GRADE CRICKET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25964, 3 October 1945, Page 6

GRADE CRICKET

SIX SENIOR TEAMS PROPOSAL TO AMALGAMATE After a lengthy discussion, the Management Committee of the Otago Cricket Association last night agreed to adopt the recommendation from the annual meeting that the number of teams in the senior competition this year be reduced to six. The motion was moved by Mr C. J. Gaylor. The president (Mr W. R. Brinsley) was in the chair. Mr L. Smith spoke of the advantages and disadvantages of the proposal. The change, he said, would effect a great improvement in the standard of both grade and representative cricket, and there would be more incentive for players to practise and thus improve. The intermediate and lower grades would also be strengthened, as the overlap of senior players would be of assistance to them. On the other hand, they were faced with the question of which clubs were going to be dropped from the competition. He was convinced that the crux of the matter was for more emphasis to be placed on coaching schemes and better wickets. Mr W. S. Armitage said he was concerned with the number of senior players who would drop out of circulation. Were they to be graded down to juniors or drop right out of the game? he asked. Mr Armitage said he was still in favour of the system in vogue last year, when there were six teams in the top section. There had definitely been a drift in Dunedin cricket in past years, and if clubs could not attract good players, then they must consider reconstructing either their club management or their practice facilities.

Improving the Standard Mr A. Galland, who had moved the recommendation at the annual meeting, expressed himself strongly m favour of six teams. This was the only solution to the betterment of cricket in Dunedin, he declared. Referring to the lack of facilities possessed by certain clubs, he said tnat the north end clubs had been very poorly off in this respect, but they had been keen, and had become the backbone of cricket in Dunedin If a player wants to get on he will, said Mr Galland. n .. , , , The entry of eight teams in the competition was advocated by both Messrs C. D. Toomey and E. H. Downes, the latter speaking on behalf of the ground members, from whom much more support would be forthcoming if the standard of cricket was in ¥he V motion was then placed before the meeting, and carried by seven votes to six. . . . Mr Toomey said that as a decision to limit the entry of senior teams to six had been arrived at, the question of which teams were to be admitted should be considered. The secretary (Mr E. S. Wilson) said that in all probability eight entries would be received. They would be AlbionYMCA., Grange, Carisbrook, Dunedin, Kaikorai, High School Old Boys, University, and North-East Valley. The closing of entries for the grade competition had been fixed for noon on October 16. , .. The only indication of the strength of the various elevens could be gained from the position they occupied at the conclusion of last season, said Mr Toomey. The age or status of a club should not be considered, and the matter should be approached frorrt a practical angle. , , . The relative merits of each club were reviewed by Mr Gaylor, who said that the Kaikorai and North-East Valley Clubs, which might be termed district clubs, had made considerable progress in recent years, and their claims could not be overlooked. On the other' hand'; Grange had lost strength. A happy solution would be for Grange and North-East Valley to effect an amalgamation. The same would apply to University and Old Boys. Dunedin was a university city, and he would not like to see its status impaired by the absence of a university team in the senior cricket competition. Dunedin was another club which had lost strength. In answer to a question, Mr Gaylor said that his suggestion should not only apply to the senior teams, but to all grade teams. Mr Armitage mentioned the system adopted in Christchurch, where there were six teams in the senior competition. The Canterbury association received any number of senior entries, and, upon the strength of the respective clubs being escertained, certain clubs were pooled, and a team of eleven men chosen for the season. There was no fixed plan, and the scheme was kept in rotation. By this means the individual clubs were not decapitated, and retained their club spirit. Proposed Amalgamations

Mr Gavlor moved the following motion: That it be a recommendation from the Management Committee that the North-East Valley and Grange Clubs, and also the Old Boys and University Clubs, effect an amicable amalgamation, and that the delegates of these clubs report on the result of the deliberations; but in the event of the suggestion being rejected the Grade Committee be given power to recommend to the executive the amalgamation of those senior clubs which it considered not up to senior status. The motion was seconded by Mr E. Hayes. An amendment was moved by Mr L. Smith that the entries in the senior competition consist of Kaikorai, AlbionY.M.C.A., Grange, North-East Valley, Carisbrook, and Dunedin. The mover explained that his only aim was to foster cricket in Otago, and amalgamation was only a “ nice way ” of solving the problem.

The amendment, which was seconded by Mr G. McGregor, was lost on being put to the meeting. A further amendment was proposed by Mr Toomey to the effect that the eight entries be accepted, and that out of the resulting 88 players 66 be selected and these would form the six teams in the competition. “We have gone into this with our eyes wide open,” saidyMr Toomey, “and I regard this as the only solution to the selection of six teams which would be able to compete on an equality and thus improve the standard of cricket.” The clubs would be left alone in respect to the lower grades, he added. This amendment, which was seconded by Mr Armitage. was defeated, and the motion was carried.