KING WILLOW WAKES

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 160, 27 September 1927, Page 11

KING WILLOW WAKES

CRICKET PROSPECTS BRIGHT ANNUAL MEETING OF A.C.A. TO-NIGHT LIKE the arrival of the shining cuckoo, and the blooming of the kowhai, the recent yearly gatherings of the numerous cricket clubs, and the annual meeting of the Auckland Cricket Association at the Chamber of Commerce to-night, are signs that, however incredible it may appear, that spring is here, or hereabouts. The time has nearly come when King Willow wakes, and football fans with the hockey hitters stow away thefr winter garments and muddy boots, while the cricketer imlls his flannels out to air and pipe-clays his boots for the coming of spring; tries the spring of the old bat, and decides that with a good oiling, and the wounds bound together with plenty of adhesive plaster, it may see out another summer. There are great prospects of a real revival of cricket in New Zealand this summer, and there are three good causes for the spirit of optimism which has been characteristic of the annual club meetings. The tour of the New Zealand team at Home has revived that general public interest in the game t which has been dormant since pre-war days, and the reappearance of the touring; heroes on their home fields is eagerly awaited. But what the controlling authorities have to watch is that the interest aroused is not allowed to fall away £gain, but catered for to the full. DAYLIGHT SAVING BOON The coming into force of daylight saving is another wonderful win for the game; not only so much in the extra hour of light it will provide for the weekly competition matches, as the extra hour of sunlight it makes available for evening practice for those whose hours of work made a knock at the nets impossible before. The value of the added time for coaching and practice lies far more in the other five nights a week than in the one hour e: -rain Saturday’s games. The third element which is sure to help the game immensely is the arrival of half-a-dozen or so good coaches, who will impart the necessary education in the finer points of the game. But with an extra hour every night available for practice and coaching, the work of these “professors” will be largely discounted unless they have good practice wickets on which they cam carry out their coaching. At the meeting of the Auckland C.A. to-night it is open for any member of any club to suggest anything for the good of the game, and it is to be I hoped that this field will be fully exploited. It cannot be denied that cricket in Auckland has been on the down grade for many years past, and it has not been so much a case of King Willow enjoying his usual winter sleep as continuing his sleeping sickness and being in a state of coma through the summer. BRIGHTER CRICKET WANTED The two Saturday matches are long drawn out and tedious affairs as a rule, with the average scoring being about 200 runs for four hours’ play, and a lack of keenness all round which has driven spectators away from the bank through sheer boredom. Our team at Home showed them brighter cricket; why cannot the local club players do iso here? Why not, with the extra hour of light provided by Mr. Sidey’s unwearying efforts, introduce oneday matches? Start at 1.30 and finish at 7.30, with no waste of time for afternoon tea. If the game is not decided on the first innings, at the end of the first day’s play, then finish at least one innings each during the week by two hours play in the evening. This is done now in the far South to complete games, and the one-day Saturday matches in the North of England are far more attractive (and lucrative) than the longwinded county games of three days. A spreading-out of the senior games would also prove a draw to the public. Time was when there was a perfect Bulli wicket on No. 1 ground in front cf the stand at the Domain, and the senior pitch at Victoria. Park was far superior to anything that has ever been shown a,t Eden Park. Where are those wickets now? MAHOMET AMD THE MOUNTAIN The cricket authorities must realise the inevitability of things, and if the public will not journey to Eden Park to watch cricket, then the game must be brought closer to the public. Even Mahomet realised this when the mountain failed to approach him In the old days when cricket could draw a gate many an office boy buried his grandmother, or a business man kept a.n important afternoon engagement at the Domain or Victoria Park, but Eden Park is far away, and even visits from teams like McLaren‘s English eleven, the New South Wales team, and the Victorians have failed to draw anything like a proper appreciative audience. Witli Canterbury and Otago due to come North this season for the Plunket Shield games, and an All Australia team promised, the season should be a most attractive one if run on proper lines, and the public are encouraged to. attend. One matter in connection with these games which will probably arise is the method, of selecting the Auckland team, which lias not been an unqualified success in the past, and it is possible the delegates to-night may consider the question of a sole selector, who is a non-player, with no club connection. That should give more satisfactory results, as it has in Rugby and Soccer, than a mixed selection committee of players and non-players, when the players must"often have some doubt whether to select themselves or someone else. “WILLOW.”