IMPROVEMENT OF CRICKET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22371, 19 September 1934, Page 14

IMPROVEMENT OF CRICKET

FORMATION OF COLTS’ TEAM I FAVOURED BY OTAGO ASSOCIATION A decision in favour of the formation of a colts’ team was reached at a special meeting of the committee of the Otago Cricket Association last night. The meeting was attended by the president (Mr J. M. Fraser) and’ Messrs K. 0. Talbot, F. Binney, E. H. Ferguson, A. W. Sinclair, D. A. Solomon, W. Brookes. A. Martin, A. Williams, 0. Stevens, and Dr A. A. Reid. The chairman said that the suggestion that a team'should be formed was his own and was made because he felt that better use could be made of the coach. It. could nob be denied, he thought, that better results could be achieved if the coach were constantly associated with his pupils. He thought, also, .that, generally speaking, the players were in favour of the idea, and he knew that it was supported by the representative team of last year. His own suggestion was that the senior competition should consist of two divisions of six teams each, the, two loading teams in the B division to replace the two bottom teams in the A division at the end of the first round. The discussion which followed occupied nearly three hours, and fhere was no lack of evidence that any effort to carry the proposal into effect would be surrounded with difficulties.'While, on the one hand, there was opposition to any. suggestion that • one of the existing senior teams should lose its status, so that a colts’ team could be admitted, opposition was also expressed to an increase in the number of senior teams, which it was claimed w:ould weaken the standard of play. The first definite suggestion was made by Mr Brookes, who proposed that an intermediate grade between the senior and second A grades should ■be created and that it should consist of a colts’ team and three or five of the second grade A teams. This was supported by Mr Sinclair, but the proposal was rejected. A series of motions and amendments followed, discussion being devoted chiefly to a proposal put forward by Mr Talbot and supported by Mr Stevens that the colts’ team should replace the University team in the senior competition. Mr Talbot claimed that there were not at present eight teams of senior players, and that on no account could the number of teams be increased. He based his proposal on the performances of the University teams in all grades, and on the fact that he believed that the senior team Would be without the services of J. Jolly and A. Cameron during the coming season. . .

the suggestion found no supporters other than Messrs Talbot and Stevens, however, Mr Sinclair claiming that if it were carried into effect a number _of players would be lost and the University Club would probably go out of existence. A suggestion that there should be nine senior and nine Second Grade A teams was seriously entertained, its supporters proposing that the teams in each section which had a bye should meet. This did not meet with general approval, however, and towards the end of the meeting members were on the point of deciding to have. 10 senior teams. When the meeting concluded, however, the only decision reached was that there should be a colts’ teams selected by a committee of the association. The chairman explained that, in accordance with the rules, the matter would not come before the annual meeting for decision. The final decision must be reached by the new committtee which would be appointed by the annual meeting.