CRICKET JESTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21994, 1 July 1933, Page 12

CRICKET JESTS

FUTURE IN DANGER ' THE FINANCIAL SIDE. . iFrom Oue Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, June 22. Although the position has not been seriously discussed by the members of the Board of Control it is by no means certain that there will be any more cricket tests between Australia and England. Certainly the M.C.C. has done nothing in the eyes of Australians to ease the serious, situation; which was created last year by the so-called bodyline bowling, and the relationship between the two controlling bodies is still severely strained. Many hold the view that no team should be sent to England until the atmosphere has been cleared, for it is stated that it would be unwise to engage in tests while the present feeling prevails. The gap between the two schools of thought is so wide now that it seems hopeless to assume that it will be lessened while negotiations are conducted according to the present plan. For that reason there has been considerable support for the proposition that Australia should send an envoy to England explain to the M.C.C. just what body-line bowling is, and to see whether it would be possible for the two countries to come to some agreement on that point. . In view of the suggestion that test cricket should be abandoned it is of interest to study the returns of the last tour of Australia and show the tremendous monetary benefit it was to cricket bodies in England and Australia. Figures that have just been made available show that more than 1,250,000 witnessed the matches played' on the tour. The gross receipts were £100,682 11s, of which the Marylebone Cricket Club received, £36,737 16s 2d. For the five test matches played the-gross receipts were £69,989 8s lOd, made us as follows: First test in Sydney .. .. £14,883 16 8 Second test in Melbourne 16,172 4 2 Third test in Adelaide .. 16,241 5 7 Fourth test in Brisbane .. 10,909 8 0 Fiffh test at Sydney .. .., 11,782 14 8 It will be seen that the test 1 matches provided nearly 70 per cent, of the total gross receipts. • The profit received from the test matches by the Australian Board of Control was £6028, which represented 25 per cent, of the takings after payment of expenses. That profit is distributed among the States. Each State in which a test match was played received in addition 75 per cent, of the net proceeds. Sydney, with two games, received £7477 10a 4d. About one-half that amount went to each of the other States concerned. The total number of people who attended the matches during the whole tour was 1,278,056. This was slightly less than the total for the 1928-29 tour by the Englishmen, when 1,290,420 Witnessed the games, but was greater than the total of 1,052,820 for the tour in 1924-25.