"RAFFERTY RULES"

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 46, 24 February 1942, Page 7

"RAFFERTY RULES"

SATURDAY'S GAMES MEMBERS OF THREE CLUBS PLAY FOR OTHERS

When the Auckland Cricket Association agreed to the team drawing the bye (caused by Army's withdrawal), filling vacancies in other senior elevens it surely could not- have been intended that sides short of players should have the option of calling upon three clubs to fill vacancies. Yet this actually happened last Saturday.

The first known of Ponsonby-Balmoral's intention to default to North Shore at Devon port was a notice published "on Saturday morning. Auddlemore had the liye. and it seems strange that a combiner! side, even if a couple of men .short, was not got together to play Shore.

Three Middlemore men eventually took part in the match on No. 1 pitch at Kden Park. H. Nottman bowled for Y.M.C.A. while H. T. Pearson and L. M. Smith played for Grafton.

At least three of the players who would have been at Devonport had not Ponsonby defaulted turned up at Eden Park and were given a game. H. G. Walters (Shore) turned out for Grafton, while J. Green (Shore) and H. E. Warneford (Ponsonby) were included in the Training College XI.

Shore being credited ■with 10 points for the default (reckoned as an outright win), the present positions of the teams are: North Shore 74, University 62. Grafton 61. Parnell 52, Eden 51, Middlemore 40, Y.M.C.A. 31. Training College 30, Pon-sonby-Balmoral 26. There is an idea prevalent that to finalise the season the first four teams will presently play a knock-out competition. In view of the Army team's withdrawal after the games on December 6 and the present absurd position regarding selection of players and allocation of points, surely the best way will be for the four leading sides after the games on February 28 to fight it out on the knock-out principle—minus any points credited up to and including that date?