CRICKET OR POINTS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 111, 6 November 1935, Page 30

CRICKET OR POINTS

"FREAK DECLARATIONS"

CLUB OPINIONS SOUGHT

In an endeavour to have an agreement reached whereby there shall be no "freak declarations" in next Saturday's matches, the Wellington Cricket Association's management committee is advising all clubs of the English county cricket bylaw and stating that it is the wish of the committee" that the clubs shall bind themselves to this for the present season. Replies indicating their willingness or. not to adhere to the terms of the bylaw are asked to be forwarded by Thursday in order that, if possible, notification shall be given of the general desire in time to- have a uniform understanding in Saturday's matches, all of which are now confined to the one day's play. • . ■ The possibility of "freak declarations" was mentioned in "The Post" on Saturday, and particulars ware also given of the rule in force in county cricket. This rule provides that where play takes place only on the last day of a match no side .shall declare its first innings closed until it has batted for at least sixty minutes. It was mentioned by Mr. A. Varney (hon. secretary) at isst nLxhr? meeting of the Wellington Cricket Association's management committee that he had definite advice from two clubs that, unless something be done, they were going to take advantage of rule 54 by agreeing to score four byes each in the first innings- and then declare.' Mr. H. E. Moore stated that the umpires had decided that they were not going -to interfere with that procedure. Mr. J. H. Phillipps was of the opinion that the clubs • should be circularised immediately, ■ drawing ■ their attention to the. county cricket bylaw and stating that it was the committee's wish that they should bind themselves to it. The chairman (Mr. P. B. Broad): We cannot compel them to do it. Mr. Phillipps's suggestion is quite a practical one if all the captains agree. I take it that if one or two are going to declare (as indicated), the whole lot will do it, and in that way it will cancel itself out. Mr. Moore: It will be fair to everybody then. Mr. W. J. R. Christophersen: As a senior captain I would not do it. Mr. I. Nimmo: If other teams are going to do it, you have to do it in fairness to your own team. There was the question also, said Mr. Moore, of getting four points for a tie on the first innings, which would be the case in the event of captains agreeing to make the "freak declarations," provided that there was no decision on the second innings. Mr. Christcphersen: Why not play cricket and not point? I would sooner see points done away with altogether. Mr. Moore: But we have put a premium on points this season. Mr. W. P. Walker suggested that the only remedy was to have another special meeting of delegates. He was afraid that someone would let the com-1 mittee down. It was mentioned by the secretary that Mr. Keating .had stated that the position in regard to "freak declarations" never arose in Australia. It being apparent that the committee deprecated the idea of "freak declarations," Mr. J. S. Hanna suggested that this should be made clear in letting the clubs know that the matter was being referred to them.

G.SOB.IINZ