CRICKET YOUTH

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31521, 8 November 1967, Page 31

CRICKET YOUTH

For the Junior Advisory Board’s morning competition on Saturday conditions were not conducive to good cricket, the blustery wind and cold temperatures making it difficult for even the young to enthuse over their matches.

The question of "walking” has become a topical point in cricket today, and it was pleasing to see, in a number of matches, that the boys were sporting enough to give themselves out, if they knew they had hit the ball. At Lancaster Park C. Terry of the Somme Street team “walked” when caught behind, and was generously applauded by the opposition for doing so. The temptation to stay at the wicket is always strong, and the character needed to resist it is quite considerable.

In the same match, Somme Street v. Lancaster Park, the bowlers found conditions upsetting. Bowling into a strong southerly is difficult, but when it comes in gusts, it is even harder. However, the Lancaster Park opening bowler J. Clements found a little assistance in the pitch and bowled with speed and skill; only P. Cooke, who made a dashing but determined 20, could stand up to him.

There were three Xavier College teams playing at Hospital Corner and although they produced some fine personal performances, such as J. Kirk, younger brother of the senior player, who took 5 for 13 and 3-14 while making 19 runs, the most outstanding feature of the Xavier sides was their lively fielding. Brother John Gerard, coach of the Xavier "A” side, considers fielding for junior teams a most necessary skill, and it is a tribute to him, that his side and the other Xavier teams caught so regularly and threw so crisply—their immaculate fielding being matched by their dress and conduct.

Perhaps the best partnership in all the matches in this round came in the EastShirley teams’ match against Lancaster Park at Hospital Corner., East was in the precarious position of being 5 down for 28 and in danger of total collapse. However a fine, unbroken stand by J. Cousins (20) and K. Hartshorne (36) taking the total to 93 for 5 enabled East to declare their innings closed. Both these boys batted with intelligence, keeping out the good ball and taking full toll on all the looser deliveries.

In these grades, the spin bowler is not usually success-

ful and indeed most bowlers aspire to a Motz-like pace, with little regard for accuracy. However a good spinner is always valuable to his side, and S. Girvan proved this by taking 4 for 8 in the match, Riccarton v. Old Collegians. He flighted the ball well and received full support from the field.

The match between MaristLoreto and Riccarton produced some very good bowling figures. Although Riccarton had limited success in the field, the Loreto bowlers, notably J. McCormack, J. Morton and T. Murdoch, had good figures. Loreto won this match outright, but in the excitement of the close finish, the Loreto fielding deteriorated.

There will be two Canterbury teams selected to travel to Blenheim for the South Island Primary Schools’ Tounament and one of the selectors, Mr A. Moore, emphasises the fact that the teams are not yet picked and that form and performance will be most important during the next few weeks. As yet there are no certainties for the teams and because there is a special tournament trophy for fielding, the selectors will be watching for cricketers who are keen and capable in the field.

A notable act of defiance was performed for Lancaster Park C by Mark Johnson in a first-round game against Old Boys. Although his team was all out for only 70, he managed to score 62 with good, aggressive batting. For a primary school boy, Mark’s sure fielding and long, accurate throwing are remarkable.