TO BE DROPPED

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 41, 17 August 1921, Page 9

TO BE DROPPED

"OUR OF ENGLISH CRICKET TEAM

STATEMENT BY MR, F. 0. l RAPHAEL.. (BY TM.EGIUPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

CHRISTCHURCH, 16th August.

The following statement was issued to-night by Mr. F. C. Raphael, chairman of the Management Committee of the New Zealand Cricket Council:— !

" The New Zealand Cricket Council regrets to 'announce that its negotiations with the Marylebone Club to send an English team to New Zealand next year have not proved successful. When the invitation was first extended to the Marylebone Club the council stated that it was most important that an attractive ■ side should be sent, as the total cost of the lour, running intD approximately £7000, involved a good deal of responsibility on individual guaranteeing associations, as well as the .council, and the financial success of the'tour would depend largely on the calibre of the side. When making arrangements with the Australian States for an extension of the tour into the Commonwealth, several leading authorities there advised us that the success of the Australian portion of the tour was assured, provided that a good side was sent. When the names of the pror posed English team were submitted to the council a few weeks ago, members were unanimously of opinion that it'was not sufficiently strong or attractive to ensure financial success, and would certainly be no match for the Australian States. A second cable was then sent expressing the council's opinion, and asking if it was still not possible to include a number of leading- playprs whose reputations extended beyond and we asked for the inclusion of Tennyson, Spooner, Gillingham, Bettington, or some players who have represented England. We also offered to pay an additional £200, each to two leading professionals to be included. Numbers of other names could, of course, have been mentioned which would have been satisfactory from the council's point of view, but these players were just mentioned as giving a lead as to the type of 'player whom we expected would be included in the side. We had to be a little careful in not showing a disposition to dictate to the Marylebone Club,'but at the sams time we had to make it quite clear that, while we would have liked to,rereceive, as guests the players in the team, yet we were unable to overlook the •business side of the programme.. "Ifc will be clear to everybody that with the enormous increase in the. cost of travelling and hotel accommodation, the financing- of the tour has involved a good deal\ of responsibility. Steamer fares alone represented £270 per man. Unfortunately the Marylebone Club have been quite unable to appreciate this business side / of the tour, for in their last cable they repeated that the team waa thoroughly representative, and hoped that we would be able to accept it. No reference has been made to the names of the players whose inclusion we sought, and at a special meeting- of the council it was felt by all inembeni that we were left no alternative but to end the negotiations and -withdraw the invitation for the coming season.

" The council feels disappointed ithat its efforts have been frustrated in this manner at tho last moment, but felt compelled to choose the safer course. Lord Hawke's splendid team in 1903 was a magnificent attraction throughout the country. It was chosen with excellent judgment, both ■as regards the attractiveness of the side for New Zealand and the future benefits that such a tour would confer on English cricket itself. No one could suggest that this present team as cabledyout is anything like the same type of eleven that visited New Zealand in 1903. .

" When we found that we were making no headway in the negotiations forl improvement of the side, we solicited the assistance 6f Mr. P. F. Warner, and asked, in view of hie local knowledge of both Australian and New Zealand conditions, if he would interview the Marylebone Club on behalf of the New Zealand Cricket Council arid endeavour to ensure the calibre of the aide being tip to our requirements. No reply has been received from Mr. Warner.

" With reference to the professionals, the Marylebone Club at first refused to entertain.the idea, although Lord Hawke in his team of 1903 included Hargreaves and Thompson. In the last cable received 'from the Marylebone Club they offered to include two professionals as per our original request, but in addition^ to the thirteen already selected, making a,total of fifteen players, which, of course, is altogether beyond the requirements of the proposed tour, and would add enormously to the cost."