CRICKET CONTROL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 43, 18 January 1935, Page 5

CRICKET CONTROL

HAWKE CUP FIXTURE. PREPARATIONS FOR MATCH. A meeting of the management committee of the Manawatu Cricket Association was held last night, when Mr A. M. Ongley presided. Others present were Messrs W. H. Wilson, J. Gavey, N. Gallichan, G. Griggs, E. Weir and R. A. Brace (secretary). An apology for absence was received from Mr M. O’Keefe. The Hawke’s Bay Cricket Association advised that it agreed to the Hawke Cup fixture with Manawatu being entered upon on Tuesday, January 22 (Anniversary Day), although previously it had favoured commencing on the 24th. The team would leave Napier by the 8.30 a.m. express on Monday, and the association asked that a practice wicket be made available that afternoon.—Arrangements were made for the visitors to be met by representatives of the association at the railway station on their arrival, while the secretary was instructed to endeavour to arrange for a City Council bus to ply to and from the match. It was further decided to entertain the Napier team at the pictures on Tuesday night. In view of the Sportsground being occupied by the Hawke Cup fixture with Hawke’s Bay on Wednesday, all mid-week cricket was postponed. A further letter from the Hawke’s Bay Association expressed appreciation of the local association’s action in inaugurating the junior cricket week, and of the hospitality extended the Hawke’s .Bay junior representatives during their stay in Palmerston North, particular reference being made to the. part played to that end by Mr Weir.

Tlie United Club made an application for the registration of P. Loudon and F. Cutler as members of its senior team and the Kiwi Club sought the registration of F. Culler for its Wednesday team. Mr Wilson remarked that the Kiwi Chib was introducing too many players who were not registered unemployed members. Mr Brace concurred. It was decided to agree to the United Club’s application, but to decline that, of the Kiwi Club, it being ruled that no more employed players be registered with the Kiwi Club. The Y.M.C.A. Club applied for the registration of G. R. Douglas as a junior A player and this was agreed to. The City Council wrote granting the association the right to charge an admission fee at the Hawke Cup fixture on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next. —Received. Mr C. Woodham, umpire in the P.D.C. v. Kiwi A match on December 12. reported that the game had been 12 minutes late in starting after the afternoon tea adjournment. As there were only two wickets remaining at time, it was possible that had tlie reentry upon play been made at live correct time Kiwi might have gained a clear-cut win instead of a draw. —No complaint was received from the Kiki Club and no action was taken. The City Council advised that it had been decided to lay water on to the North Street Park for the preparation of wickets. —Received.

EXPLAN ATI ONS A CCEPTKD. Three members who had been selected to make a trip to Oroua Downs on Boxing Day, but who had failed to turn up with the result that the fixture had bad to be abandoned, appeared before the meeting and tendered explanations. A fourth member failed to appear. Mr \\ ilson, the selector of the Wednesday team, pointed out that there had been a certain amount of overlapping and the Saturday junior selectors had not informed him of their selections.

'The chairman remarked that the position was unfortunate, but apparently the players -were not altogether to blame. The explanations tendered by the three players were accepted, but the secretary was instructed to renew the request for the fourth to appear before the committee. WELLINGTON’S ATTITUDE. Mr Wilson mentioned that he had noticed in the Press that the Hawke's Bay Association had voiced a protest against the action of the Wellington selector in not catering for country players in Plunket Shield matches. His father (Mr C. G. Wilson, the New Zealand representative) in writing to him had expressed disappointment at the attitude adopted by the Wellington selector, more particularly as he had in earlier years worked hard for the encouragement of country players. For a period Wellington had exploited their search for talent, and as a re-. suit Nelson had applied to be included in Wellington’s are.a instead of in Canterbury, but apparently they were again as badly oft as ever. The speaker suggested that Manawatu support Hawke’s Bay in its protest, particularly as there would be major honours —a trip to England—offering next year. It was his contention that every player, town and country, should he given an opportunity to prove himself in view of the overseas four. Mr Ongley remarked that the Wellington selector hail not had an opportunity of witnessing any promising country player in action, bub whether it “was by choice or not he did not know. Further, it had been reported | that no interest- was now taken in the Town v. Country match and it had been abandoned in consequence. He had thought of circularising the other unions to see whether such was correct, but had failed to do so. Whe-

ther the Wellington selector had been instructed to delete country players or not he did not know, but the present position meant that country players had no opportunity of figuring in Plunket Shield cricket, although it was the right of any player in Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu, Rangitikei and Nelson, who was up to the necessary standard, to be given consideration by the Wellington selector. The treatment accorded by a "Wellington team to a country representative while on tour had led to an earlier Wellington selector declining to continue iu office. The speaker concluded by stating that he would willingly support Mr Wilson in his protest. When put to the meeting the motion was carried unanimously. UMPIRES APPOINTED. Cricket umpires in the junior 13 grade to-morrow will be a.s follow: Old Boys v. United, Messrs P. T. Robinson and R. S. Watson ; Combined Services v. Y.M.C.A., Messrs A. C. Dryden and D. Gilmore; Kiwi A v. City Council, Messrs E. Fitzsimmons and J. C. Lewis; High School v. Kiwi B, Messrs J. R. Watson and B. Laing. The umpires for next week’s Hawke Cup match will be Messrs E. Greer and W. Wood ham. TEAMS FOR TO-MORROW. City Council.-—Rice, Thompson, Hands, Lang, Baigent, Lovejoy, Withers, Pillinger. Blackwell, Wiggins, Matthews, 12th man, Bambery; and Hodren. Combined Services junior B. —Roberts, Clausen, Mitchell, H.-ire, Morgan. Bird, Marshall, Gardner, Bidden.-Jones. Quigan, Cole.