M.C.C. TEAM

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 28, 3 February 1937, Page 13

M.C.C. TEAM

[VISIT TO N.Z,

WILL IT EVENTUATE ?

SHIPPING DIFFICULTY

According to a Press Association message from Christchurch, the report published in "The Post" yesterday that, owing to the shipping strike in America, the M.C.C. team may find it impossible to' complete the New Zealand section of its tour is denied by Mr. Arthur Donnelly, chairman of the New Zealand Cricket Council. The message adds that Mr. Donnelly said the New Zealand Cricket Council had heard nothing of the cancellation of the tour. In spite of the report from New Zealand cricket headquarters the question of curtailing or cancelling the New Zealand sections of the M.C.C. team's tour has.arisen. It is a matter, in fact, which has been causing the manager of the team some concern. MANAGER WORRIED. A report from Adelaide states that the problem of how the English cricket team will get home after the visit to New Zealand at the end of the tour of Australia is worrying the manager (Captain R. Howard). It has been arranged for the team to sail from Sydney on March 13, arrive in New Zealand on March 17, and depart from Auckland for San Francisco by the Mariposa on April 3, but the shipping strike in America may cause the sailing of the Mariposa to be cancelled. Alternatives have been considered, and one, it is stated, would be for the team to return to England via Canada but, if that course is decided upon, the sailing from New Zealand would be on March 23, which would mean that the match programme in New Zealand would be curtailed to one fixture. The M.C.C. team's manager is delaying a decision until the last possible moment. It seems (according to the report from Adelaide) that he may have to> consider the question of the team returning by the Suez Canal route, but whether this could be arranged after a brief visit to New Zealand or whether the Dominion tour would have to be cancelled is a matter for deep thought at a later stage. WELLINGTON'S MATCH. If G. O. Allen succeeds in leading his M.C.C. team to victory in the Ashes series and the team comes on to New Zealand, Wellington will be able to honour him with Easter festivities. Recently" the Wellington Cricket Association received advice from the New Zealand Council that Wednesday, Thursday, and Easter Saturday, March 24, 25, and 27, have been set down for the match between M.C.C. and the Wellington representatives. There will be no play on Good Friday. The visitors will play first at Christchurch and travel to Auckland for the final match of the tour. NEW ZEALAND TEAM. If the M.C.C. team's visit takes place as planned, it will not be possible for all the New Zealand representatives chosen for the tour of England to play against the visitors. The New Zealand team is to embark for England on the night of March 27, the last day of the M.C.C. team's match with Wellington.