CRICKET

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22370, 6 April 1938, Page 5

CRICKET

OVERSEAS COACH PROPOSAL SCHEME NOT CONSIDERED ADVISABLE CANTERBURY SUB-COMMITTEE’S RECOMMENDATIONS The engagement of an overseas professional coach is not considered advisable by a sub-committee of the Canterbury Cricket Association, which presented a report on coaching to a meeting of the management committee of the association last evening. The report of the sub-committee was adopted alter some discussion, and it was resolved to send a copy of it to the various clubs. The grounds on which the sub-com-mittee considered the engagement of an overseas coach not advisable were; — (t) The passage money added too much to the cost; (2) the wages asked for were too high for the association to recover a' fair return for the amount expended; (3) that one coach was not enough to give coaching to all the young players needing it. The following recommendations were made; —(1) That local coaches be appointed and the association subsidise the clubs engaging them, £1 for £l, up to £10; (2) that all coaches to clubs be subject to the approval of the management committee; (3) extension of the association’s activities in playing more cricket with other associations. , , , , ~ . Mr J. Jacobs said he had heard that there was some scheme whereby a coach could be obtained from overseas, and he would be given the sole right to sell cricket material. Of course his passage would have to be paid to New Zealand. . The chairman (Mr W. L. King): It is news to me. “Anything that can be done to encourage the clubs to put their weeknight practices in order should be done,” said Mr R. C. Burns, He considered that this was necessary to raise the standard of the game. The chairman; That was what was at the back of the sub-committee’s mind after it had viewed the position from every angle. „ Mr C. S. Thompson said that if the association did well financially from the representative matches with Auckland and Wellington at Christchurch next season, he thought something should be done to increase the subsidies to the clubs.' “A Little Disappointed” "I am a little disappointed with the report,” said the president (Mr T. W. Reese). ‘T quite see the point regarding finance. In all our clubs I take it that when the seniors are at the net, the junior players present receive coaching, or should receive it." Mr Reese said he thought a coaching scheme would not only create enthusiasm among the players, but also among the public. When all was said and done the public received the value of cricket at the representative matches. He advocated intensive coaching for boys under 21 .who were on the verge of representative cricket. “Auckland and Otago have no money, but they manage to pay a coach a handsome salary.” “That is why they have no money,” said Mr P. H. T. Alpers. Mr Reese, continuing, said that the Canterbury Association had thousands of pounds, but it was missing things it ought to be doing. When it was noticed that a boy was going to be a “top notcher” something should be done for him. He thought that about 20 promising boys should be selected and given intensive coaching. Mr J. L. Kerr said that records showed that not 10 per cent, of the cricketers who had been given intensive coaching by the association in the past were now playing. “By having a local coach for each club for three nights of the week interest would be created in the practices and in the club generally,” said the chairman. He considered it would be preferable to have a coach from another club as he would receive more attention from the players than a coach who was a member of the club. Mr G. S. A. Biltcliff said there was too much tendency to be stampeded by PLunket Shield losses. If an overseas coach could bring 200 more players into the game it was worth more than merely getting him to train a team to win the Plunket Shield. There were, in his opinion, many more satisfactory ways in which the money, which would be spent on a coach, could be used to the benefit of cricket. Mr Alpers said that the association had a duty to see that players enjoyed their cricket. The attitude of the association should not be that of an English county club, which aimed at getting as many “top notch” players as possible, but it should be to give as much enjoyment as possible to its 600 players. The chairman said that an overseas coach would cost £ll a week to the association. On the motion of Mr Burns it was decided to send a copy of the sub-com-mittee’s report to each club. TWO-DAY MATCHES PREFERRED ballot’ of players POSITION IN FOURTH GRADE Of the 172 first-grade and second-grade players of the Canterbury Cricket Association who voted on the question, of whether one-day cricket should be retained next season or whether two-day cricket should be reintroduced, 130 preferred two-day matches. This information was given to the management committee of the association last evening, when details of the ballot were announced. The voting was as follows: First Grade—Lancaster Park, one day 10, two days 1; East Christchurch, 3. 8; Old Collegians. 1. 10; Sydenham, 3, 8; Riccarton 1, 10; St. Albans, 0, 11; West Christchurch, 0, 11; Old Boys 0, 10; totals, 18, 69. Second Grade —Lancaster Park, 6, 5; East Christchurch, 2, 7; Old Collegians, 0. 10; Sydenham, 4. 7; Riccarton, 4, 7; St. Albans, 1. 10; West Christchurch, 2, 9; Old Boys, 5, 6; totals, 24. 61. On the motion of Mr R. C. Burns, it was decided to write to the clubs asking them to ascertain the views of their fourth grade captains on the retention of oneday matches for the grade. Mr Burns said that according to. the large percentage of fourth-grade matches which were decided on one day this season, it might be advisable to retain one-day games in that grade. It was reported that the points for the Petersen Cup. which is awarded for most points in all grades, were: —Sydenham 1254, Lancaster Park 941. High School Old Boys 826, West Christchurch 817, St. Albans 786, East Christchurch 690, Riccarton 540, Old Collegians 533. Christ’s College 481, Boys’ High School 388. The competitions committee was asked to give consideration to the' rules for the Brabin Shield.