Good Performance By Schoolboy Batsmen

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30325, 28 December 1963, Page 9

Good Performance By Schoolboy Batsmen

Two batsmen broke the record aggregate for a first eleven player at St. Andrew’s College this year—and a third might well have done so had the last day’s competition play before Christmas not been ruined by rain.

The record of 687 runs in a calendar year had been set in 1959 by A. T. Waters, now a member of the West

Christchurch - University senior team. This year P. A. Stabbings scored 737 and P. D. Smith 731. G. W. Stone made 675.

Stabbings, a member of this season's Brabin tournament team, is a batsman of high promise. He averaged nearly 50 runs an innings. But much credit belongs to the other two, Stone, a right-hander, and Smith, a son of the former international, H. D. Smith, as his opening partner, and they often gave Stabbings a very good chance to display his batting talents.

Stone and Smith’s opening partnerships for the year were 23, 12 (Stone going on to make 76). 3, 50 (Smith 68), 32, 9, 213 (Smith 114, Stone 92), 3,7, 28 (Stone 61), 60, 41 (Smith 88 not out), 50 (Smith 53), 10 (Stone 96). 63 unfinished, 124 (Stone 73, Smith 53), 82 and 70. Thus the pair had an average opening partnership of nearly 52. Smith has left the college and will be joining the Riccarton club; he may well find a place in the senior side immediately. There are now seven former St. Andrew’s College pupils in the senior grade—the highest number for some time.