CRICKET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18752, 4 January 1923, Page 2

CRICKET.

THE TEST MATCH. COUNCIL’S ACTION CONDEMNS (Feom Odh Own Cohhespondent.) WELLINGTON, January 3. T-ne team selected for the second test c J‘ lc^e t' match is regarded as much better than the one chosen for the first match, and just about as good a choice as oould be made, except that the critics agree that Sandman would be preferable to Collins, also that Kortlang should have been included. The omission of the latter came as a great surprise to local cricketers and enthusiastic followers of the game. It is stated that the New Zealand Council barred Kortlang on the ground that they were not satisfied with his residential qualification. The Wellington Association is satisfied with his eligibility. Kortlang himself is surprised at the decision of the council. Ho stated to-day that in all his experience in various parts of the world ha hod never known such a course of action as that taken by the New Zealand Council in barring a man who practically by birth was entitled to play. Ho himself had not aspired to selection. The mere fact that he had handed to Mr Wilson a team which in his opinion should represent New Zea land, and in which he had not included himself, was proof of that. He was particularly desirous of seeing the younger players coming on, and there were quite a number whom he would like to see in the Wellington and New Zealand teams. When asked to take a place in the Wellington team he had suggested that a youngqr player should be given a chance, but had been informed that the player Vffo would replace him, if ho were unable to play, was older in years. As far as qualification was concerned, he considered that any player taking up permanent residence in a country had a right to be included in a representative team. If his ability as a cricketer was good enough the council in this case had taken the power out of the hands of the selectors. He considered that there should be no feeling in such matters. Its introduction would retard the progress of the game. It had done so in Australia until the Board of Control was set tip. He admitted that to some extent he was “a bird of passage,” but New Zealand had been his permanent home since 1919. His business necessitated d good deal of travelling, but what other men who were travellers had been debarred on account of residential qualifications? Although he was born in Australia 51 years ago his mother was a New Zealander. Ho first came to the dominion in 1912, dnd he was hero for eight months. In the following year he went to South Africa, and afterwards to New York, subsequently going to the war. He returned here from America in 1919, and since that time he had ■ been absent for only two or three short periods of three or four months! At the commencement of the present cricket season there was a likelihood that he would play in Christchurch, and he had actually had practices in that city without giving any undertaking to play for a club. He mentioned incidentally that after one prac tice at the nets in the southern city he had been offered a place in a third eleven. Hi# business, however, brought him back to Wellington,, and he immediately informed an official of the Wellington Club that be would be able to play from December 8. having recovered fairly well from his war injuries. With the residential qualifications detailed he considered that ttiere was no ground for the instructions given by the New Zealand Council to the selectors of the New Zealand team. According 19 the rules governing Plunket Shield contests a player need only satisfy the authorities of his intention to remain in a district for six months.