COUNTY CRICKET POINTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20586, 8 December 1928, Page 23

COUNTY CRICKET POINTS.

NO MORE PERCENTAGES. FIXED STANDARD OF TWENTY- J EIGHT MATCHES. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, October 25. At its meeting at Lord’s on November 23 the special sub-committee appointed to evolve a .scheme for deciding the county championship next season will recommend to the Advisory County Cricket Committee that every county in the championship shall play 28 matches—neither, more nor less —in the competition. Percentages are to be abolished, and the county which shall have obtained the greatest number of . points shall be the winners of the championship. The award of points is to be the same as that fixed in 1927. The new scheme is ag follows: Commencing 1929, every county competing in the county championship shall arrange 28 matches, and. 28 only, ■ with other competing counties. The Advisory / Committee having decided that percentages be abolished and that points he awarded on a first innings result, it is recommended that the' points be the same as those fixed in 1927 as follows:

'(a) Should a match bo finished, the winning- side scores eight points.(b) Should a match be finished and the scores equal, each side scores four points. _ (c) Should a match nob be finished, the side leading on the first innings scores five points and its opponents three points. (d) Should a match not be finished and the scores be equal on the first innings, each side scores~~four points. (e) Should a match ncft be finished and there be no result on the first innings or no play each side scores-four points. (f) The county which shall have obtained the greatest number of points shall be the winenr of the competition. As an amendment to these recommendations, Susses- have given notice that they will propose the following:

(1) There should be one point for a win, (2) half a point each-,f or a tie, and (5) no other points to be given at all. ‘ The Advisory County Cricket Committee will also consider the replies received to the circular letter from the M.C.C. to the counties on August 3, 1928, referring to the Ibw rule. They will discuss arrangements in connection with the county matches against the South Africans next season, and the question of covering the whole of the wicket prior to the commencement,of a county match and during the Sunday of a week-end, start, will bo again considered. The subject of the duration of test matches in England will come up for discussion when the Board of Control of lest matches at Home meets at Lord's on November 23.

When the Australians were here in 1926 and the first four tests, restricted to three days, were all drawn, it was argued by Australian and English cricketers alike that four days at least should be allotted for the decision of test matches. The board, in considering whether they should abolish the threeday limit, will no doubt have regard to the interference likely to he caused with county cricket. Besides passing the accounts of the West Indies test matches and the trial match of 1928, the board will make general arrangements for the 1929 trial match and the South African test matches.