CRICKET.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12707, 31 July 1919, Page 6

CRICKET.

NEW ZEALAND COUNCIL. The Management Committee of tho New Zealand Cricket Council met in Mr C. W. Hervey’s office last night; present—Messrs F. C. Raphael (Poverty Bay), J. S. Barrett (Manawatu), A, Cant (Canterbury). C. A. M’Coy (Nelson), T. L. Austin (Wellington), J. F. Peake (Otago) and C. S. Thompson (Southland). Mr Raphael was in the chair. Lord Hawka president of the Marylebone Cricket Council, wrote, statingf that the matter of landing a team to tour New Zealand next season was under the consideration of his committee, end directly anything was decided the council would be informed of the matter. It was only fair, however, to state that personally he did not think there was much chance of the tour to Australia coming off. Owing to the long wan: they would have great difficulty in raising a side, and there was always the still greater difficulty of finding a man competent to ran the aide. The chairman said that a cable message had already appeared in the newspapers stating that tho tour had been abandoned. The letter was received.

Mr J. W. Hitch, fast bowler for the Surrey County Cricket Club, wrote offering his services to the council as coach for the 3919-20 season. Ha stated that he would like to cornu out to New Zealand to encourage cricket and instruct the young players, so that in the near future the council would he able to send a representative side to England. He had played for England at Home and also in Australia, and would be playing! for Surrey during the present summer. The secretary reported that he had acknowledged the letter, and pointed out that the matter was entirely out of the council’s jurisdiction. He had passed on copies of the letter to the various associations, and had received a reply from the Canterbury Association etating that it was unable at present to offer a position to Mr Hitch. The secretary’s action was approved.

Mr 0. S Barrett moved thai it should'be j & recommendation to the quarterly meeting l of delegates that an invitation should be offered to the South Australian Association j to send a fully representative State team, to' tour New Zealand during the coming- season, and in the event of the South Australian Association not being able to send a team, the Management Committ.js should be authorised to communicate with any other Australian Association or with the Australian Board of Control to arrange for the visit of a representative State <eam * The motion was oarried. Mr C. A. M'Coy moved that it should be a recommendation to the Otago Cricket Association to endeavour to arrange a visit of a team to play a North Otago eleven at Oamaru during the coming season, with u view \o stimulating an interest •in cricket there, and also that it should be a recommendation to the Canterbury Cricket Association to endeavour to arrange for a visit of a. cricket eleven to South Canterbury to play at Ashburton and «t Timaru during the coming season. The motion was carried. In reply to a question raised by Mr Thompson regarding the position of the council in connection with the decision of the Canterbury Association that eight balls should constitute an over, the chairman stated that the council had no jurisdiction in the matter, which was a purely local'one for the associations to decide thamselves. In the event of interprovincial matches, the associations concerned would have to arrange the matter between themselves. It had been intended that a general meeting of delegates to the council should be held at the conclusion of the meeting of the Managament Committee, but as there,waa riot a sufficient attendance to form a quorum the meeting lapsed end the Management Committee rosumed. It wan decided that the resolutions adopted by tho. committee should be forwarded direct I to the associations concerned in view of the general meeting;not being held,