IS IT CRICKET?

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 537, 14 December 1928, Page 10

IS IT CRICKET?

!N spite of the objection of the Melbourne churches, the Victorian Cricket Association will play a Sheffield Shield match on Christmas Day; and as a result, W. M. Woodfull, the famous Test match batsman, whose father is a minister, may not be available. This draws attention to the fact that a PJunket Shield match is being played at Christchurch between Auckland and Canterbury in a week or two——also on Christmas Day. Apart altogether from the religious aspect, there is a strong body of public opinion which is definitely against the increasing inroads of sport into days of the year which are not so much m the nature of holidays as they are occasions of deeper significance. No reasonable person woulrl object very much to a friendly game of cricket on Christmas Day, but to hold big inter-State and inter-provincial matches on Christmas Day, and competitive bowling tournaments and football matches on Good rudaj, is another matter altogether. If this sort of thing persists, someone will want to stage a wrestling match or a boxing bout on Anzac Day. . . . There are plenty of opportunities during the Christmas and Easter holidays for big sporting fixtures without spoiling a decent observance of Christmas Day and Good Friday. This year, the Auckland Rugby Union gave a splendid lead to the clubs under its jurisdiction "by asking them not to play matches on Good Fridav. It is to the credit of the clubs that the request was faithfully observed. ... , . It is no argument to say that these things have been done in other years. The point is that given an inch in public opinion, many sports bodies have steadily increased the allowance to vards, and it is only when public attention is drawn to the position, that it is realised how far they have gone. There is reason in all things.