Central might lose its 16 victory points

Press, 6 March 1984, Page 40

Central might lose its 16 victory points

By

R. T. BRITTENDEN

There is a prospect that Central Districts might lose the 16 points awarded for its win against Auckland in a Shell Trophy cricket match which ended at Nelson on Sunday.

The umpires’ reports on the match are confidential to the New Zealand Board of Control, but they have been forwarded to the subcommittee which handles playing conditions. This was confirmed yesterday by the secretary of the board, Mr Graham Dowling.

The fact that it has been considered necessary to send the reports on to the sub-committee suggests that their contents may question the captains’ conduct in this match. Little more than three hours play was possible in this match on Friday, because of the weather, there was no play on Saturday, and there was a late start on Sunday. In an effort to ensure that maximum points were available Central Districts’ captain, Richard Hayward, declared at 224 for eight wickets. Auckland’s captain, Martin Snedden, closed at 37 for three wickets. Normally this would have allowed Hayward to enforce a

follow-on, but he forfeited his side’s second innings.

There was little doubt that this was done by arrangement; in the event, Central Districts won in semi-darkness by a few runs.

The council’s playing conditions for the 1983-84 season deal specifically with declarations. The relevant paragraph says that Law 14 of the Laws of Cricket shall apply, but in addition “Law 14 provides an option to the captain of the batting side only, and it is not the intention that any declaration should become the subject of an agreement between the captains. If the umpires have grounds for thinking that any such agreement has taken place, they shall report accordingly to the N.Z.C.C. and if the board is satified that agreement is proven, any points scored shall not be counted.” It is almost certain that the board would accept whatever recommendation

the sub-committee might make. A decision is expected very soon. Central Districts begins its last match, at Invercargill, today. By a quirk of fate, the umpires are Canterbury men — Rodger McHarg and Brian Aldridge, and the twoman sub-committee is based in Central Districts — Vern Chettleburgh, of Palmerston North, and Murray Chapple, of Wanganui. It is a strange situation — the first time an innings has been forfeited in New Zealand first-class cricket.

In the past, teams with leading chances have suffered through loss of playing time because of weather.

Martin Snedden said in Auckland last night that there was no agreement between the captains, the Press Association reports.

“We both took a risk to make a game of it,” he said. “Otherwise neither side could have had a chance-”