DOWLING’S GAMBLE PROVES COSTLY Central now heading for boost of 19 points

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32494, 2 January 1971, Page 26

DOWLING’S GAMBLE PROVES COSTLY Central now heading for boost of 19 points

(By

R.T. BRITTENDEN)

A steady stream of runs gathered at attractive speed through competent batting, allied to intelligent, well-directed pace bowling, has given Central Districts every prospect of taking 19 points from its Plunket Shield match with Canterbury, which ends at Lancaster Park today.

Central made 420—its best total at Lancaster Park—and then bowled Canterbury out for 135. Canterbury fought back to score 134 for one wicket by the close of play yesterday, but still has a deficit of 154, and has a tremendous struggle ahead if Central is to be denied victory.

Central Districts scored the maximum of five bowling performance points, and took four for batting. Canterbury won two bowling points. G. T. Dowling’s decision to send Central in after he had won the toss was Canterbury’s first mistake—but there were others.

Yet credit for Central’s

present strong position belongs not to Canterbury’s failings as much as to the magnificent century scored by its captain, B. E. Congdon, to the patient innings of 68 by D. H. Payton, the typically vigorous 79 from K. J. Wadsworth, the spirited and accurate bowling by J. H. Howell and A. B. Jordan, and to keen fielding. Cracks on pitch But to begin at the beginnings. The new pitch was very grassy, and at both ends it was a jigsaw puzzle of quite substantial ' cracks. There was reason to believe it would offer pace and lift, and so in fact it did.

Dowling presumably gambled on early wickets, and the prospect of the pitch playing more easily later. But he also had to gamble that it would not crumble, and he should perhaps have remembered that none other than

Dr Grace took the same view of putting opponents in as “Punch” did on marriage. However, his action could be defended. Had Payton been caught when he was 6, his long stand of 173 with Congdon would not have given Central control. Had the Canterbury pace bowlers kept the ball up and bowled on a better line, to exploit the life in the pitch, Central would not have scored 420. Central’s bowlers broke through the top Canterbury batting with a very hostile display, based on length and direction. Occasional shooters The lift and pace from the pitch was not excessive, although there were some variations in bounce. But even on the first day, there was a tendency for an occasional ball to stay on the ground, and yesterday there were several dreadful shooters, at each end. Should they become even more prevalent today, they will give Canterbury an even heavier burden, for although most of the grubbers were just outside the off stump, several had to be dug out of the wickets in desperate haste. Central, splendidly led by Congdon, gave a fine batting performance. Even with a considerable lull at the end of the innings, the side averaged four runs an over. And it might have been even higher, had the running between the wickets been a little more enterprising, for there was a very fast outfield. First, and sixth Congdon’s innings brought him his first century against Canterbury, the sixth of his career. Seldom, in a distinguished career, has he batted with such certainty from the start, quite such ability to hammer the loose balls for boundaries. He played some fine drives, he forced the ball off his legs with lovely timing, he glanced; but the innings will be remembered mainly for the power of his cuts, often made in typical Congdon style with the body leaning back to afford room for the whiplash of the stroke. When Congdon came in, Canterbury was on top. H. C. Sampson, the young cen-tury-maker at Wellington, had been hit four or five times by balls which flew at him, and he had then been bowled

by A. R. Hounsell with one which cut back savagely, and which must have caused a stir of apprehension in anyone less experienced and accomplished than Congdon. Bowling contrast But he took a single from the first ball he faced. He took 3 from the next ball Hounsell bowled to him. And then, in Hounsell’s third over he scored 15 of the 20 runs which were made, so from an apparent need to fight free of trouble, Central was coasting merrily along, and actually reached 50 in the eleventh over of the match. Canterbury did not bowl well, all three of those depending on swing and seam and speed bowling being far too short far too often. But there was, at least, a vitality about the bowling which the batting ’ matched. Hounsell

