ATTENDANCES IN BRITAIN

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28748, 20 November 1958, Page 5

ATTENDANCES IN BRITAIN

Large Decrease This Year : N.Z Press Association—Copynghti' (Rec. 9 p.m. l LONDON. November 18/ Bad weather caused a drop of ! more than 500,000 in attendances! at first class cricket matches in' Britain this year. According to the attendance re-i port submitted today at the an-1 nual autumn meetings of the Ad-1 visory County Cricket Committee and the Board of Control for Test' matches. Crowds at county; matches fell by 214,159. i The New Zealand touring team’s ordinary games dropped by' 183,504 on the West Indies figures; for last year, and Test figures showed a decline of 153,102. This showed a drop of 550.765 on the figures for first class ‘ cricket for 1957. But increases by some counties, showed that good cricket still pays. Hampshire, which offered, such a strong challenge to the; champions. Surrey, was up 22.522.{ Kent 4215, Leicestershire 4991, and Worcestershire 3196. Test profits were hit. The full I amount for distribution was only! £51,376 compared with £102,8471 in 1957. The six test match grounds to- 1 day received £3769 compared! with £7542 last year. The M.C.C. and each of the 17, first class counties again received; £l5OO as their share of the £30.000 from 8.8. C. television fees. The full financial loss was not disclosed, but it was stated that the New Zealanders received £13,620 less from the counties than did the West Indies last year. Also. New Zealand’s share from the five test matches was down I by £8446 compared with the I amount the West Indies received. I ■' It was decided that the County | i Cricket Championship should take ion a new 100k —as a three year - experiment—starting from 1960. I For these three seasons the I championship would be decided I on a percentage basis, instead of. ■ as at present, on points. This Advisory County Cricket Committee decision follows a request by some of the counties that 32 championship games should be played instead of 28. A fixture committee has produced a scheme whereby some counties can play 32 games while those who wish to keep to 28 matches may do so. This rules out a championship on a points system, so the committee turned to the percentage system where the number of matches played is divided into the number of points scored. M.C.C. MATCH AWARDS Cash Prizes For Bright Play (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (x.cc. 9 pm.) SYDNEY, Nov. 19. The “Sydney Daily Telegraph” has offered big cash awards for bright cricket in the matches against the M.C.C. The.awards will cover the Australian eleven v. M.C.C. match m, Sydney, starting next Friday, andi each test match until the ashes are decided. There will be an award of £5OO for a century before lunch, between lunch and tea, or between tea and stumps. If no-one scores a century i*. those times the newspaper will pay £lOO to the batsman who scores the fastest century of the series. An award of £250 will be paid to any bowler Atting a hat-trick, and £lOO to any player, including the who takes four catches in one innings. For any 100 runs in 100 (or fewer) minutes, an award of £5O will be paid, providing the batsman does not win the £5OO or £lOO awards with the same century.