Senior.

Fielding a rather inexperienced team for Senior ranks, the Cricket Club did not achieve a great deal of success from the results point of view, but the experience gained by a year's play in the top grade should see these young players greatly improved during the coming season.

Only two games were won by the side, both of them by large margins. The game against Wellington in the first round was won by University by 119 runs on the first innings, good bowling by Harrison and Bagge playing havoc with the Wellington batsmen.

The second game in which the team came out on the right side was the match against Petone in the second round, where the eleven scored 384 in their only innings in the match, Blandford scoring a very good century, and Pacey and he giving the side a fine start of 121 for the first wicket. Petone scored 169, and, following on, 112 for seven wickets.

Old Boys were the only side able to defeat the team outright, a bad performance by the side resulting in Old Boys running out victors by seven wickets.

Against Petone in the first round the team failed by four runs to catch the Petone score of 276, Blandford, Harrison and Bagge putting up good stands for the ninth and tenth wickets.

The lack of one batsman who could consistently score runs was greatly felt by the team, as high scores were rarely compiled against the eleven, Harrison and Bagge, assisted by Macallan and Caldwell, making up a dangerous attack.

In the latter part of the season Blandford struck splendid form with the bat, scoring one century and several scores of above 50, whilst Pacey batted very well on a number of occasions. The inability of the other members of the team to make runs at all consistently, however, saw the team definitely weak in batting, with the result that the good performances of the bowlers went for nought.

For the second year in succession Harrison was the outstanding bowler in the side. In all matches he bowled 243.4 overs for 37 wickets and 887 runs. A very steady type of trundler, he bowled very accurately week after week, an injury to a hand affecting his bowling for some time, else he would have easily passed the 40 mark.

Bagge, who was not with the team for the whole season, was also a big factor in the attack in those games in which he played. He took 24 wickets, bowling 186 overs for 557 runs.

Blandford kept wickets very ably for the side, and his success with the bat and gloves saw him selected to represent Wellington against Hawke's Bay at Napier.

Averages for the side are as follows:—

Batting.

Bowling.

Results of Games:—

v. Institute. Institute 230 for 8 (declared) (Bagge 3 for 48, Macallan 2 for 59). V.U.C. 158 (Caldwell 53, Macallan 24, Nelson 23). Lost by 72 runs on the 1st innings.

v. Midland. V.U.C. 183 (Bailey 64) and 82 for 3 wickets (Pacey not out 28). Midland 240 (Harrison 4 for 73, Bagge 5 for 62). Lost by 57 runs on the 1st innings.

v. Wellington. V.U.C. 237 (Caldwell 39, Arndt 38, Cramond 38, Blandford 21, Macallan

20). Wellington 118 (Harrison 5 for 65, Bagge 4 for 31) and 225 for 3 wickets (Stevens 2 for 22). Won by 119 runs on the 1st innings.

v. Petone. Petone 276 (Harrison 6 for 135, Bagge 4 for 78). V.U.C 272 (Cramond 44, Pacey 43, Bailey 38, Arndt 25, Harrison 24, Stevens 21). Lost by 4 runs on the 1st innings.

v. Kilbirnie. Kilbirnie 310 (Harrison 4 for 115, Bagge 2 for 91, Stevens 2 for 63, Macallan 2 for 25) and 113 for 5 wickets (Harrison 2 for 33, Macallan 2 for 24). V.U.C. 213 (Blandford 58, Wilson 45, Bailey 38 not out, Arndt 23, Pacey 20). Lost by 97 runs on the 1st innings.

v. Hutt. Hutt 235 (Bagge 3 for 84, Harrison 3 for 60, Macallan 3 for 58). V.U.C. 135 Pacey 46, (Bailey 26) and 129 for 6 6wickets (Blandford 60 not out, Nelson 25). Lost by 100 runs on the 1st innings.

v. Old Boys. V.U.C. 158 (Blandford 37, Arndt 37, Caldwell 21, Cramond 21) and 98 (Pacey 28, Bailey 24). Old Boys 162 for 4 wickets (Harrison 2 for 71) and 99 for 3 wickets (Bagge 2 for 53). Lost by 7 wickets.

v. Petone. V.U.C. 384 (Blandford 107, Pacey 65, Caldwell 57, Nelson 38, Osborn 32, Bailey 27, Macallan 21). Petone 169 (Caldwell 3 for 37, Osborn 2 for 38, Macallan 2 for 47) and 112 for 7 wickets (Harrison 3 for 28, Caldwell 2 for 41). Won by 215 runs on the 1st innings.

v. Midland. Midland 248 (Harrison 6 for 98, Caldwell 2 for 62) and 116 for 5 wickets (Cutler 3 for 24). V.U.C. 193 (Blandford 74, Pacey 28, Macallan 24, Osborn 21). Lost by 55 runs on the 1st innings.

