PLUNKET SHIELD

Evening Star, Issue 21347, 27 February 1933, Page 6

PLUNKET SHIELD

PRESENTATION FUNCTION DEVELOPMENT IN NEW ZEALAND CRICKET A very happy function took place in the Council Chambers on Saturday night, when the Plunket Shied, won by Otago this season, was officially handed over to the Otago Cricket Association by the chairman of the New Zealand Cricket Council (Mr A. T. Donnelly). The 'mayor (Mr 11. S. Black) presided over a large attendance of cricket supporters, which included the captain (F. T. Badcoek) and members of the successful Otago team. In the course of a most interesting address, Mr Donnelly referred to New Zealand’s status in the cricket world, and to the development of the game in New Zealand. The Mayor expressed his pleasure at seeing so many present to do honour to the Otago team, and said that the people of Otago were pleased not merely because the team had succeeded in winning the Plunket Shield, but for the spirit in which it had played the game throughout. (Applause.) The true spirit of cricket had been displayed. Mr Black referred to the traditions of cricket, and in view of that wonderfully high standing of the game it was for them to do their part towards keeping it a classic. They had with them that night Mr Badcock, the Otago captain, who contributed so much to the winning of the shield. Without doubt tho improvement in cricket in Otago was the result of Mr Badcock’s efforts. They also had with them Mr A. T. Donnelly, chairman of tho New Zealand Cricket Council, who showed his enthusiasm by coming all tho way from Christchurch to make the presentation of the shield. (Applause.) TRIBUTE TO F. T. BADCOCK. Mr Donnelly said that it was a very pleasing duty indeed to present the Plunket Shield to tho Otago Cricket Association and the Otago team on the first occasion it had been won by Otago since the season 1924-25. “Your victory in the shield competition this year was very popular throughout New Zealand,” said Mr Donnelly, “ and no one of the other major associations resents the fact that you have deservedly won the shield on this occasion.” Otago was particularly entitled to be congratulated on its success this season because it was the culmination-of the efforts of the last four or five seasons to build up a strong young team, and was the reward of the enterprise of the Otago Cricket Association in bringing to Dunedin Mr Badcock, one of the finest cricket coaches the speaker had seen in any part of the world. ' It was a good thing for the shield to go round, proceeded Mr Donnelly, and it was good to see it won by a team such as Otago’s, containing a fair number of young and new players. It had always been his idea to encourage young and new talent. A particularly fine feature of Otago’s play was directly attributable to the principles instilled into tho players by the coach. The batsmen hit the ball hard in front of the wickets, and this principle made tho Otago team delightful to watch. The team took its example from Mr Badcock, who was tho finest model for their players they had seen in New Zealand, in the speaker’s time at least. Mr Badcock was a fine batsman who was not afraid to hit hard on both sides of the wicket. He was a fine bowler who relied on. those old principles of spin, length, and flight. He was a fine fieldsman, and was an example to players in any class of cricket. Mr Donnelly said he was pleased to pay this testimony to Mr Badcock, whose work in every department of the game could not be surpassed. He played the game in the true spirit, and from every point of view had been a great influ-, ence not only in Otago cricket, but in New Zealand cricket as a whole. (Applause.) THE DOMINION’S STATUS. Mr Donnelly said he desired to give an explanation in connection with the visit of the English team to New Zealand, the first test match side to visit hero for forty years, as to the unfortunate reason why they had not been able to arrange for a match in Dunedin, either against Otago or a New Zealand team. Prior to the New Zealand team going to England in 1927, their knowledge of overseas teams was confined to playing Australian teams and occasional visits from English teams. The 1927 tour, ■ however, had established New Zealand cricket, and given them a foothold in the international sphere, and acquired the right to representation on the Imperial Cricket Confei’enoe. Their position was improved by the Now Zealand team’s visit in 1931. He referred to the fine reputation gained by this team, which was regarded as one of the most pleasant teams to visit England for many seasons past. Tho speaker referred to a dinner he had attended during a recent visit to Victoria, at which the English test captain, D. 11. Jardine, in making reference to the New Zealand team of 1931, said that it was one oi the pleasantest and most charming that had over visited England. The speaker said he thought that reputation was more valuable than if it had Avon a test match or gone through unbeaten. The seriousness of a test match competition, said Mr Donnelly, made it necessary to rely on players avlio devoted substantially the Avhole of their time to playing cricket, and their idea in New Zealand, Avith the exception of using some of tho. players as professionals, Avas that they should play cricket on Saturdays and have Plunket Shield matches during the season. It was not right that thoir young men should devote too much time to cricket, and thus neglect their Avork in the Avorld. So he did not consider it possible for them to attain international status the same as England and Australia, because they had not the reservoir of professionals, and players could not devote sufficient time to the game. In referring to tho record of the 1931 team in England, Mr Donnelly said that at Lord’s they had put up an outstanding performance and looked nearly as good as England. Their record had been greatly assisted by' T. C. Lowry, one of the greatest captains knoAvn in recent years, Avhose handling of Ngav Zealand’s boAvling made the team look very much bettor than it Avas. LoAvry Avas a magnificent captain, and the success of the tour from a playing point of view was duo to tho Avay he used tho poor boAvling material and tho poorer fielding. Their boAvling Avas Avor.se than that of any first-class county side, and their fielding in England, as here, avas extremely disappointing. This Avas a department in Avhich they should improA r e, and their performances should be better considering that they had young players. Ho thought that their fielding to-day Avas Avorse than in the Plunket Sliicld matches before the Avar. That Avas one of tho Avorst features of the fine match between Canterbury and Otago. They ifiust concentrate on fielding. ENGLISH TEAM’S VISIT. Referring to tho negotiations to get an English team to come to Ngav Zealand on the Avay Home from Australia,

