CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 September 1921, Page 3

CRICKET.

.WHY ENGLAND LOST, S TOO MANY PROFESSIONALS. COMMENT BY ARMSTRONG. By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. Received Sept. 18, 5.5 p.m. London, Sept. 17. Armstrong, interviewed, attributed England’s defeat to the fact that she played too many professionals, who took overmuch time to play themselves in to give England a chance to win in three days. Bad fielding was another cause. Australia would have secured the rubber on any wicket. He expects that, future tests in England will be spread over five days. Armstrong stated that England would never get the average professional to play as he should in a match restricted to three days. Some of England’s players were too old, and gave away more runs in the field than they made with the bat. The Australians’ defeat was due to stateness. Towards the end of the tour the team was getting 1 so state that they could scarcely lift a bat or bowl a ball. They lost at Eastbourne because England made 43 in their first innings; had England made 143 Australia would have ~won.

NEW PLYMOUTH CLUB. Following is the annual report of the New Plymouth Cricket Club:— In presenting the statement of accounts and balance-sheet for the 1920-21 season, your committee has to report another successful season, financially and otherwise. Two teams, New Plymouth A and New Plymouth B, were entered in the Saturday senior competition, and one in the Thursday competition. In the Saturday grade the competition, owing to the lateness of the season, was unfinished, but the A team was in a winning position, white the B team met with more success than in the previous season. They were able to arouse considerable interest in .the games through defeating both the A team and Old Boys—the leaders in the competition. The Thursday team, though not successful themselves, afforded cause for doubt right through as to the ultimate result of the competition.

During the past season we were unfortunate in losing the services of Mr. J. W. Heskett, who removed to Onakaka. Mr. Heskett has been the mainstay of the club for several years past, and your committee felt it could not let such a sterling sport and popular clubmate go without some tangible recognition of his services. Short notice of his departure prevented our giving him a send-off, but a bat was presented him bearing a silver shield suitably inscribed.

Turning to the financial side of the club’s affairs, you have a cash balance of £l3 10s 2d to commence the season with, and the club’s material is in good order. Regarding subscriptions your committee respectfully asks that members assist by promptly paying un at the commencement of the season, and thus relieve the treasurer of the unpleasant necessity of continually drawing attention to unpaid subscriptions.

The outlook -for the coming season is promising. The Saturday half-holiday will bring last year’s Thursday players into line, but with the larger number of players, the question of grounds becomes a vexed one. Pukekura Park, of course, will not be available, but it is understood that two wickets are being prepared at the racecourse, and town clubs will have to make an effort to make the Tukapa ground playable. In conclusion, your committee desires to thank members for their cooperation during the past season, particularly the members of the Thursday team, who at times had to struggle under rather difficult circumstances. The Press, too, is deserving of our thanks for the generous reports given of the matches played, and for their efforts to foster the game in New Plymouth.