On Tuesday, November 7, 1978, The Fiji Times reported that distinguished Fiji cricket great Harry Apted stood down from his position as the Suva squad selector and captain of the Imperial Colts.
Apted first represented Fiji in 1948 and had been having health issues to his lower back.
The article stated this was why he decided to stand down from his position. As an all-rounder, Apted was considered one of the most experienced cricket players to have represented Fiji in the past two decades.
His final match was in 1967 when he toured New Zealand. President of the Suva Cricket Association, Peter Knight, was elected as the selector in his place.
The Imperial Colts still had yet to choose a new captain.
A spokesman for the Colts, medium pace bowler John Wilkins, said the new captain would most likely be chosen later that week when the team conducted a meeting. “Colts are traditionally a team that has a high turnover of players,” Wilkins said.
“We have always been a blend of expatriate and local talent and this year will be no exception.”
Wilkins said they had a new batsman-wicket keeper in Australian Bernie Wood.
“For medium pace bowlers we have Bill Apted, John Parton, Stratton Amos and I.”
Other players in the Colts side were spin bowler and opening batsman Laurie Stokoe, all-rounder Gordon Burke and middle order batsman and slip Stuart Cotton.
Wilkins was also the man in charge of the grounds for the Suva Cricket Association.
He knew the bowlers would have a field day in that weekend’s match because the pitch at Albert Park was soft and the ball would be moving all over the place.
Meanwhile, Samabula had received one newcomer in Englishman Dim Walton.
Walton was a medium to fast bowler and was expected to strengthen the Samabula line-up. Samabula’s captain that year was Fiji skipper Curly Valentine.
There were two other Fiji representatives in the Samabula side.
They were all-rounder Jack McGoon and middle order batsman Seci Sikini.
Meanwhile, Sarafui was scheduled to meet Army at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks in another grade A match the following week Sarafui was to field a virtually unchanged side from the one that won the promotion from the B grade the previous year.
