PROVINCIAL CRICKET

Taranaki Daily News, 17 October 1930, Page 3

PROVINCIAL CRICKET

REPRESENTATIVE GAMES ‘ MAKING PLANS FOR THE SEASOX' TARANAKI ASSOCIATION MEETS Representative cricket fixtures for the coming season were planned at the annual meeting of the Taranaki Cricket , s Association in New Plymouth last night. Mr. T. H. Bates (chairman) presided oyer an attendance of 25 mem- ' bers. Delegates attending from the North Taranaki Division were- Messrs. " T. H. Bates, C. G. Bottrill and V. Duff .and delegates from the South Taranaki Division were Messrs. C. E. Betts (vicechairman), L. A. Jennings, H. D. , Hughes and C. Massey.' I The statement of receipts and (Expenditure showed receipts amounting I to £357 15s 3d, including Victoria College match £3, Town v. Country match £5 10s, New Plymouth v. Tarurutangi £3 10s, New Plymouth v. Hawera Old Boys £5 2s 6d, Taranaki ■v. M.C.C. match £338 12s. The items of expenditure were Hawke Cup match expenses £lO, Victoria College match expenses £2, Robertson Cup games £6 I7s, M.C.C. tf. Taranaki match, expenses £273. A. bank balance was shown of ; £64 17s. Assets were shown , as'£7s 7s, including bank balance £64 17s, North Taranaki Division subscription -r*' £5 ss, and South Taranaki Division subscription £5 ss. Against this were liabilities consisting of monies paid by the North Taranaki Division on behalf I ■ of the association amounting to -,£53 Ils. The chief items were: Debt to Park Board £25, balls for representative matches' £3 3s, Longburn soil for representative matches £l5, Pukekura Park rent and labour £lO. The financial statement showed a surplus of assets over liabilities .of £2l 16s. ' ‘ '

Tlie annual report (previously published) and the balance-sheet weYo . adopted. Mr. J. Brodie .was appointed, 7 secretary. RE-GROUPING SCHEME.

Owing to the re-grouping, by the New Zealand Cricket Council of the Hawke Cup challenges Taranaki would now play Wanganui in the elimination round, said the chairman. The match would be played in Taranaki and the meeting had to decide at what town the fixture should be held. He mentioned that the New Zealand Council felt the Hawke Cup fixtures should be played in the larger centres where bigger gates would be available to pay the expenses of the visiting teams.; i'.. Mr. Hughes suggested that the match be played early in December. He urged the association to press for a time limit to the games of three days. A five-. day match was far too long. He-pro-posed that the match be played in New Plymouth. ' ■; ■ ( ’ From experience, said Mr. Massey, it seemed that -in Hawera it was lutely impossible to get gates. Although the wickets in Hawera had'beeii much improved they were not \to be compared with the wickets at Pukekura. Park.

'The suggestion had. been made that Hawke Cup matches should begin on a Thursday, said Mr. Bottrill. The disadvantage in that was that the match might be over before the Saturday and, the association would lose the Saturday gate. He moved that the Taranaki Association apply for December 5 and 6>for the match against Wanganui,. The motion was carried.

There was a pdssibility of an Australian team which would include Bradman visiting New Zealand, said Mr. Bates. The association had’ riot yet lost on a big match. The meeting'decided to apply for’ a match against the Australian team’ if it visited New Zealand.

Permission was granted the South Taranaki Division to play Rangitikei in February. The prospects for representative matches seemed rather quiet at present; said Mr. Bottrill. On his, suggestion the meeting decided to write to the Wellington °Assoeiation ihviting .a team to visit Taranaki to play two matches, one at Hawera and one at New Plymouth. , , MATCH AGAINST WAIKATO. . The .annual fixture against Waikato was usually played at Easter, said-Mr. - Bates. During/the last visit of the Taranaki team to Hamilton, however, the Waikato, players had stated that they would prefer to play the match near Christmas time.

Mr. Hughes moved that the association write to Waikato suggesting that, the match be played at Christmas, pro- v viding the date did not interfere with the Hawke Cup fixtures. It was pleasing to know that Waikato had the right to° the first challenge for the Hawke// Cup. The happiest relations had always existed between the Taranaki and Waikato associations. • : ..- The association considered the. date of the Graham Cup match between North and South Taranaki. A proposal was made that the match be played, late in November. It was pointed out that this would bring the match too close to the Hawke Cup fixture. It was left to the discretion of/,th© management committee to fix a date for the match in January.,

The question of expenses of •6ou£iiern l ’ players in coming to New Plymouth, to play in representative matches was raised' by Mr. Bottrill. The management committee would like a direction from the meeting on the matter.; Sine® fate seemed to compel the playing''of •• the matches in New Plymouth it seemed only reasonable that a portion of . the expenses of southern/players should be paid if the match was a financial success. 1 Mr. W. P. Nicoll thought the association should pay up to half the travelling expenses if the match showed a profit. , Direction was given by the association to the management committee that in the event of a profit being shown, the committee was given power to ,pay up to half the expenses of travelling players in cases recommended by the ■. South Taranaki Division.

He would very much like to see an? other representative match played at Hawera, said Mr. Bottrill. Perhaps the South Taranaki Division could arrange another match with a minor association. Public interest might be gradually built up and the difficulty of small gates be overcome. Mr. Hughes pointed out that if the arrangements were successful Hawera this year would have matches against the Rangitikei Association,, the Country Association, and with a, IVellingtbn team. , • Mr. Jennings raised the question _of committee meetings being held at Strafford. The meeting, however, the existing arrangement of alternate meetings at Hawera and New Plymouth. .. Messrs. Bates, Bottrill, Jennings and Hughes were appointed an emergency committee. The association decided to write to the council recommending that Hawke Cup matehes.be limited to three dayl, unfinished matches to be decided on th* first innings.