CRICKET CLUB’S SUCCESS

Taranaki Daily News, 14 September 1934, Page 7

CRICKET CLUB’S SUCCESS

WESTERN PARK CLUB MEETING. IMPROVED FINANCES REPORTED. A marked improvement in the financial position of the Western Park Cricket Club was commented on in the report presented to the annual meeting of the club at New Plymouth last night. Mr. H. J. Abram presided over an attendance of 20 members.

‘ The thanks of the club were given to Messrs. Twoomey, Pope and Rutherford for donations, and to Mr. Beard for a bat, stated the report. The club entered three teams in the competitions, a new departure being the entry of two teams in the senior B grade in place of one team in each of the three championship grades. This step was fully justified as, while the second B team shared last place with Central in the competition, it fielded quite a good side which almost invariably put up a good fight against its opponents. The senior team won the senior championship. In the finals it defeated 'the country champion, but met defeat at the hands of Hawera Old Boys in the provincial championship. The senior eleven was a well balanced side, and its success was fully justified. The teams records were;— Senior, 12 played, 7 won, 2 drawn, 3 lost, 19 championship points. Senior B “A,” 18, 9,1, 8, 22.' Senior B “B,” 18, 5,0, 13, 10. A record in the history of the club was put up during the season, three players reaching the century, A. A. Biggar (141 not out against High School), G. Stapleton (110 not out against New Plymouth) and S. O. Jones (103 not out against Central). The first two in the senior A grade. The club was well represented in all representative games. Messrs. V. Parkinson, A. Biggar and G. Ewart gained places in the Taranaki team, Mr. Parkinson taking part in all the Hawke Cup fixtures with conspicuous success. Messrs. Biggar, Ewart, J. Spedding and N. Wilson played for North Taranaki. Messrs. Rutherford and Jones played for the senior B representatives against South Taranaki.

Immediately after the close of the season the club lost a valuable member in Mr. Rutherford, who was transferred to Wellington. He was a genuine lover of the game, and his services both as a player and an executive officer of the club wouldbe greatly missed. BEST FOR MANY YEARS. The year had been the best the club had had for many years, said Mr. Abram in moving the adoption of the report. The only trouble had been with the records, which was a matter for the management committee. It seemed a shame that a club should lose its records of the season’s play through losing the books. Mr. J. Quirk commented on the discrepancy between the ground fees due and the sum collected from players, which meant the club paying out the balance.

The treasurer, Mr. S. O. Jones, explained, however, that the position was actually better than it had been for years. The discrepancy was partly the result of teams playing short. The following new members were elected: R. Rosser, K Whitehead, R. Hoskin, C. Morris/G. Watson, A. Holly, M. Carthy, N. Grant, G. Richardson, E. Signal, A. Hirst, N. Woods, A. Woods, K. Carey, J. Robertson, A. Ewart and Dr. Church. . Officers were elected as follow: Patron, Mr. E. L. Mason; president, Mr. H. J. Abram; vice-presidents, five re-elected; club captain, Mr. V. Parkinson; secretary and treasurer, Mr. S. O. Jones; auditor, Mr. E. L. Humphries; coach, Mr. Parkinson; management committee, Messrs. Haughton, W. Beard, J. Quirke, G. L. Ewart, F. T. Parfitt; selection committee, club captain and the team captains, witn an additional man appointed by the management committee; delegates to the Northern Division of the Taranaki Cricket Association, Messrs. Quirk, Parkinson and Quickfall. METHODS OF SELECTION. The pros and cons of the appointment of a sole selector were discussed at length. Mr. E. Spedding moved that the selection committee be replaced by a sole selector assisted by team captains. The proposal met with strong opposition from various members. Mr. Quirk was prepared to support a sole selector, but objected to any assistance from captains.

Mr. Jones said that there was no nonplayer capable of filling the position. The present system was obviously wrong, said Mr. P. Carroll. The senior Captain could not know all the players, and the B grade captains did not want to lose players to the senior team. _ The present system was doing harm to cricket. The club should have a man independent of any team as selector. It was absurd to say that they could not get anybody for sole selector. There was a sole selector for North Taranaki—why not for the club. Mr. Duff: The selection committee, run as a committee, would be all right. Mr. Ewart: You can’t force players to play senior. The members are playing for pleasure, and should be allowed to play senior B if they like. Mr. Carroll said discipline was necessary in the club as well as anywhere else. If a player was selected for the senior team then he should play there or not at all. It was suggested by Mr. Quirk that

the selection committee as for last year should be retained, and that the responsibility for calling regular meetings of the committee be left with the club captain. The suggestion was approved and adopted.