New Zealand: Old Boys club to discuss future (30 September 1998)

30 September 1998

New Zealand: Old Boys club to discuss future

The Christchurch Press

Canterbury Cricket and High School Old Boys will meet next week to discuss the club's future after a proposal was put forward which threatens its existence.

Old Boys president Cran Bull said he wants to discuss the situation with Canterbury Cricket officials after a club advisory group suggested that HSOB's position as a first grade side was in jeopardy.

"A potential problem has been indicated and we want to discuss the whole situation. Hopefully things will become clearer after that meeting," Bull said.

Canterbury Cricket is seeking to reduce the number of first grade teams to eight, as recommended in the Adams report last year. That called for a reduction to eight teams by next season.

"I think everyone is generally agreed about what the Adams report is working toward, it's just the getting to there," Bull said.

If there is not a merger between two clubs during the next year it was mooted by the club advisory group that one of three clubs based at Hagley Oval was most at risk. The club group had decided that the six clubs in the outlying suburbs should retain their status as they serve local areas.

After a set of criteria was evaluated, including finance, facilities, club, and administrative strength, it decided that Old Boys was more vulnerable than St Albans or Riccarton. It was hoped to ease the pressure on the heavily-used Hagley Oval.

If Old Boys was stripped of its first grade status it could then struggle to continue at all.

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