotel, the Esplanade runs and the railway •tation is built. Its members 'were the late Sir Harry Atkinson, Mr. W. S. Atkinson, Mr. Arthur Atkinson, Mr. Decanus Atkinson, Mr. Isaac Brind, Mr. Leatliam, senr. (the father of Dr. Leatham, of New Plymouth), Mr. E. Patten, Mr. G. Broadmore, Mr. F. C. Wilson (the captain), a Mr. Smith (a Mangorei settler from Lincolnshire), and myself. The date of the Club's inauguration was some time in 1854 or the beginning of 1855. Mr. Smith (whose true name was not "Smith") had seen a good deal of cricket playing at 'Home,, and could . deliver some disagreeable underhand slow balls for those who were not too much at home with the "willow." Mr. Arthur Atkinson professed some "round-' hand" bowling, "overhand" bowling being little practised in those days of the first "eleven of All England," with "Rapley," swift bowler, "Lillywhite," and t

"Felix," the famous bat. Sir 'Harry At-, kinson was the best bat in the pioneer eleven, and as fielder commonly took ■ £ the wicket-keeping; the othcrg their, different [positions—'"point" and <; eOYeV-' r point," "slip," '"leg," "long-flelu," on and j j off mid wickets. "Long-stop" was then I > in vogue, behind the wicket. The Bush j . team boldly challenged the "Military," i ft detachment of the 65th Regiment, stationed at New Plymouth; under Major t t(afterwards Colonel) Murray. He, with t his sons, officers of the regiment, and: i some private soldiers constituted the' . martial team. Two matches were playi ed on a paddock now in VogeHown, ' then the property of the late Mr. John ; r Hurst-house. The/ Bush Glub in both

' cases proved victorious. The stakes i . were the losing team to find the cost i of a dinner to be given at the Old Ship ; Inn, now the Criterion Hotel. Subsequently a number of the 58th Regiment visited New Plymouth, with Lieutenant Cross, a strong and very swift roundhand bowler. His 'bowling proved too much for most of the amateur civilians. It was impossible to see the ball, delivered from him, pitching just before

the bat and whizzing in if straight, splintering stumps, perhaps, to knock it with anything like an upright bat. A player risked his fingers; indeed, the bowling was criticised as almost a throw. Two more matches were played ■with the 65th and the 58th contingent, one on what was then Che late Mr. R. Chilman's grounds, now in the Fitzroy township, the other on the Carrington road, again on Mr. J. JJursthouse's land. In both events the pioneers were wholly defeated, and I think tJhpse were the laat games ever played by Taranaki'i early cricketers.