Three Teams Have Chance In Cricket Championship

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28210, 23 February 1957, Page 5

Three Teams Have Chance In Cricket Championship

ALTHOUGH the Christchurch senior cricket championship appears to have resolved itself into a struggle between Lancaster Park and St. Albans—which, by happy chance, meet in the final two-day round—there remains a faint possibility that Old Collegians, now placed third, could win its first championship. Old Collegians’ extremely slim chance of success depends on the battle between the other two teams becoming one of attrition, but it adds to the interest of the last days’ play. Form has certainly been unpredictable thus far, sufficiently so for any of the three leaders to succumb to sides lower placed.

Lancaster Park, which will play Old Collegians today, owes its top place largely to M. E. Chapple, whose all-round form exceeds anything he has done in previous seasons. He at present heads both batting and bowling averages for the whole competition. It may be that both he and A. R. MacGibbon, his opposing captain, will stand down from today’s game because of the strong possibility of inclusion in the second test against the Australians, which begins on the second day of the club game, but it would be a better match for their presence. Strong Batting

take the lead from Lancaster Park in this round. It will play West Christchurch, occupying last place since Sydenham's splendid victory over Riccarton. G. T. Dowling is the only West Christchurch batsman in consistent form, although G. N. Gearry is capable of thrashing almost any bowling. W. Haskell West Christchurch will welcome W. Haskell as a bowler in bowling, but St. Albans has a very strong all-round team. P. G. Z. Harris, M. B. Poore and S. C. Guillen have scored, in the aggregate, 1670 runs already in club games, at an average exceeding 50. Apart from K. J. McNicholl, the bowlers lack much bite, but steadiness is usually enough to get club wickets.

Both these are strong batting sides, with R. T. Dowker, A. G. Duckmanton and W. H. Walters to support Chapple, and the Old Collegians, R. T. Hunt, D. W. Rowe and P. C. Sheppard, in particularly fine form. It is unlikely that Lancaster Park will be able to repeat its hollow victory of the first round, although Lancaster Park’s bowling, headed by Chapple. G. Smart, R. H. Prouting, Duckmanton and F. E. Dennis, looks stronger than that of Old Collegians, which depends rather too much - on the willing Mac Gibbon. St. Albans today should have an easier task, and might well

In the next round, St. Albans meets Lancaster Park, and Old Collegians plays East Christchurch. If a final one-day round is played, Old Collegians will meet Sydenham, St. Albans will play East Christchurch, and Lancaster Park will meet Riccarton.

Should Old Collegians manage an outright win in the round starting today, and St. Albans be held, perhaps, to first innings points, the final two-day round would start with St. Albans having 50 points, Lancaster Park 47, Old Collegians 42. A cricketing stage manager would then require Old Collegians to beat East Christchurch outright, &nd St. Albans and Lancaster Park to have a first-innings decision, to leave three teams still in the running in the final one-day game. There may be more ifs in this than Kipling could muster, but it would make a splendid finish to an interesting championship.