CRICKET AFFAIRS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 44, 30 January 1945, Page 4

CRICKET AFFAIRS

t Sir, —I was very interested in the cricket news of your last paper es- , pecially regarding the selected Bay of Plenty team and the 'write up* The 'write up' was well done and to those not familiar with the in-, dividuals* and the game, was enough, to induce them to come along on Sunday and Monday. (This is what Mr Cameron wants). The cricketers and supporters generally are looking upon this team as the 'old froggies,' and rightly so. Another question j and the main one is, Avhy are so many picked from the Wha'katane Club which has been defeated by every team in the Whakatane Association in its last three games? Also } has justice been done to th.e players of other Associations by the selector attending matches and seeing their capabilities? Who had the. say in the appointing the 'Bay' * selector ? Nobody seems, to know. (I am not discrediting the selector's knowledge of the game and experience etc.) One realises only too well the difficulties of the selector. BUt why were not the younger generation of players given a chance? Three of them justified their inclusion in. the team that played Poverty Bay at Gisborne and two of them (the third having been in camp for a period) have figures that would more than favourably compare Avitli the team picked. And there are many others too. One cannot deny the past reputation of some of the 'old but let them be sporting enough to help the game along by encouraging the youth which is the future of. the sport. Also in a scattered Association like the Bay, it would help considerably to have three selectors (preferably non-players) who would be free to travel and to select the best avail-, able men from each club. May more able pens than mine take up the challenge to keep the 'King' of sports alive for the return of the 'Boys.' Yours etc. t PLAY THE GAME. (The above was received prior to the claying of the inter-provincial match last Saturday, but arrived too late for insertion on Friday. Ed.)