WELLINGTON CRICKET

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 97, 20 January 1944, Page 3

WELLINGTON CRICKET

Suggested Improvements ASSOCIATION DISCUSSION No doubt as a result of the defeat of the Wellington representative team by Auckland by eight wickets at Christmas time, a special meeting of management committee of the Wellington Cricket Association last night considered various proposals, for raising the standard play. Mr. B. A. Paetz considered that, alter the war, the association should obtain the services of a good professional coach from England or Australia. Ic the u elliugton .Returned Services Association was able to raise £4OOO by its recent carnival, surely the cricket association could do something in the same direction, he said. Too many boys after leaving school became lost to the game, . aud needed some impetus to retain their interest. This could best be done by the incentive to gain a place in a touring team. He would like to see a colts’.team, captained by a. professional coach, in the senior competition. Mr. J. B. Watson said that the chief trouble was that proper practice was badly neglected. He advocated a definite programme of overseas tours arranged as soon as possible. It w’as most important that the standard of bowling and fielding should be improved. If this were done an improvement in batting would follow as a matter of course. Mr. J. A. Carrad said that one of the greatest handicaps to Wellington cricket was the poor condition of practice wickets, which drove many lads from the game. Mr. J. E. Banks said that when he returned from .England, and had to face bowlers like Mat Henderson and Joe Fortune on the practice wickets at the Basin Reserve he preferred to stay away. ■The chairman, Mr. J. D. Howitt, said what was wanted was proper supervision of practice. Mr. R. W. Coupland : Have Wellington practice- wickets always teen bad? Question of Grounds. Mr. Howitt said Wellington was worse off for cricket grounds than any town in the Dominion. It was deplorable the number of young men today who took no part in any form of sport. Mr. Carrod said there-were more sporting clubs at Victoria University College today than at any time in its history, and snort was compulsory at the Teachers’ Training College. Mr. H. E. Moore said they should endeavour to get at the boys in the primary schools. There were two months in summer when primary school boys had no cricket, and something should be dona to bridge this gap.Mr. W. A. Baker said he was not too late .to enter into negotiations with the Australian Cricket Board of Control with a view:to obtaining a tour of the Dominion by an Australian team. He had played against both Australian and English teams, and had found that .Australian players were more ready -to impart advice about the game.. Till players had to fight to retain their places, there would not be much improvement in the standard of play. There, should be only six senior teams in Wellington. Mr. J. Reid said representative practices should be conducted on a better system. He could not agree with Mr. Paetz that a professional coach should be imported. In his opinion all the money' that the association had spent on professional coaches in the past had been poured ‘Mown the drain.” What wa3 wanted was to build up a team of youth* ful players for the future. The idea of a colts* team in the senior competition was a good one. and they should get back to two-day cricket as soon as possible. ■ Mr. Howitt said he did- not like to see players of 40 years of age in the representative team; young players must be given a chance. _ ' , On the motion of Mr. Reid, seconded by Mr. Watson, it wag decided to recommend cltfbs to arrange for bowling practice, and that similar arrangements be made,-if possible, at the Basin Reserve. REPRESENTATIVE GAMES

* The management committee of the'Wellington Cricket Association last night received a letter from the Auckland Cricket. Association confirming February and 28 as the dates for the match .between the Wellington and Auckland representative teams at Auckland. It was decided to telegraph to the Canterbuay Association inviting their representative team to play Wellington, at IV ellingfon, on March 10, 11, and 13. The chairman, Mr. J. D. Howitt, and Mr. J Reid were appointed a sub-committee to confer with the” Wellington Football Association regarding a suitable send-off to Mr. .A. Brewer, who jrill shortly retire from the position of custodian of the Basin Reserve, a post he has held for many years..- . . . . As gatekeepers’ wages would be raised 100 per cent on Saturday next on account of the Anniversary Day holiday, it was decided- to charge 1/- admission to the Basin Reserve for that afternoon.

TAXIMEN AT CRICKET

Wellington Beats Auckland

The two-day 12-a-side cricket match between teams representing the taximen of Wellington and Auckland ended on Kelburn Park, Wellington, yesterday in a decisive win for Wellington by 116 runs. Conditions were much better than on the opening day; the north-westerly gale having died down considerably. With nine wickets down for 170 runs, in reply to Wellington’s total of 253, the Aucklanders continued their first innings at IO a.m., and the total was carried to 198. Wellington then ran up 126 for five wickets before applying the closure at 1.50 p.m. C. Jeffreys hit a six and six fours in running to 49, and A. Hoult found the boundary seven times in . rattling on 36 in quick time. A. Andersou was going strongly with 28 to his credit when the Innings was declared closed. Drum (two fof 15) and Lee (two for 52) were the most successful of the Auckland bowlers. . Requiring 212 runs to win. Auckland started their second innings at 2 p.m., but found the bowling of E. Purcell, A. Graham and C. Jeffreys too good for them,' and the whole side was back in the pavilion by 3.30 p.m. for the inglorious total of 95. Purcell, a slow right-hand bowler, took five wickets for 34 runs off nine overs, three of his victims falling l.b.w. in trying to get deliveries away to leg. Graham captured four for 38 off eight overs, and Jeffreys two wickets for-6 runs. K. Taylor, the Auckland captain, a lefthander, was the only batsman to make a stand, and he did some neat leg hitting in scoring 47 not out, nine fours figuring in his contribution.

The Aucklanders were entertained at a smoke concert last night. The Wellington taximen’s team will play the Christchurch taximen at Christchurch on February 16 and 17, and it is hoped to arrange regular annual fixtures between Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch.