CRICKET ASSOCIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22999, 30 September 1936, Page 7

CRICKET ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING MR A. H. ALLEN ELECTED PRESIDENT The annual meeting of the Otago Cricket Association was held last night, the president (Mr J. M. Fraser) occupying the chair. There was a large attendance of delegates. CHAIRMAN'S REMARKS Moving the adoption of the annua! report and balance sheet, the chairman said that, as they all knew, last cricket season had been a disappointing one from the point of view of weather That state of affairs had been common throughout the Dominion and the receipts from the public had suffered accordingly. They looked forward to the best of weather for the coming season. “The results of the season’s cricket have been fully covered by the report,” continued the chairman, “ and I do not propose to make remarks at any length We did not win the Plunket Shield but we have the satisfaction of having played the game in the true cricket spirit. With the material we have in Otago, I see no reason why we should not be the top team this year. We have an abundance of good players to pick from, the younger of whom only require the necessary experience to prove themselves. I have every confidence in our players. The visit of the M.C.C. team had been a disastrous one from the financial standpoint, he continued, but most enjoyable from the cricketing side. The members had been a pleasant lot of people and they enjoyed their stay m Dunedin. It seemed that unless an overseas team had some player or players of world wide reputation, it could not command the support of the public. He regretted that the finances were not so buoyant as he would like to see them. This was accounted for by the fact that they made a serious loss on the M.C.C match, and they had to make two trips north to fulfil engagements in Plunket Shield matches. Regarding the payment of the coach, Mr Fraser said that Mr Badcock had been engaged from April 1 until the end of the following March. He was absent for six months and during all the years he had been in Dunedin it had been the custom to pay him for those six months before he went and also to pay-his fare one way. He had every confidence, the speaker said, in appealing to supporters again to put the finances on a sound basis. He expressed his personal thanks to the public for the support they continued to give the association. Allhough they were not looked upon as a cricketing centre, they could enlist more support annually for their association than any of the other centres. The grounds were iranrovmg every year and he would remind delegates that the City Council, per medium of Mr Tannock, had done, and was still doing, wonderful work for the cricketers. He emphasised this, because, occasionally, some clubs were inclined to think that they were not being rightly treated. In the report, a vote of thanks had been recorded to all those who assisted in any way during the past season, said the speaker, and he wished to add his personal thanks to all those who had been so helpful inside and outside of the committee room. The committee had been of great assistance and, while not wishing to individualise, he felt that he must mention Messrs Brookes and Ferguson for their outstanding work on their respective committees. He thought that there was not a belter or more energetic committee working for any other association in Dunedin. “This season,” he concluded, “we have visits from Auckland and Canterbury. There seems to be some doubt about the Indian team, and I do not know whether or not we shall get a match with the M.C.C. team, now on its way to Australia." BETTER UNDERSTANDING REQUIRED.

Seconding the motion, Mr A. H. Allen referred to the income and expenditure account, which showed that in the Wellington and Auckland matches the income had been £34 16s 3d, while the expenditure for the Canterbury match had been £37 3s 9d The net profit from three matches had been only £2 7s 6d. The actual loss on the year’s working had been £283. of which the sum of £273 had been lost on the M.C.C. game. He considered that there should be a better understanding before they invited teams to New Zealand. Although it was necessary to have such matches in order to develop the game—and it was unthinkable that if a team paid a visit to the Dominion it should not come to Otago —they should have some better financial arrangement, and it was a point whether the M.C.C. should not do more than in the past. In conclusion he expressed satisfaction at the substantial sum raised in ground members’ subscriptions: if it had not been for this the finances would have been worse off than they were COACHING CRITICISED

Mr A. E. Ansell said that while the work of the coach was very valuable, he, as a delegate of the North-East Valley Club, considered that periodic visits should be made to the individual clubs, so that the coach could get among the young players. The NorthEast Valley boys should receive some attention from the coach this year. The speaker urged that cricket in Dunedin should be brightened up, for until then they would not have good

“ gates.” Mr A. Martin said he considered that the association had experienced a busy season last year from a playing point of view. and. as the money had been /ell spent, the loss of £2OO was a trifling thing. Whether they believed in the system of a coach or not, it had to be recognised that Mr Badcock had turned out a fine lot of cricketers, who would be of great use to the province in later years.

