CRICKET PLUNKET SHIELD MATCH

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28157, 21 December 1956, Page 14

CRICKET PLUNKET SHIELD MATCH

Canterbury To Play Otago BRIGHT BATTING LIKELY Ten New Zealand test players will take part in Canterbury’s first Plunket Shield match of the season, against Otago, which begins on Christmas Day. Canterbury, holder of the shield, will have a difficult task in overcoming, in the restricted playing time, a team which includes the country’s outstanding batsmen, B. Sutcliffe and J. R. Reid. The Otago team would not look strong in batting were it not for these two. There are some experienced batsmen, including S. N. McGregor, W. S. Haig, and E. A. Watson, and some of particular promise—A. Dick, who was a member of the New Zealand Colts touring team last year, N. R. Thompson, a wicketkeeper-bats-man in the same side, and G. D. Alabaster. But Canterbury’s problem seems to be that of dismissing Sutcliffe and Reid. This season in Dunedin Sutcliffe has scored very well, and if he has not been quite as sound as in his earlier days, hte remains New Zealand’s best batsman. Canterbury needs no reminding of the punishing power of Reid.

The Otago bowling looks interesting. F. J. Cameron. E. A. Watson, Reid, and the North Otago left-hander B. Allan provide the pace, and the spin bowling of J. Alabaster will be of particular interest. He has been included at the expense of the familiar A. M. Moir, and at present he is the leading contender for a place as a leg-break bowler in the 1958 tour of England. Alabaster played for New Zealand in the fourth and victorious test against the West Indies last season, and took two cheap wickets near the end of the game. 4 Otago, then, appears to have reasonably varied bowling and somewhat brittle batting. But so too has Canterbury. In the home team there is a long list of batsmen, most of whom like to play attacking strokes as soon as possible: Win or lose, it should be a brisk batting side. Canterbury’s bowling may not be as good as that of Otago. A. R. MacGibbon needs only the scent and sight of a shield match‘to find his best form, and for more limited periods G. N. Gearry is a useful attacking bowler. Much will depend on the ability of I. McK. Sinclair to recanture his form of last season, for without him the Canterbury support for Mac Gibbon is little more than bits and pieces. This match should be a particularly attractive one. perhaps the most entertaining match of the entire series. It should also be close, and it could have a profound bearing on the rest of the series.

Problem For Women’s Team Officials (New Zealana Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 20. The officials responsible for outfitting the New Zealand women's cricket team, to leave next week for Australia, have been set a problem. Almost on the eve of Christmas they have been asked 1o find a uniform for a player about sft sin tall and fairly solidly built, to replace one who is slimmish and about sft Bin. Miss Ineka van Leydon (Auckland) has had to withdraw from the touring side as her mother is seriously ill. Her replacement is Miss Mary Rouse (Canterbury ). Miss Rouse, who is a batsman, and a particularly good field, was a member of tiie team that toured England in 1954. It is hoped that the co-operation of Canterbury tailors will overcome the problem and that Miss Rouse will be able to assist by unearthing some of the gear she had in England . Unfortunately, a blazer of different design is being worn this year.