CRICKET.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 28, 3 February 1909, Page 11

CRICKET.

am ASSOCIATION MEETING. The following were present at a meeting of the Wellington Cricket Association held last evening : Messrs. M. Luckie (chairman), J. P. Blacklock, (jeo. Burton, C. Hickson, A. F. Wiren. S. Brice, Stephens, L. Ashbolt, and S. Jacobs. It was decided to accept an offer from Hawkes Bay to play a representative match, the dates being fixed at 19th, 20th, and 22nd February. The City Council is to be asked to permit the association to charge for admission. Following up a notice from the Umpires Association regarding the want of punctuality in starting senior and junior matches, a deputation from that body waited on the association with a suggestion that the umpires and Championship Committee should try and atrange a solution of the difficulty. As leader of the deputation, Mr. D. M'Kenzie said that umpires' reports were usually ignored. For the past five years the speaker had not known a match start to time, and only once had a team arriving late to forfeit the game. The umpires wished for power to deal with unpunctual offenders, as, for instance, to declare a loss against a team not coming out to time. The umpires went to a lot of inconvenience to be at the ground in time. On behalf of his association, he asked for a little more latitude in the matter. In most cases the teams were there, but would not go out. A member thought that if matches were awarded against an unpunctual team interest in tho game would ceaso The chairman said it was solely on that account that the Championship Committee had not been given stricter instructions. The rule was a hangman's .ope they did not care to uss. They were grateful for the interest the Umpires' Association took in the game. It was resolved that the deputation and the committee should meet later and discuss the matter. The chairman said that the association relied on the captains to see i,hat the teams were out iii time. In reply to a communication from the Manawatu Association as to the probability of a return visit to the Manawatu, the Selection Committee was in structed to see if a team could be arranged to make the visit on one daj when the Basin was engaged for sports. No team is to be "sent to Auckland this season, but a challenge is to be sent immediately for a match next season, to be played about Christmas.