FIELD OF SPORT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 285, 13 September 1933, Page 2

FIELD OF SPORT.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. (By "Onlooker.") With the objects of stimulating publio interest in cricket by brightening upw the game, or generally benefiting players, of preventing club disorganisation through players being tied to two consecutive Saturdays, and of encouraging the completion of games, the Ashburton Cricket Club has de* cided to Vecommend that' the Ashburton Association should introduce oneday cricket during the coming season and amend its rules accordingly. This matter will be discussed at the annual meeting of the Association on Wednesday, September 20. Mr I. M. Hamilton (Ashburton Club) brought the question forward a 0 a suggestion to the Management Committee of the Association at the close of last' season, and his Club has now taken the matter up. It is understood that a large proportion of cricketers in the County are in favour of the proposals, and it is the general opinion that such a scheme would benefit the game all round; assisting the fielding, the batsman, and the bowlers.

Writing to a member of the Ashburton Association, on this subject, Mr I. B. Cromb (a former New Zealand representative cricketer, and now playing in Lancashire, England) says: "I find that the cricket in the Lancashire League is very strong, and also that the cricket is very much better than what I was led to believe. Certainly there is no comparison between our 2-day cricket, which is very dull, and league cricket which they play here from 2 p m. to 7 p.m., with only one break of a quarter of an hour between innings, when they take afternoon tea. The cricket is bright and keen and if I iiavo any say in Canterbury Club cricket I will be very much in favour of giving up our antiquated two-day games which are too slow and; in my opinion, do not produce good stroke players, as they have no incentive to try hard. "We have crowds of from 7000 to 15,000 every Saturday, and they shout and are as keen as football crowds — quite a change from a crowd of ten men and a dog in Christchurch on Saturdays!" The introduction of one-day cricket is being urged in Australia and in Christchurch, and it would certainly do no harm if Ashburton was to give the thing a trial for one season. Oneday cricket has been played in the County in past seasons, and according to the veterans was most successful.

Should the proposal be adopted, a scheme for the completion of a round an each playing Saturday would probably be drawn up on the following lines:—(a) The game would commence at 2 o'clock and finish at 7 o'clock; (b) there would be a 10 minutes afternoontea interval; (c) the side having first use of the wicket would declare before 4 o'clock; (d) there would be no unnecessary interval between innings; (e) incoming and outgoing batsmen would cross on the actual playing area; (f) batsmen would be recommended to use short runs; (g) the object would be to score not less than 100 runs an hour; (h) captains would so handle the fieldsmen as to minimise the time between overs; (i) eight points would be given for an outright win, four and two for a win and a loss on the first innings, and none for a draw. The matter of a time limit will no doubt be fully discussed at the annual meeting, and'some better arrangement may be arrived at. The declaration may possibly be left to the spo.rtsman.ship of the captains and no specified time laid down. Also the annual meeting, if it sets up a'sub-committee to drawup a scheme, will probably leave the matter of the scale of points to that sub-committee. Nevertheless, the experiment will, if agreed upon, operate more or,less on these lines.

The standard of boxing in Ashburton compares very favourably with that in other centres. This was evident at the New Zealand amateur championship tournament held at Blenheim at the end of last week! The Ashburton representatives, who are all just out of the novice class, were drawn to meet boys representing the Wellington Association, which had three nights' boxing to decide its championships, and so they were up against some good men. Nevertheless they all gave a good account of themselves.

J. Miller met J. B. Kent, the Wellington 'Varsity and provincial welter-weight.chanipion, and gained a decision in an interesting bout. His next man was P. B. Martin, who has represented the Auckland province for the last five or six years, and has twice been runner-up for the welterWeight title, and although beaten,

Miller's performance was a very creditable one.

The "New Zealand Free Lance," commenting on the title meeting, says: . "The surprise packet of the tournament was J. B. Kent, the 'Varsity boy, who knocked out W. Cubitt and out-pointed J. Camtis in one of the . best bouts of the tournament. It was full of hard-hitting. Kent beat W. Parris after a close bout in the final. This Avas Kent's first appearance outsidd of University boxing. He was one of the ' finds' of the meeting." P. Sheehan, who met J. Ford, of Wellington, was very unlucky to have the decision given against him. Ford later defeated L. Painter, who won the heavy-weight title in Ashburton at the 1931 championship meeting, and then fought the final with the eventual winner, F. Bell (Greymouth). W. Shutt, who entered the ring with J. Mansfield (Wellington), put up a fine showing and his performance in the last round, when he was on the top of his man all the time, makes it difficult to understand why he did not , get the decision. ' The decisions on the whole did not meet with the complete approval of the public, and the whole tournament was somewhat marred by the poor *

rulings given. The standard of boxing from the middle-weight to the heavy-weight was not up to that of previous years. Both Sheehan and Shutt have now had expsrienc." O'f a championship meeting, and should give a good account of themselves next year. It is expected that these two men will go 'a long way in the boxing world before they are done.