LANGRIDGE IN DEMAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 483, 12 October 1928, Page 6

LANGRIDGE IN DEMAND

FIVE CLUBS WANT HIM CRICKET ASSOCIATION’S PROBLEM One of the questions to he settled at next week’s meeting of the Management Committee of the Auckland

Cricket Association, and one which is expected to occasion some little discussion, is the decision as to which club the Sussex professional player - coach. J. Langridge. is to be allocated this season. Last season Langridge played for Jonsonby, and although out of form early in the season

owing to ill-health, his presence in the side was an important factor in Ponsonby’s success during the season. This year Ponsonby has not made an application for the Sussex man’s services, but no fewer than five other clubs have! The claimants are Korih Shore, Parnell, Grafton. University and United Suburbs. Thus the only clubs who have not a finger in the pie are the championship holders, Eden and lonsonby, and Y.M.C.A.. who have the services of Bowley. NOT A QUESTION OF £ s. d. At a recent meeting of the Management Committee, Mr. G. Jackson suggested that an easy way out of the problem would be to allocate Langridge > to the club which could pay the A.C.A. the most for his services. He was sharply reminded by Mr. Beale, however, that finance did not enter into the matter. The question was: Where would Langridge be of most service in raising the standard of cricket? The chief purpose of a coach, however, should be his value in bringing on the young players of a club. If he is to be regarded merely as a professional player, to strengthen a weak senior club, then the chief value of his services will be lost. Viewed from this angle, Parnell and Varsity have strong claims to Langridge’s services, and so has Shore’ but Devonpert is pretty well treated as it is in this respect. It may be that Grafton, as an oldestablished club which has fallen on lean years, will get Langridge, but if this bo so, the A.CA may have to inquire very carefully into the amount of junior talent Grafton has in prospect: as matters stand, it looks as if Suburbs has nearly as good a claim as Grafton, if viewed from this angle.