Cricket

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 28, 3 February 1937, Page 6

Cricket

WELLINGTON’S ATTITUDE TO MANAWATU’S COMPLAINT. The explanation that the association regarded the forthcoming match at Palmerston North on February 10 and 11 not as a Town v. Country match, but as one between the Wellington Plunket Shield side and a minor association's team, was made at a meeting of the management committeo of tne Wellington Cricket Association, and the association decided not to alter its previous decision to include country players in the Wellington side. A letter was received from Mr A. M. Ongley, president of the Manawatu CrickiA Association, asking the Wellington association to reconsider its decision to include country players iu the Wellington team to play the country team at Palmerston North, as in his opinion such a match would be practically valueless. If country players were opposed to country {flayers, he said the selectors would have no means of gauging the various performances. The chairman (Mr J. H. Phiilipps) said that very early the Wellington association had decided that the match was to be of Plunket Shield standard, and if the four players were taken out as suggested, that end would be defeated. The association had gone to great trouble to arrange the match at Palmerston North, but from its point of view it was not a Town v. Country match, but a match at Palmerston North with the Wellington Plunket Shield side, to ensure as many as possible of the minor associations’ players coming under the eye of the New Zealand selector. “It must be realised that as a result of our decision 15 out of the 22 players will bo minor association players on trial for the trip to England,” Mr Phiilipps said. “As all the other games serving as trials have been played under Plunket Shield standard, it is only right and proper that this match should be so played. The New Zealand association and the New Zealand council will, 1 feel sure, welcome the opportunity of seeing as many minor association players as possible playing under Plunket Shield conditions.”