SUBURBAN CRICKETERS DRAW STUMPS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 22, 18 April 1927, Page 9

SUBURBAN CRICKETERS DRAW STUMPS

REVIEW OF SEASON Easter generally sees the last of the cricket season. The suburban cricket association has finished up its competitions for the year, and the lads are now busy packing their swags in preparation for a more fatiguing and “keep warm” sport for the colder months. This season the senior championship was won by Ellerslie with a total of 19 points: United Suburbs. 18 points, 2nd.: Harbour Board, 16 points, 3rd. Ellerslie came with a last minute rush. Prior to the matches played on Good Friday. Harbour Board and United Suburbs were 16 points each, and Ellerslie 13 points. Ellerslie had two matches to play, and both of these were won, making its total 19 points, as against United Suburbs’ IS points. Interviewed this morning. Mr. E. W. Mahoney, secretary of the Junior Cricket Advisory Board, stated that the season about to close had been one of the biggest and most successful for some years; not only from a financial point of view, but from the rapidly increasing membership in all grades. Although at Christmas, large sums of money weye spent in catering for visiting country teams and teams from Wellington and Canterbury, the position of the finance is exceptionally good. The local association had footed the bill on all occasions. BIG NUMBER OF TEAMS During the season the Suburban Association has had under its control about seventy teams, there being 12 senior and 5S junior teams. A feature of the past year was the institution of a fifth grade, which consisted of boys of 14 years of age and under. The association provided for them all the necessary materials and grounds free of charge, and many lads who could not afford to purchase or help to purchase gear were favoured with free cricket. The third grade was enlarged to 18 teams, and later it was found necessary to split the competition up into two grades, A and B. In the former. 35 matches have been played, and in the latter 30. The fourth grade played 28, and the second grade 50 games, while the eleven teams taking part in the second grade all had a double round.

“When the season started there was an abnormal shortage of grounds and areas allotted for the sport were seriously congested,” said Mr. Mahoney, “but as the season advanced and competitions neared completion, many of the teams fell out and matters were not so bad.” Throughout the season the junior grades, and in fact many of the seniors have not had a coach and they have carried on by their own unaided efforts. This will not improve the standard of cricket in Auckland, and it seems a pity as the clubs in and around the city enter into the game with unusual keenness. The Suburban Association is hoping that it will be in a position to obtain expert coaches for next season, when the boys will learn new ideas and the meaning of a“straight ball.”