CRICKET MATTERS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 273, 22 December 1914, Page 3

CRICKET MATTERS.

DISCUSSED BY DELEGATES. A meeting which was called for last evening found itself in the peculiar position of having 110 business to discuss. The rules of the Canterbury Cricket Association require that quarterly meetings of delegates shall be held, and one of meetings fell upon last evening. Fifteen delegates left their cosy firesides or social club-rooms and made their way through the wintry. weather to the meeting placethree of fchem even came from Kaiapoi—and then were blandly informed by the chairman (Mr A. Cant) that there was •no formal business to consider, but the meeting had to be held in conformity with the rules. However, the position was accepted with good humour, and the chairman's invitation for a discussion on any matters affecting cricket drew forth some interesting topics. CHAMPIONSHIP COMPETITION. It was pointed out by delegate's that there was some confusion amongst players as to whether semi-finals and a final were to be played in the senior competition again this season, or whether that system of deciding the championship was intended to operate only last season, as a trial. ; , * The chairman stated that the system of deciding the championship referred to was incorporated in the rules, but the rules had not been reprinted since that- decision was arrived at, hence the rule did not appear in the published rules. It should, however, be decided whether the same method as was followed last season of drawing against each other the teams which were in the semi-finals should be followed this season.

After discussion, this matter of deciding how the teams should be drawn was left to the Competitions Committee. It was stated that the Competitions Committee had decided that no matches should be played on January 2. REPRESENTATIVE PRACTICES. Mr D. Reese stated that t'here was a matter which gave the Selection Committee much concern, and which, it had been suggested to him, should be placed before the delegates. ; This Was the question of attendances at representative cricket practices. The standard of cricket had gone back in Canterbury in late years, and for this the lack of attention to practice was responsible. If all the teams practised as the Sydenham Club did, the standard would be much higher. In accordance with the usual custom, the Selection Committee had chosen 2.'i players to practise in view of the coming representative games, biit during the last 16 days the attendances at these practices had averaged just under 10. As was done in past years, the committee had included amongst the 23 players some young players who really had no chance at present of getting into the representative team, but promising men, were thus given an opportunity of meetr ing the best bowling of the province and thus improving their play. However, two of these young mea had not attended at all, another had" been to one practice in 16, and another, who was only 20 years old, had been to only two in a fortnight. The selectors really had a grievance against the young men, and thought that some means should be taken to guard against this in future —that the question of attendance at next practice should be made part and parcel of a player's eligibility for representative honours. The strength of Canterbury in cricket in 1894 and the years behind was due to the attention of Mr A. M. Ollivier, who insisted upon the men selected going to the representative practices. It would be a wise tiling for this to be done again. When the association paid the expenses of the teams it sent away, it should demand the requisite attention to physical fitness. He (Mr Reese) did not wish to raise a bogey on the eve of the Otago match, for" the whole of *the men picked for that match would be in -good condition. But he was annoyed that spoonfed cricketers of to-day should neglect the advantages which were offered to them to improve their cricket, and, by neglecting these opportunities, keep away other men who would accept the opportunities. One young Kaiapoi player had come from Kaiapoi two nights a week to attend the representative practices, but others who lived only a mile from the ground neglected the practices. One man whose claims for inclusion in the representative team had been advocated had been left out because of his inattention to practice. It was a very serious matter to Canterbury cricket, and he (Mr Reese) suggested that when selection committees were appointed in future years the association should, if possible, appoint some man, such, as Mr Ollivier had been, who would absolutely insist on