JUNIOR CRICKET

Evening Star, Issue 23451, 16 December 1939, Page 9

JUNIOR CRICKET

INTERPROVINGIAL TOURNAMENT OTAGO A PROBABLE COMPETITOR A special meeting of the committee of the Otago Cricket Association decided last night that a representative team from this province should take part in the junior tournament to be held at Christchurch from December 27 to January 2, a condition being that a sufficiently strong side was available. The president (Mr A. H. Allen) was in tbe chair. The secretary reported that he had got in touch with the secretary of the Canterbury Association and was advised that that association was ready to go on with the junior tournament. Later, he had received a formal invitation from the Canterbury Association. He had also received advice from the secretary of the Auckland Association that Auckland had decided to participate in the tournament. There would be no objection to Otago’s including one or two penior players under 21 years to complete its side. _ By asking the players to pay £2 apiece, the week’s visit to Christchurch would cost about £4O.

Mr A. G. Valentine said that, while he was in favour of doing everything possible to encourage and assist junior cricket, ho did not think the association should spend such a large sura of money without knowing something of the calibre of the juniors available to go to Christchurch. The whole tournament seemed to, have been badly organised, and the association bad not been supplied with sufficient information even at the present stage. The Chairman said that* he thought Otago should take part ini the tournament if a sufficiently strong team could be sent north. It would not look well if Auckland and Wellington sent teams and Otago, which was so much nearer, did not send an eleven. Several members referred to the fact that junior teams in the north were much stronger than in Otago, and that it would be desirable to include some senior players under 21 who would gain valuable experience from the games. Several promising secondary school players were also mentioned as suitable for selection. Mr J. A. Robson moved that a team be sent, subject to a specially-appointed sub-committee approving of the team selected. After a brief discussion, the motion was carried, and Messrs A. HoldOn, V. G. Cavanagh, jun., F. N. : Binnie, and Valentine were appointed a sub-com-mittee to make a final decision on whether or not to send a team, and to complete arrangements. They were also asked to approach the Otago selectors and the Junior Committee to assist in selecting tbe team. It was asked that nominations for the team should be given to the secretary by noon on Monday. REQUESTS FOR MATCHES. The secretary of the North Otago Aseooiation wrote asking that a game

arranged between North Otago and an Otago team over the holidays.—-It was decided that it was too late to arrange such a match.

The Taranaki Association invited the Otago Plunket Shield team to play a match against Taranaki at New Plymouth on its northern tour. —It was decided that it was too late to make arrangements for a match, and that it would be impossible to fit in a fixture this tour.