NEW SOUTH WALES TOUR

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 15, 18 January 1924, Page 11

NEW SOUTH WALES TOUR

THE ITINERARY CRITICISED,

(HI TELECRAPH—I'ItESS ASSOCIATION j' INVERCARGILL, 17tli Jan. The Southland Cricket Association has forwarded the following reply to Mr. Barrett's official explanation as to the reasons which influenced the Cricket Council in refusing Southland a match against- the.' New South.Wales team— "As a main argument Mr. Barrett puts forward the remoteness of Ihvercargill, and therefore we are1 asked to accept exclusion in a truly sporting spirit. We are _ afraid that, if this argument is admitted the affiliation of Southland with the Cricket Council will cease to have any beneficial results so far as cricket is concerned in this territory. This argument formerly was used in'Tespect to the" Hawko Cup competition, when Southland was holder of this cup. The location of Invercargill cannot alter in time to come, when the arguments of to-day, if admitted, will. be equally cogent. We submit that the argument of distance to be travelled is somewhat laboured. The extra distance from' Dunedin to Invercargill and back is roughly 278 miles, but by the itinerary -we propose this extra distance will not be travelled, for as a compensation' we reduce the present travelling by 100 miles, and this leaves some 178 miles extra. The actual mileage of the South Island itinerary is as follows : By the Invercargill suggested itinerary, 844 miles; by the New Zealand Cricket Council's itinerary, 600 miles, and the itinerary is spread over a term of three weeks. Can our itinerary of 844 miles^ to be travelled in three weeks be considered excessive to the Australians, who are accustomed to travel between Sydney and Adelaide for a couple of matches, 2000 miles, more or less, within a fortnight? Mr. Barrett's contention with regard to finance is equally unfortunate. The match against Canterbury in the itinerary of the M.C.C. team last ■ year opened on a Saturday, and the takings, according to official figures, were £764, which were. tlie^ highest' of any of the major associations. The first Test, which ..also commenced on a Saturday, also headed the list for receipts (£973). The takings of tire third Test, which started on a Friday, were £688. So much for the necessity""^ starting matches on a Friday. We' think the above-'-will be a sufficient answer to the official explanation, and can only conclude by expressing the opinion that where a palpable though inadvertent error has been committed, the true sporting spirit is best evinced by an admission and correction of this error. We might conclude by stating that both Wellington and Otago support us in our contention, and Otago have expressed their willingness to open their match on a Saturday* 'We take this. opportunity of expressing our appreciation of the spotting spirit shown 5y these associV tions." . i