Canterbury Softball Team Below Form

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29058, 21 November 1959, Page 5

Canterbury Softball Team Below Form

IT is to be hoped that the Canterbury senior men’s representative team which makes this season’s first defence of the Jeffrey’s Cup at English Park today, against a West Coast team, does better than in the special trial game against members of the Operation Deepfreeze during the week.

This special match was arranged by the Canterbury selectors in an effort to find the province’s strongbest team for today’s match, but

Although outfields were fast, scoring in senior matches was again deplorably slow on Saturday. The Hagley pitches certainly posed their problems for batsmen, but in the aggregate of 1500 minutes’ during the day, only 1046 runs came off the bat in the four games.

Extras very nearly top-scored for Old Collegians against Riccarton on Saturday. There were 45 of them, including 34 byes. But such a total was a little unfair to the wicket-keeper, G. R. McAulay. He certainly made more mistakes than usual, but the eccentricities of the pitch, and sometimes of the bowler, made important contributions to the tally.

the game hardly produced the standard desired and very little in the way of co-ordination was seen in either the infield or outfield. Far too dften in the in field experienced players in these important positions fumbled the ball and were indecisive when the ball was finally secured. The two most vital positions, short stop and second base, did not combine at any stage of the game, making the pitcher’s task an unenviable one. The outfield, all farmer Canterbury representatives, failed to rise to any heights, their judgment of ground fielding lapsing, and giving away many unearned runs.

Canterbury won the game, 22-15, but only through batting rallies in the third innings, when 10 runs were scored, and in the sixth innings when five more were made. J. Hooper, B. Shaw, A. O’Neill, B. Mansfield and B. Bridgeman, all members of today’s team, all hit three-base hits and were aided by clever bunting by B. McGregor, another member of today’s team. Bridgeman G. Woods hit home runs in the sixth innings. The team selected for today’s match is K. Smith, A. O’Neill, C. Bayford, G. Woods, J. Hooper, B. Mansfield, E. Noonan, B. Shaw, B. McGregor, and B. Bridgeman. Surprise The surprise selection is Smith, a young pitcher still in his teens, who takes the place of A. Ballantyne, former representative and South Island representative, recognised as one of New Zealand's fastest. Also out of the team is M. Nalepa, catcher and team-mate of Ballantyne, former Canterbury „ and South Island representative. His place has been taken by Shaw, a veteran catcher, also a former Canterbury and South Island representative.

O’Neill, as first baseman, is making his first appearance for the province. He is still in his teens, and a bright future is predicted for him. He has all the attributes of a first-class fieldsman.

The West Coast team is an unknown quantity, but it is understood to be a team of active young players with keen anticipation, a thing lacking in the game during the week. If the visitors can hit as well, then the Jeffrey’s Cup could be won.