CRICKET.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3360, 28 October 1911, Page 9

CRICKET.

NEW ZEALAND "ASSOCIATION. SEVERAL IMPROVEMENTS SUGGESTED. (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH. Oct. 27. At the annual meeting of tme New Zealand Cricket Association, F. Wilding was elected president, and Mr T. C. Raphael secretary. The balancesheet showed a credit of £129. A motion to review the rules of the Hawke

Cup competition was postponed to ia future date, and notice was given of a motion that the Pluliket Shield rules bo .altered on the lines of the English county championship. The committee was directed to consider the question of improved representation of associations on the New Zealand Council; also to make inquiries on the question of sending a New Zealand team to Australia next year. AMONG THE CLUBS. PROSPECTS FOR THE SEASON. (Notes by “Short-slin.”) . Old Father Time has switched refund the seasons, and spring is with us once more. Cricketers during the past lew weeks have been busily engaged in overhauling their kits. Favorite bats have been taken out, fondly handled, and given a taste of oil. Cobwebs of winter have been brushed from buckskin boots, and a coating of “Blanco” applied. Mothers, wives, and sisters have been given most careful’ and minute instructions with regard to the laundering of shirts and pants, and altogether players appear to be fully alive to the fact that the season is at hand. The various clubs have all held their meetings, and aie organising their forces in view of the opening of the campaign next week. As is usual, there has been a shuffling of players, and most of the elevens will take the Held with a different personnel to that of last year. The Wanderers Club have been strengthened by the inclusion of one or two players who should make the side even more formidable than it has proved itself of yore. Len. McMahon, the ex-Sydneyite, will again lead the Wanderers, and other tried performers who will take the field for the club this season are A. Young, S. McConnell, J. Moore and H. E. Maude. Cranney, an ex-Sydneysider, is highly spoken of as a capable all-round performer. He is a cousin of the wellknown Central Cumberland player. Guthrie hails from Wellington, where he was well up in the batting and bowling averages for South Wellington in the senior district competition last season. The team will greatly miss George Glennie, who has taken up his residence up country at Wliarekopae. This trundler was one of the most successful bowlers the Wanderers have ever .possessed, and his wily deliveries will lie missed by the Aberdeen Road men in this season’s campaign. The United Club will take the field this year under the generalship of Reg. Hallamore, than whom there is no more experienced captain in the district. The club are reported to have secured the services of a number of new men, who should do much to infuse new life into the team. Among these are R. Mitchell, a one-time prominent Dublin player; Cyril Lovett, who was a consistent performer for ihe Break o’ Day Club, Hobart, a few seasons back; H. B. Gardner, a recent arrival from London ; and a number of others. The United Club is entering two senior elevens for the Thursday competition, and the experiment will be watched with interest. The Y.M.C.A. Club will place a sound eleven in the field. Among the acquisitions they have received is Wilson, an ex-Londoner, who sends down left-handed ball with a nice turn from leg. I watched this man at the nets on Victoria Domain a few days back, and liked the way he shaped as a trundler. He has a nice easy delivery from a great height, and nips quickly off the pitch. The Taruheru Club are starting the season full of quiet confidence, and if their members take full advantage of the opportunity for practice on their fine turf wicket they should be well up on the championship table at the close of the competition. The Alhambra Club have elected “Tiny” Olsen to lead them this season, and his strong personality should result in the team beinw imbued with his whole-souled enthusiasm. He will have a strong all-round eleven to lead into the arena, who, needless to say, will do their best to retain their place, at the top of the Thursday competition. The Junior division should have a much more interesting fight than was witnessed last year. Alhambra, High School, Wanderers, and United are entering teams, and the Association arc providing asphalt wickets for the matches, which should give some encouragement to the youngsters to c oow of what stuff they are made.