CRICKET.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12506, 19 May 1906, Page 5

CRICKET.

NEW ZEALAND COUNCIL. PROPOSED ENGLISH VISIT. A meeting of the Now Zealand Cricket Council wpb held yesterday afternoon, when tho Hon. E. C. J. Stevens provided. The- mooting was called to consider the following cablegram received from Major Wardill in regard to the proposal to 1 bring out an English eleven. 'How much English team fifty days with you." Tho secretary, Mr F. C. Raphael, explained that Major Wardill wanted to know tho amount tho Council were prepared to give for a six weeks' tour of New Zealand. If they could n.r- i range for a team —which would be tho cream of English orioket—to visit New Zealand, ho saw no earthly reason why a t«?t match could not be arranged between tho Englishmen and an Australian team, to take place in Christen urch during Exhibition time. Hedid not ccc very many difficulties in the way. The Government might help ne they had helped tho New Zealand Rugby Union, and if arrangements could bo made with Major WardUl for the match to bo played in New Zealand ho thought it would bo a good Tho Chairman said that the question was what were they prepared to offer to the Melbourne.- Cricket Club for spading the team over here. One of the delegates thought that they could not get very far ahead in tho matter unless they received word from the ailferent associations as to what they were prepared to guarantee. # The Chairman said that it would tnke h very long time to ascertain what tho other associations were prepared to do in tho matter. He did not think it would be a fjood step. They had better run tho visit themselves, and then they could come to a decision at once. The Council could, n.s one alternative, cflrer the whole thing to Major Wardill. If they offered the same as the Australian Eleven they were- liable, not having the insurance scheme in hand, to a heavy loss. Mr Caygill though* that arrangements could bo made by offering the various associations a match at say £250, and anything over" 10 per cent, profit could be pooled for the purpose of repaying these clubs and associations -which had lost money. He thought it, would bo a good thin; if they got the team out here and it would be a great pity if they lost thie opportunity,, which, coming in conjunction with tha Exhibition, might never occur again. He moved three proposals— 1. That the sum of £1500 be given for a fifty days' tour of an English Tost Match team. 2. That £2000 bo given for a fifty days' tour of an English Tost Match tflam, including ono of the five days' test matches between Australia and England, to bo played at Christ church. 3. That a fifty days' tour of an English Test Match, toam and a test match between Australia and Englarid at Christcbiirch, tho sum of £1250 be given, plus 90 p?r cent, of the net proceeds of such test match, tho tour to bo completed before March, 1907. Mr Clarkson took exception to tho third claußo of the motion. He did not think that they ehould offer 90 per cent, of the net proopede and only retain 10 per for themselves. Mr Sims wanted to know if tho Melbourne Cricket Club, which usually played i(e test matches at Sydney, would sacrifice the Sydney fixture. Ho did not think they would unless they were offered a substantial amount of tho gate money at tho test match as an inducement, and he did not think 90 per cent, was too much. Another delegate said he did not sco what advantage there would be to New Zealand cricket, and the Council would make nothing out of the visit. Thopublic would no doubt support tho EnglishAustralian match, birt "would not support tho New Zealand-England match. Mr Young thought that it would do no harm to offer the proposals; they would lose nothing by trying. As one or two delegates were not in accord with the third nroposal tho Chairman suggested to Mr Caygill that th<;y had better be taken seriatim, and this course %vas agreed to. The Chairman then submitted the clauses in that manner, and they were all carried.