CRICKET Win Awarded Against Team Infringing Rule

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28451, 4 December 1957, Page 23

CRICKET Win Awarded Against Team Infringing Rule

Because the Technical Old Boys fourth grade A side included three second grade A players when it met Lancaster Park, the management committee of the Canterbury Cricket Association last evening decided to award Lancaster Park competition points as for a win by default This action was taken after considerable discussion on a recommendation from the competitions committee that Lancoster Park be awarded a win.

The chairman of the competitions committee (Mr G. P. Dryden) said his committee had fully considered the letter of protest from the captain of the Lancaster Park side (A Fraser), and a reply which had been forwarded subsequently by the Technical Old Boys Club. “We have found that the Technical team was definitely infringing rule 53—players playing below grade unfairly.” Club’s Reply

The secretary (Mr E. D. Bennett) then read to the committee the reply which had been received to the protest from the Technical club. “My committee views with surprise the protest from the Lancaster Park Cricket Club,”* said the letter. “We were neither aware of any rule preventing the participation of our players in the fourth grade, nor did we intend to take unfair advantage over the opposition. It would appear that dangerous play was more the result of the poor wicket at the Polo Grounds, which was quite dangerous. ‘.“Of the players concerned,” said the letter, “Charlton and Cully are by no means experienced second grade players, as both are still 17 and have been away from school for one year only. The third boy, Harper, was playing as a replacement, having recently recovered from an operation and was available tor one day only. We would point out that the morning game in which these players were playing had been completed before the beginning of the afternoon game, and it was only by chance that these boys were called on by the captain of the fourth grade side to make up 11 players. “The action of these boys in taking so active a part in the latter game can be attributed more to keenness than to a desire to take advantage of less experienced players. My club is most concerned that it was subjected to this unfavourable publicity before it was able to explain or defend itself,” said the letter.

“I feel we should accept the club’s explanation that it did not wish to take an unfair advantage,” said Mr I. B. Cromb. Mr F. G. Hobbs: I don't agree. These three players took 18 of the 20 wickets between them and scored 98 of Technical's 117 before the side declared with five wickets down.

Mr G. P. Dryden said the matter should be left at it was. The committee unanimously decided to award a win to the Lancaster Park team. On the motion of Mr G. R. Gregory, the committee decided to set up an entertainments committee, which will be responsible for handling the entertainment of teams visiting Christchurch. Mr Gregory was appointed convener of the committee, with Messrs I. B. Cromb and J. T. Eltoft the other members, with power to coopt. Use of Fendalton Park The treasurer (Mr J. C. Saunders) reported that he had been able to obtain no reduction from the Waimairi County Council of last year’s rent of Fendalton Park, which was used by the Canterbury Boys’ Cricket Association. “The boys' association does not intend to use Fendalton Park this season, and no application for its use will be going before the council,” said Mr A E. L. Britton. Mr B. J. Drake said he had had a discussion with a member of the Waimairi Council on the matter. He then moved that the matter be held over until the meeting

went into committee, when he would explain further. Appreciation for the work of the Hagley Park Grounds Committee in having the pitches in good order was expressed by Mr I. A Baxter. The meeting passed a motion expressing its thanks for the work of the committee. The secretary of the Victory Park Board (Mr K. J. McGillivray) wrote advising the committee that Lancaster Park had been reserved for the Plunket Shield matches and for the New Zealand trial match. The letter was received. Banks Peninsula would play Macefield Shield matches against Ellesmere at Lincoln On November 30, and against Malvern at Kaikoura in December, said a letter received from the secretary of the Banks Peninsula Cricket Sub-Association (Mr R. L. Morison). A junior team for the subassociation will play North Can 4 terbury at Rangiora on December 10-11.

The West Christchurcfi-Unlver* sity dub, advised that its delegates to the association were Messrs B. I. Drake, F. G. Hobbs, F. P. Hill, and R: W. Edgley. . No Decision On Captain No decision on the appointment of a captain for the Canterbury Plunket Shield team was made at last evening's meeting of the management committee of the Canterbury Cricket Association. The chairman of the committee (Mr C. F. Collins) said after the meeting that a long discussion had been held in committee, but no decision had been made.