CRICKET PLUNKET SHIELD MATCHES

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27442, 31 August 1954, Page 12

CRICKET PLUNKET SHIELD MATCHES

TENTATIVE FIXTURES ANNOUNCED MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING Canterbury's Plunket Shield team is likely to have two home matches in the Christmas-New Year period. At a meeting last evening of the management committee of the Canterbury Cricket Association, the chairman (Mr T. A. Tucker) announced the tentative programme of matches drawn up by the chairmen of ’ iqajor associations after the biennial meeting of the New Zealand Cricket Council in July. The programme is:— December 25 to 28: Wellington v. Auckland at Wellington; Otago v. Canterbury, at Christchurch. December 30 to January 1: Otago v. Auckland, at Auckland; Canterbury v. Qentral Districts, at Christchurch. January 3 to 5: Central Districts v. Otago, at Dunedin; Wellington v. Can-, terbury, at Wellington. January 7 to 10: Canterbury v. Auckland. at Auckland; Central Districts v. Wellington, at Central Districts. * January 13 to 15: Wellington v. Otago, at Dunedin; Auckland v. Central Districts, at Central Districts. The matches in the coming season will be of three days' duration. Treasurer’s Report A loss for the year of £420 had t)een reduced to £220 by a £2OO “hangover” from the West Indies tour, given by the New Zealand Cricket Council, said the treasurer (Mr B. J. Drake). There had been losses of £155 on the Otago match, £lB4 on the’ Central Districts match, £79 on the Brabin Tournament, and £27 on the New South Wales Country Colls. Before Christmas, he had estimated that the two home shield games would show a profit of £7OO, ut they had realised only about £430. In the coming season, with a compact shield programme they should have a better chance. The shield games had shown a profit of about £lOO, said Mr J. G. Leggat. That was not what was wanted, but they should look with some interest at the introduction of three-day' cricket. Something should be done about balancing programmes to obviate byes, because teams relying heavily on Christmas matches were missing them. > A system of ground members was suggested by Mr C. G. Hamilton. That would give a steady income. In other centres, such money was not included in gates, and therefore Canterbury lost its share of that money. They should be "on the band waggon.” Ground members could be given preference in- bookings for overseas matches.

Other speakers said there was really nothing which could be given ground members in return for their subscriptions.

After furthe# discussion, It was agreed that a sub-committee be set up to examine means of increasing the association’s income, such as a ground membership scheme. Messrs C. G. Hamilton, Drake and C. G. Crawford were appointed to the committee. For the competitions committee, Mr C. F. Collins said it had been suggested that teams responsible for the late starting of.matches be fined 10s—to be borne by the team’s club—or be penalised in points. Referring to a senior match last season, in which the aggregate runs scored by Old Boys and Old CollegIjftis -were equal, although Old Collegians' second innings had not been completed, Mr Collins said his committee recommended that in such games the points should be awarded as for an outright tie.