NORTH TARANAKI CRICKET

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1931, Page 5

NORTH TARANAKI CRICKET

SETTLING DOWN TO BUSINESS COMPETITION GAMES AT HAND. ADMINISTRATIVE BODIES ACTIVE. (By ‘'Long On.”) With the wickets and grounds in New Pymouth in better condition than they have been for many years so early in the season, cricketers require only an improvement in the weather to enable them to get properly into their stride. Programmes Defined. The general meeting of the North Taranaki division on Wednesday night disposed of the knotty problem of whether Old Boys should have two teams in the senior competition or not, and matters relative to. the representative seasoil were arranged at the annual meeting of the Taranaki Association at Hawera last' night. With the season’s programme thus defined there should be every incentive for players to train themselves into their best form, and endeavour jointly and severally to raise the standard of play in the province. The. Only Way. Quite apart from the question of >v grounds, the relative strength of the teams as nominated made it practically impossible for the North Taranaki executive to adopt any other course but decline Old Boys’ application for two teams in senior A grade. Otherwise there would have been five teams in the senior A grade and only three in the B grade. Although there are eight teams in the junior grade no two of these teams could be sorted out as good enough to com-' pete in the senior B grade, and the executive had no option but to leave things as they were last season. At the same time there seems to be a more dr less general recognition of the fact that several players in the Old Boys senior B grade team are entitled to senior grading, and possibly next year a way may be found for these players to play in first grade cricket. The Game Before the Prize.

The suggestion that the High Schoo! and Old Boys senior B team interchange during the school holidays, and thus even up both senior A and senior B competitions during January and early February has a ■ certain amount to be said against it, but it has this point in its favour, that if it is acceptable to all the teams concerned, even though Old Boys senior B team would have to forego its right to compete for the Pruden Cup the team would have the invaluable experience of several matches in A grade cricket.. After all this would be. worth much more to the club individually and to cricket generally than a whole sackful of cups. ■ - - • ■ Yeoman Service.

Tributes have already been paid and published to the immense service done to cricket in Taranaki by Mr. C. G. Bottrill. But it is doubtful whether any-' body except the few who were closely associated with Mr. Bottrill throughout his period of administrative work fully realises just how much Mr. Bottrill really has done for cricket. In an age that to say the least is somewhat lacking in vision and' constructive; ability Mr. Bottrill gave expression to both these qualities, with the result that Taranaki had the benefit of two years’ professional coaching,-a united Taranaki Association, and now a united North Taranaki, to say nothing of vast improvements in the matter of grounds and wickets. It is true that Mr. Bottrill was not the only moving spirit, but the others who moved with him will all be generous enough to Admit that he led. the way. Forward, the Young Brigade.

His retirement should have this,good effect—that it will throw a greater burden of responsibility on the shoulders of the younger men. And it is time the younger men, took a hand in administration of the game in North Taranaki.- Not only will it give them an opportunity of realising the financial and other difficulties that have beset the management committee in the past—difficulties of which some of the critics of the administration have surely not realised—but the enthusiasm of youth, and its new ideas, are always an essential in administration if it is to be successful. It is to be hoped that the younger members of the management committee will take their duties seriously, and bring’ vision and initiative to the assistance of the experience and judgment' of.‘ the older members in advancing the . cause - ' of cricket. ' < ' ' ■ > ' ’ . Old Boys v. School. The Old Boys v. School senior A grade match may commence to-morrow and finish the following Saturday, in order to obviate the break that would otherwise be caused by the High School sports on October 31. <, . Practice Wickets Ready.. . i

The practice wickets ar,e now ready in Pukekura Park, and teams are availing themselves of every opportunity of a pipe-opener.