CRICKET.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 397, 7 October 1874, Page 6

CRICKET.

" PROPOSED VISIT' OF A VICTORIAN TEAM. At a jaeetiug. of cricketers at Christchurch on the 24th instant, a letter was r<-ad from Mr Rattray, as President of the Dunedin Cricket Club, inviting the co oyaration of Canterbury cricketers in arranging for a visit of Victorian cricketers this summer. Mr Rattray wrote:— "We reckon on drawing about LSO for tha gate nvmey, and getting 1,50 subscribed iv guineas by a imuers of the game. < Jur ground is, unfortunAtol v a public park, or we could re kon oh L2OO from gata money for such a match. 1 quite tnink a visit of this sort would stimulate cr.cket in tbe two Provinces as much as a big English affair, and it has the advantage of admitting of a return visit by-and bye. Mr Hunting says the time which a team could give for the trip would be, at the most, five weeks. From annexed calculations of their timetable, they can scarcely play in aay ether j'rovince it they play Canterbury aud Otago." Probable Time Table — Team leave Melbourne, say per Alhambra, February Ist ; arrive at Dunedia, February 7th ; play Dunedin, February, lOsh, 11th, aud I3>,h; leave Dunedin, February 14tn at Christchurch, February 15 th ; play at Christchurch, February 18th, 19th, and 20th; leave Ghristch.trch, say per Otago, February 22nd ; leave Hokitika, February 26th ; arrive at Melbourne, March 4th. Suggestions for a visit from a Victorian team ot cricketers to Otago aud Canterbury. — Messrs Bual, Meares, and Rattray to be a committee for undertaking all arrangements for the match ab Duuedin, and for selecting the Otago team. They to 2orrespond with the Canterbury committee, aud to arrange with them a joint invitation to be sent to Melbourne. The invitation to be something like this : To be addressed to Mr Hunting, ot the Melbourne Cricket Club, inviting a Victorian eleven to come over in January, 1875, the eleveu to include at lease five of the eighteen who played against Grace's eleven at Melbourne in December, 1873 ; the eleven to play a three days' match at Uunedin against fifteen of l 'tag©, and a three days' match at Ohriatchureh against — of Canterbury. Otago committee to give Victorian team LIOO towards tkeir expenses fund on the daW^£ their arrival in Jjunedin ; Canterbury c^n mittee to do the like on the day of their arrival in Christchurch. Mr £ J. C. Stevens said that when he wag in Melbourne he asked Mr Handheld whether the M.O.C. would send an eleven between the 12th of January and the 12th of February next, to play first in Dunedin against Otago, and afterwards ia Christchurch against Canterbury, aud then against a united eleven of the two Provinces on the Canterbury ground. He (Mr Handheld) undertook to write, stating the amount required to deft ay tlie expenses of the ViGtorian eleven, and said that no doubt they would send an eleven if we would send one in turn to Victoria ; but that, if not, they would send onepf the expenses were paid. In passing through Dunedia he saw Mr Rattray, and found that that gentleman was on the point of sending to Mr Beal (who was in Melbourne) instructions to arrange a match with Mr Hunting, secretary to the South' Melbourne Cricket Club, on the basis of the proposal already read. It would be seen that the Otago managers thought of aa "odds" match — fifteen of Otago being played. He (Mr Stevens) remarked to Mr Kattray that he doubted whether Canterbury would play an "odds" match. The proposed stipulation, that Victoria should send at least five of the eighteen who played against Mr Grace's eleven, could not be accepted by Victoria, for the- reason that their match engagements would prevent it. Mr Handheld had told him that one professional bowler would certainly accompany the team. His'*own view was distinctly against an "odds" match so far as Canterbury was concerned, or as regarded any united match. Messrs William 3, Stevens, and Fowler having been appointed a committee to ascertain if a sufficient sum of moaey could be raised to provide Canterbury's proportion of the expense of a visit from a Victorian eleven, and to communicate with the bunedin committee and make what arrangmenta they might thiak fit — Mr Stevens said that aa the committee had been appointed, to do certain work, it would be as well that they knew what they were to do. The Otago men wished an "odds" match, and they ought to decide that paint that evening ; also whether the cricketers in the Province wished that a match should be played against a Canterbury eleven, and one against a united eleven. He proposed— " That any match either against a Canterbury eleven, or uni> ed eleven, be played on even termß," which was agreed t*. Mr Stevens proposed — "That if possible it is desirable that a match should be played on this ground against a Canterbury eleven, and if possible against a united eleven, to be taken from the Otago aad Canterbury Elevens, and to be selected by the capfcaiDS of the two teams." Ihe team should be aeleeted on its cricketing merits, and he did 'not think that any persons were so likely to select the team on its merits, aud apart f roai local prejudice, as the captains. — (Hear, hear. ) Mr Ollivier had very great pleasure in seconding the resolution. That was the proposal when a match was contemplated in 1868, and he believed with Mr Rattray that a team from Victoria would do more to improve cricket in Mew Zealand than a visit from the All England Eleven, as not only would the expense be very heavy, but, as on. the last occasion of their visit, there would moat likely be a great deal of cricket before the match, and none for some time after* wards. The resolution was put and carried.