NEW CRICKET RULES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20779, 23 January 1931, Page 16

NEW CRICKET RULES.

I)SE OF LARGER WICKETS. ENGLISH COUNTY CONFERENCE. NEW ZEALAND TEAM'S VISIT. [FROM niR OWN C'CDUtESrONDENT.] LONDON, Dec. 1!. The county cricket secretaries met at Xord's on December 9 and arranged for the season's fixtures. Mr. W. Findlay, secretary of tlie 1I.(J C., presided, and among those present were Lord Ilawke nnd Mr. 11. J). 'Swan, who is responsible for the fixtures of the coming New Zealand eleven. "1" think the new system of scoring in ■the championship will add interest to county cricket," said Mr. L'indlav. "Whether the innovation will prodnco the right type of play for marathon test matches remains to bo seen." In connection with a cable recently sent to ask the Australian Board ol Control to let us know by February 10 if it agreed to the proposed alterations of laws f> and 0, which deal with tho larger wickets, and tho seven minutes' rolling instead of 10 minutes, Mr. Findlay said it was interesting to know that four leading umpires considered the larger wicket had been of great assistance to the bowler And that there had been far morn leglieforo decisions. One umpire said this ■was especially noticeable with bowling round tho wicket.

Air. Findlay wished to mako, it. quite clear that the larger wicket, s"ve'i) minutes' rolling, and the leg-beforo rule regarding tho snick, as in use last summer, would be continued ia county cricket next season, whether the rules were altered or not. A two-thirds majority of the M.C.C. voting members is necessary to make any change. Mr. Findlay said everyone looked forward to the visit of the New Zealandcrs, and they had to think Mr. 11. 0. N. Valairet and the future sub-committee for their splendid work in arranging next teason':> programme. With reference to Mr. Findlay's remark as to whether tho rules were altered, tho Morning Post says it must lie borne in mind that a two-thirds majority of the members of the M.C.C. who nsc their vote is necessary to bring about any change in the laws of the game. All the counties were represented except Worcestershire, whose secretary, Mr. C. F. Walters, sent a telegram regretting his absence owing to a bad chill.