NEW ZEALAND CRICKET

Evening Star, Issue 21621, 17 January 1934, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND CRICKET

MEETING OF COUNCIL THE SELECTION PROBLEM A meeting of the New Zealand Cricket Council, held at Christchurch last night, decided, by a margin of onefifth of a vote, to alter the constitution to provide that instead of there being tour selectors to pick teams for council matches the Management Committee may appoint a sole selector or a selection committee composed of any number it thinks fit to perform the task. Mr J. M. Fraser, of Dunedin, president of the council, presided. The meeting was requisitioned by the Wellington, Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu, and Wairarapa Cricket Associations, and a motion which stood in the name of the Wellington Association, read: “ That rule 13 (1) of the constitution of the New Zealand Cricket Council be amended To provide that the Management Committee may appoint a selector or selection committee for council matches as it seems lit.”

Mr A. T. Donnelly, on behalf ,of the Wellington Association, moved the motion. He said the .Wellington Association was of the opinion that the present system of having one selector from each of the major associations made an unsatisfactory and awkward number, and'that it caused a certain degree'of provincial jealousy. He was not expressing his own views but merely moved the motion as forwarded by Wellington. , The motion was seconded by Dr. P. S. Foster (Hawke’s Bay). Mr E. .R. Caygill (Canterbury) said the Canterbury Association was of the opinion that that proposal should be passed in its present form, though it left the matter to the discretion of the delegate to the council. He, personally, heartily agreed with the proposal. Mr C. S. Thomson (Auckland) said the Auckland delegates had received definite instructions to oppose the alteration. He did not think it was possible in N’ew Zealand to have a sole selector. Blanket Shield matches were played simultaneously, arid it was quite impossible for a sole selector to choose a New Zealand eleven.

Air J. Rarasden (Otago) said his association was almost evenly divided on the question. Mr H.‘ M. Chrystall (Manawatu)' thought it would be very unwise to make a change, hut he thought that the selectors should he changed every few years to give those cricketers who had just retired from active play a chance.

Mr Donnelly, speaking from the point of view of the Management-Com-mittee. said the question had been a very difficult one. He personally was of ithe opinion that the system of four selectors was best, as it prevented com - plaints or dissatisfaction, ft delegates placed on the Management Committee the responsibility of deciding whether there should hp one. two. three, four, or five selectors it would do its best in the interests of cricket.

Mr T). E, Wanklyn (Wanganui) said the present system was-inclined to produce more nr -less: unholy bargaining for tlie last two or. three places.. The Chairman announced that a three-fifths mnioritv was necessary before the constitution could be altered, and on being put 17 voted in favour of the alteration and 11 against it.