When reviewing the doings of the Cricket Club during the last season, one feels a fatal inclination to moralize. The Club has done so well on some occasions and in some directions, that one cannot help feeling surprised that more success in local championship matches has not been its reward. During the season we met not only Canterbury College, but also the Auckland University team, and we would have played Otago University had the Southerners been able to bring their team here.

So far as the Senior Eleven is concerned, the season has been the most successful we have yet experienced. The eleven obtained fourth place in the Championship, winning four games out of eight; and except in two games, and despite the adverse criticism consistently bestowed by the Wellington press, worthily acquitted itself, and proved beyond doubt its claims to rank as a senior team. But it is chiefly in regard to the junior and third elevens that one feels disappointment. The junior eleven might page 76 well have gained a large measure of success, had the efforts of its captain been backed up by the individual members of the team, with even ordinary enthusiasm. But the regrettable thing is that members of the team, with few exceptions, showed but little of that keenness which is essential to success. It was a common thing for the team to roll up on the second day of its match with two or three members absent at a swimming or athletic meeting. Under these conditions, success in the competition and enjoyment of the game are out of the question. Much the same remarks apply to the third eleven, which had the additional disadvantage of having no lower team to draw on when short of men. A word of praise is due to O'Shea and Cox, who successively had charge of the team, for their self-sacrifice and enthusiasm, in keeping the team together during the season.

In interprovincial games we were represented by Berendsen against Hawke's Bay, Canterbury and Auckland; Dickson Auckland, and Martin against Marlborough.

Following is a record of the Club's doings during the season, with the exception of the Northern tour and the Canterbury College game, which are more fully reported elsewhere:—

Senior Eleven.

v. North: Won by 40 runs on first innings. College 148 (Fanning22, Burbidge 19, Berendsen 34, Salmond 29 not out), and 82 for 9 wicket.

North 108 (Saunders 5 for 45, Dickson 3 for 47).

v. East B: Lost by 51 runs on first innings. On the first day East batted, and made 303, while we fielded with most gentle and consistent inefficiency On the second day, amused and encouraged by the hysterical and incoherent ravings of the "Dominion," we flung caution to the winds, and put together 252. The popular features of this game were Sammy's smile (40), Dickson's caution (58), Miller's success (35 not out), and Caddick's brilliancy in cutting straight balls (28).

v. East A: Lost by an inning and 19 runs. We made 32 (for full particulars and criticism see Dan McKenzie) and 190 Fanning was the chief culprit, making 43; Burbidge, however, was very litle better, making 38 not out.

East made 251 for 6 wickets 5.

v. Hutt: Lost by 88 runs on first innings. Hutt made 200. Without Saunders, we had to rely on Bosanqual Dempsey, who did nobly. Even his worst balls were so envenomed with cunning that the most reckless Huttite didn't dare to play them with anything but his pads. We made 112 (Griffiths 20. Fanning 33, Burbidge 15).

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v. Central Won by 5 runs on first innings. College 99 (Dickson and Salmond 19 each) and 122 (Burbidge 30, Fanning 17, Broad 18 not out, Caddick 13). Central 94 and 115 for 9. Dickson's fine average (10 for 102) tells its own tale.

v. South: Won In four wickets. South 132 and 78. College 172 (Dickson 48, Griffiths 23) and 40 for 6 wickets.

v. Petone: Won by 56 runs. College 126 (Burbidge 37, Dickson 19, Caddick17) and 103 (Dempsey 62 not out). Petone 67 and 106.

v. South: This match was the play-off for third place in the Championship. College was beaten by 16 runs on the first innings. South 160; College 144 (Dickson 44, Burns 27).

Batting Averages: Senior Championship Matches. Dickson, 23; Burbidge, 15.3; Dempsey, 14.3; Miller, 13.25; Fanning, 12.5; Caddick, 10.9; Berendsen, 11; Salmond, 10.6; Griffiths, 10.5.

Bowling Averages:: Senior Championship Matches. Saunders, 12.75; Dickson, 13.75; Atmore, 15.

Second Eleven.

