FREAK DECLARATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 260, 3 November 1931, Page 13

FREAK DECLARATIONS.

XING'S-UNIVERSITY PACT

THE WEATHER HANDICAP,

llic action of the King's Old Boys and university skippers in agreeing to declare their false innings alter eacn side llatl scored four runs per medium of a ball permitted to go to the boundary as "Dyes," and then to proceed to serious cricket lor their second innings, is bound to create widespread discussion. The precedent Was set in English county cricket on June 5, when rain had reduced a match between Gloucester and Yorkshire to only one day's actual play, and the captains desired to make that period oi play worth while. Of course, the action in iMigland was subjected to critical scrutiny, but it was lound to be both within the rules and capable of logical defence from the sporting view. 'mis declaration is not to be confounded with that of Turnbull, the Glamorgan skipper, who, when one day of the match against Northants had been lost by rain and his side had got Northants out for 51 and had made 51 for five, at once declared in order to get Northants in again on a wicket still bad, but likely to have improved by the following day. Turnbull held that under the rules of three-day matches he could declare at any time on the second day; but the M.C.O. ruled that the match was in effect a two-day match, and a declaration oh the first day had to allow the opposition 100 clear minutes' batting before "stumps," a provision with which Turnbull's declaration did not comply.

This ruling by the M.C.G., which was first made in 1914 and Was ratified in July last on the occasion of the Turnbull declaration, really puts _ the GloucesterYorkshire and King's-University declarations quite in order in regarding the games as one-day matches.

The possibility of the Gloucester-York-shire precedent being followed in New Zealand Was foreseen alid discussed at length at the annual meeting of the Wellington Cricket Association last month. This.type of declaration was strongly denounced by some members as "pointing," and local rules to ban it were suggested. Other counsels stressed that the M.C.C. rules, covering matches of one, two and more days, were the Outcome of deep consideration and many years of experience.

Eventually the Wellington discussion harrowed down to local rules to brighten Saturday afternoon cricket. One decision was that a team was entitled to declare on the first day of play at any time after play had been two hours in progress, but not within one hour of "stumps." Another provision was that the team batting first On the opening day shall not be entitled to continue batting on the second day, if play on the first day has extended for four hours.

The effect of these local rules, if interpreted strictly, is naturally to narrow the games down definitely to a first-innings decision when the weather conditions wash out the first day's play, and to penalise some teams unduly when local conditions enable some teams to play on the first day, and not others. For instance, had they been applied in Auckland last Saturday, the King's Old Boys' team would have been deprived of points for an outright ■ win; yet had King's been playing University at Eden Park or North Shore, where play was possible on the first day, the indications are that they would have had an outright win on actual play. It looks very much as if absolute equity cannot be evolved by written rules in cricket, where weather variations and the time element are concerned. As a matter of fact, the so-called two-day matches of New Zeala,nd club cricket appear to fall logically tinder the rules relating to oneday matches in England, and the rigbt to declare at any time would probably give more satisfaction generally, with less inequality of hardship, than the practice of regarding them as subject to the rules of two*day matches.

MID-WEEK COMPETITION.

THE DRAW FOR WEDNESDAY.

The dfaw for mid-week competition cames to-morrow is:—Post Office v„ Amburys, Ltd.. at Victoria Park: Transport Board v. Watersiders, at Victoria Park; Philomel v. Auckland Milk Co.. at Victoria Park: Nicholson Park v. Ellcrslie Town Board, at Ellerslic.