Auckland club season underway tomorrow

The Auckland Cricket Association Premier and First Grade club competitions begin tomorrow with the first round of matches in the Crown Relocations Cup and Crown Relocations Rosebowl respectively.

The separate limited overs format competitions will be played out to the end of the seven round robin matches before the teams begin their two-day competitions for the Crown Relocations Trophy (Premier Grade) and Crown Relocations Plate (First Grade) on November 17.

The competition is expected to be strong in both grades with all clubs having been training for around eight weeks and each boasting a qualified coach (subsidised by Auckland Cricket in a programme to improve the standard of club play and the training of team coaches) to assist their preparation for the 2001/02 season.

Clubs with State Auckland Aces players have been delighted to learn that, due to NZC scheduling the bulk of the National Provincial Competitions on mid-week dates, their star players will be available to them for all but a few of the nearly 30 days of club play this summer.

Premier Club details are:

Birkenhead City:

Promoted from First Grade at the end of last season, Birkenhead will provide stern opposition for most Premier Grade sides this season. Key players are opening batsman and player/coach Michael Clark, NZ test representative Chris Drum, State Auckland Aces all-rounder Terry Crabb, perennial new ball bowler Grant MacPherson and English professional player Ashley Wright.

Cornwall:

Looking for back-to-back success in the limited overs format and for an improved showing in the two-day version of the game, Cornwall are again expected to present a tough challenge for any opposition this summer. A blend of youth (Rob Nicol [this years New Zealand player to Lords], Avinash Sharma, Rob Lynch, Chris Knight) and experience (Aaron Barnes, Dave Storer, Heath Davis, Richard Morgan, Richard Thompson) will be the foundation on which this club looks to build its season. The depth of the squad will be assisted by the clubs' 2nd XI competing in the First Grade competition in the coming season.

East Coast Bays:

An underachiever in 2000/01 but have prepared well over the 2001 winter and should be ready for action from day one. State Auckland Aces players Mark Haslam and Llorne Howell will join forces with Auckland 'A' rep Michael Hendry and talented youngsters Mark Badland, Matt Mimmack and David Nash. Former Northern Districts all-rounder Aaron Bradley returns to the club after a one season absence.

Grafton United:

Probably favourites in both competitions before a ball is bowled, the Victoria Park based/Richard Irving coached and captained side will be very hard to stop, especially if State Auckland Aces players Lou Vincent, Andre Adams and Matt Horne (returning to his home club after five seasons with Otago) are not required by the New Zealand selectors.

Top order batsman Blair Bulloch returns to the club after a season in Wellington. These four will be joined by State Aces squad members Richard Pudney (transferred from Waitakere), Tane Topia and top performing club players Guy Coleman, Aron Fuller and Nick Jury. There is no reason to believe they cannot defend their two day title or improve on their runner-up position in the limited overs championship.

Howick Pakuranga:

A disappointing finish to 2000/01 will have the eastern suburbs club hungry for better performances from its key players.

Last season's captain Rowan Armour was critical of his leading players' inability to have an impact on the crucial matches played last summer - best documented by the heavy defeat to Grafton in the final match of the season which, if the result had been reversed, would have seen them take the two-day title.

New State Aces skipper and NZ player Brooke Walker will join fellow NZ and State Aces team members Kyle Mills and Dion Nash in attempting to set the club back on track toward championship success. Other key players are Richard King, 2000/01 ACA most improved club player Brad Nielsen, NZC Academy player Sam Whiteman, and Sanjeewa Silva, who returns to the club after two seasons with Central Districts. 2000/01 State Aces players John Aiken, Blair Pocock and club stalwart (and current State Aces selector) Armour have retired.

North Shore:

A tough season is predicted for the Devonport-based club. They are rebuilding a side which has, in previous seasons, performed well thanks to its' stalwart players. Many of these are expected to be missing this summer and it is now up to the new guard to represent and protect the proud traditions of this long established club.

Auckland and New Zealand Under-19 representative Gene Andrews, Chris and David McGuigan and wicket-keeper batsman Michael Hart will be key players at the top of the order and solidity will be provided to the middle order by Jamie Stuart. All rounders Brad Leonard and Hayden Smith will be relied upon for their skills with both bat and ball. Smith will captain the side after the retirement, at the end of last season, of Steve Sharp. Sharp's wicket taking abilities will be sorely missed this summer unless young opening bowler Peter Lawson, from Minor Counties side Cumberland, produces the goods in his first season with the club. An Englishman will also coach the side, with the club having recently appointed Surrey County Cricket Club's David Corrod as their coaching director.

