NORTHERN DISTRICTS NO LONGER CRICKET'S CINDERELLA

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30043, 30 January 1963, Page 9

NORTHERN DISTRICTS NO LONGER CRICKET'S CINDERELLA

CANTERBURY cricket supporters may have been disappointed at the failure of their side to win the Plunket Shield, but few of them will regret that the side to win was Northern Districts.

In its first five Plunket Shield seasons Northern Districts suffered many depressing defeats. In those five seasons the team was last three times, second to last twice. Its maximum points in that period were achieved in 1958-59, and then the telly was a modest 14.

But last summer Northern Districts showed a distinct advance. The team began at Lancaster Park by soundly beating Canterbury from behind, and then woo a narrow victory over Otago. After losing to Central Districts Northern beat Auckland ait Eden Park, largely through a splendid performance with the ball

by D. D. Beard. Then in the vital game Northern Districts needed only 93 runs in the last innings to win the shield, but failed miserably, as much to the occasion as to the bawling, and was dtenissed for 58.

This season Northern Districts has shown much more maturity. When it is remembered how few runs B. Sutcliffe and B. H. Pairaudeau made in the first four games, it is of considerable credit to the teem that it was in a position to win the competition by defeat-

Mg Canterbury. And then me Ti nw game xtmuwudeau and Sutdiffe, two of the moot experienced as writ as talented batsmen in the country, raw their side throutfi to victory after a iNKue wwun reuecaea well on Canterbury as weE as on Hie wuhmor •

Northern Dtatetate was not a particularly good batting ride aMhouaa theca were alwajvtwoor three of the batomen making useful scores. V. P. Bradburn played a couple of valuable tetogk B/pSaHcf made two hmf-eentthtea Suteiiffe

three and P. McGregor, the former Auckland colt, started the series with innings of 118 and 63. Pairoudeau had only one innings of much significance, but right down the order batsmen popped up unexpectedly. E. C. Petrie made some runs and so did D. B. Clarke, and after missing the first match, G. D. Alabaster did some notable things as an all-rounder, and at the end of the series T. E. Shaw played two good knocks.

But it says something for the bowling that the side could win the shield when only two batsmen had averages in excess of 30 for the series--Sutcliffe with 40.7 and McGregor with 31.6. And the bowlers were almost uniformly successful. In the first two games D. C. Hoskin took sight cheep wickets, but did not piear again. D. B. Clarke took 18 for 18 each and N. Puna’s bag of 24 cost Um under 20 rune apiece. P, H. Barton had one good match, and Alabaster bowled effectively in ail bis games, finishing with 14 wickets for 17 rune each.

Northern Districts generally fielded well, and Ktrie again kept wickets with admirable skill. Alter beating Auckland on the first innings. Otago and Central Districts outritfit, Northern was heavily defeated by ffgy -4 _ -a AS mujok wnray because of J. R. Reid’s magnificent tank* of 2867 k says much for Bokaudeau’e leaderklip that he could maintain Ma team’s confidence after such a drubbing; cricketers ail over the country will congratulate him, and hie teem, on a notabiß suoccm.

Whatever doubts have jikxMtt Mm* ston of the sixth Pkmket Shield team, it has been dear for some time that Noriham Districts is in to stay. That being so, thto warm's suroem is the best WUtCu COUM UH VW point a! view. Northern Ditricta’ victory is certain to inureeae krtereat in the game in a large arm; and Sat ean bring nothing but benefit.