OLD BOYS' TEAMS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18186, 24 September 1924, Page 9

OLD BOYS' TEAMS.

CRICKET CONTROVERSY. The question of granting affiliation to clubs from the Christ's College and Boys' High School Old Boys' Associations was before last night's meeting of the committee of the Canterbury Cricket Association when it was decided to hold a meeting of delegates to go into the matter. The meeting was fixed for 7.30 p.m. on Friday. The following letter was received from Mr P. Hollander, lion, secretary of the High School Old Boys' Club :

"Further to our letter of the 13th instant for affiliation to your Association, we noiv beg to apply for permission to enter the following teams in the coming competitions-.—Senior B, onb team; junior, two teams; third grade, one team. We undertake to supply 75 per cent, of now playing members, and as w© have a ground if Hagley Rirk is not available we consider we have complied -vith all the rules of your Association."

jLiie letter suggested that aa it had been recommended that a conference be held to deal with the matter of affiliation, it should bo held at the end of the present week, so as to give the club's players time- to make the necessary arrangements. A letter was also received from the Christ's College Old Boys' Association, 6tating that it was desired to enter three teams:—Senior B, junior A and junior B, in tho Association's competitions.

The chairman (Mr W. Simpson) said that the position at present was that a conference was to ibe held, the result of which was to be reported to a general meeting of delegates before Christmas. The High School Old Boys' Association had informed him that they were prepared to enter four teams, and find 75 per cent, of new players. If this were not acceptable they were even prepared to go to the extent of including no old players at all. If these players were not allowed to join up and get a game they would, it seemed to him, drift off to other sports and so be lost to cricket.

Mr W. R. Patrick moved that the matter be deferred until the conference was held.

Mr R. H. North expressed the opinion that it was nst in the best interests of cricket to hold over the application.

Mr W. L. King said that one of the big arguments brought forward in going back to club cricket from the district scheme was that the clubs would be open. He thought that in a few years' time, if affiliation was granted, the Old Boys' Club would become a huge affair. He thought that in the circumstances the opportunity should be given to clubs to say whether they would prefer to go /back to district cricket or open clubs. The chairman: Here are two new clubs who want to enter the competition with new playerS. If we go and turn them down it is a serious matter.

Mr North said that Hagley Park was in need of new clubs to keep it going, otherwise the case was a hopeless one. Mr E. A. Gasson: I think you should hold the conference as soon as possible and get it done with. Mr R. B. Ward: If they come in, some of the older clubs must g© out. After further discussion, in which it was stated that it seemed inconsistent to admit the Mairehau Club to the competitions and turn the other clubs down, it was decided that the conference should bo held on Friday, at 7.30 p.m. ST. ALBANS CLUB'S VIEW. At the annual meeting of tho St. Albans Cricket Club held last night, Mr C. S. Thompson was appointed to represent the club at the conference to be held with reference to the affiliation of the High School and Christ's College Old Boys' Clubs to the Canterbury Cricket Association. " Mr W. Simpson said ho thought that they should not tie the hands of their delegate to thg conference. The matter wtis an important one, and ho was sure that Mr Thompson would vote i" the best interests of cricket. Mr Thompson said that he would go to'the conference with a perfectly open mind. However, they should look ahead If these old boys' clubs were allowed to affiliate it would mean that in about ten years' time the majority of the senior clubs would, be old boys clubs. The present dubs would go out. Tho old boys? clubs would be closed clubs, and he was opposed to closed clubs. Personally he favoured the district scheme of cricket. . uia boys of any school could then join the club in the district in which they resided. This was the democratic idea. Mr R. Twyneham said ho was opposed to the formation of the old bow' clubs at present because they would weaken the existing «lubs. In a few vears' time the old boys' clubs would be outstanding both in membership and financially and he did not think this would be a good t'-mg ior the game. He did not think ..hoy wanted cricketers who would not play cricket unless they could join an old boys' club. 4 . . . After considerable discussion it was decided to recommend the Canterbury Cricket Association to consider the advisability of reverting to the scheme of district cricket.