IS HOLIDAY TIME PROFITABLE?

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 99, 23 October 1937, Page 23

IS HOLIDAY TIME PROFITABLE?

STAGING OF PLUNKET SHIELD MATCHES '

Plunket Shield matches will be the main events in New Zealand cricket this season. Of these there will be two in Wellington. In the drawing ijp of the Plunket Shield programme some difficulty has arisen through holiday dates not being acceptable to the Otago Cricibt Association, which has made an interesting point on the score of finance. Matches at holiday time, according to Otago opinion, are not very profitable.

. ft *» intention to hold % special cricket week commencing at Christina*,, the participants in this to be a local representative team (next in ranking to the Plunket Shield team), the Hutt., Valley, and the Mercantile League representatives and teams from such minor associations as desire to take part. Then will follow Wellington's Plunket Shield match with Canterbury, ;to be commenced on New Year's Day; ! The Wellington-Auck-land match, also to be played in Wellington, has been fixed for dates in Pebnitryj'i and the proposal was to have the Otago-Wellington match, at Dunedin, played in January. Auckland! had expected that its match with Otago, at Auckland, would be played'oh December 31 and January 1, 3, arid ,4, but Otago wants a change. 'Advancing the opinion that; the Christmas and New Year dates were bad financial propositions as regards staging Plunket Shield matches, the Otago'sAssociation, in a letter to the Auckland Cricket Association, suggested that its game with Auckland fee played on January 21, 22, 24, and 25. ■;-.■ The Otago Association, in support of its proposal, stated that receipts from matches staged during the Christmas and New Year periods were adversely affected owing to the majority of people leaving the cities for their holidays. In some' cases, other important attractions' also had to be contended with. ■";-.: ■Members of the Auckland Association's committee commented adversely on Otago's' suggestion (reports the "Auckland Star"), it being pointed out that" if the proposed alteration were made local club competitions Would be seriously interrupted. It was stated that the Canterbury match was set down to commence on January 7, and if the Otago game were to be staged • fortnight later, Auckland cricketers would secure only one Saturday's play in six weeks owing to the additional break of two weeks at Christmastime.

Mr. E. E. Nalder, who presided in the absence of the chairman,. Mr. W. B. Fee, said that 00 per cent, of the

cricketers in Auckland were depend* ent. on club cricket for their enjoy* ment, and- it would not be a wise move to upset the club competitions too much. Mr. H, U, Warneford: If we are going to break into club games and give them only one day's play in aix weeks. we will And that the players will not be bothered taking part in cricket next season. it was finally resolved to advise. Otago that Auckland considered it pre* ferable to adhere to the original dates. It is possible that the Otago Cricket Association might find itself dropping out of the frying pan into the firei The matter of leave for players is an important consideration, and no little difficulty might be experienced in hav» ing teams at full strength for repre«en< tative matches (at home and away) on other than holiday periods, NOTES The former Midland and Wellington cricket representative, W. H. (BUD Dustin, will be playing in Wanganui this season. Hjs twin brother, Flying* Officer D. L, Pustin, is in England again and word has been received that he has completed his instructor's course and has accepted the position of manageivpllot of the Channel Air Services' new service from Cornwall to the Isles of Scilly. He is now the proud father of a son. Mr. D. E. Dustin, sen-, of Wanganui, who has been an inmate'of a private hospital, is making a good recovery. Tut. Cojtman, who captained Manly in the New South Wales senior grade last season, is back with JCilpirnie this season, He was high on the list of batting averages for first grade cricket in Sydney last season, Among the Wellington Cricket Club's new pjayera is Morrissey, who has done well in cricket in Hawke's Bay. As a bowler he is capable of showing some hostility, J. R, gtevens. who has been a prominent member of the University first eleven in' Wellington cricket, is playing for the Wellington Cricket Club this season. Although Karori has lost the services of A. M. Hollings as a member of the senior eleven, the retum of J. Duffy will help to build up the strength of the. team, The younger members should profit greatly by the experience gained last season. The Wellington cricket selector, A. W, Duncan, is again a member of the VeJHflfton College Old Boys' first elefen. Thomas, one of Wellington's most rnffsiiaanf batsmen, was expected to be jsj-jying in Hawke's Bay this season, *Ait it is understood that he will be i*emaining in Wellington until the season is well advanced. Boon, a former Canterbury player who laaa been a leading light in cricket in Poverty Bay, has been transferred j It is regarded as not unlikely that]

N. Gallichan, one of Manawatu's representatives in the New Zealand team, will be playing in Wellington later in the season, A report that Jeffery, who played for Richmond in Melbourne before coming to New Zealand, would be joining up with. Kilbirnie this season, is incorrect. This player, .who is a splendid fast bowler, will be again turning out with Woolworth's in the Mercantile League. Three players new to Wellington cricket are from overseas—Roy Sheffield (from Essex), Nigel Bennett (who played for the Maori Cricket Club in England), and Henley (from Queensland). Their performances will be watched With particular interest. Sheffield is playing for Institute Old Boys and Bennett and Henley for Wellington'.'' . ' ' . .

, disadvantages, but the main point to remember is that the centre now has an area for it* exclusive use, which ia essential to the provision, of regular competition. If the clubs\ drift away from Hataitai where" will' the centre have available another ground which U will be able to use to hold meeting* with any degree of regularity? Every* one who has been awoeiated with the ■pert here knows the difficulty the centre is up agftttift in thi» connection, but then appear* to be « lack of ap» preelation of the petition an the part of wme individuwa. if (as the Mayor pointed out en Saturday) the athletes do not make wse of the ground, tho City Council reserve* committee wquld have no justification for declining an application for it by another organisation, and then the athletic clubs would be -right put in the cold. With no alternative than thii, it seems better to stick to Hataitai Park, even though it dees, not meet requirements fully.