THE AUSTRALIAN CRICKET TOUR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXI, Issue 15210, 22 January 1910, Page 8

THE AUSTRALIAN CRICKET TOUR.

Rather than sacrifice the benefits that are naturally expected to accrue from the visit of a representative team of cricketers from Australia, the members of tho Canterbury Cricket Association decided last night to forego the pooling system and to give an individual guarantee for the local match. In the light- of this decision it is practically certain that the Otago Association will follow suit. This means, of course, that purely through the selfishness of tho Wellington x\s,sociation the tour will be confined to matches against Otago, Canterbury, Wellington and Auckland, provinces, and two test matches. The smaller centres, eager as they were to pit their strength against the visitors, and to learn practically what was to be learnt in the conduct of a forlorn cricket hope, will be debarred of this privilege simply because the Wellington Association does not care to assume a portion of tho responsibility of catering for the country clubs. There have been far too many evidences of this parochial spirit in various branches of sport in Wellington of late years, and it really looks as if the capital city required an infusion of new blood among those who administer its athletic affairs. We do not for one moment blame the Canterbury Association in its decision to abandon the pooling system in connection with tho proposed visit of tho Australians. The only alternative, apparently, wae the abandonment of tho tour, and this would have been an inglorious reflection upon the whole dominion and a grave discourtesy to its invited guests. It is not at all comforting that the Wellington Association 6hould have been able to override the other provincial Associations and the New Zealand Cricket Council in this matter, but there is nothing undignified in the majority in this instance giving way to the minority and for the sake of tho betterment of tho good old game making smooth the way for the visit of an Australian team.