New cricket head likely

Press, 5 October 1977, Page 56

New cricket head likely

By

R. T. Brittenden

It is almost certain that the New Zealand Cricket Council’s Board of Control will have a new chairman this year. The present chairman, Mr Walter Hadlee, who has been in office for four years, is unlikely to stand for election when the board meets in Wellington on Saturday, after Friday’s annual general meeting of the council. The most likely replacements are Mr Bob Vance, of Wellington, or Mr Barry Paterson, of Hamilton. Both are experienced administrators and both have managed New Zealand teams overseas.

Mr Hadlee, in England to give evidence for the New Zealand council in the High Court hearing of the Kerry Packer injunction against the International Cricket Conference and the Test and County Cricket Board, will not be able to return to New

Zealand in time for the two meetings.

One of the principal items of business at the annual general meeting will be a proposed alteration to the rules to limit board chairmen to three years in office. There will also have to be alterations to the rules to back up New Zealand's support for the I.C.C. restrictions on players who sign to play with the Packer circus — restrictions which are at present being breached in some of the Australian states. The Board of Control meeting will be, required to

appoint selectors for the inter-island match in Christchurch in early December — a game which will be the platform for the Canterbury Cricket Association’s centennial celebrations. The board will also decide on the number of players to be sent on the tour of England next year, and may go as far as appointing the manager for the tour. The board will have before it a suggested itinerary for Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand in 1978-79 and it will have to make final decisions on venues for the Gillette knock-out and the final

itinerary for England’s visit this season. The main point there is the venue of the “Young New Zealand” match. It seems likely that this will he played at Temuka, which has a good p : tch reputation. The allocation of sponsorship money for the Shell series will also be discussed. The financial difficulties of the major associations in competing in this contest suggest that the present terms may be changed to give a little less to the players and a little more to the associations.