Mr C. S. Chadwick questioned the expenditure of such'a large sum as £6O for material, as revealed in the balance sheet, and considered that somebody had had a very free hand. Speaking of the finances of the association he said that il they were to be improved, it would be necessary to improve the standard of cricket. The system of coaching was wrong, he said, because Mr Badcock was being employed by the association, and yet he was allowed to choose the men he coached, instead of being told who were to be coached. Few cricketers were born, and it was therefore their duty to make them. To improve the standard of senior cricket they should concentrate on the juniors, who, up till the present, had been badly treated. He also contended that no active members should be allowed to be members of the Coaching Co mmittee, and that the points system of s:o..ing in matches should be altered.

Replying to Mr Chadwick regarding the expenditure of £6O on material, Mr E. G. Williams said that over £3O had been spent on balls, and the material for the representative team had also been purchased; that material, incidentally, would last for two years. Concerning the matter of coaching, Mr Badcock had stated that he could not take more than 18 players each night, and the choice of such players had to be left to the wisdom of the coach himself. THE M.C.C. TEAM

Mr J. A. Robson said they were very much concerned about the visits of overseas teams. The New Zealand Cricket Council had been "let dovyn” on the occasion of the last M.C.C. visit, for the M.C.C. had promised to send out some star cricketers, but it had failed to keep that promise. Gilligan's team had taken £7OOO in Australia. but the last team had taken only £4OOO He had no doubt that the M.C.C. would eventually make a grant in consideration of the fact that it had sent out a team which was not as strong as it could have been. It had certainly showed them how to play a straight bat. but it was very “stodgy," and such a type of cricket was not appreciated by the New Zealand public. He also suggested that the association make an effort this year to obtain more ground members, especially in view of the tests this

year between England and Australia, which always resulted in a greater interest being taken in the game generally. Regarding Mr Ansell's criticism whether the services of the coach could best be utilised at Carisbrook or at the various clubs, he doubted whether it was possible for Mr Badcock to visit junior clubs, because he had to be allowed time to coach his Colts' team, if he had one, and also to concentrate on outstanding youngsters. After further discussion, the annual report and balance sheet were adopted. ELECTION OF OFFICERS The election of office-bearers resulted as follows: —President. Mr A. H. Allen; senior vice-president, Mr F, Binney; junior vice-presidents—Dr Reid and Messrs D. Solomon and W. R. Brinsley; committee —Messrs J. Dunning, W. Brookes W. S. Armitage, E. G. Williams, J A, Robson. A. G. Valentine, G. G. Austin. J, M. Fraser. R. O. Talbot, and G. R. Dickinson, and Messrs Garth Galiaway. D. Solomon, H. D. Kerr, W. Morrison, and J. M. Kennedy (gi'ound members’ representatives). W. A. Rowland (Umpires’ Association), and E H. Ferguson (Boys’ Association): secretary and treasurer, Mr E. S. Wilson, auditors. Messrs W. Pickard and A. Ravnor. LIFE MEMBER In appreciation of his services to the association and cricket in general over a long period of years, Mr Alexander Martin was elected a life member of the association. SPORTS PROTECTION LEVY In accordance with notice of motion, Mr A. O. G. Valentine moved—“ That a levy of 4s per club be made on all affiliated clubs, this amount to be naid as an affiliation fee to the Otago Athletic Club’s Protection Association.”— The motion was seconded by Mr J. A. Robson and carried unanimously. GENERAL Mr Fraser referred to the matter of boys who had free Saturdays, owing to the 40-hour week. Many of these, he said, would probably go away for the week-end, and would be lost to cricket, unless something was done to retain them. It might be possible for them to play a match in the morning and another in the afternoon, or perhaps a special competition could be arranged so that all-day matches could be played. He suggested that the clubs should be asked to ascertain how many boys they had who were affected by the 40-hour week, so that the association could take the matter up at the earliest possible moment. Mr W. A. Rowland moved —“ That it be a recommendation to the executive that all matches be played on fixture dates, and in all two-day matches each side must complete an innings, if necessary, an innings to be played on a week night or nights.”—Carried. The question of the date of opening day was left in the hands of the incoming committee. It was decided to send a letter of sympathy to Mr D. Tannock, who has been seriously ill, and to express hopes for his speedy recovery. APPRECIATION On the motion of Mr Martin, it was decided to place on record the sincere appreciation of the association for the excellent services rendered by Mr and Mrs Fraser during Mr Fraser’s term of office as president. It was also decided to send a letter of appreciation to Mr P. N. Rundle, a former vice-president, who was severing his connection with cricket in Otago, owing to his removal to Wellington.