CANTERBURY TEAM PLAYS NELSON

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27007, 6 April 1953, Page 12

CANTERBURY TEAM PLAYS NELSON

CRICKET

CLEVER BOWLING BY R. CHALLIES With five second innings wickets in hand, the Nelson team which is playing a two-day match against I. B. Cromb’s Eleven at Hagley Park still required 39 runs to avoid an innings defeat at the end of the first day on Saturday. Nelson scored 101 and 40 for five wickets, and Cromb’s Eleven totalled 180. A heavy outfield and a pitch which, although slow in pace, gave the spin bowlers considerable assistance, were responsible for the low scoring throughout the day. Only I. B. Cromb, who has had a remarkably successful season, the New Zealand test player, M. E. Chapple, and A. A. Hunter, considered by many critics to be unlucky not to win selection in the team for South Africa, made much headway against the- slow bowlers. Cromb’s 71 was the best score of the day, and in nearly every respect it was the best innings. He seemed to be seeing the ball very early, and he was often able to get in position for unorthodox but telling shots without a hint of haste. He made his runs quickly and well, and the masterful pull stroke which is the signature to a good innings by Cromb was made with a flourish. Chapple was also aggressive, and hit two clean sixes on the on-side. His driving was strong and safe, and with 50 of the first runs he did more than his share towards putting his side in a winning position. Another Canterbury representative, G. Royfee, opened with Chapple and although he made only 20 it was a particularly attractive innings. The remainder of the batsmen failed badly against the spin bowling of R. S. Chailies, the former Wellington and Central Districts right-hander. Chailies, although he bowls his leg-breaks and wrong ’uns at almost medium pace, showed a fine control of length and direction, and his performance —he took six kickets for 54 runs—was a fine one. Chailies played only one Plunket Shield match this season, being dropped after taking a good crop of wickets cheaply against Wellington, and his bowling on Saturday was good enough to recall the surprise with which his omission from the later matches was greeted.

The Nelson team included several Hawke Cup and Plunket Shield players, but the batting was a little disappointing. Hunter, who opened, played a good variety of strokes and made his runs briskly. Considerable interest was taken in the appearance of J. Guy, a young lefthander, who played in the final trial match at Christchurch. He made only 18, and survived one chance, but there was definitely a suggestion of quality about his stroke-making. Reid, another young batsman, also batted impressively, if briefly. For Cromb’s team, A. G. Duckmanton’s off-breaks and N. Bennett’s left-hand spin bowling, did most damage. Both got on top and stayed on top, and the batsmen were unable to challenge their hold on the situation. Nelson’s second innings began in a noor light, but N. Bprton and R. Patience batted solidly for some time before they were separated. However, O. Greatpatch, taking four quick wickets at the end of the day, put Nelson in a desperate position. Scores NELSON First Innings N. Barton, b Duckmanton .. 7 A. A. Hunter, c Greatbatch, b Harliwich .. .. .. 30 J. Guy, lbw, b Bennett .. 1.. 18 L. Reid, lbw, b Bennett .. .. 13 I. Ching, c Royfee, b Bennett .. 11 B. Gully, c Harliwich, b Duckmanton 7 R. Patience, c Chapple, b Greatbatch 5 R. Fowler, c Harliwich, b Duckmantop 0 R. Challics, c and b Duckmanton .. 1 N. Avery, not out .. .. 0 P. Blomfield, b Greatbatch .. .. 3 Extras .. .. .. 6

Total .. .. 101 Bowling:—S. M. Betty, 5 overs, 2 maidens, 13 runs, 0 wickets; N. Bennett, 12, 5, 22, 3; J. Harliwich, 4,0, 13, 1; I. Sinclair, 5,0, 16, 0; A. G. Duckmanton, 13, 3, 25, 4; O. Greatbatch, 3,0, 3,2; M. E. Chapple, 4,2, 3, 0. Second Innings N. Barton, c Bennett, b Greatbatch .. 15 R. Patience, lbw, b Royfee .. .. 18 R. Chailies, b Greatbatch .. .. 0 N. Avery, c Glanville, b Greatbatch 0 A. A. Hunter, lbw, b Greatbatch .. 0 J. Guy, not out .. .. .. 0 Extras .. .. .. 7 Total for five wickets .. 40 Bowling:—O. Greatbatch, 6,2, 11, 4; R. Pannell, 4,1, 14, 0; G. E. Royfee, 1,0, I. B. CROMB’S XI First Innings M. Chapple, c Reid, b Chailies .. 50 G. Royfee, b Avery .. .. 20 N. Bennett, lbw, b Chailies .. 3 I. B. Cromb, c Challies, b Patience .. 71 O. Greatbatch, c Avery, b Challies .. 2 S. Bettv, b Challies .. .. 1 I. Sinclair, lbw, b Challies .. 5 A. Duckmanton, c Ching, b Avery .. 1 R. Fanned, b Challies .. 3 J. Harliwich, run out .. .. i L. Glanville, not out .. ~21 Extras .. ~ ~ 2 Total • • .. .. 180 Bowling.—P. Blomfield, 6,1, 20, 0; N. Avery, 11, 0, 49, 2; R. Challies, 16, 5, 54, 6; A. Hunter, 5,0, 29, 0; B. Gully, 2,0, 10. 0; R. Patience, 1.1, 0,7, 1.