TECHNICAL CLUB’S PLAY

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28132, 22 November 1956, Page 21

TECHNICAL CLUB’S PLAY

FAST, RELIABLE BATTING

A FEATURE

'pie form shown by the Technical Cricket Club last. Saturday, when several solid, quick-scoring partnerships and consistent bowling nearly won the match against the high-ranking Star Club, suggests that this team will further improve its position in the Ashburton County Cricket Association’s senior competition. In the last week or two the club has shown an almost meteoric rise in all-round ability. This season Technical is placing "great emphasis on the coaching of its young players in the junior grades, and this move should ensure the continued improvement of the club’s standard. Regular batting, bowling, and fielding practices for all members are held at the domain.

Undoubtedly one of the strongest departments of Technical’s play is its batting. Many members can be relied on to produce runs, and the solid partnerships this season of its openers, A. Stead and B. Jordan, have put the side in a leading position on several occasions. Both batsmen have shown consistent form, and the experienced Jordan has not recorded an innings of less than 20 runs this season.

Last Saturday, Jordan figured in a brilliant opening partnership of 106 with E. Flaherty. He settled down quickly against the Star bowling, and with many hard drives to the outfield kept the score well ahead of the clock. Flaherty also showed his ability on attack, and the pair were in command thoughout. A. Porter, who has been dismissed only twice in five matches, is outstanding among the batsmen further down m the batting order. He has an average of more than 80 this season, and when required he can consolidate the position achieved by earlier batsmen, with his fast knocks

The opening bowlers, A. Mairs and the representative player, G. Geering, have played well this season. Geering has shown considerable improvement on last season to gain a place in the Ashburton representative side, and can bowl for long spells without change. Mairs’s bowling is generally economical. Porter is a reliable bowler who at-

tacks the stumps, and last week against Star he nearly brought about the defeat of the Star team. In the last over of the day he the seventh, eighth, and ninth wickets. Fielding Erratic The side’s fielding has been rather erratic so far, but a definite improvement was shown in last week’s match due mainly to the thorough practices being carried out. E. Fahey and D. Adlam have improved their fielding this season to a high standard.

The wicket-keeping of C. Hampton has been outstanding throughout, and in three matches this year he has not conceded a bye. He has brought about the dismissal of many opposing batsmen, caught behind, and is always alert.

One of the main weaknesses to be overcome by some members of the Technical team is the failure at times to capitalise on the good performances by the batsmen at the head of the list. A. glaring example of this weakness was the performance of the team in its match against Lauriston. After an opening partnership of 67. none of the later batsmen took time to settle in against the bowling, and the last nine wickets fell for 49 runs.

With this weakness remedied, however, Technical’s ability to score quickly, and the confidence which can be placed in at least four of its batsmen to gain command should ensure it a season even better than last year when the team won the cricket association’s rose bowl competition.