CRICKET UNION.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1579, 6 March 1919, Page 8

CRICKET UNION.

AN AFFILIATION PROPOSAL. DISTRICT SCHEME AND OPEN CLUBS. The question of establishing a closer relationship between the Canterbury Cricket Association and the City and Suburban Association than exists at present has been revived. A deputation from the latter body waited upon the committee of the Canterbury Cricket Association last evening. The deputation was to have consisted of Messrs H. Rogers and C. T. Rix, but the former was absent, Mr Rix explaining that Mr Rogers had been detained at another meeting.

Mr Rix said that on Tuesday evening the committee of the City and Suburban Association had discussed the question of amalgamating with tho Canterbury Association. It wanted to know whether it would be allowed to affiliate, since ithad not a district scheme. From the statements of members of its committee, the City and Suburban Association would be quite willing to affiliate. Its idea was to enter a team each in the district association's senior and junior competitions, the City and Suburban Association to do the necessary financing. It wanted to assist its members to get better cricket, and it wished to know how much the Canterbury Association would charge for wickets.

It was pointed out that the matter of cost of wickets was one for the Hagley Park Cricket-ground Committee to decide, aud also for the Lancaster Park Board when Lancaster Park is again in use for cricket.

In answer to Mr W. Simpson, Mr Rix said that his committee wished to discuss the question of amalgamation with the district association—not affiliation.

Mr Simpson pointed out to Mr Rix that the Canterbury Association played district cricket, and as its rules stood it could only have matches under a district scheme.

In reply to Mr C. S. Thompson, Mr Rix said that his association really wished to affiliate with the Canterbury Association as a club. Any decision, of course, would have to be ratified by the delegates to his association, and it would have to be ascertained if his association's clubs were willing to have members selected for inclusion in teams in the Canterbury Association's competitions. If there were affiliation, his association would expect to have the same representation by delegates as a district club. After Mr Rix had withdrawn, Mr E. E. Luttrcll remarked that what the City and Suburban Association wanted was good grounds. Mr Simpson: We offered to do that last year and to make the terms as liberal as we could, and they turned us down.

Mr R. B. Ward: It is not a matter for us to decide. It is for a general meeting of delegates to decide; it means an alteration of rules.

The chairman (Mr D. Redpath) agreed that it was a question for the club delegates. He thought it meant the abolition of the district scheme.

Mr Thompson: It means that abso lutely. Mr A. Dcy: Jt means two open clubs.

Mr Thompson: Which we don't want. Mr Dey: It is going to burst the district scheme. A disgruntled player might walk out of his district club and join East Christchurch or the City and Suburban Association.

Mr Thompson: And get district cricket at a lower subscription.

Mr Simpson: We have got to stop East Christchurch being an open club. Mr Ward: Stop East Christchurch and you kill district cricket. It was agreed that the whole matter should be referred to a general meeting of delegates, to be held shortly. .