CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 103, 17 September 1912, Page 8

CRICKET.

ENGLISHMEN FOR AUSTRALIA. I By Cable —Press Association—Copyright. 1 Received 16, 10.5 p.m. Sydney, September 10. It is reported that a South African gentleman, will bring an English team to Australia next season if the permission of the Marylebone Club and the Australian Board of Control is obtainable. The statement is made that the Board of Control has presented its percentage takings of the tour totalling £SOO to the players, otherwise the Australians' share would have been below tfie £l9O that each receives. THE AUSTRALIAN TEAM. Received 16, 10.5 p.m. London, September 16. The Times says that the striking change in the Australians' fortunes was due to the weather, proving that the teams success depended on a hard wicket. They had not done badly, but I had failed to maintain their predecessors' standard. They had no great bowler and not more than four batsmen aDove the ordinary and no great captain. THE AUSTRALIAN TOUR. J Sydney, September 16. It is estimated that the cricketers' dividend on the English tour will be from £l9O to £2OO each. The Herald, commenting on the tour, says: "Anything more disappointing than that rain should have spoilt the tour it is hard to imagine. Judging by the tests, Australia has nothing to regret. Her prestige has not been lowered. In the lesser games her record is not so good. The batting was somewhat disappointing, and the fielding was not briliant. As was expected, the bowling was not very convincing, and the wicket-keeping was of a low standard." The Telegraph says that the colts did not fulfil expectations. Still, in the tests, they did remarkably well. It is probable that if proved players had gone, England would still have won the triangular supremacy, because no great bowler was left behind, and that 1 was wliat the Australians needed. c ANNUAL MEETINGS. UNITED SERVICE. J . The annual meeting of the United Service Cricket Club was held last evening. Mr. E. Dinnis was in the chair. There was not a large attendance of members. In the annual report, the secretary (Mr. D. G. Napier) said that the season would commence with a credit balance of £2 0s 2d. There was a good stock of material oi; hand. During the past season the club entered one team for the Saturday competition, and although it had a good lead for some time, a succession of -reverses;- late in the season changed its position, it eventually proving runner-up. The following members represented the club in interprovincial matches: Messrs. Osborne, Dinnis andi Bain. The report went on to hope that more interest would be shown this season in the Saturday competition. Lust year only four teams competed, and of these one was unable to fulfil all its engagements. The question of grounds for the coming season was one that . should receive the club's earnest attention. During the year the club lost a very enthusiastic member in Mr. W. T. J. Wiggs, who acted as honorary secretary during the initial years of the club, he having been transferred to Nelson. The club desired to thank the Rev. S. S. Osborne and Messrs. A. H. Glasgow, N. K. MacDiarmid and Dr. Fookes for donations. The receipts during the yoar amounted to £l7 15s 7d, ami ■ expenditure to £ls 0s "id. Members' subscriptions totalled £l3 7s 6d. Officers were elected as follows: President, Rev. S. S. Osborne; vice-presi-dents, Dr. Fookes, Messrs. J. Terry, A. H. Glasgow, N. K. McDiarmid and Roasiter; club captain, Mr. E. Dinnis; vicecaptain, Mr. K. Bain; lion, secretary and treasurer, Mr. D. G. Napier; lion, auditor, Mr. J. Sullivan; delegates to the association, Messrs. Bain and A. 11. Osborne; committee, the captain and the secretary, and Messrs. Osborne, Bain and T. V. Mackay. The subscription was fixed at £l, reducible to 17s 6d if paid by December 1. It was decided to recommend ■■■<•■ mittee to endeavor to arrange with the other local clubs for having a joint opening day, and play a match, say, married v. single members. Mr. Wiggs, of Nelson, is to be written to, thanking him fov the services he rendered the club during this secretaryship. Much dissatisfaction was expressed at the state of the Recreation Grounds as a playing field, and eventually the question of grounds was left to another meeting. I

NEW PLYMOUTH CLUB. The annual meeting of the New Plymouth Cricket Club was held last evening, Mr. Elliot presiding. ANNUAL REPORT. The annual report states that during the season of 1911-12 the club entered a senior Thursday and a Saturday team in the North Taranaki Cricket Association championships, but owing to lack of sufficient young players it was found to be impossible to enter a junior team. The senior Thursday team was a very strong one, and when the season closed without any finality having been arrived at, was in the lead for championship honors, having only lost two matches, in one of which (that against Inglewood) the club was only able to muster seven players, and then only lost by 25 runs. The Saturday team had a very moderate season, finishing third in that competion. Financially, the club is in a, strong position, the balance in ihand (£l4 13s fid) being the largest in its history. There is also a fair amount of material on hand. The matter of grounds is (adda the report) a serious jne, and will need very careful considerition this season. Efforts are being made sy the Rugby management to bring ibout a poll on the half-holiday ques;ion, and a petition will be circulated shortly by the union with the object of naking Saturday the weekly half-holi-lay throughout the province." j Mr. A. S. Hasell headed the club ] iverages in the Thursday matches, Mr.; 3. Lash being second on the list with verages of 26.4 and 25.1 respectivelv, I vhllp Mr W P WSI.2 thivrl ut!M.

23.3. Mr. W. P. Nicoll won the bowl- I ing average. taking 25 wickets for 140 I runs, giving him the line average of'5.8 rniih per wicket. i In Die Saturday competitions, Mr. W. C. Weston headed the averages with 17.3. Mr. X. Anlen coming next with an average of 15.4, while Mr. W. P. Nicoll headed the bowling averages, taking 18 wickets at an average of ; 5.4 runs per wicket. The club was represented in the representative eleven by Messrs. K. Bain, A. S. Hasell, W. P. Nicoll and X. Arden, while Mr. W. C. WeSton was also selected, but was unable to play. Officers \v?re elected as follows: President, Mr. 0. Samuel; vice-presi-dents; Messrs. W. Bewley, D. Teed and Dr. Walker; hon. secretary and treasurer. Mr. X. R. Harding, vice Mr. Williams resigned; club captain, Mr E. Whittle; committee. Messrs. Arden, Williams, Nicoll,Mason, club and field captains, and the secretary; delegate to the Sports Committee, Mr. H. Stocker; hon. auditor, Mr. L. Rac; delegates to the Association, Messrs. E. Whittle, Mason, Hardling, N. Arden. 1 Three new members were elected. The High. Central and West End schools were invited to nominate two members each as fiee members for the 'season. It was decided to enter one senior 1 Thursday and one senior Saturday team, and a Thursday junior eleven. The committee was recommended to open, the season in the first week i;t ■October. Discussing the grounds, the chairman said that last year they did not come, up to expectations, while tho hope was ; expressed by Mr. Whittle that this year ; the whole matter would be put on an ' entirely different basis. The meeting resolved that Messrs. 1 Williams and Nicoll be appointed to act J on any meeting called by the town clubs in connection with the grounds commit- ' tee. 1 It was decided to apply for the use ' of the Recreation 'Ground as a practice ' ground. r It was decided to support the nomi- . nation of Mr. Hardy as representative of the North Taranaki Association on * the New Zealand Council, j The delegates were instructed to urge the 'North Taraanki Association to lend ' its support to the endeavor being made c by the Taranaki Rugby Union to bring 1 ! about a poll oil the Saturday half-holiday question. ,A very -hearty vote of thanks was tendered to Mr. Price for the use of his room during last season.