NEW SEASON IN CRICKET

Southland Times, Issue 24236, 20 September 1940, Page 9

NEW SEASON IN CRICKET

Opening Games On October 19 ONE DAY MATCHES ARE PROBABLE ANNUAL MEETING OF ■ DELEGATES • An early start with the inter-club cricket competitions in Invercargill will be made this year. At the annual meeting of the Southland Cricket Association last night it was decided to begin the competitions in the various grades on October 19. It is also probable that, one-day matches will be played this season. Delegates discussed the matter and a recommendation to the management committee that one-day games be played was adopted. . * ■ Another subject of importance discussed was the suggestion that an age limit of 17 years should be made for the third grade competition. That will be discussed after delegates have had the opportunity of referring it to their clubs. Mr Roland Taylor, the retiring president, presided over a good attendance of town and country delegates. MUST CARRY ON “Some persons seem to. thing that sport should be cut out during the war, but I don’t agree with them,” declared the chairman when discussing the prospects of the new season. “Some recreation in the way of games should be available to all of the youth of the city and country and to those who are not eligible for military service, and it is our duty to do the best we can to carry on the game while the boys are away fighting. It is particularly our duty to encourage boys to take up the game of cricket.” From a weather and a playing point of view last season was a disastrous one for cricket in Southland, said the chairman when moving the adoption of the annual report and balance-sheet. The players surmounted those handicaps, however, and the competitions had. been carried out without a hitch. In spite of die weather much good cricket had been played and' several centuries had been scored.

Referring to the game in the country districts, the chairman said that it had flourished as never before and the signs were that it had a good future. He thanked all those who had supported the game and hoped that the new season would be a successful one.

SOUND FINANCES Mr T. V. Mahoney complimented- the management committee and the treasurer (Mr R. Swinney) upon the excellent state of the finances of the association at the end of a season in which cricket had a hard struggle to keep on its feet. He hoped at the end of the next season that the association would be able to show another credit balance as good. ELECTION OF OFFICERS The following officers were elected: Patron, Mr R. T. Meredith; president, Mr J. S. Brass; vice-presidents, Messrs G. Agnew and W. T. Baker; honorary secretary, Mr A. J. Hamilton; honorary treasurer, Mr R. Swinney; honorary auditor, Mr J. Mehaffey; delegate to the New Zealand Cricket Council, Mr K. B. Bain; management committee, Messrs E. J. Luzmoor, H. Alabaster, T. V. Mahoney, J. C. Scandrett and T. McKenzie. SEASON’S PROSPECTS A forecast of the probable entries in the various competitions was made by delegates and it was learned that there would probably be six senior teams, six teams in the junior A grade, four in the junior B and six in the third grade. The probable entries were considered very satisfactory. Mr A. Begg suggested that an age limit of 17 be placed on the third grade competition. He pointed out that boys leaving school went straight into the third grade where they met men who had been playing club cricket for many years. He moved that it be a recommendation to the management committee that the age limit be adopted. Mr J. C. Braithwaite supported the motion and seconded it, and tne meeting agreed that it should be considered by the committee after the clubs get a chance to discuss it.

Support for one-day matches was more or less general, a motion by Mr G. Agnew being well supported. Mr Agnew said that two-day fixtures would be regularly broken into by territorial parades and players going into camps. He thought that brighter cricket would result from one-day games. Messrs H. Alabaster, J. C. Scandrett and J. A. Doig spoke in support of the recommendation, some of the speakers suggesting an extension of the time allowed for play on Saturdays. It was decided to recommend to the New Zealand Cricket Council that the Hawke Cup competition be suspended for the duration of the war.