DISTRICT CRICKET.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12851, 9 July 1907, Page 8

DISTRICT CRICKET.

TO THE KDJTOB OF "THE I'MSS

Sir,—Will you please give mc space for a few*remarks with regard to soro© of the opinions expressed at th© meeting of the United Cricket Club held oirSaturdar evening. From your report of the meeting it would appear that most of the members were tatißfied with making the bald statement that the district scheme had failed, and it is very noteworthy that ' turnover aud seconder of th© motion aro both e-v-playoi-h who arc not vow taking any active purt in tlie game. The action U' Mr Claik, anotlicr retired p.aycr. in deciding to allow the present players U> coii-uct tne game on the -system which tney cons-Uer best, appears to mo to be the picper position ror such crickew-rs to tai.e up. Play©it* oi the pietcnt day appreciate acivico troni siicn men, bat are, I tliink, quit© capable of cc-ciciiug for themselves ti»© svste-ui under wnicii they shall play. " So far as 1 can gainer, ooj<ct.oiu* to district cricket as p-m torch at ill© meeting referred to were:— 1. It iias come twenty years too soon. 2. The I'lilted Glut) is iil..eb,c«l to tlie amount ot .t-IM, and this ainoutit will be ii.i-rcated to £100 in a lew years if district cricKet is continued. A. Hie pre.vi nt systi-.n is nut su lavoiirablo to tne social »id© of cricket. Now. let us take those objections and wo wliat is in tiiem. by saying tliat district cricket has conio twenty years 100 toon. 1 pic.'umo that Mr 01---livier meant tiiat Hie standard of cri. ket is such that it wiil iin.ii.hei twenty years beloie we can pioetuce six tonus* of senior grade. Let us grunt tiiat the aveiai,© standard ol ©nonet ior the lir-jt season or two is not quite so higii with six teams as it would Ik* witii. lour, but surely it is quit© rea.sonaule to anticipate that tho extra twenty-two playtrs ar© much mere likely* to reach tlie higher standard by being allowed to play iv man thoy would it they iiud no such opportunity. Would South African cricket have niacio such rapid strides at; it has don© if, when their first trip to England was suggested, it had been lookeu upon as being twenty years soon:-* Such a spirit would mean -stagnation. Jhe improvement already stiowii in the play ol some of th© cricketers who, during the last two seasuns, have been given this opportunity is a very giuntying proof that v©r_, shortly we biiali have six tennis of an equal or higher average than tho ton. teams of two years ago. If we have to go back to the old sj-t-tem and wa.. ior twenty years for it, then goodnes.. help Canterbury cricket. Ihe question of the indebtedness o tho United Club is altogether outsiui th© subject of district cricket, im clubs at present using liagley Pari, pay a greater rent (by about £40 jei annum} than was paid by th© old club, mo ground is managed by a coinm.tte© of tho United and Midland cluus, and that committee collcct-i the renta •\o increase .of liability on tho pari of th© United l Club is .likely to De brought about by the district clubs.

'llien w© have the statement that tit present method is not so favourable n the social side of cricket. This may bo so, but I think that, to those who have tho improvement of the game at heart it is only a minor mac tor. Tne district scheme was introduced for tin purpose of improving local cricket. Tt bring this about th© number of club.. and first-grade teams was increasce. from four to 6ix. 'ihis has given an opportunity to. a number of young players such as tney could not have fia under the old system, and I think that any unprejudiced, person will saj that it has been entirely successful Th© Canterbury te.im " which playec against Wellington last season contain cd no less than five young players each one of whom had thoroughly earn cd his plaoe. When was such v thui< 'known before? W© have a greatei number of promising young playeithan ever we hud, and the outlook fii Canterbury cricket was never so bright as it is to-day. Surely that is worth somo little sacrifice on tlio pari o. those who look mostly at tho social sid© of the game.—Yours, etc.,

O. CAYGILL