CRICKET

Evening Star, Issue 21013, 29 January 1932, Page 14

CRICKET

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING The General Committee of the-Otago Cricket Association mot last evening, Mr J. M. Fraser presiding, VACANCY FILLED. On the motion of Mr A. Martin, seconded by Mr Solomon, Air W. Brinsley was unanimously elected to the Management Committee. KAIKORAI CLUB’S GROUND. A letter was received from the secretary' of the Kaikorai Club asking that some members of the Grounds Committee should inspect the grounds at Bishopscourt with a view to clubs playing senior cricket there. The club requested that the match Christian Brothers’ Old Boys v. Kaikorai should be played there instead of at Logan Park. —It . was reported that the Grounds Committee had recommended that the request bo granted provided that the Grade Committee could see its way clear to amend the draw which had already been published. The Grade Committee had decided not to alter the present draw, hut,would give the Kaikorai Club a match on its ground when the re-draw took place. It was stated that as trees surrounded tho ground it would he advisable to obtain some screens should a first-grade match be played there. —It was decided that the Grade Committee should arrange a senior match on the ground as soon as possible. OTAGO “ SLIGHTED.” When a letter was received from the New Zealand Council advising that as tlie itinerary for the Soutli African team’s visit to New Zealand had already been arranged, it was impossible to accede to Otago s request that a South Isiand match be played, members expressed their indignation at the manner in which Otago had been treated. Air Robson said that the New Zealand Council had no right to make arrangements for a team’s visit without considering Otago. Cricket in Otago wag just as good as in the other centres, and he could see no reason whatever why test matches could not have been arranged in Auckland and Wellington and a South Island match at Christchurch, where Otago players would have been given a chance to play against the visitors. He thought that once again Otago had been slighted, and he suggested that when the Otago delegates attended the annual conference they should point out to the council that arrangements could have been made to include‘Otago. He considered that a Soutli Island match at Christchurch would have been just as big a draw as a test match. It was generally agreed by members that the itinerary was unsatisfactory to Otago. ' On the motion of the Chairman, it was decided to write to the council stating that Otago was dissatisfied that its players had been given no opportunity to play against the South Africans. AIATCH WITH SOUTHLAND. The Southland Association • wrote regretting that it was unable to raise a team at the last minute and asked if there was any possibility of a visit from an Otago team this season, probably in February or March. —It was decided that Air A. W. Alloo be deputed to arrange for a team to go to Southland at Easter time. —It was also decided that players making the trip would have to pay their own train fares and that the Southland Association would make the arrangements for billeting the players. WELLINGTON TEAM’S VISIT. The Carisbrook Club advised that a smoke concert would be held on Saturday, February 20, when the Wellington representative team would be the guests of the evening.—Permission was granted the club to entertain the visitors. Air A. Regan, on behalf of the management of the Regent Theatre, offered an invitation to the team to visit the theatre one jiight during its sojourn in Dunedin. —Accepted with thanks. * BOWLING TROPHY. The conditions for Air G. A. Wycherley's bowling trophy were submitted, and it was decided to thank the donor for his generous offer. It was also decided that Air Badcock should be appointed as the extra member of the special committee which would decide upon tho bowler whose performances for the season were to he regarded as the most meritorious. PROTEST UPHELD. The Secretary of the Kaikorai Club wrote regarding a protest , from the Taieri Club, and stated that his club had been under the impression that it was ' not necessary to regrade players unless they had played more than three games in senior cricket.—lt was decided to award the match to the Taieri Club, as the rules allowed for no other course.

RESUME OF SEASON’S WORK. The President submitted a report upon the cricket season in Dunedin up till the present time. It was stated that the niethod of counting points for the championship had been slightly altered, with the result that the batting of competing teams bad been brightened. The work of the coach had been very satisfactory during the season. The attendance at coaching had been good, and arrangements had been made to have a limited number of primary school boys coached. Special coaching had been arranged for these boys during the holidays, and the attendance had been very encouraging. An invitation was extended to all committee members and members of the public who were interested to attend at Carisbrook and see the methods adopted by Mr Badcock in his coaching. The President, in conclusion, commented upon the evident lack of interest of tho committee and of tho public in the coaching of Badcock. He expressed the hope that the committee members would not fail to pay a visit to Carisbrook on some evening. Mr Robson said he had been greatly struck by Mr Badcock’s coaching methods, and even more so after he had given them closer study. He thought that if the public understood Badcock’s work they would bo more sympathetic towards cricket. He had never seen a coach handle four balls when he was bowling, and he was sure that on a fine night a better evening could not bo spent than watching the coach at his work. They could not expect to get results right away. In the case of Lawton and Crawford their work was reflected in Otago cricket years after they left tho province. Ho was convinced that Badcock’s coaching would raise the standard of cricket in Dunedin.

Mr Solomon suggested that a circular letter should be sent to all those who had supported the coach fund inviting them to attend Carisbrook when Badcock was coaching players. Mr Fraser said that he was extremely hopeful of Otago cricket. At the present time they had a large number of young and enthusiastic players. He was particularly pleased with the work of the coach, and he was pleased to state that everybody else seemed to he reasonably satisfied. It was extremely gratifying to see such large attendances at the coaching practices. The report was adopted.