CRICKET

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 2, 27 September 1921, Page 7

CRICKET

THE QUESTION OF SENIOR CLUBS COMPETITION TO BE LIMITED TO SIX TEAMS - .The inaugural meeting of the ' new committee of tho Cricket Association was held last night. Mr. C. G. Wilson was 'in the chair, and there were also present: Messrs. AV. G. Hughes, B. L. Salmon, H. E. Burton, P. Fulton, J. Reid, W. A. Baker, aiid R. S. Johnston (hon. secretary).

Mr. C. G. Wilson was elected chair-; man for the ensuing year. , His Excellency the Governor-General wrote accepting the office of patron to the association.

Messrs. Wilson and Hammond were reappointed the association’s delegates on the New Zealand Council. Air. D. M'Kenzie was reappointed sole selectoi- for the season, ’ after an amendment that three selectors should bo appointed had been lost through want of a seconder.

The number of teams to be allowed to enter this year’s senior competition was considered. Mr. Wilson said that it was one of the most important matters in connection with cricket, and he hoped that it would be freely discussed. . Mr. Baker moved that the number of senior clubs should bo restricted to six, and Mr. Fulton moved as an amendment that the number should be eight. Mr. Johnston suggested that a way to get over the difficulty would be to allow six clubs to remain in senior competition providing they could place and maintain in the field three teams, t and that a second senior grade be created by including the i four new entries for senior status and two other strong junior elevens. The' team with the least number of championship points in the first senior division would meet the top team in the second division at the end of the year to decide who should be moved up next season. Mr. Johnston also' proposed that the selector '(be requested to take into consideration the/ merits of players competing in the second grade when selecting representative teams. One member pointed out . that there were only thfee open clubs in Wellington and two in tho Hutt Valley. He thought that there should he more open clubs. ° Several members deplored the fact that so many “mushroom clubs” had sprung up. Tbje Opinion was Expressed that clubs with only one team in the competitions should be forced to amalgamate with a club with a larger number of feams. j Air. Reid contended that the close clubs—such as tho Ohl Boys—should receive consideration, and that the numerical strength of other clubs should not be weighed too heavily against them. Air.. Wilson said that the first thing the committee would have to decide was whether the standard of cricket would be improved by limiting the number' of senior clubs to six or by increasing it to eight. He was of opinion that, this should guide the in their voting;- . - Several members contended that by making it a hard job tor a player to get into senior grade the standard of play would be raised. , '

Air. Burton mentioned that only one club really had' eleven senior members last year. He thought preference should be given to the clubs with teams in the lower grades, as. their players would be coming on. and in a tow years would be up to senior standard. ' Air. Fulton contended that several of tjie senior clubs, from the point of view of raising the standard of the game, were not troubling about junior cricket. “Should clubs not showing good playing strength be kept in the senior grade?’’ he asked. » Afr. Wilson said he had always been opposed to eight teams being in the senior grade. There was hot a sufficient number of senior players. He thought that the experiments of the past had shown that the system of having eight clubs was not a' good one. This fact had been realised by the governing body, which had .reduced the number to six. Afr. Fulton' suggested , that tho -clubsshould disclose their'playing strength before the senior clubs were 'Allotted. Each senior club should have three junior clubs. .

Mr. Solomon said |hat-tho weakness in most controlling sports bodies was that they did not look after tho clubs, hut that year after year the clubs had to look after themselves. He thought that every new club asking for affiliation should be recommended to join an existing club. Six senior clubs would be ample, and the question was really whieh six cllihs should be admitted to 'senior rank. He contended that the top team in the second senior grade, in Mr. Johnston’s 1 , proposal, should jiniomnticplly go into the first grade,'displacing the 1 team on the bottom rqng of tho first-grade

A member .pointed out that the weakness of this scheme would bo that by a series of mishaps a good team might comp last’in the first-grade senior championship.

Mr. Fulton’s amendment that the”o should bo eight teams wns lost, and the motion that the senior competition should be limited to six clubs was carried. ■ t

Mr. Johnston then submitted his proposal ns a-motion, donsiderahle discussion followed. Tho members of the committee thought that it was a good scheme, but that it would not meet tho conditions. The majority of them b“lieved: however, that a senior elpl> should have to’place and maintain a certain number of teams in other g-ndes, a junior club a less number, and so on. Mr. Johnston’s motion was rejected. A long discussion followed ns to the number of teams a senior club would have to innin’tnln. Tn tho end it was decided to hold the whole matter over and have a special meeting.