CRICKET PROBLEMS

Evening Star, Issue 25619, 20 October 1945, Page 10

CRICKET PROBLEMS

THE AMALGAMATION COMPROMISE WILL IT WORK ? The Management Committee of the Otago Cricket Association at its meeting on Tuesday at least agreed, by seven votes to six, after a lengthy discussion, during which it was amply demonstrated that club interest was still paramount, to agree to something to which it had already agreed. The Grade Committee's part in the performance was not a particularly impressive one. This committee, which, incidentally, ,is composed of four members, three of whom are representatives of clubs whose retention of senior status was jeopardised in the proposed reduction in the number of teams, had, at the previous meeting of the Management Committee, been instructed to investigate the possibility of-cer-tain clubs agreeing to a system of amalgamation, and, if such agreement were found to be possible, to submit a recommendation regarding the most suit.vble groupings for amalgamation purposes. Instead of doing this, however, the Grade Committee, knowing that a six-team competition had been decided upon, took upon itself to recommend increasing the number of teams to eight. The motion put forward by lit, however, was, very properly, ruled out of order by the chairman, Mr W. S. Armitage. Then began a fight by club delegates, and, at long last, it was agreed that the six senior teams should be those proposed by Mr W. A. Ha'dlee—namely, Carisbrook A, High School Old Boys, Kai'korai, and amalgamations of Dunedin with Carisbrook B, University with Grange, aiid AlbionY.M.C.A. with North-east Valley. This was a compromise, and one which,,, as Mr J. A. ißobson remarked at the meeting, might he regarded as a "quack remedy." Still, little,harm .might be done by trying it out for a season, though it would have been better had the Management Committee taken its courage in both hands and decided definitely to omit three of last season's teams.

In reply to Mr Armitage's remark that " If clubs could not attract good players, then they must consider reconstructing either their club management or their practice facilities," it may be asked: From where are the good players to be attracted? If from other local clubs, would that benefit the game? And again referring to Mr Armitage's remarks, if a player, particularly one who is palpably not up to proper senior standard, drops cricket because he has. to play in the inter-', mediate grade, and then, if possible, win promotion, what sort of cricketer is he? There will be plenty of room, eveti with but 66 places for players who are anywhere near- first grade standard And if. the change should make it necessary for aspiring players to fight for a place higher up, so much the better.

Several problems of more • or; lesS'-Tm-portance may yet have to'be dealt with, however. What, for instance, will happen if some of the clubs concerned refuse to agree to the amalgamations decided upon ? And will the Carisbrook B players included in the Dunedin 'team be there for the whole season, or will the Carisbrook "A selectors reserve the right to call upon them ? One understands that the Carisbrook.,Club-will have' first call oh such members, which, while reasonable from that club's point of view, might, in certain circumstances, become somewhat farcical from JJie " amalgamation " 'standpoint. Again, how are the other composite, teams to be selected? Presumably by first selection committees, in which case a selector's life, like that of a policeman's in W. S. Gilbert's day, will not be a,happy one. ..'.-. -."■ ■ ..'■• .. ''■'.'.•■■<:.r,

Other knotty points are sure' to arisei but, in the meantime, we" havev sii senior teams—or have we? ■;■■. '.';-'>.;■