CRICKET IN TARANAKI

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1933, Page 3

CRICKET IN TARANAKI

ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING. HAWKE CUP SERIES DISCUSSED. The Taranaki Cricket Association at its annual meeting at Hawera last night decided to apply for a match with an Australian team should one visit New Zealand this year. It was anticipated that if a team came across it would include Bradman. In the absence of Mr. D. F. C. Saxton, president, Mr. L. A. Jennings took the chair. Also present were Messrs. P. S. Carroll, S. I. Jones, H. Barker and H. J. Abram.

The following officers for the new season were announced: Chairman, Mr. L. A. Jennings; deputy-chairmen,' Messrs. S. I. Jones and W. J. Hall; secretary, Mr. H. J. Abram; committee, Messrs. T. H. Bates, R. H. Soffe, H. Barker and C. Massey; treasurer, Mr. P. S. Carroll; emergency committee, Messrs. Jennings, Jones and Abram; selectors, Messrs. O. Nasmith (north) and Jennings (south). The appointment of Mr. Bates as special delegate to the biennial conference to be held in Christchurch shortly was confirmed.

■Mr. G. T. Weston was re-appointed delegate to the New Zealand Association. The receipt of £l5 as Taranaki’s share of the proceeds of the M.C.C. tour was reported. It was decided to play the Graham Cup match between North and South Taranaki at Hawera on November 25. It was decided to issue privilege passes to the Noi-th Taranaki Umpires’ Association. Mr. Jennings commented that this year Wanganui was coming back into the Hawke Cup competition. Mr. Bates moved that a challenge be issued for the Hawke Cup. It was Wanganui’s turn to come to New Plymouth for the elimination match if the grouping were the same. As Wanganui had played in New Plymouth last year it was possible that the match would be played in Wanganui. The conditions of play for the trophy were under consideration, and might be altered.

The Nelson association wrote at length advocating a return to the practice of playing Hawke Cup matches to a finish. It was pointed out that if the weather were adverse it might not be possible to finish a game in three days, and a team, though behind on the first innings, might be in a winning position at the close of the third day. Experience had shown that only occasionally did matches go beyond three days, and in these cases the finishes were most exciting. Some associations could afford to challenge only/every two or three years, so that it would be unfortunate if such, a team had to leave a game that it might win on the fourth day unfinished. There was a difficulty in securing leave for players, but this was more difficult in the case of the holders playing several games in a season, and in this case there were other players available. The Nelson association having held the cup three times in 11 years could speak from experience. The present hours of play from 10.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. were approved of.

Mr. Bates said the conditions of the Hawke Cup competitions came up at every conference, and discussion on 'it took up most of the time. Nelson had objected to the three-day limit with a win on the first innings. He would like to see the conditions, remain as at present.

Mr. Jones agreed that there was no reason for prolonging the fixture. Mr. Bates said it would be impossible to get leave for players unless there was a time limit.

Mr. Bates was recommended to support the . present arrangement as to time limit and hours of play. Reporting on the Waikato match last season Mr. Bates said the game had not been affected by the initial difference over the dates. If Taranaki was not in the Hawke Cup competition he would like to see Waikato invited to Taranaki and he knew a team would come. In the Taranaki team that played Waikato for the cup last season there were too many left-handers and slow bowlers and not enough medium-pace bowlers. Also there were too many batsmen of the stonewalling type and not enough forcing batsmen.. Had Taranaki had a forcing bat the match would have been won.