McIntyre maturing

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31802, 5 October 1968, Page 11

McIntyre maturing

AT the age of 24, and with three seasons of consistent success behind him, J. M. Mclntyre seems certain to meet Canterbury’s need of a regular proficient spin bowler, a lack which has been badly felt since the retirement of T. B. Burtt in 1954-55.

Canterbury's bowling has been based very largely on pace since Burtt left the

field, with a record aggregate for the province as testimony to his skill. But there have been occasions when a good spinner has been very urgently needed, and Canterbury will not field a properly balanced team without one. Since the war, spin bowlers have come and gone with astonishing regularity. Some have been dropped because they did not bowl well enough, some have not been available, there have been one or two transfers, and there have been some victims of selector’s whims. While Burtt remained a fixture in the Canterbury team for 11 seasons, others

appeared and disappeared. H. E. H. Denham was the first, in 1945-46; he played but one match for the province. R. E. Hitchcock also had only one. R. F. Cook appeared twice. Others who have been selected as bowlers, but who appeared infrequently, and with moderate success, were W. Bell, A. G. Duckmanton, L McK. Sinclair, W. Bridgman, M. W. Jack, G. D. Alabaster, A. F. Rapley, D. C. Currie, B. C. Irving and P. A. Sharp. And several batsmen whose selection was assisted by their claims to fill slow bowling positions also failed to bowl more than usefully, or were not retained—C. L. Broad, J. W. Burtt, D. L. Gallop, B. A. Bolton, M. E. Chapple, M. B. Poore. Since Burtt, Canterbury has lacked a first-choice slow bowler, until Mclntyre came south and won a place in 1965-66. Even now, with 48 wickets for Canterbury in 16 matches at an average of 20, Mclntyre is not ready to fill Burtt’s place. He lacked flight, and sharp spin; the flight seems to be coming and it was of significance that at the national coaching school in Christchurch last month, efforts were made to persuade Mclntyre to develop a sharper turn. Mclntyre has been an economical bowler for Canterbury, but his striking rate, of a wicket every 11.8 overs, is well below that of Burtt, who averaged 9.3; Burtt’s figure is little inferior to R. C. Motz’s 8.9. But Mclntyre is still young, for all his years in first-class cricket and he is still learning. Already his record for Canterbury is a good one, although he has struck a really damaging blow, measured as five wickets in an innings, only once.

This season may see him develop more fully the art of left-hand spin; if he does, he will become a firm rival of B. W. Yuile and H. J. Howarth for a place in the New Zealand test and touring teams.