COUNTRY CLAIMS

Evening Post, Issue 86, 8 October 1936, Page 22

COUNTRY CLAIMS

SHIELD CRICKET

FIFTH DISTRICT

CONFERENCE DISCUSSION

Confident in the belief that they have the players of the right calibre and keen in their desire to give their players the chance to prove themselves in first-class cricket, delegates from the minor cricket associations in the Wellington Plunket Shield district gave unanimous support at a conference in Wellington last night to' a proposal that a fifth team, made up of players from the minor associations, should be admitted to the Plunket Shield competition. The meeting was called by the Wellington Cricket Association in accordance with a decision at the last New Zealand cricket conference, and the views of the. representatives of the country delegates, freely and frankly expressed, were accepted as being very helpful to the Wellington Cricket Association's management committee. On the fifth Shield team proposal the committee, also well represented, did not commit itself, that being a matter for its consideration at another meeting. Those representing the minor associations at last night's conference were: Messrs. T. C. -Lowry (Bangitikei), A. M. Ongley and D. A. R. Mojoney (Manawatu), R. M. Chadwick (Hawke's Bay), J. S. Hanna (Taranaki), H. B. Massey (Wairarapa), F. W.. Gane (Marlborough), and M. MacLeod (Nelson). Mr. J. H. Phillipps (chairman of the Wellington Cricket Association) presided, and other members of the

management committee present were: I Messrs. C. W. D. Bell, A. W. Duncan, lA. Ronaldson, W. A. Baker, J. S. j Hanna, J. R. Stevens, J. E. Banks (hon. treasurer), and A. Varney (hon. secretary). After welcoming the delegates Mr. Phillipps explained the purpose of the conference, and expressed the hope that the outcome of discussion on matters of importance • would be a benefit to cricket, not only in the province, but throughout the Dominion. CHANCES FOR PLAYERS. Explaining. the reasons for the proposal, Mr. Ongley said that it did appear that the line of demarcation between cricket in the centres and in the minor associations was disappearing, and it wijs felt that Wellington could not now fairly cater for the players in the country districts, where cricket had undoubtedly improved. The idea that those districts did not have the players was largely disappearing, and the question had arisen as. to whether Wellington could accommodate in its Plunket Shield team all those players worthy of being placed. ■ The real solution, it was felt, was

the establishment of another distric or a review of the whole position si far as the Plunket Shield matches wer. concerned. There were only four, re cognised first-class associations, am that was acting detrimentally to cricke in New Zealand. If the number ' b first-class teams could be spread cricke would go ahead. His own opinioYi wa that for purposes of Plunket Shielt competition New Zealand should bi divided into ten areas, with six team, in the North Island and four in th( South Island, the system to providi for a series of five matches, and then after. the elimination of five teams, ; play-off between four teams with i view to 'challenging the fifth team which would be the holder of th<

