CRICKET Fine 82 By Harris In Plunket Shield Trial

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29383, 9 December 1960, Page 8

CRICKET Fine 82 By Harris In Plunket Shield Trial

A fine 82 not out by the former New Zealand representative, ’P. G. Z. Harris, brought renewed interest to the final Plunket Shield trial cricket match between a formidable Canterbury XI and a Combined Minor and Subassociations' XI, which concluded >t Hagley Oval yesterday.

The first day’s play was noted for its extremely slow scoring rates and unspectacular play, and Harris’s forceful innings on the second day for Canterbury was particularly welcome. Combined continued its first innings yesterday morning and just before lunch was all out after taking its over-night total of 157 to 224. With an excellent display of run-making under difficult conditions, Canterbury compiled 227 runs for seven wickets in reply to gain a well deserved first-innings win. Throughout the day, intermittent showers caused discomfort to players and made the outfield fairly slippery. The pitch, which was covered during the lunch and tea breaks, was in surprisingly good order, although it did not have much life in it. Towards the end of the match, when conditions were milder, the pitch began to take the spin much better. The Combined Minor and Subassociations’ side did well to score more than 200 in its first innings, especialy as it was batting against bowling which was at times in New Zealand class. When the combined side was dismissed at 12.25 pun., a drawn game appeared almost inevitable. Aggressive Policy However, under the guidance of its captain. M. Chapple, a former New Zealand representative. Canterbury adoptc -* a policy of aggression which paid handsome dividends. The required runs for a first innings Win were compiled in a little more than 270 minutes. Luck was also on Canterbury’s side, several reasonable catches being dropped by Combined players. The fielding of the Combined side at times could have been better. Play began quietly when M. A. Beban, a West Coast plaver. and G. T. Wright, a former Canterbury Shield player, of Malvern, continued the Combined side’s first innings. First to go was Beban after adding seven runs to his over-night total of 23. He was clean bowled by a good ball from the South Canterbury slow leg spinner, D. C. Currie. After being dropped by A. C. Harrison in the deep off at 41, Wright was bowled lbw off the left-arm slow bowler. D. J McKendry, having added 19 to his over-night total of 25. The remaining batsmen, with the exception of W. A. Kennedy, West Coast, who made 27 not out, went quickly. The North Canterbury player, R. J. Booker made six and R. F. Millichamp, of Ashburton, made one. Canterbury’s opening pair, J. Grocott and G. T. Dowling, another former. New . Zealand representative* and Canterbury Shield player, could only make seven during the first half hour, thanks to the bowling of Millichamp and Booker. Grocott was caught by Booker at square leg for .16 with his side’s total at 27. Tricky Ball Three-quarters of an hour later, Dowling was clean bowled by a tricky ball from A. Wright for 28. With Canterbury’s total at 57, he was replaced by the very aggressive batsman, K. Thomson. In partnership with Harris, who came to thewicket when Grocott was dismissed, he _ contributed a quick 21 and helped raise the total to 94. Before he was bowled by Booker, he had the satisfaction of hitting the first six of the match off a loose ball from Beban.

Chapple replaced Thomson and the runs continued to come steadily. At

3.30 p.m. the 100 was up and shortly afterwards Chapple hit the second six of the match off the slow bowling of A. Wright. He had compiled 27 before being caught at square leg by J. C. Robertson for 27. At this stage Canterbury was four down for 148. The following batsmen did little else but keep their ends up while Harris slashed the bowling to ribbons. J. England was bowled lbw by Beban for nine and Currie met the same fate from a medium-paced delivery by W. Kennedy. He scored four runs. R. C. Motz followed. He took too many unnecessary risks and was clean-bowled by Beban for three. The ninth man In, F. Rapley, a determined left-hand batsman, helped save the day. He scored 16 not out and hit the winning three r\ins of the match. Few Chances Harris, the other not out batsman,, played an almost faultless innings to score 82. He gave few chances and looked quite set for his century when the match ended. His running between the wickets was very smart and when he was in company with Chapple . and Dowling, he really moved the score along. Seven fours were included in his score. Most successful of the Combined team's bowlers was W. A. Kennedy, of West Coast. He only bowled 12 overs, but managed to take two wickets with his medium-paced deliveries for 21 runs. Beban dismissed two batsmen with his offspinners for 67. He was very consistent throughout his 27 overs, six of which were maidens. The Ashburton bowler. Millichamp was unlucky. He proved very economical at the start, but later when it became obvious that his pace bowling was not going to take the wickets, he was taken off. He bowled 10 overs for no wickets. Booker proved a constant worry to the batsmen with his medium paced deliveries. He bowled 15 overs for only 31 runs and Managed to take one wicket. He bowled on an excellent length and was reasonably accurate. G. Coull a former Plunket Shield player, took one wicket for 20 with his slow spinners and A. Wright took one for 28. Scores were:— COMBINED First Innings (157/6) M. A. Beban, b Currie .. .. 30 G. T. Wright, lbw, b McKendry 44 W. A. Kennedy, not out .. 27 R. J. Booker, c and b Currie .. 6 R. F. Millichamp, c Harrison, b Rapley .. .. .. 1 Extras (bves 4, leg-byes 5, no-balls 1) 10 Total .. .. ..224 Fall of wickets: One for three, two for 39. three for 49, four for 65, five for 98, six for 108, seven for 168, eight for 193, nine for 213. 10 for 224. Bowling.—D. C. Currie, 27 overp. 6 maidens, 41 runs, 3 wickets: P. G. Z. Harris, 10. 0, 28, 2; R. C. Motz, 23, 10, 37. 2: D. J. McKendry, 19, 9. 29, 1; J. Parson, 15, 5. 37, 1; F. Rapley, 15, 5, 40. 1; M. Chapple. 1. O, 2. 0. CANTERBURY First Innings G. T. Dowling, b A. Wright .. 28 J. Grocott, c Booker, b Kennedy 16 P. G. Z. Harris, not out .. 82 K. Thomson, b Booker .. .. 21 M. Chapple, c Robertson, b Coull 27 J. England, lbw, b Beban .. 9 D. C. Currie, lbw, b Kennedy .. 4 R. C. Motz, b Beban .. . ■ 3 F. Rapley, not out .. .. 16 Extras (byes 18, leg-byes 3) 21 Total for seven wickets 227 Fall of wickets: One for 27, two for 57. three for 94, four for 145, five for 172, six for 191, seven for 209. Bowling.—W. A. Kennedy, 12 overs, 2 maidens, 21 runs. 2 wickets; M. A. Beban. 27. 6, 27, 2: G. Coull, 12 4, 20, 1; A. Wright, 10, 1,2 s, 1: R.’ J. Booker, 15, 4, 31, 1; R. F. Millichamp, 10, 2, 35. 0.