THOSE PLUNKET SHIELD RULES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 577, 1 February 1929, Page 7

THOSE PLUNKET SHIELD RULES

ALTHOUGH the belief persists in some quarters that Auckland cannot win the Plunket Shield, it is sufficiently clear from official statements that Auckland is regarded as practically certain to win. The rules have now been clearly defined, and an analysis of the position shows that the chances of Auckland being dispossessed of its present position in the averages are about one in ten. The chairman of the Wellington Cricket Association, in addition to accepting this view of the situation, urges that there is room for revision of the rules. Possibly there is. But it may be said at the outset that it is to be hoped that the four-day limit will he retained. Bad weather caused an unusual number of draws this season, apart from the fact that the value of an outright win was but imperfectly understood until the series was practically decided; hut the Wellington-Auckland match proved conclusively that four days is ample. In any case, would employers of players be disposed to welcome applications for more extended leave? From the public point of view, none but a few perfervid enthusiasts wants to see cricket marathons such as the Australian eleven staged here last season. No great fault can be found with the present system of running the competition, which is based on the Sheffield Shield rules in Australia. It niay be argued that it would be better to allot two points for an outright win, and one point for the team leading on the first innings in an unfinished match. But anyone who cares to analyse the position in respect to the present series of matches will find that the rules give a sound and reliable index of the positions of all the teams. Now that the value of an outright win is clearly understood, it may be expected that there will he less “sitting on the splice,” apart from the desirability of making every post a winning post, in order to get the best out of the averages in the event of a tie on outright wins.