EMPHASIS ON FITNESS Canterbury Ready To Defend Shield

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30941, 23 December 1965, Page 15

EMPHASIS ON FITNESS Canterbury Ready To Defend Shield

(By

R. T. Brittenden)

Canterbury’s cricketing claws have been sharpened steadily 7 since the training squad was selected after Show Day, and the training has been intensified in the last few weeks, with the reduction in the squad to the 12 who will be meeting Auckland on Monday.

If cricketers are to find their best form, they must have good pitches, and the Canterbury squad has been fortunate in the high quality of the practice areas at Lancaster Park prepared by Mr C. Barnes.

But even the best pitches would not mean much unless the players went about their training with enthusiasm, and there has been no lack of it this season. Attendances have been very good, and B. R. Taylor has come on several occasions from Timaru. This week the Canterbury team’s nets have been atten ded by a few willing bowlinj helpers. N. F. Curtis, of ol< Collegians, J. W. Kiddey, o Riccarton. and I. D. Hounsell of West Christchurch-Univer-sity. It is no mere coincidenci

(that these three are left-arm 'bowlers, and that the Auckland team includes a very sue(cessful bowler of similar 'type, if rather more pace—R. :E. Sutton. Although the club performances of some of those in the ' Canterbury team principally i for their batting have not been ! very spectacular, there has I been an encouraging improvej ment in form in the last week ; or two, and the batting may iyet be of better quality than . seemed likely a little earlier. Considerable ' emphasis has been put on fielding, and each ttraining period has ended, for I the last few weeks, with an : exhausting period of sprinting. The players have been div- ; ided into relay teams, and teach man has had to sprint

distances varying from 40 to; 70 yards and back; but it is not just one sprint. The running has gone on for 15 and 120 minutes without respite. Players Responded i Canterbury has never yet 'won the Plunket Shield in 'two successive seasons, but [this team will not be without 'full fitness in its efforts to break this tradition. The captain. B. F. Hastings, I has set a notable example in his approach to practice and : training, and his players have I responded to him well, and to the directions of the sole selector, Mr W. McD. Anderson. ‘‘The players have worked hard, and I was pleased to see most of the batsmen return to form in last Saturday’s club games,” Mr Anderson said. “These were encouraging signs for what we hope will be a successful season. The bowling, we feel, will be adequate and it is to be hoped :that the batsmen can show their best form.” And On Sunday The ngt practices will end this evening. But the Canterbury team will not totter out on Lancaster Park on Monday feeling the full effects of an inactive Christmas at home. On Sunday afternoon a full scale practice will be held, probably on an open wicket. It will be the final familiarisation before the start of a testing shield campaign.