DEFENCE MADE FOR BADCOCK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18085, 19 February 1927, Page 2

DEFENCE MADE FOR BADCOCK.

WELLINGTON CLAIMS THERE rS NO DOUBT ABOUT QUALIFICATIONS (Special to the “ Star.”) WELLINGTON, February 19. Although the action of the Auckland Cricket Association in protesting against the inclusion of F. T. Badcock in the New Zealand cricket team finds little favour in Wellington, there is a feeling that the Wellington coach's departure with the team for England is by no means certain. If Badcock does drop out, it will not be as a result of Auckland’s outburst. So far, the conditions under which the players are to make the trip to England have not been stated by the New Zealand Cricket Council, and when these are made known it may be found that more than one player will have a case for special consideration by the council. The terms, in regard to remuneration particularly, are no doubt being anxiously awaited by some of the selected players who, by reason of business or iarnily ties, may find it a big sacrifice to make the tour on an allowance of, say, ten shillings per day. The question also arises: Will the married members of the team be permitted to take their wives on the tour? Generous Offer. Except for an announcement through the Press, the selected players have not } r et received official notification from the New Zealand Council of their selection in the team, but they were advised yesterday that, as a generous offer of an English firm (Messrs Hollins and Co.) had been accepted, they were required to furnish the sizes they take in trousers, shoes, etc. This firm is providing each member of the team with three pairs of cricketing trousers, three suits of pyjamas, six cricket shirts and a dozen pairs of cream socks. Residential Question.

In connection with statements being made about Badcoek’s position, it is pointed out that this player was engaged by the Wellington Cricket Association as coach for a period of two years on the understanding that he became a permanent resident of New Zealand. ~At the end of the term Badcock intimated that he had no desire to leave the country, and the association decided to retain his services. lie is employed weekly by the association, being in much the same position as an employee of a business firm. So far as representative cricket in New Zealand is concerned, there has never been any doubt about Badcock s residential qualifications. Dealing with the protest of the Auckland Association, the cricket writer of “The Post” asks: How is it that the northerners raised no voice of protest when Badcock’s name appeared in the list of players nominated for the tour to England? If there was any doubt about Badcock's eligibility it should have been settled there and then. Auckland, of course, are vert' disappointed at not getting Rowntree into the team, but they are not making matters any better by protesting against Badcock’s inclusion. The Auckland chairman is quoted as saying:— “If Rowntree had been in Canterbury, Wellington or Otago, he would have been the first man picked in the team.” One might ask: “Would there have been any protest from Auckland had Badcock been resident there?”

In any case, it is extremely unlikely that the exclusion of Badcock would have meant the inclusion of Rowntree. The reason that Rowntree is not in the team is that he is too old. For the same reason Kortlang has been passed over. Kortlang’s claims to inclusion in the team far exceed those of Rowntree. There is no doubt that Kortlang is the right man to give the team the stiffening that it requires for the big undertaking. The need of stiffening in a team is made quite clear by Hugh Trumble. It is not improbable that had the New Zealand selectors been given an absolutely free hand both Kortlang and Rowntree may have been in the team, although the latter would have been hard to place in view' of the fact that James, Lowry and Kortlang are all ’keepers. If ever there was a case for lodging a protest it is in the omission of Kortlang, but so far as the Wellington Cricket Association is concerned the verdict is accepted. The council, however, should have asked for the best team, irrespective of age. Reports have been circulated to the effect that Kortlang is fifty-one j-ears of age. The latest issue of Wisden’s Almanac make Kortlang out to be about forty-four years of age, and this tallies with the age given by Kortlang to this writer some five years ago, when he stated that he was thirty-nine years old. Headquarters Criticised.

The Auckland idea of taking steps to have the headquarters of cricket in the Dominion moved to Wellington is by no means new; and it has sprung up in more than one quarter at various times. Wellington has had occasion to criticise the council at time-s, and it was not so long ago that the matter of getting more information from the council was raised by the Wellington Association. Auckland could count on quite a lot of support if it decided to take action.