First-Class Cricket

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6788, 20 February 1932, Page 13

First-Class Cricket

F. J. C. Gustard, in the "Cricketer Annual,” attempts a difficult task in trying to stipulate just what matches in Great Britain, Australia, South Africa, India, South America, the West Indies, and New Zealand, can be regarded as firstclass. He attacks the problem with a generous breadth of judgment. For New Zealand he says that the following sides could be considered first-class: Canterbury, Auckland, Wellington, Otago, Southland and Hawke’s Bay. Southland’s qualification must be regarded as surprising. On Napier wickets an average Hawke’s Bay side is approximately the strength of the major provinces, but over the past two seasons South Auckland has had a letter record than either Hawke’s Bay or Southland.. Generally.

speaking only the four major provinces can he considered to be consistently near the standard generally regarded as first-class, and even these districts have lean seasons when their quality is distinctly second-rate.

Does a relay runner carry the baton the full distance if he drop it and, returning, pick it up? Amateur athletic authorities in Australia are puzzled because someone lias pointed out that a runner, in dropping tbc baton, might throw it forward. He would not then return to the spot where the baton left his band. Whichever way the baton fell, of course, the competitor would lose considerable ground in picking it up, but the Australians want to be clear on the point of law, and an international ruling, is being asked for..