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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume. 34, Number 5. 1971
Relegation:
Relegation:
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Riley
The University Senior Cricket team now faces automatic demotion to the second grade after its poor showing in Saturday's crucial match against Onslow.
On the first day of the game, (Saturday 13th), University had made 132 for 5 (decl.) and Onslow 122 for 3 (dec.). Prior to this On slow were one Championship (bonus) point behind University who were then in a position third from the bottom team, Tawa.
When Kit Bond (acting captain for that day, Wilf Haskell having collapsed with the flu) declared for 132 runs this meant Onslow got one bowling bonus point, and that University failed to win a bonus batting point. (Won if a side makes 150 runs in 45 overs.)
Therefore when light stopped play Onslow had won an extra point, so, they were then equal on the Championship table with University.
For the second day's play (Saturday 20th March) "Bags" Murray also fell ill and he too was unavailable; consequently University played with only ten men.
After a good start, in which Jim Riley (a Wellington and Canterbury Plunket Shield batsman) scored 41 and Richard Priest made 33, University collapsed with a total of 128. Onslow then needed only 137 for victory in even time. Their batting performance was such that the result was never in doubt, and Onslow won outright with 40 minutes to spare, losing only two wickets.
Going into the final day's play bottom of the competition, Tawa beat a weakened Wellington and College Old Boys side outright to move ahead of Varsity. Consequently University finished last in the competition and they are expecting relegation. (Ironically, previous to this match, Tawa had been beaten outright by both Onslow and V.U.W.)
| (i) | In the vital game against Onslow the unavailability of key players such as Haskell (who in the previous game had captured 14 wickets and made 50 runs), Murray, and opening bowler Rob Carnachan, must have played a large part in University's defeat. |
| (ii) | Throughout the season other players went away infrequently to play in more important fixtures. Jim Riley for example, was playing Plunket Shield cricket, and was Captain of a N.Z. under 23 team. "Bags" Murray was also playing Plunket Shield cricket, and was a member of the N.Z. test team. Rick Priest's absense over vac. was yet another weakening factor, and it can be seen that though the bowling was always reasonable, the batting was, at times, unavoidably suspect. No other batsmen apart from Haskell, Murray and Riley averaged more than 12 or 15 this year. |
| (iii) | This situation, coupled with the departures of a number of players out of the district and overseas, could not be remedied because of the lack of depth within the club. Though the club supported five teams in this year's competition, there simply was not a core of talented younger players developing who could step in to those positions left open occasionally in the top team. |
This is a major handicap to the progress of the club and because of its lack of depth the future looks far from bright.
University have been an active part of the Wellington cricket scene for many years only four years ago they won the Wellington senior cricket championship and there will be regret at their relegation.
"Where do we go from here", is the question those in the University cricket club will surely be asking themselves now. Some like Jim Riley, will ditch the club in its time of need and move on. (Riley himself has said "I expect they'll lose a few players.") Still this is quite understandable Riley is a talented player and it is in his own interests not to disrupt his career. Nevertheless, disloyalty has never been a characteristic much flaunted in cricket.
Despite the successes of the Midland, St. Pat's O.B., Wellington and Wellington College O.B. Clubs, who all amalgamated last year, (so that this season Midland. St. Pat's and Wellington. W.C.O.B. won six championships between them) I don't feel that any merger is yet the answer for the University Club.
Amalgamation does lead to a loss of tradition and identity, and parochial as it may seem, I feel that tradition and identity are two of the game's earliest and most basic features.
If the club can draw on the resources of the university, then I am positive it can regain its former prestigious position. Surely now the time has come when
| (i) | Exec must get behind the clubs and aid it financially, enabling it to develop facilities etc. to attract more players, and |
| (ii) | the Club becomes more active on campus, and tries to attract more young blood to build up its teams once more. |
If these two suggestions are not implemented, then I fear amalgamation is the only answer to the troubles of the V.U.W. Cricket Club.
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