Junior Clubs “Sick And Tired" Promotion Match At Start Of Season

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30892, 27 October 1965, Page 19

Junior Clubs “Sick And Tired" Promotion Match At Start Of Season

Any promotion-relegation match in the senior cricket competition shall be played “before the commencement of the competition proper” at the beginning of a new season. A special meeting of the Canterbury Cricket Association decided this course last evening.

However, the management committee took a battering from a number of delegates, notably from the nonsenior clubs, Marist and Technical Old Boys.

The delegates also reaffirmed the annual general meeting decision to divide the senior competition after seven rounds.

“The junior clubs are sick and tired of their treatment from the C.C.A.,” said Mr D. G. McDermott (Marist), during the discussion on the pro-motion-relegation match.

“Different Auspices” “It is patently obvious the C.C.A. does not need us and it is apparent that our onlyalternative will be to play under different auspices. “We can’t hope to get any-

where. We have all of the senior clubs against us." “I don't think this is a good time to discuss a change of auspices,” said Mr A. G. Williams (Sydenham), a member of the management committee.

A senior club which had given 50 years’ service to cricket, “does not deserve to lose senior status because it is going through a lean period.” Mr Williams said that the junior clubs had been “given a fair go” over challenge matches but Mr S. C. Guillen (St. Albans) disagreed. “The challenger has to win outright, rain falls on the second day, and 1 don’t know what happens on the other day. Automatic promotionrelegation is the only way we can do it.”

Automatic grading of teams applied in Trinidad—regardless if an affected team included test players—“and club’s don't mind playing second grade for a year—or third grade. 1 certainly wouldn’t mind.” “1 think the C.C.A. is letting cricket down,” said Mr G. C. P. Beadel (Old Collegians). “For the last few years we’ve had nothing but niggles between the senior and junior clubs."

Mr Beadel said the C.C.A. “should be pushing the Hagley clubs out into the suburbs. Three of the four pavilions can be moved and the C.C.A. has £7-8000 that could be lent to dubs wishing to move.”

“I endorse the remarks of Mr McDermott” said Mr M. Metcalfe (Technical Old Boys). “What the junior clubs have got, has only been after extreme pressure. “In fact I would like a complete rewording of rule 49"

(the rule being amended for the time the promotion-rele-gation match should be played)—“a change to automatic promotion-relegation in all grades and a senior competition of 12 teams, six in each of two divisions."

In his right-of-reply. the mover of the recommendation (Mr A. E. L. Brittnn) said it was “easy for us all to snipe at other organisations." He made a plea for constructive suggestions. “Far be it for nte to suggest rule 49 is the answer—it is not. But the points in favour of the suggested change are that it would avoid upsetting the senior and second grade A competitions and teams would meet at the strengths they would be for the coming season."

Successor To Dowling

The appointment of a sucicessor to G. T. Dowling as : captain of the Plunket Shield I team will be made by the i Canterbury Cricket Association on November 23. The selector (Mr W. McD. [Anderson) will be invited to [be present. Written advice of his unavailability to play for Canterbury this season was received from Dowling last evening.

Hole-ln-ona.—A. Phillip holed his tee shot at the 150 yd seventh hole at the Walmairl Beach Golf Club. He used a number five iron.