Boys' Cricket Goes Ahead In Rangiora

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30275, 30 October 1963, Page 15

Boys' Cricket Goes Ahead In Rangiora

/"’RICKET for primary schoolboys has been given a boost in the Ashley Cricket Sub-association this season with toe decision to centralise games. Formerly the North Canterbury subassociation, which changed its name to Ashley to avoid confusion with the new North Canterbury Minor Association. Ashley has given attention to encouraging primary school players for some seasons now and centralisation of games is another progressive step. This year the North Canterbury Minor Association will enter two teams in the South Island primary schoolboys' tournament in Christchurch in January. To select players for these teams toe Minor Association will conduct an irster-sub-association tournament

at Rangiora during Can erbury Metropolitan show week-end.

Ashley has decided to enter two teams in toe inter-sub-association tournament and this is one of toe reasons leading to centralisation of games. Another is that it enables more boys to play.

Centralisation will simplify toe task of the selectors. who will be able to see all teams in action on Dudley Park during the playing of the rounds each fortnight.

Centralisation was approved unanimously at toe sub-association's annual meeting and met with an excellent response from elute. 12 teams being entered initially, an increase on previous years, among them being one from Waipara.

The sub-association established a policy also of providing cricket for all boys wanting a game. Boys not already included in teams but wishing to play were asked to report to Dudley Park on the opening day: 15 “spares” arrived and suitable arrangements made for them. Officials expect there will be more when the second round takes place next Saturday morning. Efficient supervision of games has been provided by organising a roster system of clubs to assist with each round.

To enable centralisation to take place, six new pitches were prepared, and will be improved further, by the combined efforts of toe sub-association, individual cricketers, and toe Rangiora Borough Council. Outlying centres will not be deprived of all local games in the schoolboys’ competition, however, and local interest will be retained by giving them a limited number of home games.