Two Close Finishes In 1st Rounds Of Championship

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30884, 18 October 1965, Page 18

Two Close Finishes In 1st Rounds Of Championship

Two close finishes marked the first round of the senior championship which ended on Saturday. Although Old Collegians failed bv only 14 runs to catch Lancaster Park, the cricket was of finer temper at Hagley Oval where Sydenham lost seven wickets before scoring the 74 runs needed to beat West Christchurch-University.

A third team to win outright was Riccarton, which easily disposed of East ChristchurchShirley; Old Boys beat St. Albans on the first innings. It was very much a bowlers’ day. Three innings totalled under 100. and in all 62 wickets fell for only 752 runs.

A notable exception to the run of things was the innings played by J.-M. Ruston, who batted with vigour and style to make 78 for St. Albans, the highest score so far this season. The Riccarton pair, J. W. Kiddey and R. C. Motz, between them took 18 wickets against East ChristchurchShirley and B. C. Irving, with six for 32, was primarily re-

sponsible for Lancaster Park’s narrow win. Points scored were.—Lancaster Park, Sydenham, and Riccarton 14; Old Boys 7: St. Albans 1; Old Collegians, East Christchurch-Shirley and West Christchurch-University, 0. Results were:— Old Boys 221 and 132/6 dec., beat St. Albans 182 and 43/3 by 39 runs on the first innings.

Lancaster Park 160 and 78 beat Old Collegians 101 and 123 by 14 runs.

Riccarton 224/9 declared beat East Christchurch-Shirley 97 and 95 by an innings and 52 runs.

Sydenham 162 and 74/7 beat West Christchurch-University 120 and 115 by three wickets.