Davis Cup Selection Policy Attacked

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31225, 24 November 1966, Page 20

Davis Cup Selection Policy Attacked

"The Press” Special Service

WELLINGTON.

The Davis Cup policy of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association’s executive came under attack at the quarterly council meeting of the association at Wellington.

The main critic was a Wellington delegate, Mr B. E. Souter, father of the former Davis Cup player, J. B. Souter.

He criticised the move by the executive to seek the availability of I. S. Crookenden for the 1967 Davis Cup competition. "Crookenden has been in America for the last two years and my information is that he will never return to New Zealand,” said Mr Souter.

His main argument was that as Crookenden is no longer a resident in this country, he should not represent New Zealand in the Davis Cup.

The chairman of the executive (Mr G. C. Reid) said

that the committee took the view that Crookenden was of good value to New Zealand tennis. “He is a player of far better calibre than . anybody in New Zealand, except maybe B. E. Fairlie,” said Mr Reid. He said that it was doubtful whether New Zealand’s application for the European Zone of the Cup would be accepted. “Crookenden’s availability could hdve a large bearing on whether New Zealand gets into this zone,” he added. Mr Souter also attacked what he called the premature selection of the 1967 New Zealand team. He said it was widely known that Fairlie, O. Parun and K. Woolcott comprised the team for next year. Mr Souter said that the team should not be selected

until the merits of the players had been tested on the New Zealand tournament circuit. Answering Mr Souter, the chairman of the executive said that the team had not been pre-selected. “The door is not closed. If any other players come along they will be considered,” said Mr Reid. The quarterly report of the association states: “It is intended again to give the three young players, Fairlie, Parun and Woolcott, overseas experience next year. “This, however, will not preclude consideration of another young player or players for inclusion in the Davis Cup team itself if the selectors consider that the form of such player or players justifies their inclusion and subject also to finance being available.”