CRICKET New Umpires’ Body Discussed By Board

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28264, 30 April 1957, Page 6

CRICKET New Umpires’ Body Discussed By Board

The status and composition of the newly-formed New Zealand Umpires’ Association was discussed at length at yesterday's meeting of the New Zealand Cricket Council’s Board of Control. A report from a conference of

umpires at which the association had been formed, and its constitution, were forw r arded to the board.

The new association would hold its annual meetings at various centres, and it would elect a management committee, said Mr J. A. Ongley, who had been chairman at the meeting. The association would appoint a grading committee, which would not be a committee of active umpries. It would compile tests to be carried out in the individual associations by local classification committees. All classifications would come under the Umpires’ Association, which would make gradings and supply the New Zealand Cricket Council with gradings if required. The objects of the association included co-operation with and assistance for the council in promoting efficiency in umpiring and in making the interpretation of rules uniform throughout the country. The headquarters of the association would be Wellington. Auckland Objection The chairman (Mr J. L. Kerr) said an Auckland objection to the formation of a New Zealand Umpires’ Association had been based on a previous attempt to form an association. The previous effort had now been superceded. The objection of Auckland to the previous constitution had been on the score of finance, said Mr A. J. Postles, for the annual meetings were to have been held in Christchurch. The Auckland umpires who had objected had attended the conference and were in favour of the association. “If umpires do not wish tp come into the grading scheme, will they be excluded from Plunket Shield and other major matches?” asked Mr E. Hayes. He said he would like to see the report circulated to associations for comment. “We are getting into a habit of referring a lot of matters back for comment,” said Mr Ongley. “We should be in a position to decide matters like this ourselves.” There had not been time for board members to consider the constitution and what it involved, said Mr Postles. Recognition “If we recognise this association, do we therefore not recognise anyone who does not wish to join it?” said Mr K. L. Sandford. It went further than recognition. They- should define the relationship between the Umpires’ Association and the board. Would they have to refer all matters of umpiring to the association, or

would they deal directly with local umpires’ associations through local cricket associations? The association would be prepared to be consulted when the board thought fit, said Mr Ongley. Whether it was consulted often depended on how successful it might be. The Umpires’ Association hoped to draw its finances from the major associations, said Mr D. A. Colville. That being- so, the major associations would want to consider it carefully. Mr H. W. Osborn said he did not think it appropriate for a local association to interfere in the affairs of local umpires’ associations. The board had to decide if the new association was a good thing, and to give it its blessing if it found it was a good thing. There was no need to interfere unless there was something conflicting with the interests of the board. The meeting decided to send the report to associations for comment.

HAWKE CUP CONTEST

Recommendations By ANiinmittee The retention of the'present system of controlling Hawke Cup challenges was recommended to the New Zealand Cricket Council’s Board of Control yesterday by a sub-committee established to report on the competition. For the sub-committee, Mr D. A. Colville said it had also been asked to consider the question of the second elevens of the major associations taking part. The subcommittee felt it would further complicate what was already a fairly complex problem. It could see no advantage in playing second elevens in the competition. Administrators over the years had attacked the problem from all angles, said Mr Colville, and they had always come back to the present system. It was not a perfect system, but it seemed to be the most practical way. The sub-committee’s findings, said Mr Colville, we're that the present system of grouping challengers in elimination matches be retained, the groups to be arranged to provide five challenges to be carried forward each season. The number in each group would be governed by the total number of entries received. The deciding the previous season of challenges gave the association concerned knowledge of what would happen each season. The sub-committee could see no solution to the problems of a knockout competition. Mr J. A. Ongley asked if the sub-committee had considered having the associations in five permanent groups, which would play their own elimination matches to find challengers each year. The group winners’ priority for challenges would change each season. Mr Colville said there had been objections in the past to teams regularly playing the same opponents in elimination matches. Mr K. L. Sandford asked if separate competitions, one for each island, had been considered. The South Island had recently shown more interest in the contest, said Mr Colville. The report was received. It will be sent to minor associations, with an invitation to comment.

TOUR BY SYDNEY SCHOOLBOYS

A team from Scots College, Sydney, may make a New Zealand tour next season. A letter from the college, received by the New Zealand Cricket Council’s Board of Control yesterday, sought a tour of a month, the team to leave Sydney by ship on December 13, and to play one-day and two-day matches with days set aside for sightseeing. The Central Brabin Tournament Committee advised that it felt the proposed tour did not come within its scope. It was, the committee said, more of a private tour, and it was not likely at present to become reciprocal. The committee felt secondary schools should undertake the arrangements. The board decided to ask the committee to arrange matches for the Sydney team 1 ' with representative secondary school teams in each centre, through the local associations.