CRICKET COMMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 51, 2 March 1926, Page 9

CRICKET COMMENT.

HONOURS TO NORTH SHORE.

THE UMPIRES' DISPUTE

END OF SEASON ACTIVITY,

So far as the senior club championship is concerned, the interest is now over. North Shore has established an unbeatable lead and takes the season's honours. The points are: —North Shore 19, Eden 8, University 3, Ponsonby minus S, Grafton minus 8 and Parnell minus 14. Except for the natural desire of Eden to have another try to beat -Shore, there seems no reason to prolong the competition when more interesting and attractive cricket could be gained by playing some such game as Xorth Shore v. The Rest, or Colts V. Veterans (classing players over 30 years of age as veterans).

While the executive at its meeting to-night will no doubt take into consideration some such proposal as that mentioned above in connection with the senior competition, it will also have another matter of importance to consider. That is the question of umpires' privileges in the way of tickets to the grandstand. In the past years it has been the practice to allow active umpires tickets which admit them to the grandstand throughout the year, in football as well as cricket season, thus putting them practically on a footing with ground members. This season they have not had the tickets issued to them, and it is understood that they have decided not to act further unless the privilege is renewed this week.

According to a statement made by an official to a "Star" representative this week, the circumstances in regard to control of the ground have altered since last season. Until last year the ground was held by trustees for the benefit of cricket and administered by the Cricket Association, from which the Rugby Union for several years held a lease during the winter months. Under the lease, concessions to cricket officials were extended throughout the year. Since last year the ground has come under the dual control of the Cricket Association and the Rugby Union (at a price paid by the latter), and it is now administered by a Board of Control, consisting of three delegates from the two sporting bodies and three delegates from the trustees. One of the difficulties of the Board of Control is the sudden popularity of ground members' tickets arising out of the ground becoming the home of Rugby, in that they assure holders the right to two seats in the small grandstand at any cricket or football match. They find they are confronted with the full issue of ground members' tickets taken up and a big waiting list over. Consequently they propose to limit concessions to working officials for cricket to the cricket season, and ,for football to the football season. It is entirely a matter of space.

The A.C.A. Executive will have a bu3y time long after the usual season's activities are over. They are still concerned with increasing the coach fund in an endeavour, if possible, to make it cover the cost of a go< d sound assistant to the player-coach. Once this matter has been settled one way or the other, there will be the matter of getting the man, or men. for the work. Meantime, however, there is much to be done in preparing for the coach, in order to get the best value from his work. The association has to have first-class practice wickets on which the courses of instruction may bo taken. To be of value, practice wickets must be both good and handy to town. The locality will be the first consideration, and when this has been decided the association will have to getbusy having the necessary special s*oil transported f-roin Port Albert or Kaukopakopa to the site before winter conditions make the transportation impossible. .So far there have been several sites tentatively mentioned as the possible locale for practice wickets—the Domain Carlaw Park. Blandford Park and Victoria Park. The last-mentioned seems to find most favour, but it has to be remembered that to have the wicketH properly prepared there the association will have to enlist the active and practical assistance of the City Council