HAWKE CUP HOLDER

Taranaki Daily News, 28 November 1934, Page 7

HAWKE CUP HOLDER

GAME WITH WELLINGTON PLUNKET SHIELD SELECTION. CHANCES OF COUNTRY PLAYERS. TARANAKI ENTHUSIAST’S VIEWS. That Taranaki, as holder of the Hawke Cup, the premiership of New Zealand's minor cricket associations, should endeavour to arrange a match with the Wellington Plunket Shield team was a suggestion made by a prominent New Plymouth cricket enthusiast to a Daily News reporter yesterday. The suggestion was made as being preferable to more support, if invited, by Taranaki for the Wellington annual town versus country trial game. The question of the attitude of Taranaki and Wanganui associations to the town versus country match was raised in an article by “Touchline” in a Wellington weekly paper, and the points raised were referred by a News reporter yesterday to M r - S. O. Jones, New Plymouth, president of the Taranaki Cricket Association. “For some years, and for reasons hard to understand, the Wanganui and Taranaki Cricket Associations have not treated the town v. country match with the courtesy it deserves,” says the article. “They invariably arrange dates for their Hawke Cup match that clash with the country game. In the best interests of their players they should associate themselves with this town v. country match, even if it means re-arranging the dates for their own game. The best way for a player in the Wellington Plunket Shield district to advance is to gain a place in the Wellington team, and I personally believe that if the whole- team consisted of country players it would not hamper the game in any way, provided, of course,-that the players were good enough. But how is the ability of the country players to be estimated unless they are seen in action on the Basin Reserve?” THREE TARANAKI POSSIBILITIES. The writer mentions O. M. Nasmith, S. Betts and E. Christensen among thirteen players from five associations whom he considers well worth consideration in the country team.. It had first to be pointed out-, said Mr. Jones, that the clashing of the date of the Wanganui-Taranaki Hawke Cup fixture with the Wellington game had not been the fault of the associations. Hawke Cup dates were arranged by the New Zealand council, and Wanganui and Taranaki could not be Warned. That had had some effect, of course, upon the participation of Taranaki players in the Wellington trial game. This year, however, Wanganui was grouped with Rangitikei, and Taranaki would not, it seemed, have any Hawke Cup match until the Christmas and New Year holidays. The consequence would be that the problem of clashing dates would not occur.

As far as Taranaki’s attitude to the town v. country match was concerned, if Wellington desired to give players a trial, all assistance would be given. “C. N. Kingstone and 0. M. Nasmith are, to my knowledge, the only two Taranaki cricketers who have taken part in the match in the past ten years,” said Mr. Jones, “but if it is felt that there are players in the province worthy of inclusion in the country team and possible consideration in the Plunket Shield team, this association will do all in its power to help them.” Players had been nominated in the past, said Mr. Jones, but they had not always been included. Those that had were hot necessarily given the consideration it might be held they deserved. The game was played at an awkward time, in the busy period just prior to Christmas, and it was often difficult for players to secure leave from their work. If, however, the Wellington association showed that it was desirous of giving country players every chance of attaining a place in the Plunket Shield team it would be felt more worth while. NO REAL OPPORTUNITY. The town v. country match did not give country players a real opportunity of showing what they could do, said Mr. C. O. Berg. A player from Taranaki, for instance, if he were able to obtain leave so soon before Christmas with Taranaki fixtures also in the offing, had to play in a team lacking combination and was, for cricket purposes, virtually among strangers. His game probably suffered. There was also to bo considered the fact that the Wellington selectors had more opportunity of watching city players, who also had the advantage of a higher general standard of competition and more variety. “If Wellington wishes to gauge accurately the strength .of Taranaki players with a view to assisting the shield team,” said Mr. Berg, “it would be far better to arrange a match at Wellington between the Taranaki team and the Wellington Plunket Shield eleven.” Taranaki, as holder of the Hawke Cup, could be regarded as the strongest minor association and could be relied on to give Wellington a good game. From the individual’s point of view the idea would also be preferable as a man would feel more at home and capable of giving of his best among his own team-mates. The idea, considered Mr. Berg, was one that could well be advanced to the Wellington association if Taranaki could incorporate the visit in its programme without making the season too strenuous. The Wellington association will be giving serious consideration to E. Christensen, the New Plymouth Old Boys’ lefthand fast bowler, it is rumoured in North Taranaki, in its search for a reliable man of that type.