IMPORTING CRICKETERS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 75, 10 March 1933, Page 3

IMPORTING CRICKETERS

ENGLISH LEAGUE CLUB. LORD HAWKE’S CRITICISM. London, February 3. Lord Hawke, presiding at the annual meeting of the Yorkshire County Cricket Club, criticised the importation of Dominion players by the Lancashire

League. “What is the necessity,’’ he asked, "for this importation of colonial players to the detriment of international cricket J Has the league no pride in birth qualification, and is the cricket success of a club to be dependent, on each vieing with the other as to who can buy the greatest staff? We may yet learn that Grimmett will come over. No sooner had New Zealand placed herself in the test match arena than three •f her most prominent players—Blunt, Merritt, and Cromb—were taken from ker.”

Lord«Hawke was re-elected president of the County lub for the 35th year. Mr T. C. Crawshaw, chairman of Ramsbottom Club, the Lancashire League Club, which has been negotiating with Australian players, in answer to Lord Hawke, says:—

“The thing boils down to this. The Lancashire crciket lover is entitled to see the best possible cricket. In England the best players are, as a rule, to be found playing for counties. So it is up to us to get the best from other countries.

“Further, by getting the best, we are showing the younger enthusiasts in Lancashire the styles and methods of the best cricketers. In my view, the effect of this has largely been to create such a standard in the Lancashire League that we could pick a team capable of extending Y’orkshire or any other county. “The presence of these famous cricketers, too, is a double tonic to the game. It makes for big gates and a constant strong interest. As it is, there are more thrills packed into the quick-time Lancashire League match than into any other cricket.” Another Lancashire League official Mid: “It might surprise Lord Hawke, *s well as a good many other people, to know that the > pproach in connection with the cn'- g went of ottr famous

array of League professionals does not by an means always originate with us, but that it is we who are first sounded.” Mr T. E. Morgan, chairman of Nelson Cricket Club, said: “Lord Hawke’s criticism is not new. When Nelson engaged McDonald, Lord Hawke then expressed the hope that McDonald would not take up his appointment. Lancashire League clubs are out to provide the most attractive professionals, and if economic conditions are such in other countries that a first-class cricketer cannot put his gifts to commercial advantage then there should be no complaint if some club offers financial stability. Lancashire League clubs will continue to conduct the affairs in their own way. ’ ’