OTAGO CRICKET

Evening Star, Issue 24004, 1 October 1941, Page 12

OTAGO CRICKET

ANNUAL MEETING OF ASSOCIATION ONE-DAY MATCHES FAVOURED HEALTHY FINANCIAL POSITION ilr i’. N. Binney presided• over Uio sixtyiifth annual meeting of the Otago Cricket Association, which was held last night and attended by about 30 delegates. CHAIRMAN’S REMARKS. [n moving the adoption of the annual .report’ and balance sheet, the President commented upon the success achieved in spite of hindering circumstances. There was ® feeling among cricketers and many officials that the association should consider the advisabiiiy of playing one-day reaches during the coining-season. Under the prevailing conditions the advantages of oneway cricket would probably outweigh the disadvantages. The speaker went on to refer to the suspension of the Plunket Shield competition.’ This, ho said, had enabled the association to give greater attention to the encouragement of juniors and colts. The association was fortunate in having the continued interest of a large number of ground members. Ho hoped that the committee would hot slacken its efforts to increase the number of ground members. Referring to finance, Mr Binney remarked that the position was highly satisfactory. Headway had been made with the association finance, and the endowment fund had improved' to a gratifying extent by reason of contributions by clubs, and a subsidy from the’geuera! fund. This pleasing state of affairs, said the president, had been largely brought about by tho; cessation of Iho necessity to tour beyond the boundaries of the South Island, for it was recognised that tho expense attached to a Phinket Shield programme was a heavy drain on the finances. A sum of £SO placed in a suspense account was to be reserved impossible commitments which might arise in the process of restoring cricket tp its former popularity after the war. Mr Biriitey added that the thanks of the association were due to (he City Council for its generosity in agreeing to reduce ground rents in the incoming season, and concluded by urging delegates to do all they could to keep the club flags flying so (hat the members on active service could, when they returned home, take up (he game again. Mr W. It. Brinsly seconded iho motion. ENDOWMENT FUND. Mr A. G. Valentine, speaking to the motion, gave further details concerning the endowment fund, to which, ho said, the clubs had contributed during the year the sum of £ll3, bringing the total from that source to £450 19s; donations had accounted for £5, and the amount of £ll3 transferred from the general account, together with interest earned (£7 15s 7d), brought the total to £B2B, an increase of £T37 for the year. Messrs J", A, Robson and IV, A. Rowland also spoke to the motion for l the adoption of the report and balance sheet, and this was carried, LIFE MEMBER. Mr W. S. Armitage moved, on the recommendation of the General Committee, that Mr Crosby Morris be elected a life member of the association. The mover said that Mr Morris had been' a staunch supporter of the game over a period of many years, was a former president of the association, and had encouraged tho game in the country districts. Mr F. N. Binney seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. OFFICE-BEARERS. Tho followiug office-bearers were elected: —President, Mr F. X. Binney: past president, Mr A. H. Allen; vice-presidents —Messrs W. R. Brinsley (senior), W. A. Rowland, D. A. Solomon, dud J. A. Robson; committee (17 nominations) —Messrs B. H. Downes, H. Harvey, A. G. Valentine, T. Hughes,. L. J. Groves, E. Hayes,

G. J. Robertson, A. R. Knight, J. M'Gregor. and T. Grant (to these were added Messrs C. R. Gaylor, W. S. Armitage, J. M'Mullan, H. D. Kerr, and J. M. Kennedy, as representing the ground members cm the committee); secretary and treasurer, Mr E. S. Wilson; lion, auditors, Messrs A. Raynor and W. Q. PickardOPENING OF SEASON. The matter of fixing a date for the opening of the season was left to the incoming committee. APPEALS FOR LIGHT. Tho Otago Cricket Umpires’ Association wrote conveying the following resolution, which had been carried at the annual meeting of that body:—“That the Otago Cricket Association be asked to forward to the New Zealand Cricket Council a request that the English Cricket County laws bo adopted in regard to appealing for light in club matches throughout the Dominion.” The letter added that the law mentioned did not allow appeals for light by players or captains. Mr Rowland, as representative of tho umpires on the Association Committee, said that his association felt that it was not fair to put on the umpires the onus of deciding whether the light was fit for play or not. Cricketers should be prepared to play the game in a sporting spirit, and if the captains could not agree on the question then play would have to proceed. If the New Zealand Council were not prepared to adopt this suggested amendment the Otago Association could adopt a local rule to that end. Mr Valentine moved as an amendment that tho matter be referred to the incoming committee for consideration, and this was carried. COMPETITION POINTS. Mr Robson moved that it be a recommendation to the incoming committee that grade rule 6 be ameuded to provide-for a competition being decided in favour of the team gaining tho greatest number of points, provided that all the competing teams had played an equal number of matches; in the event of a tic in points the team with tho better average to be declared tho winner. N The mover said that the result of the intermediate competition last year, when two teams had been bracketed as equal first when one had played a match more than the other, proved the rule to bo defective. His motion would clarify the position. Tho motion was defeated. ONE-DAY CRICKET. A discussion took place regarding tho desirability of playing one-day matches during the coming season, and after various opinions had been expressed, the Chairman said that it was evidently the feeling of the meeting that a trial should be given to one-day matches, with the batting time equally divided. The other aspects of the matter could, said Mr Binney, be safely left to the committee to consider. —This was agreed to. GENERAL. On tho motion of Mr 0. G, Stevens, it w-as decided to'write the Otago Council of Sport expressing appreciation of tho fine work it was doing in the interest of cricket ond of sport generally. Mr Robson expressed the opinion that the Green Island Club was to be congratulated upon its ground, which, said Mr Robson. was equal to Carisbrook. SIMILAR DECISION (P.A.) AUCKLAND, September 50. The Management Committee of the Auckland Cricket Association decided to-night that one-day .matches should be played’ in this season’s competition. GASWORKS CLUB ■ ♦. The annua! meeting of the Gasworks Cricket Club was held on Tuesday evening, Mr D. Urquhart being in the chair. Tho Chairman congratulated the club on a very successful season. The election of, officers resulted:—President. Mr D. Urquhart; vice-presidents—-members of the Gas Committee, Messrs

F. Millar, F. Pratt, R. Larkins, J. E. Wood, ,t. Stewart, J. Mitchell, D. Gihuour, W. M’Kelvcy, sen., L. M'Kcchnie, W. Kirk (Tapanui) ; club captain, Mr B. Bell; secretary and treasurer, Mr C. Crossau; committee—Messrs J. M’Gilvary, R. Bell, T. Urquhart, W. M’Combio, S. Underwood, H. Ashton, G. Craig; selector, Mr C. Crossau; scorer, Mr Keith Richardson. WOMEN'S CRICKET OTAGO ASSOCIATION MEETS The inmnal meeting of the Otago Women’s Cricket Association was held last evening, the retiring president (Mrs W. B. Taverner)’being in the chair. Tho annual report and balance sheet, which were adopted, slated that the past season had been a successful one, with only one Saturday’s play postponed owing to wet weather. Tho financial position of the association was reported to bo quite satisfactory, with a credit balance of £5 14s Bd. The President congratulated tho teams which had boon successful in the various competitions, and vote of thanks was accorded the Umpires’ Association, tho ground warden (Mr F. Balthrop), and the selectors for their services. The election of office-bearers resulted as follows ;—President, Mrs E. Flockton; lion, vice-presidents—Mesdames Lindo Ferguson, H. Harrould, and W. B. Taverner; secretary, Mrs A. Gaffnney. A special vote of thanks was recorded for the services of Mr H. Tyrrell, the association s auditor. Tho opening day of the new season was set down for Saturday, November 1.