MANAWATU WORRIES OVER HAWKE CUP

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6864, 20 March 1929, Page 6

MANAWATU WORRIES OVER HAWKE CUP

Nelson Next Challengers Manawatu’s tenure of the Hawke Cup, while reflecting no small honour upon the district cricket representatives, has brought with it a train of worries for the hard working officials governing the game in this centre. Everything went comparatively smoothly until the successful conclusion of the game with the Wairarapa association, when Manawatu was required by the New Zealand Cricket council to arrange dates with the Nelson, Wanganui and Waiapu associations. In accordance with those instructions, negotiations were set on foot, and March 6 allocated to Wanganui. However, the date was found unsuitable by the challengers and this game lupse'd. Next on the list came Nelson, and accordingly the date set asido for the Wanganui challenge was then offered to the South Island association. Nelson, however, found that they could not raise a team for that date, but later the New Zealand council advised that March 13 had been allocated as a substitute. After fur (her correspondence by wire and post it transpired that the council’s action had been taken without the knowledge of the Nelson Association and thus yet another date lapsed. With negotiations at this stage, arrangements were mado for Wanganui to fulfil their engagement on March 20 but here again delay was experienced and the river city authorities finally advised that on this occasion also, they would be unable to field a team. With a week remaining in which to conduct negotiations, the Manawatu authorities got in touch with the Waiapu association to which Marcli 20 was offered after being left vacant by Wanganui. Negotiations appeared likely to bear fruit and the Waiapu association notified that they would accept the date offered only to_ wire again on Thursday stating their inability to field a team and their desire to withdraw.

Hawke’s Bay Anxious. With matters in this position, an unusual situation arose on Monday when tho Hawke’s Bay association notified by telegram that, its representatives would be arriving in Palmerston North on the following day in order to take over tho date declined by both Wanganui and Waiapu. This notification caused considerable surprise in Palmerston North.- whore hopes of commencing a game on March 20 (to-day) had been abandoned. With the holders in this condition of justis fiable unpreparedness, a telegram was dispatched in reply, advising that the notice was too short to enable Manawatu to meet Hawko’s Bay and further questioning that association’s right to another challenge. In reply to this communication, the following" wire was received from the New Zealand Cricket Council with whom Hawke’s Bay apparently entered into further negotiations: “Council very definite you should play Hawke s Bay 20th as you were prepared to play Waiapu ■ same date. Question .of Hawke’s Bay second challenge is a matter for the council.” When the management committee of the Manawatu body met on Monday evening, it was realised that immediate steps would have to be taken to obtain some finality. Accordingly, Mr. A. M. Ongloy, acting on behalf of the president, Mr. W. G. Miller, who was absent, put a long distance call through to Christchurch and succeeded in getting into touch with tho president of the New Zealand Cricket Council. ... . It then transpired that authority had been given Hawke’s Bay to racet Manawatu and that notification of the challongo should have been dispatched to the Mauawatu Association on Inday—th a dav following tho receipt of the advice setting out Waiapu’s_ inability to play. This communication, however, was not received in Palmerston North with the result that the present unfortunate position has arisen. Tho present position is that !Ncjsoii will bo the next challengers, the game to bo played at Easter time. Nrdefinite dates have vet been fixed.

Hawke’s Bay in Ugly Mood PRESIDENT’S UNSPORTSMANLIKE SUGGESTION. Per Press Association. A NAPIER, Last Night. The opinion held by members o.Hawke’s Bay Cricket Association in regard to tho ‘attitude adopted by tho Manawatu Association over the Hawke Gup match set down by the New Zealand Cricket Council to be commenced to-day is that Manawatu should be called upon to forfeit the cup to the Council. . . ~ „ To-night the Association passed tne following resolution: “That the IS.Z. Cricket Council be written to requesting that in. the event of the Hawke Cup being forfeited by Manawatu, the holders, to the N.Z. Cricket Council for failing to play against Hawke s Bay on the date definitely instructed by the Council, Hawke’s Bay be granted the match against Nelson at Easter such match to be for the Hawke Cup and to bo played at Napier. In a letter to the New Zealand Council read at to-night’s meeting Mr E. H. Williams, president _ of the Hawke’s Bay Association, pointed out that though Manawatu held they were unable to assemble a representative side to meet Hawke’s Bay they were piepared to play Waiapu on the same date. ' “To my mind,” stated Mr Williams in a letter, "the real fact is that Manawatu are prepared to play Waiapu because they think they can heat them, hut as wo happen to he sending over a very strong team from Hawke’s Bay they have probably come to the conclusion they will lose the cup.” Members fully approved of Mr Williams’ letter and the opinion was expressed that the council had not been firm enough in compelliiur Manawhtu to keep the date set.