NOVEL CRICKET CONTEST

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 306, 22 September 1936, Page 14

NOVEL CRICKET CONTEST

Empire v. Australia A LTHOUGH the Australian" Cricket ■ci- Board of Control some time ago refused to sanction a proposal that efforts should be made to arrange for the visit of a team representing the rest of the Empire to Australia in connection with the celebration of the 150th anniversary of New South Wales, efforts are being made by the Celebrations Council to bring about such a cricket carnival. Mr.M. A. Noble, the former Australian captain, made the proposal for such s visit, and it was accepted by the Celebrations Council, which included. Mr Stevens (the Premier), Mr. Bruxner (the deputy Premier), Mr. Cunningham (Minister for Labour), and other leading politicians, as well as Aiderman Howie, the Lord Mayor of Sydney. Mr. Noble’s scheme is to invite an Empire team of cricketers to visit Australia during birthday celebrations in 1938. The team would comprise players *from England, South Africa, India, West Indies. Canada, and New Zealand, and would play a series of games aginst Australia in all States, and maybe wind up with a tour of New Zealand. Mr. J. M. Cunningham, who is the Minister in charge of the celebrations,, wrote to the Board of Control suggesting that an endeavour to be made to arrange the visit, but the Board decided that the request could not be granted, as it thought the scheme impracticable. The Celebrations Council decided to make another effort to secure thia feature for the celebrations, and Mr. Bruxner wrote again to the Board, seeking reconsideration. He said the Council would willingly co-operate and give the Board helpful assistance both in the furtherance of the project and toward its practical accomplishment. The Celebrations Council has now been informed that the matter will be again discussed at the Board meeting on September 10. Mr. D. G. MacDougall, general organising secretary, who is kept busy arranging many other matters besides cricket matches in the interest of the council, is hopeful that the Board of Control will sanction the match. There is sharp division in Britain as to. whether women cricketers shall play without stockings or not. Authorities insist on stockings, and are backed by girls with varicose veins or hairy legs. On thn, other side are ranged those who have no reason for hiding their shanks from the light of day: they quote the example of women tennis-players, who mostly go barelegged nowadays. There is a cross-bench party which wears stockings but rolls them below the knees. Developments arc eagerly awaited by the male, element, which realises that if stockings go skirts will be succeeded by ■ shorts. ' > ■