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“WITHIN THE LAW”

CRICKET CONTROVERSY SHOULD PROFESSIONALS PLAY ? The inclusion of two professional cricketers in Wellington’s Plunket Shield team has drawn some adverse criticism from Auckland and Otago, and the action is ’ likely to lead to the question of playing professionals in Shield cricket being further discussed at the next annual meeting of the New Zealand Cricket Council (says the Wellington ‘Post’). In view of this criticism Wellington can now expect support from Auckland and Otago in the matter of qualification for play by

residence. The conference of dominion delegates at Christchurch earlier in the season discussed the position of professional coaches in regard to Plunket Shield cricket, and it was agreed that one visiting professional coach bo permitted to play in each team for the Plunket Shield contest. When this decision was made known to the Wellington Cricket Association’s Management Committee, information was sought regarding the position of F. T. Badcock, the Wellington Association’s coach, and the local delegate stated that it was not affected by the decision of the conference. Badcock was a resident, and, therefore, Wellington would be entitled to play one of the visiting professionals within its province. In the Wellington team to meet Otago in the. Plunket Shield match at Dunedin, J. S. Taylor, the coach engaged from Australia by the Nelson Cricket Association, and F. T. Badcock are both included, and it is this action that has led to the criticism from and Auckland. [Owing to illness Taylor was unable to play.] The actual position arising out of the criticism has not been formally discussed by the Wellington Cricket Association’s Management Committee, but Mr P. B. Broad, a member of that body, gave to a reporter what lie believed to be the news of the W.C.A. RESIDENTIAL TEST.

“ The attitude of the Wellington Cricket Association from the beginning,”|said Mr Broad, “ has been that it is not safe to draw distinctions between professional and nomprofcssional as qualification for playing. What the Wellington Association has always maintained is that qualification should turn on residence. Actually the move to alter the rules to enable professionals who were not resident to play in Plunket Shield matches came from Auckland. It was opposed by the Wellington Cricket Association, but was carried. That was, J think, about two years ago, when Auckland was going to import E. H. Bow ley. “ 1 understood from the Wellington delegate’s report that at the last conference Of New Zealand delegates it was agreed that each of the Plunket Shield districts could play a non-resi-dent professional It was actually recognised, according to the report of the Wellington delegate who attended the conference that Badcock’s position was different from that of the other professionals, as he was a resident of Wellington, and that, in consequence, it was quite open for the Wellington Cricket Association—and must have been quite well known to all the delegates present at the conference—to play, in addition (o Badcock, a nonresident professional. The Wellington Association does not think that qualification to play for any district should turn upon whether a player is a professional or nog-professional-. -It has always held residence should be the only qualification.” ■ Mr Broad added that in deciding between professional and non-professional it was difficult to get a satisfactory line of demarcation. PROVINCT AC AREAS.

Dealing with the right of the major associations to draw upon the minor associations for Plunket Shield players, Air Broad staled that some years ago the New Zealand Cricket Council' ref omiviiiCLt'd the districts in New Zealand, deleting Hawke’s Bay as a Pluiiket Shield district and constituting four major associations —Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago. To Otago was added Southland tor the purposes of Plunket Shield Cricket j to Canterbury wore added South Canterbury, Wosthmd. Nelson, and Marlborough; to Wellington, Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki, Wanganui, Alanawatu, Rangitikei, and Wairarapa; and to Auckland South Auckland and Poverty Bay.

“The policy of the Wellington Cricket Association since the inception of tho new order,” said MV Broad, “ has been to encourage cricket in minor associations attached to the Wellington Association. This policy “has been charactoristed by the animal match-with the minor associations prior to the Plunket Shield competition. It has been much appreciated by the minor associations themselves, and, judging from the report of the Wellington delegate to the special meeting of the New Zealand Cricket Council, the council is highly appreciative of the work that has been done by the Wellington Association for the minor associations in its district. That this work has found appreciation among the minor associations is evidenced by tho fact that successive applications were made for affiliation to the Wellington province by Nelson and Marlborough. Those were granted by tho New Zealand Council. NOT' CONTRARY TO SPIRIT.

“Since the council decided—and, again, it must be emphasised, in opposition to the views held by the Wellington Cricket Association—that a nonresident profession a 1 should he eligible to play for any of the four Plunket Shield districts, it appears that the Wellington Cricket Association, in playing a professional engaged by the Nelson Cricket Association, is not only within the law, but also within the spirit of the resolution passed by the recent conference of delegates. “ If the criticism levelled at the ’Wellington Cricket Association ,by Otago and Auckland may he interpreted as meaning that these associations now agree that there should be a residential test, the Wellington Association will be delighted to work in unison with the other two associations in securing an amendment of tho present rules.”

BADCOCK A RESIDENT

With regard to Badeoek’s position, it is pointed out that, although this player was brought nut by the Wellington Cricket Association, he is and always has been permanently resident in Wellington. His employment by the Wellington Association throughout the summer months leaves him free for certain hours during the day, and during this time he follows his own employment. In the winter months he has no duties towards the Wellington Cricket Association, and in this period of the year he also has his own occupation. He has, therefore, in every respect since his arrival 1 here been a resident of Wellington.

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19280124.2.99

Bibliographic details

Evening Star, Issue 19772, 24 January 1928, Page 11

Word Count
1,018

“WITHIN THE LAW” Evening Star, Issue 19772, 24 January 1928, Page 11

“WITHIN THE LAW” Evening Star, Issue 19772, 24 January 1928, Page 11