CONTROL OF CRICKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19799, 21 November 1927, Page 12

CONTROL OF CRICKET.

REGULAR VISITS OVERSEAS. I PLUNKET SHIELD MATCH RULES, j THE ALLOCATION OF TESTS. 1 [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday. New Zealand cricket teams will in future pay regular series of visits to England and Australia, according to a decision of the New Zealand Cricket Conference to-day. Mr. D. Reese (Canterbury) suggested that New Zealand should visit England every six or eight years, and Australia every six or eight years, which meant that New Zealand would travel every three or four years. Too frequent interchange of visits had caused a> wreck of the careers of several fine cricketers. He moved in the direction of his suggestion. Answering Mr. H. P. Arkwright (Rangitikei), Mr. Reese said the New Zealand Council had considered a visit to the West Indies, but at present England and Australia were as much as it could handle. The motion was carried. The conference also decided that instead of having three selectors for Now Zealand teams, the Dominion should have four men, representative of each of the major associations, one of them being appointed chairman, and having a casting vote. Regarding the method of financing tours, Mr. N. C. Snedden (Auckland) moved that the guarantee for the major associations bo reduced from £3OO to £250, and for minor associations from £125 to £IOO. Mr. McKenzie suggested that to save expense the length of the tours of Australian teams should be reduced. Instead of playing separate minor associations, the teams should play groups of minor associations.

Mr. A. T. Donnelly (Wairoa) pointed out that there was always the difficulty for minor associations of playing matches in mid-week, the major associations claiming Saturday matches. Mr. McKenzlie said that Wellington and Canterbury could pay £3OO each and Auckland and Otago £250 each. Four Days for Shield Games. Mr. R. B. Ward (Canterbury) said that Canterbury would agree to that course. Mr. Snedden said Auckland would. Mr. Reese moved that, for the coming Australian visit the council average its own terms with major and minor associations, the council starting from "£2OO behind scratch." He was willing to leave the guarantee at £3OO from the major and £IOO from the minor associations. The motion was carried, the amount of the guarantees being included. In future Plunket Shield matches will be limited to four days instead of being played to a finish. This decision has been reached bv the conference of the New Zealand Cricket Association, which has also decided to extend the hours of play during the .period of enforcement of the Summer Time Act. In discussing the latter subject, Mr. Reese stressed the unsportsmanship of sides making good scores, then sending the other side in to dismiss it and set it about 800 runs to make on the third day. That was not cricket. Limitation of the days of play would make for brighter cricket. The hours of play were finally decided upon as follows: 11.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.; 2.15 to 4.30: and 4.45 to 7 p.m. Hawke Cup match hours will remain as at present The conference decided to revert to the six ball over, One Professional in Each Team. After lone discussion the delegates decided to recommend that one visiting professional coach be permitted to play in each team for the Plunket Shield matches Mr, Hcathcote Williams said he was of opinion that professional coaches should not be played in interprovincial cricket. Coaches were brought out to coach younger players, and the playing of the coaches meant that some young player would be kept out of the team and thus deprived of his chance in representative cricket. Mi=. McLeod, acting on instructions from the Hawke's Bay Association, moved that no professional coaches play in interpro vincinl matches. Mr Snedden. in moving that one professional be played in each team for the Plunket Shield matches, said that coaches were brought out to coach cricket, and the best way they could teach was by playing themselves. Mr. Reese said E. 11. Bowley had earned the £635 record gate obtained in Auckland last year. Mr. Snedden's amendment was carried by a large majority. The decision to allow professionals to play in Hawke Cup matches was carried by nine votes to eight. The allocation of test matches in connection with future tours was discussed at some length. Mr Reese -said that the question was governed by finance, and it was for this reason that Wellington and Christchurch received so many test matches. This position could not continue. The claims of Otago and Auckland were unanswerable. Mr J. Rohson moved that three test matches be played, one in Christchurch, one in. Wellington, and one in Auckland and Otago alternately. Decision on Tests Reached. Mr. Reese said that Auckland was the greatest city in New Zealand, and if it could obtain a good gate its claims should bt- considered on the same basis as those of Christchurch and Wellington. Three test matches would make the programme for the season too long. Employers of players must be considered. Mr Snedden said cricket had shown gieat improvement in Auckland, and the prospects were good for improved gates, lie was instructed to ask for a test match with every alternate visiting team. Mr Reese said that one year Auckland and Canterbury could have tests, and next year the tests could go to Wellington and Otago. Mr. McKenzie adopted Mr. Reese's sug gestion, and it was carried unanimously, the other motion being withdrawn. The New Zealand Conference, which took pine® for the first time in the history of the game in New Zealand in Christchurch, will in future be held every two years and every association in New Zealand will send a delegate. Mr. Reese said one suggestion had been that the conference should be held every four years and another that the major associations should have direct representa 'ion at every annual meeting of the New Zealand Cricket Association. Of course, the financial aspect had to be considered. Mr. Snedden suggested that in order to solve the difficulty of finance, as the expenses of tho conference wore £IBO, the annual subscription of the major association be increased from five guineas to ten guineas, and that of the minor associa tions from two guineas to four guineas. The New Zealand Council could then put the extra money i n to a fund to pay the expenses of the conference to be held every two years. Mr. M. McLeod (Hawke's Bay) seconded The West Coast and Buller Associations wished to have the.' agenda paper for tho conference sent to tho minor associations, so that their resident delegates might be instructed how to vote. After considerable discussion the motion was carried.