CRICKET WELLINGTON’S VIEWS ON PLUNKET SHIELD SERIES

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29192, 30 April 1960, Page 15

CRICKET WELLINGTON’S VIEWS ON PLUNKET SHIELD SERIES

The Wellington Cricket Association is dissatisfied with the Plunket Shield competition and has suggested to the New Zealand Cricket Council’s Board of Control that for the coming season the programme be restricted or suspended. In a letter to the board last evening the association said that Wellington would suffer a substantial loss under the present proposals for the 1960-61 representative fixtures. The letter said: "We expect every Second year to have every three games at home, and provided we have two of these matches in the holiday period, we hope to make a sufficient profit to compensate for the other year, when we have three away games. To make this possible, however, it is essential that we have two of the matches played during Christmas and the New Year. Everything in the proposed programme points to our association suffering a substantial loss in the coming season. For example: “1. No match at Wellington at Christmas for the second successive year. This is quite unacceptable. Wellington is one association which

Is assured of good gates at this particular time. ”2. The best dates in the New Year are set down for a game against M.C.C.. the proceeds of which will go to the N.Z.C.C. “3. Two separate visits to the South Island. It was understood that when the programme was reorganised some years ago, restricted travelling would eventuate in that Wellington, at least, would play its two matches against the South Island associations on the one trip. It will be recalled that to make this possible Wellington agreed to go to Christchurch two years in succession, which it did in 1857-58 and 1958-59.

"4. Three Plunket Shield matches in 12 days (at home) and these are scheduled to take place immediately following the M.C.C. game. With tne best dates (Christmas and New Year) gone and the holiday period drawing to a close as the home matches commence, it is too much to expect public Interest to be sustained over such a continuous period, especially Immediately after the M.C.C. match.

Availability of Pitches “It is unlikely in any event that we will be able to obtain the pitches for three matchea in 12 days, as this period includes two Sundays, and the groundsman would therefore have only one clear day to work on them.

“My committee feels that it would be unwise of the N.Z.C.C. to force upon it a programme that appears to ensure a considerable loss. It also feels that in the coming season too much cricket Is being provided. Players assured of test selection wiU find it extremely difficult to meet all their commitments and some may be tempted to miss some shield games. If our match with Otago takes place as scheduled, one of our prominent players has already intimated that he will not be available.

"The only solution we can sugwe do so reluctantly, is that the Plunket Shield competition be suspended for this season , or the programme be restricted. It the competition is suspended, the associations could arrange games among themselves. My committee also feels that when we are visited bv a team not fully representative ?Ki ,ts . COUI ? try ‘ W may not be *dvismatches.‘, ’ h * ‘ fuU ‘ eriw of test

bo, A? decided to defer the - ™•«« unt‘l today, the second day of its meeting.

TECHNOS trophy ::

Presentation To Canterbury

The Technos Challenge Trophy a two-foot-high cup presented by’ a watch firm to? brigfcteJ. cricket in New Zealand, will * presented to the winneJ. Canter! ***<,<*Members of the team will be given a watch «^ h ’ a! -A2< Presented by the Swiss firm. This Information was re-, “ived at a meeting of the Board S° nt £ 01 ot the New Zealand Cricket Council last evening. •>” A photograph of the trophy was shown to members of the board The trophy bore the New Zealand" SSSJ °^. arrr \2 and the inscription)'’ TVhen the Great Scorer comes to write against your name—He asks not if you won or lost, but how you played the game."

JORDAN FRUIT BOWL

Play Between N.Z. ’ And England

Ths Jordan Fruit Panel Bowl, which was bequeathed to the New Zealand Cricket Council last year by Sir William Jordan, a former High Commissioner for New Zealand in the United Kingdom, will be for competition between England and New Zealand in any series of representative or test matches, the trophy to be retained by the winning team until the subsequent series.

The Board of Control of the New Zealand Cricket Council last evening accepted this proposal by Mr J. A. Ongley and decided to submit the rules of play to the M.C.C. for its views.