CRICKET COACHING

Evening Star, Issue 21216, 24 September 1932, Page 8

CRICKET COACHING

HAS IT BEEN WORTH THE OUTLAY? [By Not Out. - ] Now that footballs are being stored away for another season, attention is being focused on the games played by the wearers of the white flannels. Cricketers are sorting out their togs in anxious anticipation of fine weather and a successful season. Not for many years has there been such enthusiasm and interest shown by the clubs, while the association is enjoying a financial position not experienced for a long time. Those two factors alone are most encouraging, and should be exploited to the full in order to place Otago in the forefront of Now Zealand cricket. But a ily has appeared in the ointment, so to speak, for on the most important question of the day—that of coaching—there seems to exist a diversity of opinion which is liable to disturb the serenity and harmony which is at all times desirable for the achievement of success. Already several clubs have expressed dissatisfaction with the arrangements being made in connection with the association’s coach, Mr F. T. Badcock, and a lively discussion at the annua! meeting is anticipated. There is no doubt that this matter is of extreme importance, and warrants the full consideration of all cricket enthusiasts. In the case of Mr Badcock, it is almost universally admitted that he is a born teacher, capable of imparting his sound knowledge to the younger generation, but unfortunately there seems to be. only two clubs who appear satisfied with the coaching arrangements. The opinion has been expressed by many experienced players that the trouble to a large degree lies with the administrators, who have given the coach too much latitude, with tho result that the best use is not being made of his services, and that a considerable improvement will have to be made noticeable in the coming season if the association’s expenditure of £328 8s per annum on the coach is going to bring beneficial results to the game. On the other hand, many fine players have acted as coaches in many parts of New Zealand, and tho question has boon raised whether the results have been worth the money nxoended. Mon of outstanding ability have been amongst these coaches. Hero arc a low of the names: T. Law-

ton, A. Relf, S. Jones, E. Bowley, A. E. Worsley, G. Thompson, J. H. Board, A. E. Trott, J. V. Saunders, C. G. Macartney, J. N. Crawford, W. Carlton, J. B. Shacklock, and L. Eastman. There were others, but these names are sufficient to show that coaching in New Zealand has not been neglected. It has cost a lot of money, and what is there to show for it? One of the best coaches that Dunedin ever had was T. Lawton, whoso ability was equal only to Relf, who is considered to be the best man that New Zealand has ever had as a coach. Lawton produced such players as H. G. Siedeberg, G. Austin, G. Cummings (Otago and Auckland representative), and the late F. Liggins, but can it be said that his influence has had any really marked effect on cricket in Otago? J,. N. Crawford is recognised as the keenest cricketer that has ever been seen in action in Now Zealand, and the Otago Association gave him a team of colts to coach and play with every Saturday in championship cricket. Many of these reached representative status for Otago, but very few of these colts ever played for New Zealand.

The coaching of cricketers in New Zealand has cost many thousands of pounds, and it is a fair thing to ask what is there to show for the amount of money expended? It is almost futile to expect any outstanding result, although occasionally one has to record the success of a player like H. G. Vivian, the young Aucklander, whose natural ability has been dedeloped as the result of coaching. Mr C. S. Dempster, in defence of his work as coach to the Wellington Cricket Association, explained tho reason why it is hardly likely that much, good can result from the coaching. Right through a season’s work he gave coaching on an average of six minutes a week to selected boys—hardly enough time for a boy to even unlearn a bad stroke, let alone discover now ones or develop those that come naturally to him. To ask a coach to give instruction to an unlimited number of youths and expect results right away is hardly fair.

In England tbe great public schools and universities have a coach, and they have the boys under their care all the time. As they are able to persist with the promising boys, it is possible to show tangible results. _ There seems to be a great deal of merit in this suggestion, and a similar scheme is worthy of the _ greatest consideration by the administrators of the game in Dunedin. For instance, the same principle could bo transferred to the local senior clubs. Each club should bo asked to appoint its most capable and most suitable member to act as the club's coach, and encouragement given to him in the form of an honorarium, say £2O. Of tin’s amount, each club should be made to contribute at least one quarter. Under such an arrangement the coaches would he under the direct supervision of the respective clubs, who would thou be able to judge what advancement was being made. A writer in 1 The Now Zealand Free Lance’ docs not think that coaching, as carried out in New Zealand, is worth

the money that is expended. He does not believe that New Zealand cricket is of a better standard than it was twenty or thirty years ago, despite the number of coaches that have operated in New Zealand in that period, and he is of the opinion that the money could he better expended by the associations in making the_ conditions better for the players. This is undoubtedly the strongest argument against the largo expenditure of money on coaching today. ‘ To play cricket well the match and the practice wickets should be of the very best. M. A. Noble, the great Australian captain, told us on one occasion that wo could_ not expect to develop cricketers in New Zealand if the wickets were not of the best. That holds good to-day. Give the young and promising cricketers the opportunity of playing" on properly-prepared wickets—ones that play true all the time—and their natural abilities will force them to tlie forefront.