SPONSORED TOURNEY

Press, Volume C, Issue 29657, 30 October 1961, Page 16

SPONSORED TOURNEY

Wellington As Venue The Rothman’s £lOOO sponsored cricket tournament will be held in Wellington in February of this season for the first time, according to a decision made by the board of control of the New Zealand Cricket Council on Saturday. Teams from the six major associations will take part. Players have to be under 23 on January 31 next. Players who have played more than one Plunket Shield match in the current season will not be eligible.

The chairman (Mr J. L. Kerr) told the meeting that the New Zealand team, when it returned from its present tour of South Africa, would play a match in Adelaide against South Australia on March 2,3, 5, and 6. The board is also hoping to arrange a match in Perth before the Adelaide match, and a match in Sydney after it. The Commonwealth XI which is being brought to the Dominion by Mr R. Roberts will play three matches within eight days. They will play the New Zealand team, after it returns from South Africa, in Christchurch on March 16. 17 and 19, a Wellington Invitation XI in Wellington on March 20 and 21, and the President’s (Mr E. D. Blundell’s) XI in Auckland on March 22, 23 and 24. In response to an appeal by the Wellington association, it was decided approval be given to associations to have up to 400 honorary members, to which they may grant free admission to matches played under the control of the council.