CRICKET

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 70, 23 March 1926, Page 4

CRICKET

IMPROVING THE STANDARD

A SUGGESTION PROM AUCKLAND,

'As a means of improving the general standard of play throughout tho Dominion, the Auckland Cricket Association is urging that each major assom ciation should engage a first-class eSplayer-cpaoh, to play not only in club **terlcket, but in Plunket Shield cricket. A letter dealing with the matter has been received from Jkontkland- by the AVellington Cricket •iitsgoeiation, and reads as follows: Era" My association is arranging for the engagement, for three successive Mesons'at-least, of the best (ill-round ; professional 'player-coach' they can secure. The best players would not be willing to come to New Zealand unless they could return to EjujMnd each.year to carry out their 1 'ingiigements in English first-class cricpefc.;: ■ They would not reside, in New for six months in any one year, -Jind, therefore, would not, under tho .existing rules, be eligible to play in sßSunket Shield matches. Inferior play-eri,-%ha Tvould be willing to reside permanently in New Zealand, would be eligible to play in such matches, but would not, in the opinion of my association, , do as much towards the iin_jirj).yement of the game here as tho best players • who. would continue to play first-class English cricket during our winter. "My association suggests that with the object of improving the standard ot.cricket in... New Zealand, each of the foitfr^major associations should secure a high-class player-coach, and that they should unite in requesting the New ZeaTilattd v Cricket Council to so alter or amend tho rules governing Plunket Shield matches as to allow each of the four associations to include in its eleven one. professional player-coach bona fide engaged for that season. Tho playing of high-class professionals, one by- iaeh association, woujd undoubtcdljt'iiimprove the play and raise the tt^fifdard of New Zealand cricket, and liquid, tend to attract the public to the •matches. jJ.:*''lt appears to my association that pbe efforts of all interested in New Zealand cricket should be concentrated up*jj>n improving the standard of play, and «ne way of doing that is by having Irst-class players playing with, and against, New Zealand cricketers as f reqiifcntly as possible. It is further suggested that, if possible, the four playercoaches should be high-class bowiers of four-different types in order to provide the greatest variety of attack. Such .player-coaches would take part in the local club competitions, and it would appear to be sheer folly to provent thim from playing in Plunket Shield matches. ■■■ " ','., The Auckland public, including the raci»g clubs, are liberally supporting tjrjrsissociation in the engagement of a first-class player-coach, and it is suggested that the other major associa-tions-would. be similarly supported in ttfeit respective districts. I am instructed, therefore, to request your association '■=to. consider tho advisability of engaging a first-class player-coach fos-Sext season, and of supporting tlxe anjeSdinent of the Plunket Shield rules tor^jfermit of such coaches taking part invtjie jnatchos so long as New Zealand cricket is appreciably weaker than that of';l2jigland and Australia." .TJjle..Wellington Cricket Association's Management Committee decided last everting 'to defer consideration, of the . Auckland letter until next meeting.