Cricket Assn streamlines its administration

Press, 15 September 1977, Page 28

Cricket Assn streamlines its administration

By

RAY CAIRNS

Consistent with his policy of delegating decision-mak-ing powers to sub-com-mittees, the new chairman of the Canterbury Cricket Association (Mr L. J. Knowles) has encouraged a vast streamlining of the association’s administration. For the new season, the previous 13 sub-committees of the C.C.A. have been reduced to six, not counting such “special purposes” committees as those of grading, centennial, and executive. Those committees meet rarely and are not directly involved in the day-to-day running of Canterbury cricket. But one of the most interesting appointments by the C.C.A. this week was outside of the committees. It is the appointment of Mr N. G.

Ockwell as Canterbury member of the New Zealand Cricket Council board of < control. i Usually, though not neces- I sarily, Canterbury’s delegate to the supreme controlling body of the sport is the chairman or the past chair- • man. Once, in the last 15 ’ years, it has been the presi- ! dent, then Mr J. C. ! Saunders. Mr Ockwell is the ; assistant secretary and is : thus chairman of the com- < petitions committee. For two months, he acted as secretary of the association. He is a most respected member of the management of Canterbury cricket and ’ Mr .Knowles made it clear

that Mr Ockwell was a first choice.

“Certainly, the chairman or his predecessor has been

the representative, but I felt we had far too much reorganisation for me, a new

chairman, to even consider

the post,” he said. “It is an important position for the association but it is more important for me — put there to do a job for the association — not to have my attentions divided. Mr Ockwell was the unanimous recommendation of the appointments committee and endorsed as such.” Among the reduction in sub-committees, the most significant are those two which now deal with matches and competitions and grounds. The new match committee

incorporates all the old representative, minor, and

junior match committees, lower-grade representative

teams, and practices, materials, and coaching.

It is a formidable assignement for Mr A. A. Dobson and his committee, but Mr Knowles said that any subcommittee had the power to use what man-power it needed.

“But their roles are organisational and decision-mak-ing and, for the first time, we have no committee member serving on more than one key sub-committee."

The match committee is a case in point. Its Mr M. C. Leach, one of two co-opted men, clearly has coaching as his particular responsibility and Mr K. I. Ferries might be the practices man. The competitions and grounds committee for the first time ties up in one neat bundle those two committees and that of postponements. Previously, they were divorced, although dependent on each other.

Sponsorship and catering is a committee which will have its high points during the representative season. Its duties include billeting, socials, and local transport. The publications committee will have the important job of looking at the desirability of continuing with the programmes for matches other than those involving national teamc. One of the key duties of the finance committee will be to look into the feasibility of the C.C.A. taking over all ground rentals, a sensitive issue as half the clubs pay for the Hagley Park ground committee to service them while the rest do a fair amount of voluntary work.