CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 179, 20 July 1908, Page 4

CRICKET.

THE TKIAXUL'LAR TRuUJLK. London, JulV li. .Mr. Denison, who represents Nottinghamshire on the Advisory Committee oi the Counties' Cricket Association, affirms as the result, of inquiries that the attitude of Notts and several other leading comities in relation to the triangular scheme was one of acquiescence with the Marylebone Club's proposals, not of approval. The counties and the Club have [been at cross purpose* throughout, the Marylebone Club promoting the triangular contests under the idea that this was the strong wish of the counties and ♦lie latter acquiescing in the belief thai they were obliging the Marvlebone Clu:>. Olle tiling, he says, is certain. There is practically a unanimous feeling that it only one team conies to England in 190!) that team should be Australian.

A Sydney correspondent writes:—A triangle is a ligure with three points: a dilcnuua has oiily two. But a dilemma is proverbially uncomfortable, and a triangle may become even more so. The intrusion of the triangle into cricketing arrangements has produced a dilemma of an exceedingly complicated character, and the Board of Control will feel very much more comfortable than they are at present when they are safely out of the mess. Some genius at Home, who has the ear of other geniuses, has conceived the brilliant idea that instead of concentrating attention on a series of test matches liet-ween an Australian elcaen and various representative English elevens, in the usual time-honored fashion, it would be a great improvement if tile contests were arranged after the fashion of Mr. Midshipman Easy's famous three-cornered duel. A Smith African eleven is to be invited to play the part of the "tertium quid." The complaisance of Australia seemed lo oe taken for granted. But Australia did not sec it. In the first place South AfIfrica is not ''class' enough at cricket to play in the same grade as Australia. Secondly, the gate money handled under the old conditions was 'none too large, i To share it with South Africa would almost certainly make it much to,, small. Therefore the Board of Control politely declined to take part in the triangular arrangement. Then came tlu* trouble?. For the reply came back that it was either triangular or nothing. Now the Board is in a dilemma. It doesn't know whether to retract its refusal or to stand by it. Xo Australian team to visit England would also mean no English team to visit Australia. Think what a loss that would be. The Board is not concerned about the players merely, but about the public. Why, if there were not cricket I here is no telling what demoralising pastime they might take to —Hying, perhaps, or even Federal politics! The Board might avoid both the dilemma and (he triangle by crying off altogether. But the present' outlook is that it will take an uncomfortable seat on the apex of the latter geometric figure.