SENIOR CRICKET PROBLEM

Taranaki Daily News, 15 October 1931, Page 10

SENIOR CRICKET PROBLEM

OLD BOYS B. NOT ADMITTED SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING HELD DECISION MADE BY EXECUTIVE. The decision not to admit a second Old Boys senior A team in the New Plymouth competitions was made by the management committee of the North Taranaki Cricket Association at New Plymouth last night. Mr. T. H. Bates presided over representatives present from Old Boys, New Plymouth, Western Park, Brixton, Band, Tarurutangi and Tikorangi. Previous to the meeting of the executive an extraordinary general meeting was held which carried a motion that the number of teams in the senior competition be either four, five or six. The effect of this motion was to give the executive the opportunity of allowing the entry of a second Old Boys team if the executive considered it wise. The claims of the Old Boys senior B team to entry as a senior A team were put by Mr. D. F. C. Saxton. What was the objection to the entry of another team? asked Mr. W. Johnston. The obtaining of wickets was the objection, said Mr. Bates. The season was too close to lay down another wicket. Would it be possible for the bottom team in the A grade to play off with the top team in the B grade and the winner to go up to the A grade? asked Mr. Johnston, That would mean that the old-estab-lished clubs would lose their identity as senior teams, said Mr. P. Hawkins. By 9 votes to 4 the motion was carried. The meeting of the executive was held after the general meeting. When the nominations were considered it was found that with Old Boys entering a second senior A team there would be only three teams in the senior B competition. Although he had at first been in favour of the entry of a second Old Boys team, said Mr. Jones, it seemed that everything was working against it. He would move with reluctance that the executive admit only four senior A teams. Mr. F. Ferry said that he, too, was sorry to see a young team kept out, but the scheme was not practicable, principally because the wickets on the Tukapo ground , were not good enough for senior cricket. He favoured the suggestion of Mr. Johnston that the bottom team of the senior A competition should play off with the leading team of the senior B competition for the right to play in the senior A competition. The executive should adopt that suggestion and make it known that it intended to act in tliat direction. By that means also, the selectors of clubs would have to select the strongest men in their clubs, for their senior A teams. The suggestion was then made by Mr. Saxton that Old Boys senior B need not play for championship points in the senior B competition and might take the place of High School in the senior A competition when it was weakened during the holidays. The meeting adopted a recommendation that the executive give favourable consideration to the proposal that the School senior A team and the Old Boys senior B team should interchange during the school holidays, providing the clubs were agreeable.