THE M.C.C. TOUR.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 124, 24 April 1935, Page 6

THE M.C.C. TOUR.

TEAM FOR DOMINION. WELLINGTON, April 23. It is expected that at the half-yearly meeting of the New Zealand Cricket Council this week more light_ will be thrown on the coming tour of New Zealand by a M.C.C. team. The council has been in touch with the Australian Board of Control regarding the tour in the hope of completing arrangements for the team to play m Australia on its way to New Zealand a procedure which, no doubt, would he very helpful, as it was in the case of Harold Gilligan’s team, in the matter of financing the tour. The hoard, in turn, has referred the matter to the Stato cricket associations. On its way to New Zealand in the 1929-30 season Gilligan’s M.C.C. team piayed live matches in Australia, and through the generosity of the Australian authorities the New Zealand Council profited from them to the extent of £2456 13s 2d, a sum which enabled the council, after refunding £I6OO to the M.C.C. as professionals” expenses, to show a net profit of £l2 12s lid on the tour. iSext season's undertaking will probably present a heavier burden financially, and support from Australia will be extremely valuable. Aba recent meeting of the Victorian Cricket Association a letter was read from the New Zealand Cricket Council stating that negotiations had been completed for a visit to New Zealand by a team similar in calibre to Gilligan?s team of 1929-30 The council was agreeable to the team travelling through Australia and playing the different State teams. It realised that an Australian team would he in South Africa at the time, and that on that account the financial success of the matches would -be problematical. It wished, thorerore, to ascertain the views of the Board of Control on the matter. To that letter the board had appended a footnote asking that members bring the subject before the respective assen ciations and report to the board. It was indicated also that 75 per cent of the ‘gates” at matches played in Australia by_ Harold Gilligan’s team on its way to New Zealand had been contributed towards the cost of the tour the financing of which was handled by the New Zealand Cricket Council.