CRICKET

Hokitika Guardian, 13 November 1931, Page 2

CRICKET

HAWKE CUP MATCHES. COUNCIL REVIEWS POSITION. CHRISTCHURCH, November 11. Discussion on the question of amending the rules governing the Hawke Cup Competition occupied the attention of 'the New Zealand Cricket Council, at the annual meeting of delegates yesterday. Mr Caygill, acting chairman of the management committee, introduced for discussion the matter of the Hawke Cup competition for minor associations. At present, he said,,.the minor associations were grouped in pairs, and the winners of those games had a right to challenge the holders. There was a suggestion that another eliminating round should be played, so that there Would not be -an unwieldy number of matches arising from the challenges.Theie were nineteen associations eligible, so that nine had the right to challenge the holders. Mr Brace said that too many teams had the right to challenge. There were nine of them, and the holders only had to play five matches, if they * desired, so that the onus of deciding which four should be turned down was on the management committee of the council. That was too big a thing to ask the com--mittee to do. Another round would reduce the challenges to four or five, a* more wieldy number. Only strong teams would then have the right to challenge. Mr- Brace moved that the suggestions from the Manawatu Association, that the present grouping system be extended should form the basis of the competition. Mf Johnson moved as an amendment that the fight to challenge should be limited to four teams out of the qualifying nine, two from the North Island and two from the -South Island. The first four challenges could be balloted for. After that the unsuccessful ones in the ballot could challenge, and from then on ehu.ilenges could be taken in rotation.

The chairman mentioned that many of the South (Island teams (seldom challenged; and so the number of teams actually was fewer than nineteen.

The amendent was defeated. Mr M'Leod moved a further amendment, that home and away matches be played on the points system and the challengers be chosen by the Management Committee. ' The'■amendment was defeated. Mr Brace’s motion was then put to the meeting and defeated, the existing rule holding good.

IMPROVED BOWLING

LENGTHY VERY ESSENTIAL,

An urgent appeal for the improvement of the standard of bowling iin cricket in N«elirhcf*Tas^rrde^ y nTr TT Reese, president, at last night’s session of the biennial conference of delegates to the New Zealand Council,

“The necessity is urgent/’ Mr Reese said, “and more weight should be put behind our efforts to improve. Length is the essence of attack. Spofforth would do the same to-day, were he here and in his prime, as he did years ago, though his wicket 3 might have cost him ’a few more runs, on account of better batsmanship and better pitches. When Lowry comes back and says that the New Zealand bowlers in England could not keep a length, then we have to wake up and rectify the position.” Mr Reese mentioned instances of pre-sent-day bowlers who -by hard practice and keenness had lifted themselvese into the top flight. Constant hard work had been the making of Grimmett, Ironmonger, Blackie and Richard Tyldesley.

Mr Heathcote Williams said that every association should appoint an expert specially to find younger bowling talent and encourage it. Fielding, also, was worthy of special attention. Mr M. Barnatt said the loss of length was due to some extent to the introduction of the “googiiss.” ‘Medium-pace spin bowling was being badly neglected. It .was pointed out by Mr W., H. Simpson’ that the Canterbury Association had already drawn up a scheme, and ideas were under consideration. 11 they proved %ood they might be of help to other associations. §