Second Grade.

With a team comprising players with considerable experience in Junior A cricket, the Second Grade team should have fared even better than it did. A formidable side, lapses against Wellington and Karori, and later against Kilbirnie, saw the team in a lower position on the championship ladder than they actually should have occupied.

The team scored one outright win against Institute, and won the other games on the first innings, scoring 33 championship points.

Paetz headed the batting averages with 176 runs at an average of 44.00. Macdonald scored the greatest number of runs for the side, 379, including a 93.

The most successful bowlers were:—Williams, 16 wickets for 256 runs; Stephenson, 19 wickets; Robertson, 16 wickets; and Macdonald, 15 wickets.

A really strong Second Eleven, this team compiled some high tallies, the top score for the season being 371, scored against Old Boys at Kelburn.

Below are the averages for the side:—

Batting.

Bowling.

Junior B.

This team was the most successful in the Club and finished second equal in the competition, having won seven out of nine matches. At one stage' the team was in the running for the championship, but an unaccountable and extremely deplorable lapse after Xmas resulted in two consecutive losses. Doubtless this was due to the Club's Christmas tour, which also appeared to affect some of the other teams in the Club. As usual, the batting was the big weakness and the lack of reliable batsmen was again most noticeable. Easily the most prominent were Rae and Moore and, to a lesser degree, Wild and Kelly. The bowling was of a much higher standard, and Nicole and Francis bowled extremely well throughout the season. Francis also registered a great performance in the annual game against Auckland University College. He and Nicole both played a big part in winning back the Speight Trophy from Auckland. Fisher proved a most useful change bowler.

The fielding ranged from brilliant to shocking, which at least gave the games some variety. Wild was always reliable and at times excellent, and Connell also gave some good performances.

Junior C.

Played, 9; won, 3; lost, 6.

These results, realising 21 points, although far from brilliant, do not, on the other hand, admit of complete failure, for the team has to its credit several excellent performances, individual and otherwise. Can any of the other teams better the following:—357 against Kaiwarra, 7 for 341 (declared) against Institute, 57 against Stop Out, 8 for 28 against Kilbirnie? The two latter performances, are, of course, only included to demonstrate our versatility. We were fortunate to be able, to a great extent, to keep the team together throughout the season. Unfortunately, this deprives us of the opportunity of excusing ourselves as a result of promotions, etc.

The team was without a regular wicket-keeper for the first four games, after which Campbell, late of Scots College, took over and celebrated his arrival in the team by stumping three and catching one of our opponents and scoring a steady 66 runs in his first knock. The general batting of the team was quite satisfactory, four members finishing the season with an average of over 20. They were: Campbell 41.7, Frost 22.8, Smith 22.5, Camp 20.8. The bowling was our great weakness. Smith was by far the most consistent performer, his average being 44 wickets for 602 runs—13.7. Godfrey, the speed merchant, was unlucky and did not fulfill his earlier promise. The fielding was keen, but marred to some extent by poor returns to the wicket. Without individualising, special mention should be made of Jerram's splendid effort of 183 runs against Kaiwarra, Frost's hard-hitting 121 against Kilbirnie, and Godfrey's "hat trick" of "ducks" at the beginning of the season. The team also had the distinction of being the only one to defeat the championship winners.

Players for the season were drawn from the following:—Andrews, Bishop, Black, Camp (captain), Campbell, Frost, Godfrey, Heenan, Jerram, Kirkwood, Smith, Stace, Warren, Wicks.

Junior D.

The Junior D's enjoyed a very successful social season, refusing to take their cricket too seriously. Although only one trophy was won—the wooden spoon—several splendid performances were recorded, mostly by the other side, however. Andrews easily headed the batting averages, with Pitowsky next. These were the only two players with a double-figure average, although Bansgrove, Wilton and Sproule did not miss by much. Andrews and McDougall bowled well, the former performing the "hat trick" against Old Boys. The most consistent performers in the team were:— Andrews, batting and bowling; Henry Sproule, hitting sixers; Pitkowsky, arriving late; and Wansborough's confident appeals for l.b.w. from fine-leg.

The following comprised the usual personnel of the learn:—Andrews, Bangrove, Cowan, McClelland, McDougal, Pitkowsky, Phillips, Sproule, Wansborough, Wilton (captain).