LOCAL CRICKET

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 104, 4 May 1935, Page 30

LOCAL CRICKET

PLANS FOR ADVANCE

A CAREFUL STUDY

(By "Not Out.")

At the end of a season which has been in some respects^ disappointing, the-local controllers of the game have indicated very clearly, through, the report of a special sub-committee, that they have been studying the interests of the game and the players a good deal more closely than would be imagined from some of the criticism which has been hurled at them. The main features of the report were published this-week',;-and it is evident that a wide study has been made in the effort to find waysl' and means of making local cricket brighter and better.

But the course of'investigation has by no means'ended. The committee means to make a very definite advance in the matter of coaching, and to this important'question special consideration is to be given at another meeting in the near futufe.- Meanwhile, it is satisfactory to note,, inquiries are being made-in Australia as to the possibility, of securing" a coach from that great field'of cricketing talent. That does hot mean that the I question of a coach from England is'being shelved. The Wellington Cricket Association is making a big search-for the best investment, and rightly* so. SENIOR STATUS. ' The promotion of teams to senior grade '• cricket and the, introduction; of a district scheme, are among other matters to be .given further serious consideration, and in'this connection the Karori , Cricket Club's position will no-doubt tie studied along with that of some other clubs." It seems that a definite change-over to district cricket would not be practicable right away. -If it comes it. will have to be by, a gradual process. ' The door to promotion, .however, should: not be closed, but,at the same the standard1 of senior cricket must not be lowered by allowing too many teams in the top grade. ■ There are enough senior teams at present, and should a club not represented in that grade be considered ' 'worthy of promotion it would, mean that one of the existing senior teams would • have to go down. A. change may or may not be easy, but it can be left to the committee to find a way' out of any difficulty. So far it has- done well'in its suggestions for the betterment of local cricket.

As was pointed out by Mr. P. B. Broad (chairman) at the meeting this week, the proposals "made from recommendations in the report are not carried into. effect '. by the' .committee until endorsed by delegates at the annual meeting. He thought, however, that the committee should, in fairness to the clubs, indicate its attitude well ahead of- the time when clubs would be formulating their new season's plans.'