CRICKET FINANCES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22543, 7 October 1936, Page 21

CRICKET FINANCES

GAME'S LACK OF APPEAL BRIGHTER BATTING NEEDED VALUE OF STYLE EXAGGERATED While the im portanpo of finance in sport is inclined to 110 exaggerated, there is 110 doubt that the monetary returns from a game of any kind arc an excellent criterion of the popularity and status of that particular sport, writes "Sport," Devonport. This thought is prompted, by the recent utterances of authorities controlling cricket in New Zealand, some of whom, viewing unsatisfactory balance-sheets, have grown pessimistic regarding the future of the game. There would appear to be. good grounds for pessimism, as it is a recognised fact that representative and international games in New Zealand do not enjoy a public support commensurate with their importance. There is probably no game in the Dominion that receives more publicity than cricket, but it is one which fails to exercise a wide appeal. Limited Appeal In a country like New Zealand, which offers such a diversity of sport, especially in the summer months, cricket must necessarily have a fairly limited appeal. The game is one which makes great demands on its adherents as regards the time that must be devoted to it. From the spectators' point of view, the time taken to reach a decision in cricket matches is also a great obstacle in the way of promoting larger public interest. These are reasons which are often advanced and which arc philosophically accepted by the ardent enthusiast. But looking a trifle deeper, one receives the impression that there is something vitally wrong with the game itself, as it is played in first-class matches in the Dominion.

A great deal of importance lias been placed on the work of English coaches in New Zealand in recent years. The average New Zealand hat now moves through the perpendicular in the making of strokes; tho pads come through in alignment behind the bat and help to defeat the bowler's wiles; the ball outside the off stump, which would involve a risk in being hit, is viewed with suspicion. In fact, we are evolving the perfect type "of batsman who is expected to put New Zealand cricket on a plane comparable with that of other countries.

We have already seen this type of player in New Zealand representative cricket. He is the batsman who occupies the crease for hour after hour, faultless in style and stroke production, and successful in performance, but, with all that, infinitely wearying to the average follower of the game, who gradually comes to realise that he could get much more enjoyment from a sport in which initiative is at a greater premium. Public Demand The public demand in sport is for the sjiectacular, and few representative cricket matches in tho Dominion in recent years have offered such. And very few matches in the future will provide the requisite appeal until those controlling the 'game overlook their present excessive desire for style and offer more encouragement to the quickscoring batsman. The greatest batsman in tho world to-day, Don Bradman, had to contend with "the prejudice of correctness when he entered first-class cricket. Disdaining the accepted and orthodox, ho pushed his way to the forefront, in spite of the fact that a short and erratic career was predicted for him. There is probably no greater sporting personality in the world to-day than Bradman.

Somo of tho finest batsmen Now Zealand has produced have been those who have refused to allow their natural ability to become subservient to n stereotyped style. Daere in his prime was a splendid example of the typo of batsman New Zealand cricket needs to-day—a batsman who could reveal all tho artistry desired, and one who was not afraid to forget the orthodox in an attempt to score oil a hall that deserved punishing. Too many batsmen in New Zealand have had attractive and productive shots coached out of them because the playing of them involved a risk, with the result that there is now a lack of individuality. Let those controlling cricket encourage more natural batting and tho empty spaces of New Zealand cricket grounds would bo filled. At the present time, however, the game is in au uncertain position, with tradition as its greatest foundation.