In 1976 The Cricket Society (Auckland) Inc was formed by a group of Auckland cricket enthusiasts. It was at the time, and remains today, the only cricket society in New Zealand.
Its base was the Old Members Stand which sits behind the bowlers arm at the western end of Eden Park’s Outer Oval, the home of Auckland Cricket. The Old Members Stand has subsequently been renamed the Merv Wallace Stand after Auckland and New Zealand Cricket legend Merv Wallace. Within the stand the Bert Sutcliffe Lounge has become the Society’s spiritual home and here can be seen one of the largest collections of cricketing memorabilia in the country, as well as a fine library of cricketing literature. Bert Sutcliffe, who passed away in 2001, is generally recognised as one of New Zealand’s finest ever cricketers, and for many years he served as the Society’s President.
Latterly the organisation has become more closely aligned with the Auckland Cricket Association and as a part of this, and to more truly represent the Society’s current purpose, it has been renamed the Auckland Cricket Society and Supporters’ Club. The Bert Sutcliffe Lounge remains a welcoming and hospitable place to watch the Auckland team doing battle in the Plunket Shield and Ford Trophy matches played on the Outer Oval, with snacks and refreshments available through the day.
In 2014, with availability of pitches and facilities at Eden Park continuing to be an issue due to the increasing and sometimes conflicting demands on Auckland’s premiere sporting venue, the Club entered into an affiliation with the Waitakere Cricket Club. This has offered a new dimension to club activities, with a venue for matches and a clubrooms open to members on match days and for after-match conviviality.