Motz In Top Form For Plunket Shield XI

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31863, 16 December 1968, Page 18

Motz In Top Form For Plunket Shield XI

An absorbing day’s cricket was played at the Ashburton Domain yesterday when the Canterbury Plunket Shield XI met Ashburton, which will challenge Hawke’s Bay for the Hawke Cup over the Christmas period.

A number of good performances were recorded and both teams were able to gain valuable practice on an excellent batting pitch.

Canterbury was soon in trouble, against the swing bowling of K. Butler and-L. Newbegin. Both J. T. Ward and Burtt were back in the pavilion after four overs when the total was seven. G. T. Dowling and K. Thomson overcame a trying period but both had some lucky escapes. They produced some delightful shots in the later stages of their innings and Thomson was particularly severe on the leg-spinner, G. Tew. J. D. Riley batted competently for 43 and most of the remaining batsmen obtained useful practice. Butler was the best of the Ashburton bowlers. None of the Canterbury batsmen played him confidently and if he had received better support from his fieldsmen he might have captured six wickets. Scores:— ASHBURTON G. Lane c Hastings b Motz 22 R. .Jenkins c Ward b Burtt 48 B. Tutty c Mclntyre b Motz , 0 R. G. Hortin st Ward b Burtt 32 B. Sampson not out .. 50 D. Isherwood c Ward b Motz 8 D. Bruce b Motz 0 B. White c Dowling b Burtt 2 K. Butler c Taylor b Motz 4 L. Newbegin not out .. 0 Extras 9 Total (8 wkts dec.) 175 Bowling.—R. C. Motz, 13, 3, 39, 5; B. R. Taylor, 7,1, 32, 0: N. A. Huxford, 10, 2, 43, 0; J. W. Burtt, 10. 1, 31. 3; J. M. Mclntyre, 5,0, 20, 0. CANTERBURY XI G. T. Dowling c Butler b White 37 J. T Ward lbw b Butler 0 .1. W r . Burtt c Tutty-b Butler 0 K. Thomson c White b Tew 63 J. D. Riley retired .. . 43

R. W. Anderson c Tutty b Bruce 17 B. F. Hastings c Sampson b Newbegin .. 26 RC. Motz b Sampson .. 32 B. R. Taylor c Tew b Butler 6 J. M. Mclntyre c Newbegin b Sampson 3 N. A. Huxford not out 1 Extras 9 Total .. ; .. 231 Bowling.— K. Butler, 10, 1, 54'. 3; L. Newbegin, 9. 0, 61. 1; G. Tew 6. 0. 54. 1: B. White. 11, 3, 19. 1: D. Bruce. 4,1, 18. 1; B. Sampson, 1.5, 0, 15, 2.

Ashburton opened confidently, G. Lane looking in good form, before R. C. Motz struck two quick blows when he captured the wickets of Lane and B. Tutty with successive balls. However, R. Jenkins and R. G. Hortin combined in a useful third-wicket partnership which was not broken until J. W. Burtt captured both wickets in successive overs after lunch. Sampson Successful The only other Ashburton batsman, to show up was B. V. Sampson, who continued his wonderful run with a useful 50 not out. This brought his aggregate for the weekend to 210 without being dismissed. Hili was an ' innings of watchful defence interspersed with some lovely shots off the front foot and a number of effective agricultural shots. Motz bowled splendidly. His line was excellent and none of the Ashburton batsmen played him with confidence. N. A. Huxford had a fine opening spell, swinging and cutting the ball effectively and he was decidedly unlucky not to capture any wickets. Early Wickets Lost Burtt, although suffering from a lack of bowling in club cricket, kept a tidy length, obtaining a little spin. He picked up three valuable wickets.