Mr Donnelly said they had been in negotiation to get Chapman’s team over, Tho M.C.C. acceded to the request, but the Australian Board of Control Avas unable to see its Avay clear to agree. After long negotiations, lioavever, it Avas arranged that the present team should come here for two matches, and to secure this, it Avas necessary for the speaker to call in England a meeting of the captains of the English county clubs, avlio agreed to start the season Avithout two or three of their professional players for tAvo or timee matches. That Avas a very big concession to enable the team to come to Ngav Zealand- It Avas at first thought possible to play only tAvo matches in the North Island, but another Avas uoav to be played in. Christchurch. It Avas important, in the council’s opinion, for them to establish the precedent of English teams in Australia going Homo this Avay, and in vieAV of Ngav Zealand’s status in the international Avorld, they had to take what tho M.C.C. could persuade Australia to give Ngav Zealand. The president and officers of the Otago Cricket Association had Availed on tho counciNind referred to the hardship to Otago, but the council had done all it could to make some adjustment to enable the English team to come to Dunedin, but could not arrange it, and no one regretted it more than the council. The M.C.C. and present members of the English team Avere very friendly indeed to cricket in this country and to Ngav Zealand, and he felt that Avhen the English team to Australia in four years time left, there would be sufficient provision to play matches in at least the four chief centres of Ngav Zealand, and that on tho next occasion Otago would not be disappointed. He did not Avant them to think that the New Zealand Council disagreed with the legitimate requests and aspirations of Otago. He extended his congratulations to the association ‘for its enterprise in engaging Badcock and in giving him a free hand to build up a young team, and in concentrating on the selection of young players and new players, and giving them a chance to make good. He hoped that when the New Zealand team Avas selected this AA-eek to meet England, the selectors would'bear that in mind and give some of the young players a chance. (Applause.) He concluded by again extending congratulations to the association, to the captain, and to the Otago team on Avinning the Plunket -Shield. (Applause.) Mr Donnelly then called on Mr Fraser to take possession of the shield. MR FRASER’S REPLY. Mr J. M. Fraser (president of the Otago Cricket Association) thanked the mayor-for granting the association the use of the Council Chambers for the function, and also thanked Mr Donnelly for coming to Dunedin to make the presentation. They kneiv that Mr Donnelly had the best interests of cricket at heart. They had not Avon the shield so frequently in Otago as had been the case m Canterbury and the other centres, but they hoped that in future they AA’ould have their name inscribed more frequently. The secretary of the council had given them a hint Avhen he advised them “ to, keep the case in case it was required in the next ten years.” All cricket supporters Avere immensely proud of the Avay the Otago team had acquitted itself this year. The team had been excellently led by Mr Badcock, and lie Avishcd to congratulate the younger players Av r ho had fulfilled idle promise they had shoivn Avhen they Avere younger. They had come on under him quicker than would have been the case otherwise, and all cricket lovers would agree that Otago had the material if it could be developed. They looked forAvard to many years of success in the cricket Avorld. (Applause.) Mr Donnelly had explained why Otago could not be gi\ r eu a match with the English team. They Avere disappointed, naturally, but they realised that Mr Donnelly and the Cricket Council had done all in their power, and they felt that in future they Avould have the opportunity of seeing the Englishmen playing in Otago. They felt that they could provide the gates, for interest in Otago Avas greater than at any other, time he could remember. He hoped the Ngav Zealand selectors Avould take notice of Avhat Mr Donnelly said and would include as many young players as possible in the team against England. He thought that in the interests of the game this Avas an opportunity of giving some of the younger players a chance of gaining experience in big cricket. The Cricket Association Avas pleased Avith the support it got from the public, and he felt that so long as they could give them cricket worth looking at they Avould get that support. In that connection they had to thank the Press very largely for tho prominence they had given the game. The interest that had been created the last year or tAvo had been phenomenal, and they had only to look to the attendance in tho Canterbury match. Of all the matches in which the Otago side had taken part, he did not think there had been any more interesting than that against Canterbury. It Avas a happy final, fought out by South Island teams. Mr Fraser then called on Mr Badcock to accept the Plunket Shield on behalf of the team, and he congratulated Mr Badcock and the team on their fine performance. (Applause.) IMPORTANCE OF GOOD FIELDING. Mr F. T. Badcock (captain of the Otago team) returned thanks on behalf of himself and the Otago team for the attendance and for the remarks that had been passed. AVhatever he had been able to do so far as tho interests of the team Avere concerned Avould have been impossible unless he bad backing, and he had no complaints on that score. There Avere tAvo aspects of the last series of shield matches to Avhich he Avished to refer. One Avas the fielding. It was probably one of the most important, if not the most important part of the game. BoAvling Avon matches, but unless backed up by good fielding that bowling Avent for nought. If Otago Avere to retain the shield, everyone must concentrate on an endeavour to become a first-class field in the air and on the ground. So far as the present season Avas concerned, he thought they had Avon because the others Avere Averse fielders than they were. He did not think he had seen so many catches dropped as in the Wellington match, and they Avere “ sitters,” too. One compensating point of vieAV Avas the spirit in which the games were played this season, and he did not think he had played in any series so pleasant as the last one. When he first came out here there AA’as a certain amount of feeling betAA'een the teams, but that had completely died out, and ho hoped such a state of affairs Avould continue. If Ngav Zealand did reach the same test status as England and Australia/ he hoped they Avould not reach the stage that had been arrived at in Australia during the present scries. Mr A. Martin proposed votes of thanks to Mr Donnelly and to the mayor, Avhich Avere carried by acclamation, and the singing of the National Anthem brought proceedings to a c:ose.