Doig douses Otago's fires (20 Sep 1996)

New Zealand Cricket's 102nd annual meeting in Christchurch today is likely to be a quiet affair, any potential fires having been doused in Dunedin recently

20-Sep-1996

From The Press September 20, 1996

Doig douses Otago's fires, annual meeting likely to be quiet affair

New Zealand Cricket's 102nd annual meeting in Christchurch today is likely to be a quiet affair, any potential fires having been doused in Dunedin recently.

Otago Cricket Association chairman Bob Macdonald, who castigated NZC for its attitude in Otago's annual report, has since met with chief executive Christopher Doig and board chairman Sir John Anderson.

"We went down there and I think we have allayed their fears," Doig said yesterday. He said one of Otago's concerns centred upon the rumour of the six-team first-class competition being cut to four. "We assured Otago there was no intention of that happening. It was one extreme of many positions put forward, but will not be happening."

Otago's other concern centred upon being overlooked for a match on the England tour, but again their frustration has been eased by being allocated a one-day international on March 27, against Sri Lanka.

In the report, Macdonald claimed an arrogance was developing in NZC's administration in the way decisions are made without consultation and in the way they are conveyed.

"These decisions are creating serious far reaching problems for the administration of cricket at regional and district level." Macdonald felt the new administration was blowing a chill wind through the grass roots of the game.

"It seems NZC is more concerned with the development and success of the national team than with the fostering of cricket at club level, especially in rural areas.

"NZC appears to believe national and provincial cricket should only be played where there is a large population base, thereby providing a large financial base."

The Otago Association was the only one of the six majors to record a profit on the last season, about $36,275. This included a grant of $30,000 from NZC, and profit from the bumper Shell Cup play-offs won by Canterbury, but shared among the major associations.

Canterbury Cricket Association executive director Tony Murdoch believed the level of activity in the two areas was different with the game in Canterbury now a million-dollar business.

Source :: The Canterbury Press (https://www.press.co.nz/)