Clubs have their say over Christchurch competition

Canterbury's clubs had their say and threw out a call for a review of the process by which the Christchurch senior club cricket would be reduced from nine teams to six for the 2004-05 season. The decision was the most contentious aspect of today's Canterbury Cricket Association (CCA) annual general meeting.

Several speakers said they would be voting against the recommendation, which was put as a notice of motion to the meeting. The Sydenham club led the way by saying they were opposed to the criteria put forward for what represented a "senior" club. They didn't agree that it should be based on performance of the senior side in the current year, and a weighted contribution from the two previous years.

Sydenham felt that a total package needed to be considered, not just the playing performance of one team. They believed that the "health check" process, which is being undertaken as part of New Zealand Cricket's drive to attend to the problems of club cricket, should be one factor, and the strength of junior cricket in clubs another.

Colin Blackman, for the Burnside West University club, referred to previous reports known as the Adams and Hartland Reports, that outlined what constituted a senior club. Performance fluctuated from year to year, but all the other elements of what made a club had been overlooked in the CCA's process.

The Hartland Report had dealt with the problem of the bye in the competition, and it had been suggested the 1999-2000 tournament should be played by eight teams, but that had not been proceeded with. Had it been acted upon, Blackman believed, Christchurch club cricket would not be in the position it was now. The geography and demographics of the city were another consideration.

Clubs that were vulnerable under the proposed scheme were in important areas with strong catchment areas for players. Blackman believed a six-team competition was questionable, and he didn't believe it was sustainable. However, he did believe a city the size of Christchurch was capable of sustaining eight strong clubs and in a competitive environment.

Brian Hastings, the CCA's immediate past president, commented that he didn't believe a six-team competition would improve the first-class performances of the Canterbury side. It went much deeper than that, he said. The right coaching structure needed to be put in place and he added that he was pleased to see that was being addressed. He didn't think enough work had been done on the plan and he felt denying three teams senior status could be the demise of those clubs.

Tim Murdoch, for the Riccarton club, said they believed there should be a review of the criteria behind the decision. Club cricket was a fragile thing, not only in Christchurch, but all over New Zealand. Any reduction would not be good for the game itself and the infrastructure would take some punishment.

John Durning of Marist said his club had been disappointed over the lack of process. Sydenham club member Ivan Thomson believed the recommendation was illogical and lacked strength, and it made no sense to put at risk clubs that were doing a lot of work in primary and secondary schools.

Richard Reid, the chief executive of the CCA, said he disagreed with the comments made that the various arguments had not been considered. The board knew all the arguments - they just disagreed with part of them. There were different viewpoints for every point that was raised. He also said the club competition was not the only reason why Canterbury was performing poorly at first-class level, there were others.

He also said that from his own experience, team members of demoted clubs were not so selfish as to leave just because their team was relegated. It was a case of doing things for cricket's sake rather than the CCA's.

When put in a secret ballot the recommendation was lost.

Earlier in the meeting the CCA chairman David Shackleton announced that signs were already being seen of an improved financial performance, after last season's loss of $NZ96,937, and added that in the last two days a sponsorship agreement had been reached with the Pub Charities' Trust. This sponsorship will be used to assist under-age cricket, club cricket (especially in the provision of scoreboards and boundary flags for all clubs), umpiring costs and in prizemoney for the senior club one-day competition. The senior competition would also bear the sponsor's name.