CRICKET

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 277, 17 August 1921, Page 6

CRICKET

PROPOSAL FOR ENGLISH TEAM’S TOUR DROPPED DIFFICULTIES WITH MARYLEBONK CLUB By Telegraph —Press Association. Christchurch, August 16. The following statement was issued to-night by Mr. F. C. Raphael, chairman of the Management Committee of the New Zealand Cricket Council:— “The New Zealand Cricket Council regrets to announce that its negotiations with the Marylebone Club to send an English team to New Zealand next year have not proved successful. When the invitation was first extended to the Marylebone Club the council stated that it-VEO most important that an attractive side should be sent, as tho total cost of the tour, running into approximately £7OOO, involved a good deal of responsibility on individual guaranteeing .associations, as well as the council, and the financial success of the tour would uepend largely on file calibre of the side. When making arrangements with tho Australian Slates for an extension of the tour into the Commonwealth, several leading authorities there advised us that the success of the Australian portion of the tour was assured, provided that a good side was sent. When the names of the proposed English team were submitted to the council a few weeks ago, members were unanimously of opinion that it was not sufficiently strong or attractive to ensure financial success, and would certainly be no match for tho Australian States A second cable was then sent expressing the council’s opinion and asking if it was still not possible to melude a number of leading players whose reputations extended beyond England, and we asked for the inclusion of lennvson Spooner, Gillingham, Bettington, or some players who have represented En'dand We also offered to pay an additional £260 each io two leading professionals to be included.. Numbers oi other names could, of course, have been mentioned which would have been satisfactory from the council s point of view,, but these plavcrs were just mentioned as giving a lead as to the typo o player whom we expected would ?n c luded in the side. We had to be a little rareiul in not showing a disposition to dictate to the Marylebone Club, but at the same time we had to make it quite deal that while we would have liked to receive as -nests the players in the team, vet wo were unable to overlook the 'business side of the programme. “It will be clear to everybody that with the enormous increase in the cost of ravelling and hotel accommodation, HieXncing of the tour has involved a «ood deal of responsibility. Steamer faros alone represented £270 per man. Unfortunately the Marylebone Club have been quite unable to appreciate this business side of the tour, tor in their last cable they repeated that the team was thoroughly representative. h oped that wo should he able to accept it. No reference has been made to the names oi the. ulavcrs whose' inclusion wo souglir. and nt'a sneciiil. meeting of the council | it was felt by all members that we> wero left no alternative but to end the' ne-otialions and withdraw the invitation for the coming season. _ “Tho council feels disappointed that its efforts have been frustrated in this manner at the last, moment, but felt eomnelled to choose the safer course. Loi-d Ttowko’s splendid team in 1903 was a magnificent .attraction throughout the country. It was chosen with excellent judgment, both as regards the tiveness of the side for New Zealand and fl>e future' benefits that such a. tour would confer on - English cricket itself. No one could suggest that this present team as cabled out is anything like the same type of eleven that visited New Zealand in 1903. . "When wo found that we were making no headway in tho negotiations for improvement of the side, we solicited the assistance of Mr. P. 1 - Warner, andl asked in view of his local knowledge ot both Australian and New Zealand conditions, if he would interview the Marylebone Club on behalf of the New Zealand Cricket Council and endeavour to ensure the calibre of the side being up to our requirements. No reply has been received from Mr. Warner. _ “With reference to the professionals, the Marylebone Club at first refused to entertain the idea, although Lord Hawke in his team of 1903 included Hargreaves and Thompson. In the !ast cab! e received from the Marylebone Club they offered to include two professionals as per our original request, but in addition to the thirteen already selected, malting a total of fifteen players, which, of course, is altogether beyond the leqnirements of the proposed tour,, and would add enormously to the cost.