CRICKET IN AUCKLAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21279, 5 September 1932, Page 11

CRICKET IN AUCKLAND

STANDARD OF SENIOR GRADE SCHEME FOR IMPROVEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS TO CLUBS The standard of senior cricket in Auckland during the past v few seasons, and particularly last season, has given those in control of the game,and the cricket public cause for concern. It is considered that there have been many cricketers playing the senior B grade, and even in lower grades, who were worthy of, and should have been playing, senior grade, and that there havo been many cricketers playing senior cricket who have not been of sufficient standard for this grade. With the object of correcting this position and of getting the best available players into the senior grade, the management committee of the Auckland Cricket Association appointed a sub-committee ati the clo6e of last season to consider fully and report on the matter. This sub-com* mittee communicated with the main Aush tralian and New Zealand associations for information on the policy and systems of control of grade cricket. Mr. M. L. Page, the Canterbury and New Zealand repre* sentative player, on being stated that a few Reasons ago the Canterbury Association had experienced the same difficulty as the Auckland Association at the present time. He added thafi the matter had been remedied in Christ, church by fixing the number of ssmob teams at eight and the number of teamai in the next .grade, that is the grade cor-, responding with Auckland senior B, at eight also. Each team in the senior B grade was affiliated to and coincided with a senior team. This system had been, and was at the present time, productive of excellent results in Christchurcb. Proposal for Clubs Aiter full consideration of the matter, the management committee of the Auckland Cricket Association has determined its policy and will put forward the following proposal at its annual meeting oii September 22 for adoption by the clubsr That every senior club must have and maintain a senior B team as the feeding ground for its senior team, and that every club which now has a senior B, but not a.senior team, must lick np its senior B team with a senior club. For example, X Club has a senior and a senior B team and Y Club has a senior B team as its highest team. It is proposed that Y Club's senior B team link up with the X Club on the following conditions:— The Y Club still retains its identity and its senior B team still carries the same name. Its lower-grade teams are entirely unaffected and it has still full control over its members, subject to the next condition.

The selectors of the X senior team have the right, at any time to call on any mem< ber of the Y senior B team to play for the X senior team. Before selecting the X senior team at any time, its selectors must beforehand call in a, nominee of tha Y Club, who will act in an advisory capacity and put forward the claims of members of the Y Club for selection in the X senior team. Should a member of the Y Club ba selected and play senior for the X Club and then be regraded, he will automatically become again a member of the Y Club. If necessary, conditions will ba facilitated by the management committee whereby deposed or degraded senior players may temporarily play for either the X or the Y senior B team. Remedies for dissatisfied clubs and players will be provided and available ill the form of transfers which will be entirely controlled by the management committee. The subscriptions of player? affected can, if necessary, be divided between the two clubs. The players affected will always be able to practice with their own clubs if they so desire.

No District Scheme This scheme will in no sense constitute a district scheme, because the senior B clubs affected will bs given unfettered choice in their selection of the senior club with which they wish to link. The senior B teams which will be affected by this scheme for next season are Balmoral, Mount Albert and Papatoetoe. Point Chevalier, winners of the second grade lash season, will be applying for senior B status this season and consequently will also be affected. The management committee is of opinion that the broad principles of this scheme are in the interests of cricket and feels that although there may be minor difficulties, it will be able to determine these in the best interests of both clubs. Besides having the object of getting into the senior grade those players who should be there, this scheme should prove a boon and a benefit to the senior B clubs which link up thedr teams with senior clubs. These senior B clubs virtually become senior clubs and therefore should attract to themselves those cricketers who have ambition to become senior players. 1 ■ ■