The team failed to play up to expectations, and won only one out of its eight matches, six being lost and the last unfinished. However, the material of which the team was composed was so promising as to give hopes of a much better season next year. But to bring this about a greater sense of loyalty and just a little attention to the neglected art of fielding will be necessary. Following is a summary of the matches played:—

v. Wellington College: Victoria College 117 and 110 (Miller 51, Duncan 28, Atmore 25). Wellington College, 184 and 44 for o wickets (Martin 6 for 49). Lost by 10 wickets.

V. Central: Central 237 (Atmore 7 for 54). College 98 and 135 (Jameson 58 not out, Duncan 22, Schramm 20). Lost by innings and 4 runs.

v. Catholic Club:College 171 (Jameson 47, Bruce 33, Longhurst 35, Martin 18 not out) and 153 (Broad 28, Atmore 58, Martin 20, Duncan 20). Catholic Club 214 and 5 for 49 (Bruce 3 for 24 and 3 for 41). Lost by 41 runs on first innings.

v. Hutt: College 53 and 53. Mutt 98 and 10 for no wickets. Lost by 10 wicket.

v. North: College 87 (Atmore 22, Mackay 16, Martin 15) and 190 (Joplin 45, Atmore 26, Mackay 31, Duncan 19, Martin 16 not out). North 158 (Mackay 4 for 9) and 131 (Martin 4 for 58, O'Shea 3 for 16). Lost by 12 runs.

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v. South: College 142 and113 (Bruce 4. Mackay 22, Duncan 22, Millar21, O'Shea 21). South 217and 1 for 43 (Schramm 4 for 52, Martin 3 for 55, Bruce 2 for 26). Lost by 9 wickets.

v. East: East 154 (O'Shea 5 for 32, Duncan 4 for 22) and 49 (Martin 5 for 20). College 167 (Martin 54 not out, Le Cren 36, Joplin 18, O'Shea 15) and 38 for 1 wicket (Broad 34 not out). Won by 9 wickets.

v. Y.M.C.A.: Y.M.C.A. 245 (Mackay 6 for 59). College 27 for 5 (O'Shea's score as recorded by stop-watch 1 run every 12 minutes). Game unfinished.

Batting Averages: Jameson, 28.8; Atmore, 18.5; Bruce 18.4; Broad, 17.4; Martin, 14.7; Millar. 14.2; Joplin, 13.2; Duncan, 11.6; Mackay; 10.9.

Bowling Averages: Bruce, 14.4; Duncan. 15; O'Shea, 15.11; Martin, 16.57; Mackay, 16.62; Schramm, 17.11; Atmore, 17 37.

Third Eleven.

Matches played, 13; won, 4, tied, 1; lost, 8.

During the season the team suffered from lack of members so under the circumstances its record is creditable.

v. Catholic Club: Lost by 6 runs. College made 102 (Longhurst 22, O'Shea 19 not out, Cox 14, chief scorers).

v. East: Won by default, a three point win.

v. North: A three point win. College 74 (S. Castle 23, Cox 15) and 50 for 4 wickets (Armstiong 25). North made 57 and 56.

v. Templars (ultimate Championship winners): Lost—87 (Rupert Reed 43) and 53 (Joplin 20), against 125and 2 wickets for 17 runs.

v. Petone: Won by 10 runs.

v. Karori: Lost by an innings, College 68 and 43. (Rupert Reed 14 and 13).

v. St. Mark's (114): Lost. College 91 (A. Castle 23, Cox 10) and 65 for one wicket (Paul 52 not out and Egley 12 not out).

v. Central: A tie—69 each (Paul 18, Longhurst 22).

v. Templars: Lost by 128 run. College 76 (Paul 41).

v. Central (184): Lost. College 132 (Longhurst 27, Davidson 23 not out, Reed 18, Dundon 19, Cox 18).

v. Catholic Club: Lost by 130 run . College 71 (Dundon 17, Cox 10).

v. St. David's: Won. 101 to 78 (Graham 41, Dundon 14, Gus. Stuart 13).

v. North: Lost by 29 runs. College 40

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Batting Averages: Paul, 34.25; Rupert Reed, 17.8; B. Egley, 17.5; Sid. Castle;14.4; Graham, 14.0; Dundon, 11.66; Cox, 11.57; Longhurst, 10.5; O'Shea, 10.0.

