EXTRA PLAYING TIME

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 82, 16 October 1928, Page 17

EXTRA PLAYING TIME

LOCAL ASSOCIATION'S DECISION Should cricketers tulce full advantage ot' the extra half-hour of daylight.during the summer months provided by the passing of the Daylight Saving measure? The question was discussed at some length at a special meeting of the Wellington Cricket Association last evening, and. eventually an extension of timo was agreed to. The chairman (Mr. C. G. Wilson)'said he considered, and lie thought every young man present realised, that the Daylight Saving scheme was to the benefit o£ all Bports people, and as cricketers it was to their advantage, even though there were some who thought that 7.30 p.m. last year was too late an hour to draw stumps. They would have been very, very foolish indeed had they decided to use only half an hour of the extra hour, because it would have shown at once to the enemies of the Daylight Saving Bill that sporting people were not in favour of it. As far as the committee was concerned, he felt they were all unanimous [ that the extra half-hour granted this season should be taken advantage, of. He moved that all championship matches during October and March be played from 2 p.m. until 6.30 p.m., and during November, December, January,- and February from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m! Mr. L, J. Brabin seconded the motion. UMPIRES' POSITION. 'Mr. S. H. Ferguson said that a meeting j which had been held of members of the V.M.C.A. Club had been opposed to any extension of time. Speaking as a representative of the Umpires' Association, ha said the question was discussed at the annual meeting, when the majority of umpires' had expressed the opinion that last season they found it too long to stand on the ground of a Saturday afternoon until 7.30. ■■■■■■■'■ ■--■••:•-.■ : "We did find-it-a tremendous tie to stand there" up till" 7.30 last season," said Mr. D. M'Kenzie. "The uinph-e had the hardest job of the lot, and 'our hours of play were considerably longer than in Australia." " ' 1 Mr. J. Malcolm (Old Boys) said that no meeting of his club had been.held to consider the question of an extension of the hours of play, and' he. could not speak on behalf of ..his club. . lie felt, though, that the playing of cricket until 7 p.m. ruined the.i-whole evening.:. There were many young fellows who would, be willing to play cricket ,on\ r '. Saturday "afternoons provided .they were not tied down. Although h,e did not agree with an extension of playing time, he was/ nevertheless, in favour .of Daylight Saving. ' ' " j Mr. W. J. 8.. Christophersen considered ' that they must take advantage in some way of the measure. It gave them longer to practice in, and-.-that, 'was.. one big advantage. He thought that?i£ a fair aver-, age were struck it', would ;be found that the umpires would.''stick'-,it" out as they had in/the past iaß,-much; ap. possible. , If an umpire became t00... tired a captain of. a team would be a.poor sport if he raised any objection to ■a. < substitute being appointed. . /.— ■■ ;.■■■.. Mr. Malcolm: "If,the Cricket Association decides against an extension of playing time, surely that alone will not make the Government, throw the Bill out.' WHAT DEFEAT MEANT. Mr. Wilson contended that if the motion was not carried it would go out through the country that Wellington cricketers did not want Daylight Saving. Mr.- Ferguson:;"! don't, think.that is the right attitude to'take." ' : . -"Personally ' I .am", in favouf of the motion,": said Mr. P. B. Broad. He did not think it would be wise to put it through, though, if there was strong opposition to it. Playing till 7 p.m., in his opinion, would not be the bug-t>car that the 7.30 finishing time had been. In reply-to "a question from the chairman, Mr. M'Kenzie said lie opposed the motion on,,,tb'e: ground^, that iMs .. hours', play was quite.rsufficient" for payers '->si New Zealand. :, Mr., J., S. Hanlia thought they would be making a- grave blunder if they did not take advantage of the Daylight Saving measure. His own view was that playing until 7.30 last season made the playing of cricket rather a burden, especially to -young' players -living' in-boarding-houses, and to others playing on some of the suburban grounds. However, there was a-big difference, between stopping at 7 ami 7.30. " ■ Mr.'Brabin said that as far as he could see [ the extension of time would really only apply to senior teams. In the case of junior teams he had found that the captains got together and decided when they should draw stumps. Mr. A. Doneghue thought that if a vote were taken among the senior players it would be found that the majority would be in favour Of taking advantage of the extra half-hour o£ daylight. In his opinion they would be very foolish if they did not make full use of it. After a little further discussion the motion was put and carried by eleven votes to five.