NOMINATIONS FOR TOWN TEAMS

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27912, 8 March 1956, Page 18

NOMINATIONS FOR TOWN TEAMS

LAWN TENNIS

FEW SENIOR CLUB PLAYERS REPORT TO MEETING OF DELEGATES Disappointment that there were not more nominations of senior players for Town-Country day was expressed by the chairman of the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association’s competitions committee (Mr D. Martin) at the quarterly meeting of delegates last evening. In his report, Mr Martin said he thought senior players should give something back to the sport. There were only seven senior men and 12 senior women in the six town teams, and three of the senior men were from the one club. “The senior men should play against the sub-associations. There are some I very good players in the country, espe-

cially in Mid-Canterbury and Malvern, both of which beat Town teams last Saturday,” Mr Martin said. “Some clubs were not very patriotic, either. Two leading clubs did not nominate any player. “Although we had a sufficient number of players, the quality was not there,” he said. Some clubs were concerned about the late starting of competition matches in various grades, said Mr H. R. Fuller (Avonside). He understood that in the senior grade the rule was that matches would begin not later than 1 p.m. “However, I think there is a half hour’s grace allowed. If that is so it is a verv poor rule,” he said. “If a team cannot start at 1 p.m., it should be scrubbed.” Replying, Mr Martin said the committee i had discussed the matter several times. It was very difficult to know what to do with a team that was late. There was nothing implied in the rules that a team had a half hour’s grace. It was up to the teams concerned to make a complaint to the man in charge on the day if their opponents were late and claim to win by default. On the other hand, the players would then lose their tennis for the day. Only on a very few occasions were the senior men playing after 5.30 .p.m., he said. If matches were finishing late in a bad light, strong action would be needed. Team captains could arrange to get two players at the courts at 1 p.m. to get matches started. Penalties could be talk-

ed about, but in that case tennis was not being conducted as it should be. Mr Fuller said that late starting was not tolerated in other sports. Clubs probably would not wish to claim matches by default, but he thought the competitions committee should enforce the rule.

COMPETITION FOR WINTER

ENTRIES TO BE CALLED SOON Entries would be called for a winter competition of men’s first and second grades, if there were enough teams, and a women’s grade, it was reported to the quarterly meeting of delegates of the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association last evening. The chairman of the competitions committee (Mr D. Martin) said that last year the response was so poor that the competition was not held. This year the entries would be called much earlier to get clubs interested in a winter competition. Entries would close on March 26, and so that players would not be prevented

from attending important Rugby matches later, the competition would begin on April 21, and would net last later than July ?3, said Mr Martin. He also reported that although the committee had not approved any promotion and relegation scheme, the lowest team in the senior men s competition would play the winning team in the senior reserve, University. Th? match would be» held on March 24, and would be a way of determining the strength of the senior reserve grade. CANTERBURY BLAZER The monogram for the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association’s new blazer had been approved by the management committee, the committee chairman (Mr W. A. Clothier) reported to the quarterly meeting of delegates last evening Mr Clothier said two players eligible to wear tie blazer had already applied to lhe committee. The association would pay for the monogram, but players would have to pay for their own blazers. A monogram of the approved type was passed round the meeting. It comprises the Canterbury coat-of-arms and t h e inscription with Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association.