DULL CRICKET

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 64, 8 December 1937, Page 7

DULL CRICKET

English Commission Blames "Negativem Bowling (Received 8,. 8.45 a.m.) LOiNDON, Dec. 7. ' Important recommendations dealing with various problems of Cdunty cricket have beue made by Marylebone's Commission, consisting of Fmd- ' lay, Palairet and Mallet, assisted by H. D. Bessemer, financial expert. The report states that inter-county cricket between 1934 and 1936 lost i£6,873 yearly. Receipts from county cricket in 1935 declined £2600 compared with 1934, while in 1936 .they showed a further dectease of £1600. The recommendations iuclude the reduction of first-class counties from 17 to 15, which will allow extra representative matches permitting the bost players to play together in preparation for tests, thus raising the standard oi English cricket. The report also recomnicnds different championship scoring to produce more finished games. The eommission cont6nds that much d'ull play is due to the bowlers lsither than the batsmen. It condemns fast bowlers bowling persistently short with only two fielders in front of the wicket and believes it would be beneficial ii captains agreed to discourage negative bowling. If there is no improvement it may be necessary to resort ,to a line or lines across* the wicket' beyond which bowlers are required, under a penalty, to pitch the ball. The commission suggests that county authorities instruci their groundsmen to provide wicket conditions more equal for batsmen and bowlers without being dangerous.