SELECTION OF’ REP. CRICKET TEAM.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144050, 20 March 1913, Page 7

SELECTION OF’ REP. CRICKET TEAM.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—Now that the cricket team to meet South Taranaki has been published, I think something should bo said in justice to those who have always travelled and are left out-_ when any home match is played, which is anything but fair. There are four players who travelled with the team to Hawera or Wanganui, and two of these two years ago went as far as Palmerston. If these men did not travel no teams would come here, and yet tbev never get a chance at home, although they did practically as well as any of the others. If anyone thinks I am wrong I would ask him to look up the records of these matches, and if it can then bo explained how and why these men are left out I would be very pleased. I am not criticising tho team selected; I only want fair play for these who travel and thereby get homo matches for some other players who are bettor known to the public. I, for one, shall not travel again if I were asked—which means one-less to he deceived —as the selector, when asking me to go with the team, said that my form would put me in a homo, match. Yet where am 1 now when the home match comes? I had an average of over twenty (cup matches) for batting, and the best average for the Hawora match —tho only one I played in this year, I would like to know under what system tho team is selected, as the Urenui men must have claims for inclusion if averages count, not mentioning travel and expense. I trust this will not do any harm, as cricket is doomed in the country if such methods continue. As for playing in this particular match, I dare say the players left out will feel sore over it for a time, but it has always been the same thing—done at every home match — which is killing cricket, and has, so far as I am concerned.—l am, etc., TWICE BITTEN. Urenui, March 18.