CRICKET CONTROL

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 110, 5 November 1937, Page 5

CRICKET CONTROL

THE PLUNKET SHIELD

FIFTH TEAM OPPOSED

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, November 4.

A proposal for a fifth Plunket Shield team, consisting of minor associations in the Wellington Province, was rejected by: the biennial conference of delegates to the New Zealand Cricket Council today. , The. matter was brought up in the form of a remit from the Manawatu Cricket Association, which was read j by the association delegate, Mr. A. M. drigley. Though the conference voted on the' remit and it was lost by 18 votes' to 9, it will be brought up at the annual meeting of ihe council tomorrow evening. Actually six delegates voted against the remit and nine for it, but among the six in opposition were the four delegates from major associations who \vere each entitled to four: votes. This swayed the voting, with the result that the remit was lost. Mr. Ongley said: there were four main 'reasons, for the inclusion of a fifth-team.. These were: (1) The population of the area; (2) the number of players; < (3) the standard of play; <4> the number- of cricket nurseries, such as secondary schools. Mr. Ongley said that within a 75-mile radius of Palmerston North there was a population of 343.000, or equal to more than one-fifth of the total population of New Zealand. In the area there were 60; senior team* and at least 3000 cricketers. Two-thirds of the senior players were'as good as senior competition players..in the cities. Three of the .members of the present New Zealand te^m were from the proposed new district, against two representatives from Wellington. There were seven ; flrsWlass secondary schools in the area. . ' Mr. M.,MacLeod, (Nelson) seconded the motion ajid pleaded that it should be given, ajtnai, for a year or two. DELEGATES' OPINIONS. : Mr. D, 'A. Cameron (Rangitikei) and; Mr.- E. Elliot (Hawke's Bay) supported the: remitThe remit was; opposed by Mr. w. G. MillerV(Auckland), • who said that Hawke Cup? games should be reorganised. A lot was; being done for country players in Auckland. : Mr.G W.D.Bell (Wellington) also opposed the remit, saying that the selection of the Wellington Plunket Shield team was made; irrespective of the domicile of the; players. Mr^ I. B. Crpmb (West Coast) said it might1 be possible for the winners of a reorganised Hawke; Cup competition to be matched against the winners of the Plunket .Shield. He urged that players from minor associations should be given more chance ;to show^ their worth. Support, for the remit came from Mr. L.F.Casey{ (South Auckland), who said that a young Hawke's Bay fast bowler was not igiven a fair trial. Had he been included in the touring team the loss might have'been less than the £500. "■; v.-:":" "Qh,, £500; is it?" said Mr. A. T. Dbnhelly, chairman of the management committee of the New Zealand council; amid laughter. Mr.. W. Barrajrt (Marlborbugh) supr ported Mr. ; Ongjey's ■ remarks. He spokeof the /inclusion s M: P, Donneljy.;Wd!;Ny.Gallic'h i ahV\w.fi6-oye.d their places td; newspaper campaigns. ; ; 'ypulike' to feave'the selection of the New Zealand team; to the Press?" asked Mr. Quirk. "Well,, they seem tp be doing it riovr," Mr. Barratt replied. "This is almost; a hardy. annual," said Mr. E.R. Caygill. He thought the proposal would break up the present home-arid-away fixtures. I Mr., Donnelly said he was doubtful il inclusion ;of a fifth Plunket Shield team would provide a satisfactory solution. Referring to the present touring teaiH,Mr.:Donnelly said that the council .'Would'be "very short of funds "for some time as a: result of the loss on the tour.. /'ln fact, I. think .that the guarantors of-the .tour will have to bo asked to pay up some of their guarantee to allow the council to carry on," he ; continued. Selection, finance, and co-ordination were among problems which would have to be solved. Mr: W. L.1 King (Canterbury) said his province did riot favour the idea. TWO MINUTES TO BE AT CREASE. ■ !A'further remit from Manawatu with the idea of hastening the game was carried in* an amended form. It concerned the time taken by batsmen to reach the crease after the dismissal of the1 previous batsman. It finally read: "That an '.nconiing batsman not at theicrease .within'two .minutes of the fall of the last,wicket shall, without an. appeal, forfeit*his wicket unless both umpires shall1 otherwise direct." •A-reiquest-for-selectors, from'minor associations,.,-one- to represent each island, .on future-New Zealand selection committees .was contained in a remit from, Wairarapa, There was only a short discussion, and the remit was lost -withput any votes being recorded in its favoiirv ' ' In the absence of a delegate from Wairarapa, the, remit was moved by Mr. A. ;M. Ongley (Manawatu). He maintained ;that any selector who was watching games played by any major association, could not devote time to see minor association players in action. Some,; he said,', had not bothered to watch minor association games when they had-the chance., Mr. W. G. Miller y . (Auckland) said that his province was. definitely not in favour of ;the remit. The New Zealand council, he was \sure, would know about any minor;association;player in good form. "We. hadfour selectors last year, and the management. committee, as a result;, would be very disinclined to have four agaiti,,let alone another two. Our experience, of four men picking the New.'Zealand team rto tour England was very unsatisfactory arid with two more it would be so cumbersome that it would not work at all. The suggestion Is not feasible," said Mr. A. T. DbnnellyV chairman of the management committee.' ;. V MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE. Referring to work done by members of the management% committee, Mr, Donnelly "said that any alteration in the scheme ; of: controlling cricket, in New Zealand was bound to fail. There was before the Conference a suggested amendment of the management committee, brought forward by the Otago Association through its delegate, Mr. A. H. Allen. The Otago Association's proposal was that "The management committee'; should consist of the president, a delegate from each of the Auckland,' Wellington, and Otago Associations, brie' delegate representing minor associations of the North Island, one delegate representing . minor associations of the South Island, and five members resident; in Christchurch." Under thisi committee there would be an executive consisting of the five Christchurch members, which would conduct; all routine business, the full management committee to meet at least three times yearly and confirm the executive's actions. "It is utterly impossible and impracticable to run cricket in New Zealand I on these lines. Much of the work has to-be done-almost an secret, and de-

cisions have to be made without the slightest delay, so that it would be impossible to go hunting round the Dominion to find the president of an association to get his approval," said Mr. Donnelly. He mentioned that in January, February, and March of this ygar he had written 350 letters himself, and this was not including letters the secretary had written. The ■ business of the committee had occupied him for half an hour to an hour every morning of 'the week.

Other members of the management committee endorsed these remarks and, as there was no remit before the meeting, the discussion afterwards lapsed.