Parnell:

A tremendous performance from this club last year saw them finish as runners-up in their first season back in the top flight. To repeat or improve on this performance, they will look to the bats of State Aces squad members Tim McIntosh and Nick Horsley, Auckland Under 19 captain Akshay Reddy and his Under 19 team-mate Willy Barton.

Bowling duties are expected to be shared by the very successful (in 2000/01) Simon Dykes and Roger Henderson, and the wily off-spin of captain Wayne Wheeler. Ex-State Auckland Aces all-rounder Hamish Barton returns to Auckland and will join his brother here after leaving Auckland and the University club for a three year stint in Christchurch where he played some representative cricket for Canterbury. A new home venue for the side, at Shore Road, may be introduced part way through the season.

Suburbs New Lynn:

The only western suburbs club in the Premier Grade again this summer, Suburbs New Lynn will look to improve on a disappointing 2000/01 season. A nail biting end to that season saw them keep Takapuna out of seventh place by just 1.55 points and consign the North Harbour-based club to First Grade for the coming season.

Good performances from State Auckland Aces all-rounder Tama Canning and wicket-keeper/batsman Reece Young (presently resident at the NZC Academy in Christchurch) will be essential if the club is to improve on its lower than expected finish last season.

Skipper John Vujnovich and last season's captain Chris Fawkner, perhaps the toughest player in the entire competition, will provide steel and inspiration to his team who include exciting young quick bowlers Michael Bates (last season's ACA "Rookie of the Year") and Dunu Eliaba among their ranks. They will hope that Chris Lee's departure overseas will be more than covered by the arrival of Dean Blackwood and Russell Hewage from University.

First Grade Club details are:

Auckland University:

After two disappointing seasons this club are injecting some names from the past into their ranks for the coming season in order to turn things around. The addition of Tim Lythe as coach/captain of the side, the return of brother Ben and the introduction of former Eden Roskill players Nick Thompson and Geoff Waterhouse will provide strength to a side which retains all rounder Nick Smeeton and spinner Mathew Lindenburg but will sorely miss the wicket taking ability of former State Auckland Aces player and club stalwart Johnathan Lintott who has retired. Left arm medium pacer Dean Blackwood and middle order batsman Russell Hewage have moved to Suburbs New Lynn and wicket-keeper Scott McNaughton is overseas.

Eden Roskill:

An improving side which should show the benefits of the dedicated work put in by club administration as well as the coaching and playing personnel over the last two seasons. Key players will be opening bowler Dean Bruce, middle order batsman Sami Lala and wicket-keeper/batsman Izzy Isaia. A top four finish would be a good return for this side.

Ellerslie:

Bottom half of the league finishes in each of the previous three seasons will have this club hungry for better performances from its' top side. Skipper Grant Wilcox will look to batsmen Mark Cribbens and Brad Barlow, all rounder Kris Baker and Campbell Marr's bowling to provide something for Ellerslie supporters and members to cheer about this summer.

Papatoetoe:

A strong showing last season saw this club go close to promotion to the Premier Grade. Stalwart Neil Ronaldson and new skipper Shane Singe will look to themselves and the performances of returning club professional, Englishman Chris Borroughs, batsmen Nick Edwards and Ashley Clarke as well as their State Auckland Aces squad member - young fast bowler Gareth Shaw - to carry the bulk of the responsibility for the side this summer.

Takapuna:

A wake up call for this club last year as their top team was relegated from the Premier Grade after a poor season. The way that their key players react to that result will determine their fate this season. Skipper Peter Escott, wicket-keeper batsman Martin Barrell and bowlers Luke Armstrong, Stuart Jensen and Rhys Henderson will need to produce more consistent performances if they are to bounce straight back up into the Premier Grade at the end of the season.

Waitakere City:

A rapidly improving side which went close to promotion last season and will be very hard to keep away from the top end of the table throughout the summer. Well coached by Randall Todd and well supported by a solid club administration setup, this side will look to key players from last season to reproduce the same sort of form again. Brothers Corey and Keeley Todd, Blair White and the return of Worcestershire professional Matthew Rawnsley will provide the foundation from which the side will look to launch into the top flight for the 2002/03 season.

Cornwall and Howick Pakuranga (2nd XI's):

Both are new to the competition this year by virtue of the increase in the size of the league (from six to eight teams). Will very much rely on consistent performances from players on the verge of their respective Premier teams but may struggle to compete on some occasions due to the lack of previous exposure at this level. Will be assisted by the strong administrative and coaching structures in place at their clubs.