MARIST CRICKET CLUB

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17606, 23 October 1931, Page 9

MARIST CRICKET CLUB

(To tlio Editor of the Jiornld.) Sir, —May I bo permitted space in your valuable columns to protest emphatically against a recent decision of the Poverty Bay Cricket Association? Bast season largely through the 'enthusiasm of Rev. Bro. Berriardine, there came into being the Marist Cricket Club, which lidded two . enthusiastic junior arid two third grade teams. The junior ieains filled the positions of winners and runners-up in their grade. This year with laudable ambition and commendable enthusiasm, the Marist club wished to field a senior team, which would contain in its ranks’ players of a calibre eqiiiil to any of the senior Teams fielded by the other established clubs. The fact that the club possessed a senior team would be a spur to the lower grade players, and moreover would place bofrito the boys leaving school the incentive of one day playing senior cricket under the auspices of their own club. In other branches of sport, or in any other centre, the prospect of a new senior club would be hailed by the powers that be. How does the enlightened and sapient controlling local body act? The nomination of the Marist club’s senior team is not accepted; the Marist players of senior calibre must, therefore, either continue to play junior grade or leave the ranks of their own club, which owing to the keenness and hard work of its members promised to rival or out-rival eventually any of its compeers. Surely it must be apparent to any observer that neither of the above courses will appeal to players whoso capabilities entitle them to play in senior grade. The result is that some promising players are not only lost to their club but to the grand game itself. It has been asserted that the introduction of a seventh team and the consequent bye of two days’ duration in every 14 Saturdays of play would cause a slackening of enthusiasm among senior players. Wonderful enthusiasm that so readily wanes. If the above potion of our local association is the way to encourage and foster in our midst that splendid game which has done so much for British sportsmen, then the way to cause a child to develop in health and strength and stature is to use.a tomahawk on him. Apparently no other team may enter into senior cricket until the members of one of the existing teams are recipients of the old-age pension.— I am, etc. , “CIRIOKETER.”