CRICKET

Southland Times, Issue 20618, 17 October 1928, Page 8

CRICKET

SOUTHLAND ASSOCIATION. OPENING DAY POSTPONED. The Southland Cricket Association met last evening, Mr A. E. Wish (president) presiding over the following members: Messrs A. Driscoll, E. Keast, N. Walsh, A. J. Hamilton, N. Henry, E. Luzmoor, L. Scott, J. Ludlow, H. Mclvor, G. Perkins, W. Hammond, T. Kania and the secretary (Mr H. Barrett). The Tisbury Club was granted permission to travel to Winton on Labour Day. Entries were received from Woodend (second grade) and Tisbury (second and third). It was decided to make a further donation of £s.to the Southland Rugby Union for the use of Rugby Park last season. Transfers Granted. The following transfers were granted:— J. Storrie from Marist to Appleby; G. McGavin from Carisbrook (Dunedin) to Union; G. E. Tayles from Tisbury to Union; G. Brown from Marist to Union; R. Lock, from Tisbury to Marist ; H. Lilley from Waikiwi to Woodend. W. Greenhall’s application for a transfer from Waikiwi to Union was held over. V. Poole’s application for a re-grade from first to second was referred to the Appleby Club. Opening Day Postponed. Members of the Grounds Committee reported on the state of grounds and wickets and after discussion it was decided to postpone the opening of club fixtures until Saturday week, October 27. Mr. Hammond reported that there was a possibility of I.C.C. mustering sufficient senior players to enter a second first grade team and he desired the association’s opinion whether it would welcome another team in the first grade or not. It meant a bye if the team was admitted, but this would give clubs an opportunity of visiting country teams once a month. Members agreed that added interest would be lent to the competition if another team was entered and it was decided to invite the I.C.C. Club to enter two teams in the first grade, Mr. Hammond to report definitely at next meeting. The finances of the association were discussed at length, several ideas being put forward with a view to assisting the association’s funds. At the instigation of the chairman, it was decided to hold the matter over for a week and at next meeting appoint a subcommittee to go into the question fully. The secretary reported that to date four senior teams, nine junior and nine third grade teams were entered in the competitions. NEW ZEALAND COUNCIL. ANNUAL REPORT. The thirty-third annual report and bal-ance-sheet of the New Zealand Cricket Council for the season 1927-1928 states:— The financial statement attached shows a cash balance of £635 11/8, against which there is a liability of £76 5/1, showing a nett credit balance of £559 6/7. This shows a considerable reduction on the credit balance as at the end of last financial year, but of course since that date the loss by the council over the English tour has been debited to the account, together with the total expense of bringing delegates from all parts of New Zealand to the conference at Christchurch, the cost of which was approximately £l5O. The last annual report dealt fully with the English tour. On the return journey matches were arranged against New South Wales at Sydney, and the Rest of New Zealand at Wellington and Christchurch

on the team’s arrival home. It was, perhaps, a little unfair to ask our cricketers to meet such a strong New South Wales side at the end. of a long sea journey from England, but the extremely wet season at Home had had such a serious effect on the financial side of the tour that the management committee felt compelled, in the interests of those who subscribed the money to send the team away to arrange these additional matches in the hope of helping the finances. It was certainly no undue reflection on the team’s capabilities that they should have been overwhelmed by a New South Wales side.

The council desires to place on record its keen appreciation of the generous manner in which the New South Wales Cricket Association met New Zealand over this match played at Sydney. New Zealand was offered 90 per cent, of the nett gate, being the most generous terms that had ever been offered in any previous matches in Australia.

Great interest was shown on the team’s return to New Zealand, and at the final disbanding of the team it was felt by one and all that the tour had been worth while, and will have a very marked effect on the future of the game in this Dominion. Following close on the heels of the return of our own cricketers from their English tour came a first-class Australian team organized by the Board of Control. This team was invited last season on account of the prospective English tour during the coming season, making it impossible for any official team to be able to visit New Zealand this year. While it is important that the frequency of visits of teams from Autsralia is steadily maintained, the council is of the opinion that we must be careful not to overdo it, and so prejudice the business prospects of young players taking part in first-class cricket. It is regretted that it is not possible to record the usual financial success associated with Australian tours through New Zealand. The conference of delegates held in Christchurch unanimously agreed that while the policy of playing most of the test matches in the past in Wellington and Christchurch had been successful from a financial point of view, it was the duty of the council to arrange test matches in future in Auckland and Dunedin. The first intention was to play the test matches last season at Wellington and Dunedin, giving Auckland a test mat-ch against the English team visiting Australia, and to whom an invitation had been extended to return to England via New Zealand. Unfortunately it was not possible to arrange this, and so, in order to carry out the spirit of the decision of the conference, it was decided to give the test matches last season to Auckland and Dunedin.

