COUNTY CRICKET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20642, 14 February 1929, Page 5

COUNTY CRICKET.

MR J. W. H. T. DOUGLAS’S DEPOSITION. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, January 5. , An official statement on the matter of the captaincy of the Essex County cricket team was issued on Christmas Day by Mr C. .Stewart Richardson, the chairman of the Essex County Cricket Club. It deals with the events which led up to the recent announcement that Mr H. M. Morris had been appointed to captain the team in succession to Mr J. W. H. T. Douglas—who declared when he heard of the appointment that he had been “ kicked out.”

“It is with reluctance my committee have decided to give publicity to the circumstances under which a'change in the captaincy of the Essex County Cricket, Chib was made,” says Mr Richardson in his statement. “In view, however, of the accounts appearing in the press recently, and in justice to the members of the club aud the cricket public in general, they feel it is incumbent on them to make the following statement:—

“ The committee of the club have been aware for some considerable time that there was a feeling in the county that a change in the captaincy was desirable. When this became evident at the close of last season, three members of the committee, including myself, called on Mr Douglas and explained. to him the situation, and asked him whether, in the circumstances, he would resign. He informed us he would consider this, but added that if the committee thought that they would like a change they should certainly make it.” ; FULL AND EARNEST CONSIDERATION. Mr Douglas attended a meeting of the committee on November 5, when the question of the captaincy was discussed. At this meeting it was decided'to refer the matter to the. cricket sub-committee for further consideration and report. This sub-committee, of which Mr Douglas is a member, met on November 12, but Mr Douglas regretted his inability to be present. This meeting, after fully considering the whole question, decided to recommend that such a change was desirable, The general committee met on December 3, when the recommendation of the cricket sub-committee was fully considered and adopted. Due notice of this meeting was sent to Mr Douglas, but he regretted he was once again unable to attend. Ministers were sent to Mr Douglas soon after each meeting. 1 hope it will, therefore, be clear that the appointment of Mr Morris as the new captain was not made without full and earnest consideration by the committee, nor without Mr Douglas being made fully aware of the fact. • Mr Douglas states that there has been disloyalty towards him by certain members. of the team. This fact- the committee were fully aware of, and it weighed with them in coming to their decision. .

Nobody is more fully aware of the wonderful services Mr Douglas has rendered to the game of cricket than the committee, or more grateful to him for his services, and, it was with deep regret and only after very anxious consideration that it was decided to make the. change. Mr Douglas has been asked to play as, of ten as possible for the team and to become a member of tlie selection committee, and it is the earnest wish of the committee that he will do both.

Mr-J. W. H. T. Douglas said, when he was shown a copy of the statement, “ At present I do not wish to make any comnient, but at some future date I shall perhaps say something which will prove facts_ quite contrary to the statement of Mr ■Richardson.” ■ .