CRICKET

Southland Times, Issue 21852, 1 November 1932, Page 6

CRICKET

LOCAL ASSOCIATION SENIOR COMPETITION PROSPECTS OF CHANGE Important changes in the senior cricket competitions were proposed in a notice of motion given at the weekly meeting of the executive of the Southland Cricket Association last evening. There were present: Messrs E. V. Mills (president, in the chair), A. Driscoll, P. Fougere, P. Lynch, H. Drees, D. Robinson, M. Stanton, G. Agnew, Dr G. H. Uttley and Mr A. J. Hamilton (secretary). The position of the senior competition was discussed and Dr Uttley asked whether points would be allotted for the first round. The president replied that the matter would be discussed at the end of the first round. Mr Stanton said the present position was farcical. He asked would it be necessary to give seven days’ notice to rescind the former motion. Dr Uttley gave notice of motion that the two previous motions regarding the senior competition and classification of teams be rescinded and that Appleby A Invercargill, Marist, Union, High School and Old Boys be the senior teams; and that Bluff and Appleby, B be graded junior A and that the junior A competitions be reorganized. There appeared to be a good deal of support for the notice of motion., The awarding of points was discussed and Mr Stanton gave notice of motion that in all unfinished matches or matches with no result on the first innings, one point be awarded to each team. A financial statement was presented by the finance committee with recommendations for concessions to clubs paying affiliation fees before December 1. It was decided to request clubs to pay half fees by December 1 and that the question of further payments and concessions in fees be held over until February. The secretary of the Otago Association wrote thanking the Southland Association for its offer to pay the sum of £lO towards the expenses of the Otago team to play Southland at Invercargill. Inquiries were now being made as to the players available to make the trip and as soon as that information was available he would advise definitely. It was hoped to get a fairly good team picked. Mr W. C. Climie advised that at a meeting at Wairio on October 27, it was decided to form a sub-association to be known as the Central—Western Sub-Association. The meeting was well attended by delegates from Ohai, Nightcaps, Wairio and Winton clubs. These four clubs agreed to enter teams and it was decided to play a competition in two rounds, the first match to be played on November 5. A draw was accordingly made. Office-bearers and an executive committee were elected and a tentative code of rules was drawn up and adopted. It had been decided not to apply to the Southland Association for affiliation at present in view of the difficult fianancial times and the fact that the club had a large outlay for new material. The new body required information concerning the procedure to be adopted free. The secretary was instructed to supply the information asked for. The secretary of the Eastern Association wrote suggesting that the annual Town v. Country match be played at Invercargill on December 17 or November 30, the latter date being considered suitable as a useful trial for the Otago match. It was decided to accept November 30 as the date for the match. N. Ward was granted a transfer from Marist Old Boys to Collegiate subject to a personal application being received. Fixtures for Saturday. The following fixtures for Saturday were approved:— Senior matches continued. Junior A matches continued. Junior B competition.—Herbert Haynes v High School A at High School No. 1; Collegiate v. Marist at Biggar street east; Bluff v. Railway at Biggar street west; Appleby v. High B at High School No. 2. Third grade competition.—Appleby v. Waikiwi at Waikiwi; I.C.C. v. Marist at Queen’s Park No. 3; High School v. Old Boys at High School No. 3; Collegiate v. Technical at Showgrounds.

SHEFFIELD SHIELD VICTORIA DEFEAT QUEENSLAND. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyrrgnt.) (Rec. 7.50 p.m.) Brisbane, October 31. Victoria defeated Queensland in the first Sheffield Shield match by an innings and 329 runs. Queensland in the second innings made 169 (Hansen 59, Gough 34; Fleetwood-Smith two for 77, Blackie two for 19, Alexander two for 21). This is the worst defeat ever suffered by Queensland. Victoria in the first innings made 552, Queensland being dismissed for 54. INDIAN BATSMAN NOT VISITING NEW ZEALAND (Rec. 7.50 p.m.) Sydney, October 31. The Nawab of Pataudi is not going to New Zealand with the English cricket team. He leaves after the Aus- • tralian tour finishes at Adelaide for Ind-:, where the affairs of his state depend upon his presence. BRADMAN’S POSITION PLAYER-WRITER QUESTION. ARTHUR MAILEY SUMS UP. Writing in the Sydney Sun of October 20, Arthur Mailey refers to Bradman’s position as follows: — Despite the exquisite moments which Bradman has given lovers of the game, his career has not been a particularly happy one. He has been like the acrobat who thrills with marvellous feats, yet has painful toothache himself. As an unsophisticated lad he received his first big disappointment by being unceremoniously fired out after the Test debacle in Brisbane in 1928. His was not the only failure in the team, but somebody had to pay for Australia’s inglorious exhibition and Bradman was the man. Since then he has been in several embarrassing positions. Reports of rudeness to newspaper men were spread; and that he was elusive and not on friendly terms with other members of the 1930 team. These charges he answered in a most suitable manner—he said nothing. This silence brought a brick from another section of people, whose curiosity demanded a cutting reply from Bradman.

Then he wrote a rather pleasant, uncritical book, mainly about his own life, which eventually was published in serial form in the papers. Somebody drew the Board of Control’s attention, and the little bread-winner was fined £5O. Clarrie Grimmett, Australia’s best bowler, committed a similar crime, but the board up to the present time

has taken no action, which, I think, is rather sensible. _ Then comes the player-writer question, and finds this amazing batsman in another skirmish, and one which might be the death-knell of his Australian cricket career. I say Australian advisedly, because during my brief stay in London I had numbers of inquiries about Bradman, and the possibility of his going to England later as a professional. After all Bradman has done for Empire cricket, we can afford to be at least tolerant and sympathetic. Somebody said at a reception to the Englishmen on Tuesday that the game of cricket is greater than the man, and that the board is determined to be firm. Although this fine expression is somewhat threadbare, it still has the ring of sincerity about it. _ After seeing Bradman play from the time he left his bush home at Bowral until almost the present moment, I am inclined to think that Bradman himself is part of the game. Some three or four years ago I wrote a simple cricket story with pen dipped in. milk and a day or two later I received an intimation from the board that I had broken the player-writer rule by not making application. Despite the fact that I was solely a journalist. I even found myself guilty and accepted the penalty of being disqualified from test cricket. I was then a hardened campaigner in the evening of his test career. Consequently, I found in this courteous note an excusable entry into journalism. Bradman is different. He is, after all, only a boy, and his presence means so much to Australian cricket. Some say that if Bradman does not play it will be the death-knell of the board, but I hope that whether Bradman plays or rot, a Board of Control will continue to control the destinies of Australian cricket.