A.C.A. Replies to Suburban Body

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 221, 7 December 1927, Page 16

A.C.A. Replies to Suburban Body

“UNWARRANTED CRITICISM” QUESTION OF PRACTICE WICKETS On Monday evening, the Management Committee of the Suburban Cricket Association took the Auckland Association to task for protesting to the City Council over the state of certain wickets provided by the council in and arqund the city. The remarks of the suburban committee’s chairman, Mr. J. F. W. Dickson, rather than the pitches, occupied the attention of the parent body’s Management Committee last evening. At last week’s meeting the professional coach, Mr. E. H. Bowley, reported very unfavourably on the condition of practice wickets at Victoria Park, and mentioned that certain wickets at the Domain were not all that could be desired. At this stage a member described No. 14 wicket at the Domain as being “like the waves of the sea.” Acting in the main upon the advice of its coach the committee decided to purchase matting for use on the coaching wickets at Victoria Park and the Domain, and to forward a letter of strong protest to the City Council. After praising the wickets at the Domain “as a cricketer,” the suburban body’s chairman on Monday evening went on to refer to “the lack of friendship and reciprocity between the Suburban Association and the A.C.A.” Mr. Dickson regretted the action of the A.C.A. in taking away two of the suburban senior teams, United Suburbs and Y.M.C.A., without consulting them in any way. The A.C.A. was all for “self,” he said. The A.C.A. had two good coaches, Bowley and Langridge, but never suggested delegating one to the Suburban Asociation, he went on. “QHAIRMAN RUNS RIOT” Commenting on Mr. Dickson’s statements, the Auckland Association’s chairman, Mr. N. E. Nalder, stated in reply, that it was a revelation to him that such feeling existed on the part of the suburban body. United Suburbs had entered the Auckland Association’s ranks of their -own free will, and their application to play in the senior grade was accepted in the ordinary course of events, he said. Regarding Mr. Dickson’s remarks about coaching, Mr. Nalder said that the Suburban Association had never applied for the use of Bowley, and further it had never offered to contribute to the expense of bringing him out from Home. He was sorry the matter had cropped up, as he could assure the Suburban Association that the Auckland Association had nothing but the kindliest feelings toward it. Mr. W. S. Smeeton: Neither the suburban body nor the caretaker was criticised, it was the City Council which is payed by us to supply good wickets. “All I can say,” said Mr. J. H. Miller, “is that Mr. Dickson’s remarks are absolute rot, or else he has been grossly misreported. The meeting must have allowed the chairman to run riot.” Mr. Nalder; I rang Mr. Dickson up this morning, and he admitted that he had never seen No. 14 wicket. Mr. N. C. Snedden: Evidently the suburban people cannot discriminate between match and coach wickets. Besides we pay for No. 14 wicket, and the Suburban Association has nothing to do with it. Mr. E. C. Beale said he had never heal'd of any. objection being taken to

Y.M.C.A. joining- up with the Auckland Association. Players were continually going from one association to the other. Mr. Snedden: The nucleus of suburban men came originally from the Auckland Association. I, personally, know ten malcontents who went over to the suburban body. To Mr. Snedden’s mind, this outburst on the part of the Suburban Association was unwarranted, especially when Mr. Stall worthy had thanked the parent body for its amicable settlement of the distribution of grounds problem early this season. NO 14 WICKET MOVES But the No. 14 wicket at the Domain to-day is not the wicket which inspired a delegate to remark last week that it was “like the waves of the sea/* Coming across the Domain last evening the same delegate searched in vain for the cause of the trouble, but it was not where it used to be. Eventually he found it—but not on the hill-tops or on the crest of the waves. Durmg the week it had changed its quarters, and is now just an ordinary sort of wicket, and quite a respectable one too, on the plains