Match Value Questioned

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31614, 27 February 1968, Page 18

Match Value Questioned

The playing of rep- 1 resentative matches ’ and the players’ atti- J tude to them was questioned at a < management commit- ' tee meeting of the ; Canterbury Lawn i Tennis Association 1 last evening. J In a letter the Otago asso- ‘ ciation said that it had had difficulty arranging its competition matches because of not i

knowing sufficiently far in advance when it would play its annual matches with Canterbury. It asked whether a definite date could be set, preferably in March or early April. Mr J. B. Anderson suggested that the annual matches be played at the same time as the Nunneley Casket and Wilding Shield, should Canterbury and Otago be drawn to play in the early! rounds. "We are doing sway with ' matches left, right and centre." said Mr T. A. F. Withers. "I think we should play our normal matches with Otago irrespective of when or if we are drawn to play Otago in the Nunneley Casket and Wilding Shield.” "I think we are placing too

much importance on this,” said Mr Anderson. “Of the 5000 tennis players in Canterbury we probably have only 20 men and 10 women who are interested in representative matches.’’ “The players do not often look forward to the representative matches with Otago,” said Mr B. Crofts. “We are controlling tennis in Canterbury, not the players,” said M. Withers. It was decided to write to the Otago association suggesting that in future the representative matches be played on i the third Saturday in March. Junior Levies j It was brought to the attention of the association that a number of primary school children were not paying club levies because it was felt that they should be exempt by their clubs. All clubs will be told that all juniors. including primary school players, are required by the association to pay levies to their clubn: otherwise they will not qualify for sponsored coaching or be allowed to play in tournaments. Returfing of Courts.— Mr Hr Dillon was asked if he could arrange for the Wilding Park committee to meet a turf expert (Mr L. Jackson) regarding possible improvements to the courts, especially to help bind the baseline area and prevent powdering. Field Day.— The next women s field day will be on March 7, at Wilding Park. Event Dropped.— lt was de-1 cided that a senior open tour- i nament will not be conducted by the Canterbury association this year at Easter. All local clubs will be asked whether they would be interested in running a senior open tournament themselves.