THROWING AND DRAG

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28981, 24 August 1959, Page 13

THROWING AND DRAG

Council Promises To

Support Umpires

The full support of the New Zealand Cricket Council in all matters, particularly in dealing with the problems of throwing and drag, was promised the New Zealand Cricket Umpires’ Association by the chairman of the council’s Board of Control (Mr J. L. Kerr) when the association held its annual meeting in Christchurch yesterday. The role of umpires In cricket was of vital importance, said Mr Kerr. He felt it was up to the Umpires’ Association to improve its standards by education. The president of the council (Mr T. W. C. Tothill) also emphasised the value of good umpiring, and mentioned the necessity for all players to accept properly the decisions given Delegates to the meeting were welcomed by the chairman of the management committee of the Canterbury Cricket Association <Mr C. F. Collins). The Canterbury association was host at a function for delegates to the conference on Saturday afternoon. The meeting spent some time discussing the grading of umpires. It decided to recommend to the management committee the establishment of a committee to examine all umpires on the rules. The standard will be that used by the Association of Cricket Umpires in England, and a 90 per cent pass is required before a candidate may umpire a first-class match. At present local umpires* associations examine umpires, and they will have to pass, and then spend' a full season umpiring in senior club games, before they are eligible to sit the New Zealand Umpires’ Associations written examination Officers elected were:—President. Mr E. D. Milne (Canterbury); vice-presidents, Mr E H Dickey (Auckland) and R. Pollok (Southland); secretary, Mr D. P Dumbleton (Hutt Valley); management committee, Messrs R. E. Dore (Wellington), H. W. Gourley (Canterbury), R. Allen Taranaki), and G. S. Northcote (Central Districts).