CRICKET

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 257, 27 September 1933, Page 4

CRICKET

MANAWATU ASSOCIATION. ANNUAL MEETING HELD. [ ! The annual general meeting of the • Manawatu Cricket Association was held last evening. The chair was taken 1 by Mr A. M. Ongley. There was a total ■ attendance of 23 delegates, and apologies were received frqm Messrs A. E. Mansford, B. J. Jacobs and F. J. Oakley. The annual report (already published) and the balance-sheet were adopted. The chairman, moving their adoption, said that last season was probablv a record one in regard to tho number of games played and the number of teams which had entered —especially in the lower grades. The contests were very even and the season long. The balance showed that the overdraft, which had been in operation since 1926, had been paid off and there was a credit at the bank at the year’s end. No doubt tlie position of tlie association was largely due to the work of Messrs W. G. Miller a.nd R. A. Brace, the chairman of the management committee and the honorary secretary respectively ; altogether the season had been a very satisfactory one. The election of officers resulted: Patron, Mr J. A. Nash, M.P.; president, Mr A. E. Mansford; chairma.n of management committee. Mr Ongley; vice-presidents. Messrs T. R. Hodder, W. Pegden, W. L. Fitzherbert, B. J. Jacobs, F. J. Oakley, W. P. Anderson and W. B. Cameron; lion, secretary and treasurer. Mr Brace; delega-te to New Zealand Council, Mr A. M. Chrystall (Christchurch; honorary auditor, Mr K. S. Glendiiiniiig; management committee, Messrs W. Wilson, C. Sigley, M. J. O’Koefe, G. Griggs and J. Gavey. The chairman asked for a direction for the management committee as to what action was desired with regard to the Hawke Cup, which had not been played for last year. Last season it had been suggested that the association take part in a “Cricket Week,” but it bad not been found possible owing to the fact that some associations had already ma.pped out programmes for the season. Mr O’Keefe said that many young players were in favour of re-entry to the Hawke Cup games. Mr Norris thought that dropping out from the matches had benefited the finances of the association. Even if the association had the cup the gate takings were not big. He thought it advisable to leave the cup over for another year. Tlie association should have a little more money behind it. The matter would receive the attention of the management committee, the chairman said. - PROPOSED GRADE CHANGES. The Old Boys Cricket Club wrote sa.ying that it was understood that the inauguration of a senior B grade for the coming season was to be brought forward at the annual general meeting. Their delegates had been instructed to support the move. If the senior B grade were instituted the club wished enter one team in the senior B grade and one in the junior grade in addition to the ordinary senior eleven. The club’s delegates had also been instructed to support two Saturday matches in the senior B grade and one Saturday matches in the junior grade. I The delegate from the Kia Toa Club thought that the time was not opportune for the move in regard to a senior B grade. The following remit was submitted by Mr McGavin -on behalf of the United Services Club : That it be a recom- | mendation to the management committee that a senior B grade be instituted and that entries be called for this competition. Further, tlia.t at the end of the season the winning team in the senior B grade play off with the lowest team in the senior A competition; the winners of this match tn play in the senior A and the lasers in the senior B competition the following season. The latter part of this recom-

mendation is not to apply if the winning senior B have already a team playing in the senior A grade. In making the suggestion, Mr McGavin said that there were junior teams which did not desire to lose their players as they wished to later enter into senior grade. If that chance of playing with the senior teams were provided it should be for the good of ! the game. Mr Ongley said that the raising of two teams to senior status to make six teams instead of four would be very desirable. As far as the playing of the leading senior team bv the leading junior team went, that could lead to a disastrous position. A team which had had a quick rise might beat a senior team which had hud a weak season and the next year the senior team might be back to full strength. If two tea.ms could rise to senior status it would be in the interests of the game. The clubs should forward their views to the management committee. Mr McGavin said that other remits from his club were: That it he a "recommendation to the management ronunitteo that senior A and B competitions be two-day matches and the lower grades one-dav matches. That it be a recommendation to the management committee that if at all possible the Wednesday competition be divided into two grades. That it he a recommendation that after the season 1933-34 no clubs lie allowed to enter a team in the senior A competition unless they nominate and keep a team playing in a lower grade. The remits were referred to the management committee. THE TEA INTERVAL. Several delegates spoke in favour of eliminating the 10-minute "tea interval at the Terrace End ground. It was stated by the Y.M.C.A. Club delegate that it was thought that to drop the 10 minutes would give a strong team an advantage at Terraco End. The strong team would have the extra time. The chairman thought that the better method would be to shorten the time by 10 minutes at the end of play if the 10-minutes tea interval were dropped. The City Council Club wrote drawing attention to the state of the junior wickets on the outer oval as it was considered that they were dangerous at times. The chairman thought that representations should be made to the City Council that if Sunday cricket were allowed it should not take place on Saturday’s wickets. The Sunday cricket had been responsible for a great amount of the damage. The matter, he said, would be referred to tho management committee. Payment was made for the Sunday wickets and they should be different from the Saturday wickets. The matter of regular umpires was briefly discussed and the chairman said that the greatest difficulty was experienced in obtaining umpires for special matches. Mr McGavin brought up the matter of more representative matches for the junior grade. The chairman said that the transport of teams was the problem. Tho subject was referred to the management committee. Answering a question, the chairman said‘tlia.t the management committee would start the games as soon as it could and that would probably be about the middle of October, as usual.