Clarke’s Brilliant Double Puts Central To Flight

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30028, 12 January 1963, Page 12

Clarke’s Brilliant Double Puts Central To Flight

(New Zealcnd Press Association)

WANGANUI, January 11.

The Rugby full-back, D. B. Clarke, whose boot has kicked New Zealand to victory on many occasions, batted and bowled magnificently to give Northern Districts a firm grip on its Plunket Shield match with Central Districts at Cooks Gardens today.

Clarke, hero of many tense moments, hit 47 in an innings-saving eighth wicket stand and then scattered Central with eight wickets for 37—a double that equalled any of his feats on the Rugby field. When rain halted play at 3.40 p.m. Northern, 12 for no wicket in its second innings, required another 102 for an outright victory with a full day’s play remaining. Clarke and G. D. Alabaster rescued Northern from a batting collapse after seven wickets had fallen for only 90 in reply to Central’s first innings total of 214. Then Clarke swapped bat for ball and skittled out Central for 71 in its second innings. Northern batted again for only 16 minutes without loss of a wicket before play was stopped.

Aggressive Batting Clarke’s contribution with the bat was an aggressive < and most competently compiled 47, which included

seven fours and a six. Alabaster, the overnight batsman, carried on to score 58 in most impressive fashion, with eight fours and a six. Although the wicket showed distinct signs of wear, and Clarke moved the ball quickly off the pitch, Central’s batting failure could be attributed to lack of concentration and, application by the batsmen as much as to the state of the wicket. The match has been a notable one for Clarke. On Thursday he captured his 100th first-class wicket, and today he turned on his best bowling performance in a Plunket Shield match. Splendid Catching Another feature of the day’s play was the splendid catching. The Northern captain, B. H Pairaudeau, held four catches close to the wicket, including three off Clarke’s bowling. In the Northern Districts’ innings, the New Zealand representative, G. A. Bartlett, took three catches in his fav-

ourlte position of gully. The one he held to dismiss Clarke when Northern was threatening Central’s first innings lead was superb.

Bartlett swung himself to the right to hold a one-handed catch close to the ground. Scores:— NORTHERN DISTRICTS First Innings W. P. Bradbum, c Yuile, b Kinsella .. ..6 T. E. Shaw, c Bartlett, bKlnsella .. ..3 B. Dunning, b Kinsella .. 0 B. H. Pairaudeau, b Hampton .. .. 6 B. Sutcliffe, c Congdon, b Kinsella .. ..14 P B. McGregor, b Kinsella .. ..20 G. D. Alabaster, b Hampton 58 E. C. Petrie, c Murdoch, b Kinsella .. .. 0 D. B. Clarke, c Bartlett, b Hampton .. .. 47 P JI. Barton, c Bartlett, b Hampton .. .. 4 N. Puna, not out .. ..5 Extras (byes 5, leg-byes 2, wides 2) .. 9 Total .. ..”172 Fall of wickets: one for 8. two for 8, three for 13, four for 15, five for 35, six for 82, seven for 90, eight for 141, nine for 161.

Second Innings Bradburn, not out .. ..11 Shaw, not out .. .. 0 Extra (bye 1) .. 1 Total for no wicket .. 12

CENTRAL DISTRICTS First innings .. .. 214 Second Innings L. B. Reade, c McGregor, b Clarke .. ..13 J. W. Guy c Bradburn, b Clarke ... ..9 B. E. Congdon, c Palraudeau, b Shaw ..14 M. F. Shrimpton, c Barton, b Clarke .. .. 6 M. E. Chapple, lbw, b Shaw .. .. 0 W. Murdock, not out .. 5 G. A. Bartlett, c Pairaudeau, b Clarke .. 8 B. W. Yuile, c Pairaudeau, b Clarke .. ..7 L A. Colquhoun, c Pairau-

deau. b Clarke .. 0 B. L. Hampton, c Barton, b Clarke • • .. 0 D A. Kinsella b Clarke .. 0 Extras (byes 6, leg-bye 1. no-bails 2) ..9

Bowling W. O. M. R. B, L, Hampton 22.5 7 50 4 B W. Yulle .. 4 1 15 0 G. A Bartlett 5 1 15 0 M. E. Chapple 2 0 29 0

Bowling O. M. R. W. Kinsella .. 3 1 6 0 Hampton .. 2 1 S 0

Total • • 71 Bowling R. o. M. W D. B. Clarke 22313 37 8 P. H. Barton 5 2 9 0 P. B. McGregor 6 3 7 0 T. E. Shaw .. 5 3 7 2 N Puna 3 3 0 0 G. O. Alabaster 3 3 2 0