COUNTRY WEEK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26479, 5 June 1947, Page 8

COUNTRY WEEK

CRICKET CONFERENCE MARCH . DATES APPROVED Proposals i for the holding of a country cricket week ahd other means of encouraging the; game among- the sub-associa-tions,, ivere discussed last night at a conference between members of the Otago Cricket Association,and.country delegates. The presidentof. “the 1 association, Mr J. A.- occupied ; tKe chair. ;<• Mr, Robson said ‘.that /after the Country X Week; matches?.last®;season % conference had been -held •at which the-, ohlef concern :of ' the-'dclegates had' bcen jio .find a date ' sffifable.',fto:L.MF' SiubfasSociatlons for the future. SSttie?'delegates of some .thought theyfshould he arraihgedTh March, •es;was;dohe last year v 'ldr. Robscm added ; that"; Tipwas 'of that some .trpphy shpuld. be provided, for' the competition. - ■*'<•,!** ' "Mr A." N.' Lawson.''»ald that, the main basis , of discussion’; at ; the previous conference ; was '-whether": country teams desired •to ‘come,- .to; Dunedinto participate in. Country Weekv.of .preferred to play matches .- among, themselves in'their own districts gnd'then to'send /a representative team, to Dunedin" to. Meet a Metropolitan /ri' iviv •

- Various Behemes ; Mr 6.-Edie (West Otago) said he thought the. country players Were -agreed that the Country: week matches -‘should include a game between a ' representative Country team and a Metropolitan eleven. If necessary, district matches could be played in the - ebutnry and a representative side could be brought to Dunedin. . ' . '

- were submitted «by town'-and country delegates, and the eecS- Wilson, vdutlined the basis of the scheme which was now adopted by;the Otago Rugby. Football Union.'Mr Wilson said-that the sub-unions met one another, after which-northern and southern sub-unions played a match at Alexandra or Cromwell prior to the selection of a Country team. The Country side then played matches against North Otago, Dunedin Metropolitan, and Southland Subunions. This gave the Otago selectors three opportunit.es of seeing country players in action before the provincial side was chosen.

Mr W. S. Armitage said that if the matches were held in November country players would be afforded the opportunity of qualifying for places- in the Otago Flunket Shield and Brabin Shield teams. Most of the country delegates, however, stated that it would be difficult to field teams in November owing to shearing operations being in progress. Mr Wilson said that in the event of the country week not being held until after the holidays, promising young players in the country might Still be seen by the Otago selectors with a view to their selection in the Brabin Shield team. After further discussion it was decided to hold a country week terminating on the first available Saturday in March. Mr W. A. Hadlee said it would be a mistake fbr country teams to be pitted against club teams made up of “ dribs and drabs ” which \vould probably be the case if the games were played op Thursday, as had been suggested by one member. He submitted a scheme, providing for four country teams to be selected by the sub-associations, these to take part in matches among themselves on a.Thursday and Friday. The best country side could be pitted against a Metropolitan No. 1 team on the Saturday, and from the remaining 33 country, players the ; next best three teams could be selected to play against three metropolitan teams; Mr Edie proposed the adoption of Mr Hadlee's scheme, the motion being , seconded by Mr H. Blakely (Vincent). Mr G. E. Glover (Waihemo) said that his association favoured the afrangements made for last season’s-country week, in •tvhich eight country teams • hadi participated. .v-..V- ...r'., Motion .Carried 1 , *

The motion was carried, and it- was decided to group the sub-associations'as follows South Otago antr West Otago. Vincent and Upper Clutha, Manlotqto and Waihemo with North Otago included as the fourth team. -4 • .

Replying to Mr Edie, -the president said that if the association succeeded in gain- , ing the services of a coach, it would endeavour to make his services available to the , sub-associations. Mr ■ Edie said that the matter of financing the' project would present no difficulty to his subassociation. •“. * '

The question was raised by Mr Glover whether the association cduld arrange for promising young cricketers from the country to be given a trial In Dunedin before the selection of the, Brabin Shield team, ;and Mr Robson said that if the sub-asso-ciations nominated such players they could be included In the colts’ team taking part in the Otago Association's competition. Mr- Lawson said that in the new season he intended to explore the possibility of arranging a team from Dunedin to tour the country districts before Christmas if possible. Tours took place at present at Easted, but some of the benefits were lost because of the lateness of the season.