Cricket 1913

336 CR ICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. Jun e 28, 1913. T h e r e has been some heartburning in Southland over the. matter o f the H aw ke Cup, presented by Lord H awke fo r competition among the minor associations o f New Zealand. It was originally played for under the same conditions as the Plunket Shield— that is to say, ch a l­ lengers had to meet the holders on the latter’s ground. B y arrangement, however, the final match o f the 1910-1 competition was p layed at H agley Park, Christchurch, Southland beating Rangitskei (an association in W elling­ ton province) by 8 wickets. A p r e c e d e n t was thus established. Southland obtained the cup by beating South Canterbury at Invercar­ g ill in 1911-2 ; but the rules were altered during the next season, and the holders, drawn against Marlborough, were ordered to plav the game at Christchurch. They could not or would not send a team, and were held to have scratched. South Auckland won the trophy, and the Southland Asso­ ciation was asked to hand it over to the N .Z . Cricket Council. T h is has, been done, but under protest. A t the meeting when the matter was considered, a majority o f those present declared in favour o f South­ lan d ’s entering fo r the Plunket Shield in future. The five provinces now competing fo r that trophy are A u ck ­ land, Canterbury, H aw k e’s B ay, Otago, and Wellington, H aw k e ’s B ay seldom challenging, however. Under the system which is expected to come into force in 1913-4 each o f these, except H aw k e’s B a y, w ill p lay three matches at least in a season. O n e may well doubt whether Southland could manage this. T h e little province, neighbour to bigger O tago— I am not quite clear whether it was not reckoned as part o f O tago in the old provincial days— is a very long way from W ellington, Napier, and Auckland, and quite a consider­ able distance from Christchurch. Its practical isolation is against its either paying or receiving many v isits ; the ch ief tow'n, Invercargill, is not a big p la c e ; and outside Invercargill there is not much cricket o f class. H e a v y rain fall handicaps it, too ; wickets in Invercar­ gill are usually slow'. In D onald Ham ilton the side has one man who might be considered for a N .Z . team ; but it is not really strong, even as teams go in the Dominion. T h e accident to H aigh at Huddersfield was thus caused : H e was talking in the street to a friend in a motor-car, when the friend (new’ly possessed o f the car, and not an expert driver) put his foot on the clutch, and accidentally started the car. H aigh was knocked down, and a wheel passed over his ankle. H e batted later in the day— there’s no pluck better than the Yorkshire sort— but was very lame. E vidently he took his hurt too ligh tly at first. ________ B u r r o w s got a nasty smack in the mouth with the ball, w'hile it w'as being tossed from hand to h a n d ; but this was merely a trifling accident, and he bowled within a few minutes o f it. But C o llier’s broken finger was more serious. H e snatched shoulder-high at a ball going away from him ; it struck the end o f his little finger, smashed the m iddle joint, and drove the bone right through the skin, so that it protruded an inch or more. T h e first doctor he saw said : “ Amputation, or the joint useless for the rest o f your life .” A wealthy local sportsman wired for a specialist. H e guaranteed to save the finger, and says Collier w ill be able to play again in a month or so. H. Gradidge & Sons, Manufacturers and Exporters of all requ isites for Cricket, Lawn Tennis, R acquets, Squash R acquets, &c< Patentees and Sole Makers of the “ IMPERIAL DRIVER” CRICKET BATS. Made in Men’s, Small Men’s, College, 6, 5, 4, & 3, sizes. Reblading Cricket Bats 8 Restringing Tennis Bats a Special Feature. Every oth e r requisite fo r Cricket, including balls, leg guards, batting gloves, gau n tlets, stumps, nets, &c. PRICE LISTS & SPECIAL QUOTATIONS FREE. All Goods Carriage Paid to any part of the United Kingdom. S o le Makers o f the “ Imperial Driver” & “ Improved Gradidge” Lawn Tennis Racquets. Factory : Artillery Place, Woolwich, S.E.