CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 159, 14 October 1910, Page 8

CRICKET.

north taranaki association. A meeting of delegates to the North Taranaki Cricket Association was held last night. Those present were: Messrs E. Whittle (Waitara), W. P. Nicol, M. G. Williams (New Plymouth Club), W. H. Perham, J. 'Skelly (Carringlon Road), L. Hill (Law), F. Koch (Fire Brigade), W. Gwilliam (Athletic), R. L. Mclsaac (United Service). Mr. Whittle was voted to the chair. THE COUNCIL.

ilr. Geo, T. Weston was appointed delegate to the New Zealand Cricket Council, in succession to Mr. A. Hardy, resigned. It was decided to forward copies of Mr Hardy's letter to the various smaller associations in the North Island, and to ask for expressions of opinion or suggestions concerning his statement that smaller associations receive no considera- i tion at the hands of the Council, whose ] concern was all for the huge centres. Various delegates suggested the advisability of '"cutting thi; painter'' from ths New Zealand Cricket Council, and forming an amalgamation of the smaller associations. RULES TO BE ALTERED. Mr. Hill moved that a Saturday championship committee be set up to govern Saturday cricket. He was of opinion that .Saturday disputes should be settled toy 'Saturday delegates, and Thursday disputes by Thursday delegates, with the right of appeal in either case to the management committee of the Association. —Mr. .Melsaae seconded.—The matter will come up again, for the motion could not ibe given effect to without notice and alteration of rules. The Law Chili will further move that Saturday teams have representation on the management committee equal to that of the Thursday Clubs. I The Carrington Road Club presented a motion that Saturday clubs be charged the same affiliation fee as the Thursday clubs.—This, too, was held over for notice of motion. THE SPORTS GROUND. Mr. M. G. Williams reported having arranged with the Recreation Sports Ground Committee for the use of the ground for the season upon payment of £"2O, iMr. Williams further suggested that instead of clubs finding this money from their funds, the members of home teams using the ground should pay sixpence a head per match. This would provide £l'3 Bs. Five clubs using practice wickets would pay £1 each, providing £5. The difference between the £lB 8s and £3O could easily be made up by the "gates" at scratch matches. For this £2O, he explained, the Sports Ground Committee would cut and roll the ground once a week, leaving the clubs to prepare and roll their own wickets. Members thought it would be better for the elubs to foe responsible for Ss 6d per match to the Association and leave the cluibs to arrange themselves for collecting "the necessary." The meeting .then went into figures, but eventually agreed that no finality in this matter could be reached until the fixtures were drawn, and upon the motion of the chairman a general resolution was tabled that the Association hold these clubs responsible for payment of the £2O guaranteed by the Association. This was seconded by Mr. Southall, and subsequently amended to fix £ 1 per season as a charge for practice wickets, and that clubs using the ground as home grounds devise some means of raising the balance. ° ITRE BRIGADE CLUB. Mr. Roch asked if the Association were prepared to accept the Fire Brigade team again as a junior team this year, and stated that the club would not be able to play in the senior competition, as they had lost several of their best men. 'Mr. Perham said he was in favor of the application being granted, provided that only actual members of the Brigade played in the team. It was decided to admit the team as a junior team. SAVING OF TIME.

Mr. iM. G. Williams moved, "That in order to save time during the progress of championship matches for the season 1910-11, the following recommendations be adopted: (l l ) The over shall consist of eight balls instead of six; (2) the interval between innings be five minutes instead of 10; (3) that captains of teams be notified that it be recommended that the incoming batsman is expected to cross the outgoing batsman on the field of play, after the fall of each wicket." Speaking to the motion, Mr. Williams! said an average over took three minutes to bowl. One minute of this was taken up in changing overs. By adding two balls to the over one minute in each over would be saved, and as twenty overs were bosvled per hour the saving would 'be over 6% minutes an hour, or in half-a-day's match 26 minutes. Then, assuming that a minute was saved between the fall of wickets by the batsmen crossing each other anotler twenty minutes would be saved in each single innings match. Five minutes would be saved ty shortening the interval. The result of adapting these rules to the local requirements would therefore be a saving of 51, mmutes in a half-day, ample time in many cases for bringing a match to a conclusion on the first innings, when otherwise play would have to be extended to a second day, confusing the fixture list. The motion was unanimously adopted. MATTING. On the motion of Messrs Perham and VVhittle, it was decided to purchase matting and hire it out to local clubs lor matches and practice, with a vipw of assisting the clubs' finances. It was estimated the matting would cost CO ljj and the revenue in the first year rs agreed upon by the local clubs, would fcu £4. THE FIXTURES. It wag decided to commence the Thursday fixtures on October 27, and to advertise that entries close on the 20th inst The junior delegates will constitute the junior committee.

XOTES. It is considered unlikely that the in glewood Club will take part in ilnThursday cup fixtures tliis season. The club will take part in the Saturday competition only. CAPTAINCY OF AUSTEALIANS. By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright. Sydney, October 13. If Noble persists in his decision to retire from first-class cricket, Clem Hill will probably captain the Australians against the South Africans.