A COOL PROPOSAL

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 258, 4 December 1914, Page 11

A COOL PROPOSAL

INTERPROVINCIAL CRICKET. OTAGO'S ENGAGEMENTS. When the breach between the late managing committee of the New Zealand Cricket Council and some of the affiliated associations was healed at the council's annual meeting some Weeks ago, it. .was anticipated that, at the very least, one season would pass without further friction. Bnt already there is annoyance—if not the possibility of friction—-in the air. The disturbing element is the Otago Cricket Association. START OF THE TROUBLE. Cricket enthusiasts will remember that at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Cricket Council the Auckland Association 's visiting delegate, Mr Carlton Hay, sought the council's opinion as to whether the Otago Association was under obligation to send a team to Auckland this season, in accordance with the scheme of interprovineial matches mapped but in 1912. Because the Auckland team which came to Christchurch last season,- in an unsuccessful quest of the Plunket Shield, did not go on to Dunedin, the Otago Association declined to travel to Auckland this season, and declared that Auckland was bound to pay a visit first. The Auckland Association, held, on the other hand, that Otago should send a team to the northern city. It -was pointed out that the last Otago : Auckland match had been played in Dunedin, and that Auckland had sent more teams to Otago tjian Otago had sent to Auckland. Under the scheme drafted in 1912, each of these two associations was to visit the other once in each four years, so that matches between them would be played at intervals of: two years. OTAGO'S SECOND ATTITUDE. The question was referred by the council to' its new managing committee, which declared in favour of the Auckland Association. Then the Otago Association took up a new position, and resolved that the state of its finances would not permit of its sending a team as far north as Auckland this season. Probably that plea was justified, but the Otago Association's action would have been viewed more favourably by the cricketers of other centres if that body had raised the financial objection first. .In the meantime, the. other associations were arranging their fixtures, and these included the playing of an Otago-Canter-bury match at Christmas, in Christchurch. Now, however, the Auckland Association has offered, some special pecuniary inducement to Otago to send a team to Auckland, and Otago has accepted it. But instead of trying to arrange this match so that it shall fit in with the dates already agreed upon for other representative matches, Otago is trying to "beat" some of the other associations for their dates. It calmly suggests that instead of playing Canterbury'at Christmas, as has been done for many years past, it-shall play Wellington then, Auckland at New Year (the date set down for the Auckland-Can-terbury match), and Canterbury on the return trip. Fortunately, the Wellington Association has declined to alter its arrangements, and the Canterbury Association is not likely to agree with Otago'a proposal, which, therefore, must fall through.' Still, the proposal itself will leave a bad taste in the mouths of the Wellington and Canterbury cricket authorities, and the selfishness shown by the Otago Association is not conducive to the peace which it was hoped would prevail in New Zealand cricket this season. ' SHIELD-HUNTING—OR WHAT?

There is a deeper meaning in Otago's proposal than appears at first glance. Whether that meaning was realised by the 6tago Association is not known, but. the southerners have only themselves to blame if the .cricketers of other centres extract this deeper meaning. It is that if the proposal were adopted by the other associations concerned, Otago would have more chance of winning—and keeping for a season —the Plunket Shield than it would have otherwise. If Otago played Canterbury at Christmas* and happened to secure a win over Canterbury, it probably would have to defend its possession of the shield in its North Island matches, and thus it would run chances of losing the trophy before returning to Dunedin. On the other hand, if Otago's latest proposal' were acceded to, it would play Canterbury . when the latter's first eleven is away on its North Island and, of course, Otago has more chancp of defeating Canterbury's second eleven than it has of beating the first eleven. Admittedly it is possible that the Canterbury team may lose the: shield while on tour, but on last season's performances that is not very probable. Even allowing for the factor just indicated, the Otago Association's chances of winning the Plunket Shield would be improved by the adoption of its proposal. It is not inferred that the Otago Association had this in view when it made that proposal, but it is an aspect of the matter which has already appeared to certain cricket authorities. Canterbury certainly would not begrudge the shield to Otago, but it would prefer that the trophy left this district by the front door instead of by the back door. The Otago Cricket Association has only itself to blame if its present policy seems to be tending towards the tradesman's entrance. A.L.C.