CRICKET PROGRESS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 765, 11 September 1929, Page 15

CRICKET PROGRESS

BUMPER SEASON AHEAD OF AUCKLAND A.C.A’S ANNUAL REPORT A general improvement in j cricket throughout the association ! was predicted in the last annual report of the Auckland Cricket Association. According to the 46th annual report, to be presented at the annual meeting of the association on September 26 next, that prediction has now become fact. THERE was a further increase . in •*- the entries for the association’s championship competitions, which Avere divided into five grades, as in the previous season, each grade presenting an interesting fight for the leading positions. Tho first grade Avas Avon by Eden, with University runner-up. Tho Auckland touring cricket team, consisting of colts of the average age of 20 years, assisted by the Sussex professional player-coach. James Langridge, left in December and played matches in the South, This was the eighth of these tours organised by Mr. E. C. Beale, and altogether 42 matches have been played, the teams having escaped with but one loss. Other tours were organised by the Parnell, Ponsonby, and Y.M.C.A. clubs during the season. The Auckland representative side played Canterbury and Otago o’n their home grounds, and after being defeated at Auckland by Wellington, regained the Plunket Shield on averages. E. IT. Bowley and J. Langridge, the Sussex professional player-coaches, Aver© again engaged for the season. The results of their work became more pronounced, especially among tho younger members of the representative eleven. The committee congratulates G. L. Weir (Eden) on his splendid all-round performances in representative cricket which gained for him the Redpath Cup. M.C.C. TOURISTS Reference is also made to the coming visit to the Dominion of the M.C.C. side. As a result there will be an abundance of cricket in Auckland during the corning season, as Otago and Canterbury will travel to Auckland for their Plunket Shield games. Tavo matches against the Englishmen Avill be played here, one against the Auckland representati\*es, and the other, the third test, New Zealand v. England. The receipts and payments statement shows a credit balance of £BB 15s lid, after making an advance to tho coach fund of £165 0s lid. The Management Committee has been working hard throughout the season and the off-season to build up tho coach fund sufficiently to permit of tho engagement of a professional player-coach in tho future. The goal has almost been reached, and it feels so confident of success in this direction that negotiations have been completed for tho engagement for the season 2 929-30 of A. F. Wensley, of the Sussex County XI. The committee has once again been assisted in this matter by Lord Hawke, whose interest in Auckland cricket is always keen, and is highly appreciated. COUNTRY CRICKET The past season suav the association fairly Aveli supplied Avith grounds so far as numbers were concerned. Unfortunately, a shortage of Avater occurred and wickets on the Auckland

City Council’s grounds suffered very severely. In order to assist suburban local bodies to make suitable grounds available, the committee found it necessary to spend a considerable sum of money. A Country Committee A\-as appointed early in the season for the purpose of organising visits of country teams to Auckland and of city teams to the country, more especially for the benefit of those associations that had become affiliated. It is considered that through affiliation the country associations receive the advantage of plaving better cricket, as Aveli as that of bringing before the notice of the Auckland association many promising young players.