MAcGIBBON INJURED

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28159, 24 December 1956, Page 8

MAcGIBBON INJURED

D. J. REID SELECTED AS REPLACEMENT On the eve of the opening of tfie Plunket Shield series, Canterbury, the shield hoidiers, has suffered a severe loss in the withdrawal of A. R. Mac Gibbon. the side’s outstanding all-rounder.

On Saturday Mac Gibbon, batting in a club match for Old Collegians, scored the season’s fastest century, but a little before the tea interval he was struck on the left foot by a ball from J. Kiddey. He batted again after tea, but was then in pain, and his foot was examined by a doctor at the ground. Later, Mac Gibbon was given an X-ray examination at the Christchurch Hospital, and he was told a bone had been fractured. It is expected that he will be out of cricket for several weeks.

Mac Gibbon’s place in the Canterbury team has been taken by D. J. Reid, the left-arm swing bowler from Old Boys. Reid has been enjoying a particularly successful season, and has so far taken 27 wickets at an average cost of 16 runs. Reid, a Canterbury representative in 195354, whep he took nine wickets for 249 runs, including four for 58 against Otago, recovered his best form half-way through last season. Since last Christmas he has taken 56 wickets in the club championship, an outstanding performance. Reid has been replaced in the Canterbury team for the matches at Nelson, Blenheim, and Westport by the Riccarton all-rounder, J. Kiddey.

The Otago team for the match which begins at Lancaster Park tomorrow will arrive from the south by train this evening, and will go immediately to the park to practise.

The New Zealand captain, J. R. Reid, who will lead the side, is already in Christchurch. He said on Saturday that Otago had a very useful team, with experienced batsmen such as B. Sutcliffe, S. N. McGregor, E. A. Watson, W. S. Haig and himself, backed up by some particularly promising youngsters, A. E. Dick. G. D. Alabaster, and N. R. Thompson.

The bowling would be varied. Reid said, with the New Zealand leg-break bowler, J. Alabaster, in good form. He had taken a hat-thick in a recent trial match in Dunedin. The North Otago left-hand opening bowler, B. Allan, had played in Dunedin last season, and had then been on the fringe of the Plunket Shield team. He had bowled with great success during the country week cricket. F. J. Cameron was a lively and successful shield bowler. Reid expects the Otago fielding to be particularly good. He will be an asset in the slips, with Watson and J. Alabaster also there. Even without Mac Gibbon, Canterbury has a very attractive team, and this match will probably justify the faith of the administrators who fixed the Christmas Day starting time at 1 p.m.

MALVERN MATCHES The highest scorer in the Malvern Cricket Sub-Association competition on Saturday was O. Stuart, who made 63 for South Malvern against United. C. Miller bowled well for Greendale to take five for 32 in the game against Sheffield. In its game against United, South Malvern declared with 185 for eight.. United, one of the least successful teams in the competition, made 147 and was- unlucky not to draw. Greendale, the leaders in the competition, beat Sheffield, mainly as the result of two excellent bowling performances. C. Miller took five for 32, and the remainder of Sheffield’s wickets fell to •T. Adams at the cost of 68 runs. B. Ridgen scored freely to make 44 runs for Greendale.

Details:— . , . , , . South Malvern 185 for eight wickets declared (R. Stuart 40, O. Stuart 63, D. Mitchell 32. G. Nimmo 21) beat United 147 (J. Rich 60. R. Mackay 54, R. Stuart four for 51. J. Marsh three for 8, O. Stuart two for 46) by 38 on the first innings. . Greendale 170 (B. Ridgen 44, K. Shipley 16. S. Kay 33, G. Ridgen 19 not out, M. Adams 26; A. Wright four for 51. B. Jenkins two for 31, C. Croy two for 35) beat Sheffield 105 (A. Blight 25, C. Croy 36; C. Miller five for 32. J. Adams five for 68) by 65 runs on the first innings. Darfield juniors beat Hororata, by default. „ Competition points to date are:—Greendale 32. South Malvern 23. Sheffield 18. Darfield seniors 18. Darfield juniors 12, United 5, Hororata 3).