1940-08-10 — Page 15

THE CHINA 'MAIL, AUGUST 10, 1940

Page 15.

FAVOURABLE REACTION TO CRICKET LEAGUE PROPOSAL Lt.-Col. Mitchell Suggests Sunday Volunteer League

GROUNDS PROBLEM A BIG DIFFICULTY

By "Adrem"

Reaction to the proposal for the reconstitution| of the Cricket League for the coming season on the| lines of a competition to cater primarily for H.K. V.D.C. inter-unit matches has been mixed, but, for the most part, the scheme has been savourably re- ceived.

CORRESPONDENCE

The Sports Editor

"China Mail"

iously slow to catch on to any idea and I shall be very surprised

Taught Aussies To Cut

if the scheme gets beyond the dis-! I heard, much at Surrey's match Sir, I read with interest the cussion stage, if it gets as far as at Reigate last month about Billy article in the "China Mail" yes-that!

Caffyn, famous old England and Whatever happens to terday with regard to the forma-

the Surrey cricketer, and his brother scheme, are we going to have Walter, tion of a Volunteer inter-unit cric-league cricket of any description|pondent,

writes a Home corres- ket league.

this year? I think most cricketers The first stranger I met there This idea is my no means a new would like to play league cricket was a butcher

who hod often even if it is only in a one and has been the subject of

modified played with Caffyn. form.

He told me that Billy was born discussion among Volunteers for

"MID-OFF." and buried at Reigate, and, with- some weeks past. All agree that]

out any suggestion on my part, he considered that the cut was League of this sort but feel that (Continued from next Column)

Caffyn's best stroke. it would be an almost impossible about the Caffyn cut he replied: player taught the Australians how It has been said that this old

undertaking to organise.

"When my brother Tom and Ito cut. Certain it is that Caftyn were laying out the wicket here went with the first team to Aus-

out there, as "at a very high

A STEADY HAND

As I envisaged when writing the article, great-they would like to play in a est problem which occurred to most of the people with whom I spoke yesterday, was that of securing the permission of clubs to use their grounds.

Lt.-Col. E. J. R. Mitchell, Vice- President of the League and Se- cond-in-Command, of the Corps, suggested an alternative scheme. "I feel that on the basis outlined by you," he said, "clubs would be unwilling to lose their indivi- duality as would be the case. There is much in the scheme, however, that commends itself to me, I feel that some competi- tion, within the Corps, to be run on Sundays, would allow the main purpose of your plan as re- gards the Volunteers, to be ful- filled; would allow clubs to retain} their individuality, and would not interfere with the other re- laxations which a man very often) likes to indulge in on either a Saturday or a Sunday, such as golf.

"It is apparent from the list you have compiled that most units could fields teams and those who couldn't would be very well provided for in સ Combined Units side.

"If a lead were "given by one or two of the bigger clubs in placing their grounds at the disposal of the Volun- teers on a certain number of Sundays, have little doubt that a Volunteer Sunday Inter- Unit League could be organised; with considerable success."

Mr. A. H. Madar, Hon. Secre- tary of the League, after dis- cussing its various aspects, said that he felt that if the grounds difficulty could be overcome and clubs co-operated, a League on the lines suggested would be "very good fun." He believed that there would be much greater keenness and, with that keenness, an improved standard, although the cricket in some of the mat- ches might not be very expert!

"There would necessarily be a great amount of spadework in- volved," he said, "but if the clubs could be induced to fall in with the League - 1 should be pleased to undertake much of the additional work in order to get things going.

Capt. Thursby, Adjutant of the H.K.V.D.C. is in full agreement. with the idea. "A darned good scheme," he said. "The various companies all have funds of some description with which to guaran- tee the expense part of it," he continued, "and it seems the ob- vious answer to local cricket-pro-| blems. With the present system] of training continuing all Winter, the cricket arrangements of most clubs would be interfered with."

Capt. J. Watson, O. C, First Battery, said: "I think it's an ex- cellent scheme which will help to maintain esprit de corps. If you can get over the difficulty of ob- taining grounds, I'm all for it.

"At present members of the various units of the Corps have Tittle opportunity of meeting other members, and a League such as the one proposed would -enable them to. got together on' the sports field--finest mixing: ground thero la-moét memberal

your correspondent has evident-in 1896 I shall never forget the tralia in 1882 before the days of

ly taken some trouble to work out first time we went to Billy's for Tests, and stayed the difficulties and then try and a shave. find the solutions and on the basis

Grace wrote, "He was then about 70, and I salary." of other units and allow them toj of his arguments yesterday, the wondered if he was still keeping] compare notes on training and scheme does appear practicable ifjup his cutting average. However, A little later

the authorities really got down to he never

on my asking generally foster a better under-business.

måde a mistake. He "Bosser" Martin, who was at the had a simply wonderful hand Priory, what he could tell standing all round."

Hong Kong, however, is notor-even at that age."

'(Continued In Preceding Column)

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