R.C. Merrin's Maxim: To Bowl As Fast As Possible

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31530, 18 November 1967, Page 11

R.C. Merrin's Maxim: To Bowl As Fast As Possible

VVER since he can re-1-1 member, R. C. Merrin has tried to bowl as fast as possible, with no frills. And, from his days of backyard cricket with his father and lunch-time play at Kaiapoi Borough School, through to his startling debut for a Canterbury XI last week. Merlin’s career has been one of successful fast bowling in his most important matches.

It was natural that Merrin should take to cricket His father, C. S. Merrin, first played for West Eyreton as a youngster nearly 40 years ago and has now had about 15 years with the Kaiapoi senior team in the Ashley competition. He still plays, though aged 47, and father and son played together for North Canterbury when it was a sub-association, with Conway Merrin captaining the side.

Russell Merrin had an advantage over other boys who practised on the back lawn. If he broke a window, it did not result in punishment, for Merrin’s father was often equally damaging. From Kaiapoi Borough School, where his pace was fearsome to his contemporaries—among them a present North Canterbury teammate, P. R. Williams—Merrin progressed through the Rangiora High School first XI to senior cricket, for three or four years, for Kaiapoi. Four years ago he joined Woodend, and was vital to his team's success in the Ashley competition last season.

When North Canterbury became a minor association in 1962, Merrin, a 17-year-old, was included in the side. He has now taken 95 wickets, a record, for the side. He should reach the milestone of 100 this weekend at Nelson. But his highest score is only 23 and in the field, said Merrin, "only one catch has been offered and taken.” Then a scrap-book revived an unpleasant memory and Merrin recalled that his catches for North Canterbury totalled two. In 1965, when catching the Nelson batsman, B. E. Jewell, on the boundary, he fell heavily and broke his collarbone. It was the outstanding catch of the match, too.

On the subject of his few catching opportunities for North Canterbury, Merrin said: "They just don’t come to me. That one didn’t come to me the other day; I had to chase it” In the New Zealand match, Merrin caught V. Pollard in the covers, but only at a second attempt, as the sharply spinning ball threatened to elude his grip. Pollard, the New Zealand vice-captain, figured in one of Merrin’s most important cricketing successes last season. In the Hawke Cup challenge match against Manawatu, North Canterbury owed much of its ultimate success to Merrin’s first innings bowling of six for 48. These figures included

Pollard for a duck and, In the second innings, Pollard again for seven. To complete a hat-trick of successes against one at New Zealand’s most accomplished batsmen, Merrin took Pollard’s wicket again in the first innings of the New Zealand match. First balls have figured largely in Merrin’s career. He took a wicket with his first ball in Brabin Cup cricket; slipped on a treacherous turf when about to deliver his first ball in firstclass cricket; and from the first ball he faced on Monday, scored a run from an overthrow. He felt very relaxed, and not at all overawed, with the prospect of bowling to

New Zealand batsmen, for he had bowled to at least half the team in minor association, Brabin tournament, or Rothman’s tournament matches. He had only one Brabin tournament, in 1964-65, but has been chosen for three Rothman's tournaments and is available again this season. He toured New South Wales country districts with the Canterbury Kiwis in 1965-66, and was the outstanding performer. He took 33 wickets in five matches at an average of 10.9 runs and, in both bowling aggregate and average, was the leading player in the team. He also scored 188 runs (sixth) and averaged 37.6 (second) to demonstrate his worth as a hard-hitting left-handed batsman.

Since leaving secondary school, Merrin has scored five centuries, all characterised by strong driving and fast scoring. One, for Ashley against Buller when he was 16, was a remarkable effort, and Merrin and his father added 155 for the fifth wicket. Bowling is his forte, however, and already this season, for Woodend, North Canterbury (five for 18 against a. Canterbury XI on Labour Day) and the Canterbury XI against New Zealand, the slight, but bighearted Merrin has taken 42 wickets. His fine bowling on Saturday and Monday suggests his first-class tally of seven wickets may be substantially increased this season, and in the years ahead.