THE CRICKET CRITIC

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 634, 10 April 1929, Page 13

THE CRICKET CRITIC

Last “Cricket Critic” As the 1928-29 cricket season lias now closed, this will be the last instalment of the “Cricket Critic.” When King Willow comes out of his hibernation again next season the “Cricket Critic” will be resumed — early in October. Bats Stowed Away Now that another season lias come and gone, cricketers' are stowing away their bats, boots and flannels to keep the moths company till summer comes again. Jersey-clad figures of the various football codes will lake the place of the cricketer on Auckland’s parks for the ensuing months, and the punt of the leather will be heard where the mellow crack of bat and ball has been so familiar. A Long Season Tho season just closed has been a long one, and on Saturday there was much evidence of that end of season feeling which characterises both summer and winter sports when their devotees are anxious to transfer from one to the other. The Auckland Cricket Association’s senior grade competition has been full of interest throughout, but the close light for championship honours was not maintained till the very end as was the case last season. The resting-place of supreme honours hung in the balance to practically tho last over of the lust day’s play of the Eden-Ponsonby final last season. The first day’s play of the last match this season saw Eden practically make its position secure.

Eden’s Win Eden fully deserves Us win if only for the fact that it is the only undefeated team in the competition, but the fact that the men from the mountain suburb have had five draws against not more than two by any of their rivals, has not served to make their win as popular as might have been. At one time, both Ponsonby and University were well in the running for the championship, but both these teams have been strangely inconsistent in their performances during the second round. Ponsonby, especially, has fallen back a great deal of late, and on Saturday went under to the last team on the ladder, United Suburbs. Vagaries of the Fight Eden has been well served by three of the best bats in the Dominion in Mills, G. Weir and Gillespie, but the side has won a reputation for unenterprising cricket. Ponsonby would no doubt have occupied a higher position on the championship ladder had Monteith and Snedden played anything like up to their usual battmg form. Another factor, Finlayson was a very valuable asset to Ponsonby early in the season, but has been unable to turn out regularly oe late. Varsity suffered a loss in the departure of Dunning for Dunedin, but in his place welcomed the return c-f A. M. Matheson, who has proved hardly less valuable as a bowler. The Other Clubs North Shore and Parnell have picked up well of late, and the latter club especially promises to do well with Allcott and Wilson playing again, next year with a fine band of colts, backed up by one or two good oldtimers. Grafton began the season well but has been terribly inconsistent throughout. Wilson played in only the first and last matches. Y.M.C.A. has developed under the leadership of Bowley, although it is never the same team when lie is absent. Lyon, Ivemp and Elliott have been the stalwarts of the side. After being the keenest side in the competition last year. United Suburbs has slumped badly, and after winning their first and last matches, find themselves at the foot of the championship table. llow a team can go back such a terrible way in one year is one of the things about cricket which it is not easy to explain. Prominent Individuals The season has seen two promising colts step into the arena in P. E. W h i t e 1 a w and Lang ton. Whitelaw got into the representative side before he had i played in senior I club 1 cricket, and fully justified his inclusion. Langton came too late for the represen tatives. but if he is n c w/i •. , in the same form Whitelaw nex t season should bo well in the running. G. L. Weir has continued his run of successes with the bat, in which depart- ! ment of the game he has improved out of sight, but as a bowler he has not met with the success which attended him last season. The Old Season The old season has not been what could be termed an outstanding one. There was only one representative game played here, that between Auckland and Wellington for the Plunket Shield. If only there had been two or three more such matches the public would have had something to take an interest in. For staunch followers of the game the championship had its usual attraction. It has been found that even Australians do not get enough first-class cricket, so that it can be safely said that Auckland could do with a little more. Boom Season Ahead With the tour of an English side, and the possible visit of the AllAustralia team on its way to England in quest of the ashes in the air, a boom year is expected in New Zealand next season. Apart from such overseas teams as may, or may not, visit the Dominion. Auckland will have two Plunket Shield matches. Canterbury and Otago are due to visit the Queen City, whereas Auckland travels to Wellington for its Plunket Shield game with the men of the windy city. There is in some quarters agitation for return matches each year between the provinces. This also appears to be a highly desirable move. and should it eventuate, Auckland can look forward to a real cricket feast when the new season is ushered in. Shore A Wins Senior B Shore A preserved its unbeaten record for the season in the senior B grade, beating its own Colts on Saturday by 10 runs in a single-innings match at Devonport. Shore A made 162 and the Colts 152 (H. Smith 39, Jay 32). Grounds at Otahuhu At the present time Otahuhu is devoid of suitable playing areas for cricket, and theer is every likelihood of the Otahuhu Cricket Club disbanding at the conclusion of the present season. For a number of years the club ha- been allowed the use of part of tho Westfield Freezing Companv i property at Westfield, outside of the

borough boundary, but advice has been j received that in all probability a club j will be formed in connection with the j works next season, and if this even- , tuatcs the present playing area will J not be available for the use of the \ Otahuhu Club. Of the four reserves in the borough, only one, the Princes Street Reserve, is large enough to accommodate a. crfcket match, and at present the turf is in a rough condition, and the club is not financially strong enough to attempt any improvement. Immediately after the elections, representation is to be made to the borough council to carry out the necessary work, and if no steps are taken, the Otahuhu Cricket Club will pass. Veterans Still Going The end of the season still sees the veterans of other years in the fight. Most remarkable of all. perhaps, is the record of S. G. Smith, who has taken more wickets than any other bowler and deserves to rank as the second allrounder of the j competition. Sned- ; den and Anthony j lare still as effective as ever with the ball, and Billy Brooke-Smith is a c ~ o ... valued member of t,. t.. smitn the Eden firsts with a. batting average of just under 30. JJ. It. Garrard, who iii point of years at cricket must be ranked as a veteran, has also done well. Dick Rowntree has been his usual peerless self behind the sticks.