Cricket VENUES OF SENIOR MATCHES DISCUSSED

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28415, 23 October 1957, Page 6

Cricket VENUES OF SENIOR MATCHES DISCUSSED

The allocation of some senior pitches to outside clubs for the second round of the senior competition which will begin on Saturday, although approved by the management committee of the Canterbury Cricket Association last evening, drew some critical comment from two speakers.

The senior draw has Old Boys and East Christchurch playing on the Old Collegians’ pitch at Elmwood Park, and Lancaster Park and Old Collegians on Sydenham’s pitch at Sydenham Park, St. Albans and West Christ-church-University at Hagley No. 3, and Riccarton and Sydenham at Hagley No. 1. After the competitions committee’s recommendations had been adopted Mr J. C. Saunders said this decision came after a resolution carried last year that more home and away matches should be played. On its own ground a club received the support of the area, and the preparation of the pitch and other arrangements also had to be taken into consideration. It also affected the junior teams which did not get the opportunity of playing on a senior pitch when its senior team was not playing on the ground.

Mr R. E. Thomas supported Mr Saunders. The Sydenham club did not like the idea very much. The club’s second grade A team turned out to help roll the pitch knowing that when the senior team was not on the ground it would probably have the use of the senior wicket He considered the second-grade A team should have the use of the wicket. The reason the matter was brought forward last year was to give Sydenham and Old Collegians’ players an opportunity of showing what they could do on Hagley Oval, and to see how the other clubs’ players played on grounds outside Hagley Oval. "Mac Gibbon on Elmwood Park looks a pretty good bowler, but Mac Gibbon on Hagley is not so hot,” he said. FINANCE

Estimates of receipts and expenditure for the season were put to the meeting by the treasurer (Mr Saunders). He estimated that there would be a deficit for the season of £197, but it was conceivable that this deficit could be even £3OO to £4OO. This depended mainly upon ‘gate receipts from the Plunket Shield matches to be played in Christchurch. It was recommended that admission prices for the shield matches should be the same as last year—4s for adults and 2s 6d for children in the enclosure, and 2s 6d and Is for the embankment. The coaching fund stood at £325, he said. COACHING A comprehensive report on coaching was presented by Mr C. G. Hamilton. Among points from the report were:— F. B. Smith and M. E. Chapple are not available as coaches this year. The committee intends to continue with the group coaching and to broaden coaching in primary schools with the possibility of a new scheme to reach schools in outside areas.

Clubs will be asked if they would nominate club coaches for instruction courses and if the support is obtained a course will be arranged. The report was adopted. COMPETITIONS

Mr Dryden recommended on behalf of the competitions committee that the senior competition extend over 21 playing Saturdays—ll before Christmas and 10 after. There would be no matches on January 25, for the shield match with Wellington, nor on February 22, the day on which the final New Zealand trial match was being played m Christchurch. Such an arrangement would leave an odd day so the committee recommendeo that a one-day match should be played on March 29. Senior matches will be played as follows: October 26, November 2; November 9 and 16; Novemner 23 and 30; December 7 and 14, December 21, January 11; January 18, February 1; February 8 and 15; March 1 and 8; March 15 and 22; March 29. The report was adopted. REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES It was decided to cede the South Island Minor Association’s match which was to have oeen played in Christchurch on December 13 and 14, to Otago. This course has been taken becau.se Canterbury has a big representa-

tive programme and Otago has comparatively few games. Labour Day matches have been arranged as follows: Senior, v. Malvern, North Canterbury and Ashburton; Brabin Shield teams, v. Ellesmere, Banks Peninsula and North Canterbury; second grade C, v. Ashburton. It was decided to write to the Ashburton association seeking a match for the Memorial Shield between a Canterbury second grade team and Ashburton, at Ashburton, and to South Canterbury seeking a match at Christchurc.i between a Canterbury senior team and South Canterbury. A tour by a Canterbury Colts team of southern minor associations was approved. Matches will be played against South Canterbury, on December 28 and 30, North Otago, on December 31 and January 1, and Central Otago, on January 3 and 4. As Central Otago will also be touring north, it was decided to field a team to play against it at Christchurch on December 30 and 31. Because of these commitments, it was decided not to accept an invitation from Hutt Valley for a match against the colts on January 1 and 2.

On the recommendation of Mr F. F. Dawson, it was decided to seek information about rubber pitches.

REPRESENTATIVE SELECTORS

Mr I. A. Baxter On Panel

Mr I. A. Baxter, a former Brab.a Shield selector and, until recently the Canterbury Cricket association's secretary, was last evening elected a member of the senior representative selection panel. He replaces Mr I. B. Cromb, who will be overseas for part of the season. The other two members of last year’s panel, Messrs E. A. Gasson and F. R. Dennis, have been reappointed. The Brabin Shield selectors were also appointed. They are Messrs W. E. Mapplebeck., R. T. Knowles, and P. A. T. Small.

N.Z. TOUR OF ENGLAND

Remit Urges 16 Players

A remit from the Hutt Valley association proposing that 16 players be sent on New Zealand’s cricket tour of England next year, is among the most important business to come before the annual meeting of the New Zealand Cricket Council in Christchurch on November 5.

Several months ago the council’s board of control decided that a team of 15 would be sent, and it has twice reaffirmed that decision. At the annual meeting, two notices of motion from the Central Districts association, designed to alter the voting powers of the board and the council, will be discussed. Central Districts proposes to add to the rules a provision that at all meetings of the board ex officio members (the secretary and treasurer) shall not have voting power. It also seeks to give votes at council meetings to members of the board of control who are not association delegates. The sub-committee set up to investigate rules governing the Hawke Cup competition will report to the annual meeting.

The effect of the resolution covering voting at board of control meetings is to reduce the total votes from 12 to 10. At present Canterbury administrators have a total of six votes: one for the association’s representative, three for members of the resident executive, one each for the treasurer and secretary. If the Central Districts resolution is carried, this number will be reduced to four.

Zebras to be Destroyed.—The South-west Africa Administration has decided to destroy about 900 zebras this year because of the damage they do to farms. The Administration estimated that there were about 11,000 zebras on farms in the territory last year.— Windhoek (South-west Africa).