MERCANTILE LEAGUE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 59, 7 September 1937, Page 5

MERCANTILE LEAGUE

NEW GRADE PROPOSAL

SHORTAGE OF GROUNDS

The annual meeting of the Wellington Mercantile Cricket League was held last night, Mr. E. F. Casey, deputy chairman of the league, presiding,

The report and balance-sheet, the chairman said, showed that the league had made great progress during the past season. '. .

There, was one matter that was paramount in the-league's affairs, and that was the shortage of grounds. There were not enough grounds to "accommodate all those yiio; wished to. playcricket, and it looked as though the, league would lose several pitches this year. . PLAYING OF COMPETITIONS. An amendment to the present rules, moved by the management committee, that "the, league's competitions f shall be-played in a senior grade of eight teams; and in such other grades- or sections as arranged by the management committee," was discussed at Some length. '} :'■•--■ The reason for the motion, said the chairman, was mainly an effort to improve the standard of cricket and to encourage young and keen players. There was no intention of interfering with the grading of the league. It was suggested by delegates that the spirit with which the league had been inaugurated was lost. The players had formerly played merely {or the sake of the game, and -there had been no "class distinction."';■ It was suggested that if the grade' was formed members might be approached to play for other houses, and this would be against the principals _■ of .the league. "I cannot see how the cricket will be interfered1 with," said Mr. Casey. The matter had had the earnest consideration of the management committee, and he thought it would improve the standard of play. Tne motion was lost. ' NEW BYLAW. It was decided in the form of a new bylaw that in any case where there are eight teams in a grade or sectioni two complete rounds shall be played/ and the leading team at the end of that time shall be declared the winners of the minor| premiership. In the event of two or more teams being equal in premiership points at the end of the two rounds, the miuor premiership shall be decided on averages, the team with the best average of runs scored for wickets lost to be declared the winners. The major premiership shall be decided between the four leading teams at the end of the two .complete rounds. If the-.team. winning the minor premiership is- defeated in the final play-off, then such team shall have the right of. challenging the winner of the play-off to decide the honours of the major premiership. It was decided rthat. the league's colours' should be dark green with a white monogram or plain letters, as preferred. Regarding, representative caps, it was agreed- that any player who had played. in three consecutive major representative games or in four out of six consecutive games should be awarded a cap., The games were to have been played during or after the 1934-35 season, but any player now playing who had performed before the 1934-35 season would, if his name was put forward by a club, receive a cap. After.a player had played in at least twelve major representative games and his services were deserving in _ the opinion of the management committee of special recognition he would be awarded an official Mercantile League A motion forwarded . b,y the Burch Cricket Club, that if one team has eight players or more present at z.6» p.m., and the opposing team has less than six members present at'this tune, the team with eight, players, or more present win by default, was carried. On the suggestion of the LabourTourist Club it was^ decided that, in cases where games start late,,the extra time may be claimed by the team not at fault; also, the team winning the toss and batting first will be given a maximum:of 2i hours' batting time. With the concurrence of the; donor the basis of award of the Heinemann Cup is to be altered so that-it will be won by the team scoring the most aggregate runs on the first innings. OFFICERS ELECTED. Officers were elected as 'follows:— Patron, Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P.; president, Mr. D. A. Ewen; vice-presidents, Messrs. J-. Adams, C.. W. Earle, C.M.G., A. W. Gibson, E. Gornall, J. H. Halhgan, P. L. Laurenson, G. E. Miller, D. Muir, J. G. MacKenzie, J.- O'Sullivan, W. H, Preston, A. P. Smith, J. Young, E. D. Martin, E. V. Paul. W. Thorpe, R. T. Murphy, M. J. Kennedy, A. G. Barnett, Stronach Paterson; hon. treasurer, Mr. S. W. Martin; recording secretary, Mr. E. R. Martin; hon. auditors, Messrs. S. Milne and C. Couper; hon. solicitor, Mr. C. H. Arndt, LL.M.; management committee. Messrs. J. J. Furlong. E. E. Casey, A. A. Jennings, W. R. King, B. F. Whitmore, J. Young, L. E. Downes, and G. Morrison.