The former obtained remarkable results, and actually exceeded all previous takings at one test match, the gross takings being over £l,OOO. The Dunedin test match was not sb satisfactory, and yet on a population basis their returns were equivalent to Auckland. However, under existing conditions, it is unreasonable to expect that Dunedin can equal the other centres. Playing test matches at Dunedin and Auckland in the same year meant additional travelling, and this, together with the fact that matches were played at Gisborne, Nelson and New Plymouth, made the general transport costs higher than usual.

It was stated in the last annual report that an invitation had been extended to the English side to Australia during the coming season to play a few matches in New Zealand. The Marylebone Club was agreeable to arrange this, provided it could be made to fit in with the programme of matches being arranged by the Australian Board of Control. Unfortunately for New Zealand the rapid development of the game in Queensland, together with the increased interest in matches in Western Australia, made it impossible for the board to sacrifice their matches in these centres to enable the English tour to be extended to New Zealand. The Board of Control assured us that they would have been glad to assist if it had been at all possible, but it seems certain that we must accept the position that for this or future English teams it would be impossible for suficient time to be provided to enable them to play matches in New Zealand.

Regarding the proposed visit of an English team to New Zealand, 1929-30. The remarks in the above paragraph show clearly that English teams can only be

brought to this Dominion by direct negotiations with the English authorities. Mr. A. Sims, thfe council’s representative in London, has strongiy advised the council to invite an English team to New Zealand for season 1929-30. This matter was brought forward at the last quarterly meeting, when the Management Committee decided to refer the question to the respective associations. Replies to hand show that all associations are favourable to the invitation being extended for this tour of an English side except three. Mr. Sims was cabled to authorizing him to open negotiations, and as he at present is on the way back to New Zealand, the Management Committee will have an early opportunity of discussing the matter with him, and the announcement of a definite invitation having been extended will probably be made at an early date. Keen interest was taken in the Plunket Shield Competition throughout the season, which was won by Wellington after quite clearly demonstrating their superiority over the three other provinces. The fact that the returned members of the New Zealand team were taking part in these matches added more than usual interest. The Heathcote Williams Shield.—This shield was won by the Auckland Grammar School, who retained possession by defeating the Napier Boys’ High School. After an interesting series of matches, in which considerable keenness was shown, the Hawke Cup changed hands twice, and was finally won by the Manawatu Association, to whom the council offers its congratulations. The Redpath Cup was awarded to Mr. J. S. Dempster, who, following his splendid performances in England, reproduced the same form in matches in New Zealand, and quite clearly demonstrated that he ranks among the very best players New Zealand has ever produced. Mr. C. C. Dacre’s brilliant form with the New Zealand team in England attracted the attention of the authorities of the Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, who finally invited him to return to England to qualify for that county. His departure at the end of last season is a very severe blow to the cricket of the Dominion, for Mr. Dacre is probably the most brilliant batsman this Dominion has produced, and his appearance on any of the provincial grounds of this country was always an attraction to the public. While regretting his departure from his native country, we are sure he carries with him the best wishes of the cricketers and people of this Dominion. It should not be long before he is enhancing his own and New Zealand’s reputation on the cricket fields of England.

Since last annual meeting a conference of delegates from all parts of the Dominion was held in Christchurch during the match. New Zealand versus the Rest at Lancaster Park. The meeting of delegates was a success in every way, and will prove a great benefit to the general administration of the game. It. gave opportunity of a personal knowledge of one another, which was not enjoyed before. Advantage was taken of the meeting to remodel a number of the rules of the council, and these were duly endorsed by the respective associations to whom they were submitted, and subsequently confirmed by a general meeting. It is proposed that the next conference will be held season after next, when it is hoped to be able to fit in with one of the most important matches against the English team should this tour eventuate. New Zealand Cricket Limited, formed by public subscription to send the New Zealand team to England, recently went into voluntary liquidation, and the shareholders paid the refund of capital due to them. Unfortunately this was a very nominal amount. The council feels that it should express its appreciation of the services of Messrs Arthur Sims and H. D. Swan for the work they have done on behalf of the council in London, and Mr. T. H. Howard, representative of the council in Australia, as well as to Mr. A. E. Byrne, the hon. auditor of the council. At different periods in the history of the game in the Dominion ladies’ cricket teams have become prominent but then somehow or another faded away, to be resuscitated later by a fresh band of enthusiasts with a marked interest in our great summer game. The outstanding performance of Miss Jean Kerr, of Marton, who last season in a match in that centre scored 144 runs herself out of a total of 181, and then proceeded to take ten wickets, is worthy of special mention. The council offers its congratulations to Miss Kerr. It came as a great shock to the supporters of the game in New Zealand to read in the cable advices from Australia of the death of Karl Schneider, who so recently toured New Zealand with the Australian team last year. He was a bright youth, and appeared to be on the threshold of a great international cricketing career, so that his lose is a very real one to Australia ia particular, and to cricket in general. Your committee cabled the sympathy of New Zealand cricketers.