AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 322, 5 April 1928, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS

TOO MUCH TRAVELLING”

MINOR ASSOCIATION MATCHES Pre&a JLzzociatiu*. CHRISTCHURCH, To-day. In an interview in Uunedin, the I • .. r_ager of tie Australian crick; i m, Mr. W, C. Bull, made some raider outspoken remarks aoout the . u rrangemeiiis for the lour. Mr. Bull t • cr.-.dexed it wa» badly planned. lie inought that future tours should be J.mited to sis weeks, and that nine tches should be played—three test m-; tches, a match against each of the mem provinces, and perhaps matchcagainst combined North Island and sSouth Island teams. Matches against minor associations did not give the ! players experience, and were not conducive to good team workinterviewed at the Hermitage in J regard, to remarks made by Mr. W. C. Bull as to the arrangements : jt the team’s tour of New Zealand, Mr. U. Reese, chairman of the management j committee of the New Zealand Cricket Council, said he felt compelled to state j the case from the council’s point of vj* w. It was admitted that this team had had a Ijttle more travelling than is i sual with teams visiting the I>o minion. There were, however, special reasons v. } ich caused the travelling. At a conference held in Christchurch ; at Christmas it was unanimously ; agreed that a test match should be ; g ven to Ehmedin this season, and one to Auckland next season, but when it was found that the English team was . cot 'orning to New Zealand next seav.T- the management committee decided to carry out the spirit of the decision of the confernce, and give Auckland its te.-t match this season, as well as Bunedin. THE MINOR ASSOCIATIONS Regarding minor association matches, it should be remembered that places uch as Gisborne, New Plymouth, and Nelson had had only one match each .n the last five tours. The committee decided that they must have a match rhis year also, and arrangements for The tour had to be made to include all these matches. While admitting the extra travelling involved for the touring team, the management committee is unanimous management committee felt that a fivedays’ holiday at Mount Cook, at a cost of approximately i- 200, was sufficient com pensation. “As for the suggestion that the minor ; 'elation matches should be eliminited in future tour??,” added Mr. Rees, The management committee is unanimous that it cannot allow these associtions to be sacrificed for more cricket : n the main centres. It must be remem»ered minor associations provide one—third of the money necessary for financing tours through New Zealand, rd are the only associations which vill take mid-week matches, so that it can be seen that they carry their all weight of financial responsibility for such a tour.” COLLEGE ATHLETICS Victoria University College is very hopeful of retaining the shield warded for most points at the interVarsity athletic tournament, which takes place in "Wellington this year at Easter. With such runners as C. H. Jenkins, F. S. Ramson, R. W. Lander, : R. Leitch, A_ D. Priestley, C. B. Al- | , •r ana with G. J. Sceats in field events i Victoria College expects to keep the trophv. The Auckland representa•ivos leave for Wellington by the Lim- > ited express this evening. Perhaps | they will have something to say about i that.