KEY POINTS:
A young Auckland cricketer or several cricketers are set to benefit from an unexpected bequest.
The Auckland SS Cricket Association received news of the generous bequest from Jocelyn Grattan and considered several options at their recent board meeting.
The amount to go to the association from her estate is "not six figures" but it will provide a substantial annual income in perpetuity.
The final amount will not be known until the sale of property is finalised.
"There were no strings attached other than the money be used to provide a scholarship to be used for secondary school cricket or cricketers," said ASSCA chairman Dave Wadams.
"The scholarship will be in the name of Miss Grattan's father Frank Grattan.
No one seems to know too much about Jocelyn Grattan apart from the fact she never married and wanted to leave the money in memory of her father.
"Board members have gone away to think about what we will do and report back to our April meeting."
Among the options being considered are to use the money to fund the trip made every second year by an Auckland schools team to play Canterbury schools or to send a year 13 player, or players [male or female] overseas to further develop as cricketers.
"If we decide to use it to send the team south we might look at adding a few days to the trip to allow the players to spend time at New Zealand's high-performance facility at Lincoln," said Wadams.
"It is a huge windfall for Auckland SS cricket and we must use it to the greatest possible benefit."
With Canterbury due to play in Auckland next month, the scholarship, if that option is taken, would be first used next summer. If the overseas option gets the go-ahead it is unlikely it will be taken up until winter 2008.
Kilikiti
With their first cricket XI already through to this Friday's 1A one-day championship against St Kentigern at Colin Maiden Park, the Kelston BHS kilikiti team seized the moment to if not upstage them at least ensure they too could walk with heads held high and a trophy in the school's cabinet.
For the first time since 2003, KBHS, playing with great discipline and an awesome team spirit, took A grade honours, beating Auckland Grammar in the boys' final at the Auckland Domain.
Beaten semifinalists St Pauls and De La Salle shared third place.
To cap a great day for the west, Kelston GHS beat St Dominics in the girls' final. A strong all-round effort with bat and ball got KGHS home for their first title.
Last year's winners Auckland GGS were nowhere to be seen at the business end of this 16th Kilikiti Tournament which attracted 34 teams to the Domain. There was virtual non-stop action on 17 fields in games in which each team had 25 minutes at the batting crease.
Water polo
Wins over their only previously unbeaten rivals have shot Westlake BHS and Westlake GHS to outright leads in the premier championships.
In a tense affair, WBHS had to call on all their experience to edge past Auckland Grammar 5-3 in the match of the round while WGHS had it a little easier as they beat Diocesan by 8-3.
Rosmini's hopes of making the championship play-offs took a tumble following their 5-3 loss to Sacred Heart.
AGS 2 surprised many with their 9-3 win over Massey HS to keep their hopes alive but they later lost some of the impetus when hammered 14-3 by national champions Rangitoto who later beat King's 10-5 in a game much closer than the score might suggest.
Massey's hopes of making the top four crashed when beaten 11-5 by St Kentigern.
The Rangitoto girls continued their winning run with a 6-1 win over EGGS and Massey consolidated their second place on the table with a 9-3 win over MAGS.
Coming up
TODAY: Athletics, Auckland SS girls qualifying day, Mt Smart Stadium 8.45am.
Cricket, premier/senior girls (4pm), Avondale v MAGS, Avondale, EGGS v Diocesan, Melville Park 5, Baradene v St Cuthberts, Melville Park 4. Senior B (home team first, all 4pm), Pool A, Botany Downs v Glendowie, Papatoetoe v Howick, St Kentigern v Tamaki. Pool B, Macleans v Kings, Onehunga v McAuley. Pool C, EGGS v Massey, Lynfield v Marist, St Marys v Marcellin.
Cycling, College BMX series, round two, East City BMX track, Glen Innes, registration 6pm, racing from 6.30pm.
TOMORROW: Athletics, Auckland SS boys qualifying day, Mt Smart Stadium 8.45am.
FRIDAY: Cricket, R H Marryatt Cup, 1A one-day final, KBHS v St Kentigern, Colin Maiden Park 11am.
Rowing, North Island SS championships, Lake Karapiro, 7.30am, Saturday/Sunday from 8am.
Volleyball, premier boys, at Penrose, Avondale v Penrose 4pm, Sir Edmund Hillary v AGS 5pm. At Mangere, Mangere v Manurewa 4pm, Aorere v KBHS 5pm. At De La Salle, MAGS v Otahuhu 4pm, De La Salle v Long Bay 5pm.
SATURDAY: Cricket, 1A (two-day games, round one, day one, home team first, all 11am), championship, St Kentigern v WBHS, MAGS v KBHS, Rosmini v AGS. Plate, Avondale v Sacred Heart, Rangitoto v Kings, TGS v Macleans. 1B (two-day games, round 2, day 1, home team first, 12.30pm, start), Pakuranga v AGS, Rangitoto v Liston, St Kentigern v St Peters, WBHS v Papatoetoe. North Harbour senior premier (home team first, 8.30am), Glenfield v WBHS, Kristin v Birkenhead, TGS v Long Bay.
Volleyball, premier girls, at Avondale, Avondale v Green Bay 9am, Aorere v Green Bay 10am, Avondale v Aorere 11am. At Rangitoto, Mangere v Rangitoto 9am, Otahuhu v Rangitoto 10am, Mangere v Otahuhu 11am. At McAuley, Manurewa v MAGS 9am, McAuley v MAGS 10am, McAuley v Manurewa 11am.
TUESDAY: Athletics, Counties Manukau SS championships, Massey Park.