Bowling Averages: No record.

Canterbury College v. Victoria College.

Our annual match against Canterbury College was played on the Wellington College ground on 22nd and 23rd January. Canterbury batting first, made 182; Donnelly being responsible for 23, Paterson 34, Reid 22, Denniston 16, Rowe 14. Our batting was disappointing. After an excellent start by Burbidge and Jameson, the side went to pieces, and except for Dickson and Salmond, the procession was a mournful one. We made 136, Burbidge (23), Jameson (33), Dickson (20), Salmond (22), being the chief contributors.

In their second innings, Canterbury made 146, the last wicket adding over 50 runs to the score. With 193 required to win, we were unable to rise to the occasion, and were defeated by 67 runs; our second innings realising 125, to which Fanning contributed 32 not out, Broad 20, Salmond 18, and Burbidge 11.

The Northern Tour.

The team, composed of Dempsey, Caddick, Griffiths, Salmond, Stuart, Le Cren, Martin, McConnell, and Broad, left Wellington by the Main Trunk express on the morning of Saturday, 23rd December, 1911. At Hamilton, where we played our first game against the South Waikato Association, we picked up Jackson and Howden. The game began on Monday (Christmas Day), but after two hours' play, rain set in, and put further play out of the question. On resuming on Tuesday, our opponents made 209. To this we replied with 125, and were thus beaten on the first innings by 84 runs. We left Frankton for Auckland by the morning train on Wednesday, 27th December.

The game against Auckland University began on the Thursday. Dempsey won the toss, and decided to bat, but rain again stopped the game after half-an-hour's play. The next day we continued batting, but managed to make only 65. Over our shocking display of fielding, whilst the Auckland team were batting, it were best to draw a kindly veil. It is sufficient to note that at least fifteen catches were missed in the field. Auckland declared with five wickets down for316, and had no trouble in disposing of us for 48 in our second innings, thus beating us by an innings and 203 runs.

Saturday and Sunday we spent in Auckland seeing the sights. On the Monday we took the down express for Taumarunui, and page 80 on Tuesday played the King Country representatives at Manunui. To most of us the fast matting wicket came with something of a shock after the turf, and we managed to put together only 76, This total is perhaps accounted for by the fact that several of our men had been at a dance the night before, and as a consequence came on the field rather seriously affected in the cardiac regions. Our opponents made 237, and in our second innings we had two wickets down for 75, when our old friend the rain remembered us, and effectually put an end to the game.

Next morning (Wednesday) we caught the express—fortunately, an hour late—for Marton, and in the afternoon commenced a game against a Marton eleven. After a due adjournment through the rain, we completed our innings for 49 runs, McConnell, to his own surprise and delight, contributing 19. Marton made 121 in their first innings. That night we were most hospitably entertained at the Marton Club, and subsequently at a neighbouring bazaar, where one of the team supplied a very enjoyable and unlooked-for entertainment. We began our second innings next morning, but made only 59, and were thus beaten by an innings and 13. That night we took the train for Palmerston.

On Friday we played an eleven representing the Old Boys of the High School, and for the first time the fickle goddess smiled on us. Palmerston made 109. To this we replied with 223; Dempsey (43), Caddick (37),Broad (30), and Howden (2 being the chiel contributors. At the call of time Palmerston had made 178 for seven wickets.

We took the early train from Palmerston next morning, and arrived in Wellington at mid-day, concluding a tour which no member of the team is likely to forget. From the point of view of cricket the tour was an excellent experience for everyone, and though we came off sadly second best in nearly every game, the ultimate good we derived from our experience was demonstrated by our decided improvement in championship games in the latter half of the season. It only remains for us to express the Club's gratitude to our many friends up-country for the kindness and hospitality with which we were everywhere received.

There seems to be every chance of our playing Canterbury College and Otago University at Christmas time. If these two games do eventuate, the incoming Committee would do well to try to arrange a Southern tour to fill up the fortnight's holiday. Matches nodoubt could be arranged at Ashburton, Timaru and Oamaru. All members might bear this in mind.