CRICKET

Hokitika Guardian, 8 November 1932, Page 3

CRICKET

ENTICEMENT OF N.Z. PLAYERS.

OPPOSITE VIEWROINT. »

WELLI.NGTGNv Movcmber 5

The cricket • controversy in connection with the attitude of the New Zealand Cricket Count il in regard t* the position ©f.Merrit -arid other ;representative playei-H who have accepted engagements An E*. gland , during the off cricket, season in New Zealand, continues to w.rig interestingly and. in East Coast .papers much space is being devoted to Vt by. various contributors.. A Wellington writer in' the course of. ,n interesting article sots out one view- ; point, .-stating t'hat 'Mr D. Reese, expresident of the NeW Zealand Cricket • Association’, ; who .dupthined C anterbury and New. Zealand ‘for seven years, is greatly perturbed'fft the nurobei cl young New; Zd|fafiti players who-- are being given -Cricketing 'erigfagelttents by- L'ancashireTieague clubs. ' ... New' Zealanders’ are not the only cricketers ■ who -are bding tempted to ,Lancashire i bfp liicrativfe Engagements.' Fair'ffixf of-Thb last Australian team which tddrbd' 5 -England, is new playing for one-' hf the league clubs, and Arthur Richardson for another. The • lea'gife ifoiild • have had Don Bradman,, fcbb/ had' mot' patriotic . Australians made it worth his while financially-. to remain" 'Conifnonwfcfiftbr'For. years '; /.^professional' 'oVqhes haye. been' bfougKt- te tyhearid now itfls 'Only natural *tiiat. S'ew" Zealanders; shbriid seek; To (japiVaT,se',.tKcir ''ability : as'. cricketers. '.3'ellirj.gtori Svould have lost Demp- j had;,;ript, v the * Whllirigtoir' Ci’icket Association ifhurid 1, him' a‘'•position as coach. "]f‘ "Mil'Reese wishes to retain young New Zealand .players in this pountry, the" only thing lie can do is t 0 follow .Wellington's example, ' and make it worth their while to remain here.. . . Already C. C. Dacre, ty . E. ■ Merritt, and R. C. Blunt have accented .engagements in England, and 1.. B. Jromb is likely to lie the next. TheLancashire people .. are . . enthusiastic over, cricket and have such huge .gates that the. t cJ^bs;[Q£in '.afford' td' generous terms.. stay .playefs. Con-. ' itantine, Griffiths|Urid'; Franiis, . the West Irid^. ? ,^^gajaAp\^ t ,?g?iil or iy assisted LancashireTeague clubs for some sfeasprifi* §4 to understand ivhy oufdctiori ■ should be ‘taken to. Dominion jalavers doing wlrat' many English players liave done for years, past— ci'icltet. <al) the year round, alternately...ip England and New Zealand. E. H. Bowley (Sussex); J. Newriifin (Hafppahire)/ L.v.G.,- Eastman (Essex), A. TT.Wensiey (Sussex), and J„ -Lahgridgfe (Sussex).. are ,a yfew of the English players . who playectyrcgularly . for their:, counties, during the •English Summer,-, and,-.;n New mAlanvl; during the English, wintcy Smel.v there should be. no obje.itmn to. New Zealand phtyprs ..following, tlw. . same practice • If . Mr’Reese’s, idea is to , retain all New Zealand players,, as . amateurs Inis foredoomed ; to .failrire,... as to-day many young Then are out of wOrk, and one cannot., blame them, jf they accept lucrative positions as cricketers. ,W. ,E, Merritt, the; best slow spin bowler the Dominion has ever, produced, who has just returned from, a season with a Lancashire League club, summed up the , position in reply to . .Mr R«tse. Merritt said that he was sorry to see players from . here., going away, hut it was u im:'c.ssitr;;-.in • most bsscs. There was nothing in New Zealand, to hold players, and unlessthere , wop, something done hg could ,foresee that pla,y-j .crs, would; continue, being asked to .go' and would continue going. These times were not,..like ordinary times. It was to be, regretted that .one bad to go to England to earn a salary.