CRICKETERS' YEAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 215, 11 September 1929, Page 17

CRICKETERS' YEAR.

AUCKLAND ASSOCIATION. GENERAL IMPROVEMENT SHOWN. WINNING OF PLUNKET SHIELD. Predicted at the end of the 1927-28 season, a general improvement throughout the Auckland Cricket Association became a fact during last season, according to the report of the association to be presented at the forty-sixth annual meeting on Thursday fortnight. Progress made by the association last season was very favourable, there being a still further increase in the entries for the various competitions. The receipts and payments statement showed a credit balance of nearly £89 after an advance of £105 had been made to the coach fund.

The championship winners in the various grades were as follows: Eden, 2S points; runners-up, University, 25 points. Senior B grade: North Shore, 35 points; Papatoetoe, 28 points. Second fT-ade: Epsom United, 39 points; Graf- ' ton, 35 points. Third grade: North .Shore and W.Y.M.L, equal. Fourth grade: Victoria, Northcote. ° During the season a Colts* team toured as far as the West Coast in the South Island, playing seven matches, of which five were won and two drawn. The professional J. Langridge toured with the team and secured both the batting and bowling averages. Tours at holiday times were made by the Parnell Club to Eotorua, the Ponsonby Club to Waihi, and the Y.M.C.A. Club to the Bay of Plenty. Country teams from Rodney, Waikato and North Auckland were given matches at Eden Park and visits were "" made by mixed Auckland teams to Warkworth, Hamilton and Thames. A iunior representative match between Wellington and Auckland at Eden Park was won by the home team. In the Plunket Shield matches Auckland defeated Canterbury, drew with Ota"o, and lost by 34 runs to Wellington 0 Auckland's performances in all three matches were sufficiently good to enable the province to regain the Shield 'on the averages. A feature of the Shield matches wae the winning of the Redpath Cup by G. L. Weir, of the E<len Club, who, out of four innings, returned the splendid average of 131. The most successful bowler in the Shield series was E. H. Bowley, who took 14 wickets at an average cost of 18.35. In conclusion, the report records the severe loss suffered bj-New Zealand cricket through the death of Mr. J. I. Peake, who for many years was the honorary secretary of the New Zealand Council.