CRICKET

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 708, 1 October 1903, Page 12

CRICKET

Mr F. Earl presided over, the annual meeting of delegates to the Auckland Cricket Association, which was held in the •rooms of the Auckland Amateur Sports Club on Thursday.

The annual report congratulated the Association on the interesting cricket witnessed in the majority of the championship competitions last season, more particularly in the first grade and second A grade, in which Parnell and North Shore scored well-deserved wins, the latter after an exciting play-off with Wanderers. Gordon won in grade second B, and Wakefield in grade 3, rather easily, but in grade 4 the championship was not decided until Northern defeated Railways in the last round. Only one representative match was played, that against the Englishmen, in which the Aucklanders failed to do themselves justice. Bad fielding, an old fault, was mainly responsible for the visitors’ easy win by an innings, while the batting was also extremely disappointing. The form shown did not augur too well for the team’s chance ol defeating the provincial representative teams due to visit Auckland during , the incoming season. In spite of all efforts to make it a financial success, the match against the Englishmen did not bring in sufficient to cover the £250 paid to the New Zealand Cricket Council, and the Association account was overdrawn £9 8s lid. The amount lost over the match was £96 3s Bd. Trophies during the season were won by the following players : —Equitable Life Assurance Company’s bat for the highest aggregate in two innings, F. R. Mason ; Mr Brett’s bat for batting in first grade, B. Totman ; Mr Brett’s bat for bowling, first grade, C. Oliff ; Mr Roberts’ bat for o-rade 2A, batting, F. Warren ; Mr McKinney’s bat for grade 2A, bowling, J. Wakerley ; Messrs E. Porter and Co.’s bat for best all-round performance in remaining grades, R. Magee. On the motion of Mr F. J. Ohlson, seconded by Mr R. B. Lusk, it was decided that the Association be registered under the unclassified Societies Act.

Officers for the ensuing year were elected as under:—President, Mr Fred. Earl; vice-presidents, Messrs C. McKinney and 0. W. Hemery ; vice-president of the New Zealand Cricket Council, Messrs Bunby and Fowkes ; hon. secretary, Mr H. B. Lusk ; treasurer, Mr C. May ; management committee, Messrs F. Ohlson, R. A. Miles, G. H. Plummer, R. Hay, R. H. Froude, D. Hay ; auditors, Messrs Norman Williams and AV. Dinnison.

Mr H. B. Lusk has been appointed hon. secretary of the Auckland Cricket Association. He should make an excellent secretary, for he has plenty of enthusiasm for the gamei

Conyngham, one time captain of the Queensland eleven and afterwards a shining light of the Glebe C.C., Sydney, at present in New Zealand, has written the Auckland Cricket Association offering his services as coach. He is a very fair bowler, but a somewhat erratic bat.

In» an article on County Captains in the “Badminton Magazine” for August, Mr P. F. Warner is thus alluded to: The fact that he has accepted the offer of the committee of the. M.C.C. to direct the projected Australian tour makes his skill in that department a matter of national importance. Great as is the honor done to the popular cricketer, after closely watching him ever since ne was in the Rugby eleven, I would emphatically assert that he is worthy of it. Vigilance is his main characteristic as captain. He is always watching the igame, using his brains as well as his eyes. While allowing his bowlers ample liberty to place their field, he is not afraid to modify the positions of his men if he sees occasion. Few can write so good an» order of going in when weather, wicket, and individual proclivities are all duly taken into consideration. With a keen appreciation of the weak points of others, he will direct the game against the foibles of his opponents. For example, when opposed to the more inexperienced teams in New’ Zealand, the use he made of the curly deliveries of Mr C. J. Burnup was admirable, whereas in Australia he relegated him to the position of a bowler to be tried experimentally. It is also of importance for the forthcoming trip that Mr Warner has already made a host of friends at the Antipodes, while he can speak well and return thanks as though he meant it—as he does, for no more loyal sportsman ever stepped than the deservedly popular “Plum.”

The M.C.C. team for Australia left England on Friday! last by the new Orient liner Orontes. They were accorded a great send-off.

The annual meeting of the Waihi Cricket Association was held on Friday, Mr W. M. Wallnutt in the chair. The balance-sheet, which showed a credit of £1 Bs. was adopted, and it was decided to continue the association on the same lines ar last year. The following officers were elected :—Patron, Mr W: H. Herries, M.H.R. : president, the Mayor (Mr W. H. Phillips) ; vice-presidents, Messrs J. Craufurd-Brown, A. H. Benge, Duncan McLean, H. L. Simons, E. H. Pilling, H. E. Meyers, J. R. Williams, A. M. Myers, A. T. Kenrick; Rev. Father Brodie, and Dr. Guiness : captain of the association, Mr Chris. Cornthwaite : vice-captain, Mr H. E. Rea ; secretary and treasurer, Mr McKay.