shield. That would materially assis cricket, and would give the player, in the various districts some encourage ment to go on with the game. Then was a feeling that the players in th( minor associations were playing onlj second-class cricket. BREAKING THE ICE. Mr. Ongley urged a break from the only conservative Idea of having onlj four Plunket Shield teams. It was no a matter for the Wellington Associa tion, but it was necessary to breai the ice somewhere, and the support o: the association was, enlisted. The pre sent system was not fair to the selec tor, who could not see all the players it was not fair to the city players, and it was not fair to the country players The question was of particular import ance this year in view of the fact thai a team was going to be selected to gc to England, and it was only right thai the selectors should go outside the four major associations in their search for talent. The wider fieldvshould De tapped, as was the case in selecting s New Zealand Rugby team. Finance, of course, was a difficulty so far as the suggested scheme was concerned, but the minor associations throughout the Wellington Province were so keen to get their players,the chance of first-class cricket and of presenting their claims to inclusion in New Zealand.teams that Mr. Ongley believed they would assist in financing the scheme. TRIBUTE TO WELLINGTON. '. On behalf of the minor associations Mr. Lowry expressed appreciation of the extremely good work done for them by' the Wellington Association, which, he was inclined to believe, should have a team of its own. There should be chances for the players in the minor associations, and Wellington had done its best, iHe agreed very generally with Mr. Ongley from the point of view of New. Zealand cricket rather than from' the point of view of individual associations. It was unfortunate that- the Indain tour had been • cancelled, as the'touring side, which was going to play more or less as a holiday party, would have had two or three Test matches against the minor associations. That would have been valuable in the light of the selection of a New Zealand team for England, and he thought now that a series of trial matches should be played. However, there was the extremely difficult matter of players getting the time off to play in indefinite trial matches. He would like to suggest that a representative team be selected' from the minor associations as a fifth team in the Plunket Shield competition, and that instead of increasing the number of matches each centre in the competition should play three matches as at present. That would not entail any extra time off for players, and he considered that the draw could be arranged satisfactorily. The money aspect, he felt, was net going to be as difficult as imagined. Mr. Ongley: I think, there-is a feeling through the districts now that wo could get the assistance if we hustled for it. ' • ■ • ALTERNATIVE SCHEME. During further discussion the chairman said that he took it that the idea behind their minds was that the minor associations should get at least a chance of displaying their wares before the team for England was selected. He explained that two Plunket Shield teams at least would travel through Palmerston North each year, and it had been suggested that possibly the minor associations of the,. Wellington Province could arrange with one of the major associations, apart from Wellington, to play a three-day match at Palmerston North. He thought that there was a possibility of Wellington doing the same, so as to give the minor associations two matches with Plunket Shield teams in each season. So far as the fifth Plunket Shield district proposal was concerned it was obvious that the interest .of the other associations would not be so keen as Wellington's. He took it that the standard of selection would be the Plunket Shield standard.

Mr. Lowry: I presume so. The chairman said that the alternative he had suggested was a scheme which he thought might remain in

Xorce for three years, so that the interest maintained would be a guide to the other associations. CALLS UPON TIME. Mr. Massey asked whether the difficulty raised by the major associations would be one largely of time off for players, and the chairman replied that the New Zealand Cricket Council did not Jook kindly on anything that was going to mean extra calls upon the time of-players. Mr. MacLeod did not think there was anything to worry about so far as the financial aspect of the fifth dis- ' I trict proposal .was concerned. The , I question was whether the meeting was ' for or against the proposal. He had ' attended the New Zealand Council ; meeting for years and in his opinion the council did nothing. He appealed 1 for a chance for the players in the s minor associations, and urged that the , I selectors should be present to see the players. 1 Various aspects of the matter were : I discussed. Mr. Chadwick stated that .I he was in favour of the proposal iJ 1 the financial side could be arranged satisfactorily. Mr. Massey said that the minor associations' represented in the team would surely be sufficiently interested in the welfare of their players to give support financially. The question of a fifth Plunket Shield district would have to go before the New Zealand Cricket Council and no doubt many objections would be raised. He did think, however, that the council should take steps to see that the New Zealand selectors visited the country districts to see players in trial matches. With regard to the playing of matches with teams passing through Palmerston North, Mr. Chadwick thought that it should be made mandatory for the teams to play, otherwise the scheme would be worth nothing. Later in the discussion Mr. Lowry took the opportunity of replying to a remark made by Mr. MacLeod. It was wrong, he said, to say that the New Zealand Cricket Council did nothing. The members of that body were out to do the very best for cricket in the country. , MOTION CARRIED. The fifth district proposal was debated at length, and finally the following motion was carried unanimously by Oie representatives of the minor associations, the members of the Wellington Association's management committee refraining, of course, from voting upon the matter until it had been discussed at their meeting:—

"That the rules of the. Plunket Shield competition be amended so as to permit— '

"(a) The inclusion of a fifth team representative of the minor associations of the Wellington district or any other minor associations. '

"(b) The reduction of the matches from four playing days to three playing days.

"(c) That each team shall play only three matches per season.".