CRICKET.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10216, 9 December 1893, Page 6

CRICKET.

SELECTION OF EEPRESENTATIVE TEAMS. The following letter has been addressed to the Secretary of the Canterbury Cricket Association by Mr A. M. Ollivier" Dear Sir, —I am in receipt of your letter of this morning, informing me that your Committee has appointed me sole selector of the representative teams for tho season. I thank your Committee for the honour, bub while fully appreciating the compliment, my first intention was to decline the position, for the following reason For some seasons the cticketera have not taken sufficient Interest in the game to attend practices regularly. As an instance, last year, out of eighteen practices, the average attendance was only about eight. In ray opinion, it is quite impossible for players to be fib to take part ia a three days’ match unless they practice hard for at least three weeks previously. Holding this opinion, I am not prepared to undertake the duties of selector unless the players are prepared to attend practices regularly. If I consent to act as such selector, it is only on the understanding that unexplained absence from practice and .want of regular attendance will disqualify a player for a place in the eleven. As I should have to devote my timo on every evening without the pleasure of the practice, I do not think it unreasonable to stipulate for tho attendance of the players .interested. IS the Committee desires ms to select tho team under these conditions, I shall do my best to make the representatives ,o£‘Canterbury worthy of the name.—Yours faithfully, A. Morton Ollivier.”