CRICKET

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 5, 1 October 1919, Page 3

CRICKET

e— — CONCERNING THE YOUNGER PLAYERS. The Management Committee of the Wellington. Cricket Association mot last evening. There were present the chairman (Air. C. G. Wilson) and Messrs. J. Fanning, W. G. Hughes, M. J. Crombie, D. M'Kenzie, R. S. Johnston, and V. B. Willis.

The position of boys' cricket in Wellington was brought under the notice of the committee by a deputation from the Boys' League, comprising Messrs. Banks and Spolsky. Mr. Banks pointed out that last year tho league had 29 teams under its control, all the players being under tho age of 18 years, and this year it expected to put between 30 and 40 teams in the field. The league was selfcontained, but it had come to the conclusion that the time had arrived when the association should lake it under its wing, in the same way that tho Itugby Timon ami Football Association looked after its juniors. The league desired affiliation in the liopa that it-would bo ablo to secure more playing areas and prepared wickets. Up to the present the wiclcets provided for the boys had been a positive disgrace. The -league was not iat this stage seeking financial assistance from' the association, as it was proposed to carry on as in tho past. If the association came to the conclusion that • it • -would like to secure a bigger hold over tho_. boys, as was done by other sports Ixxues, tno league was quite prepared to discuss the matter with a view',to its ~ adoption. Tho Wellington Football As-sociation-this year had a boys' sub-com-mittee which entirely managed (except jinancially) more than half of tho grades, playing. This was done with conspicuous success, and the leaguo thought something ofthe same nature might be adopt; ed witii regard to cricket. If the association deemed amalgamation the wiser course Mr. Banks was confident that tho league, would seriously consider tlio matter. Their one aim was to improve the status, and all-round play of the .boys which was a matter of impossibility under present conditions. 1 The chairman of the committee, in assuring tho deputation of the hearty support and co-operation of the association, sttffl that the question of affiliation would be fully considered. He agreed that in the interests of the game it would bo wise to go into the question of the disabilities under which the .league was working. To this end he moved that a committee comprising Messrs. M'Kenzie, 1 Johnston and Hughes be set up to confer with representatives of the league and bring down a report on the whole matter. ... .;. ,' The chairman's views were endorsed by various members of the committee,, and the motion was carried. Entries for the various icompetitions i Wert received as follow: Senior, 0 teams; junior, 16; third, 14.