and D. G. Trist, particularly, seemed a little too impressed by the fact that the short ball would sometimes fly. Howell and Jordan showed next day. that there was still lift from the fuller length which allowed movement as well. Having batsmen discomfited is one thing; having them out is another. Payton took three hours to reach 50, and he should have been taken by Kirk off Trist early in his innings. But he kept the Central vessel afloat while Congdon steered the course. Congdon’s century took him only a shade more than three hours, and that was remarkable speed, considering the moderate Canterbury bowling rate. It was only 13J overs an hour for the innings, although 47 of the 103 overs were by bowlers with very short run-ups. Spectacular run out Payton was with Congdon for 189 minutes, and he batted 229 minutes in all. His back-lift, short at the start, became almost invisible after the first shooter; but it was a canny and courageous innings. A succession of almost miraculous events assisted Canterbury. Congdon turned a ball backward of square, moved with the stroke, and before he could return to his crease, Burtt had thrown down the wicket from a range of 25 yards—a magnificently swift and athletic effort.

Canterbury’s bowling about that time was heading towards bankruptcy, and Dowling himself came on. His first ball was short, and lifted. Shrimpton was caught from it, by Jarvis at slip, with a spectacular dive to his right—one of the very finest of catches.

Dowling thereupon enjoyed the heady wine of two slips and a gully for a while, but it was Burtt again next —another throw which had B. W. Yuile run out. Then M. L. Ryan’s wheedling slows took wickets. But Central came back with Howell and R. M. Gearry sharing a stand of 47 for the ninth wicket. And the last wicket was also a run out —for the third time, Burtt hit the stumps. This time he could see all three. On the two earlier occasions he had been almost in line with them. After its success at Dunedin, Canterbury’s bowling was disappointing. Hounsell, after his early caning, was out of the bowling action for four playing hours. When he returned he was better, but still erratic. Trist and Ferries could not keep strict control for significant periods and Kirk did not settle into I a proper rhythm at any stage.

Ryan and Dowling did extremely well as bowlers. The fielding, with some large, bumpy areas contributing to mishaps, was patchy. Wadsworth played the perfect innings for his side. There were some blazing drives and cuts, he hit 13 fours, he batted 139 minutes, and with his most glorious strokes he mixed some marked more by their inventiveness, much in the manner of a right-handed B. R. Taylor. But it was hard to understand why Congdon batted on until stumps, and then for a further 40 minutes yesterday. His bowlers’ success in Canterbury’s first innings perhaps justified his decision, but it seemed he would have been better off with his bowlers at work for half an hour on the first evening. Central’s scoring rate slowed, and yesterday 43 minutes were spent gathering in 10 runs. Puzzling decision Theorists might suggest he wanted to have the use of the roller to bring disaster to Canterbury. He used the lightest one, and needed no such assistance. It could also have been thought that he batted on yesterday because the grass was wet, and he might have hoped to have the ground dry before starting his bowlers off. But there was never any prospect of the grass drying, within a reasonable period. Whatever his reasoning, Congdon could claim full success for it. Canterbury gave a poor display, on a pitch which seemed to have renewed life after the drizzle, but which was almost certainly responding only to the better use made of it Dowling, not at his most convincing, and Ryan scored 27 for the first wicket Soon it was 52 for five. Ryan had one fly at his ribs and was caught in the four-man leg trap Jordan used. Dowling pulled Howell straight to Furlong at short backward square and Furlong, no doubt interested in survival, held it. Jarvis was out to a good one which demanded a shot before lifting and leaving him, Burtt made a poor attempt to cut, and straight after lunch Hastings, badly positioned, was bowled by one which seamed and kept wickedly low. Best of innings Hadlee played a grand innings. He looked safer than anyone, and he played many handsome and telling strokes. Ward stayed with him for half an hour while Hadlee ended the threat Congdon’s own bowling had posed. Hadlee batted 110 minutes most ably. Kirk hit five fours and was brilliantly caught and bowled by Shrimpton. It was Shrimpton’s erratic but interesting leg-spin which rolled up the innings. But Howell and Jordan deserve most credit. They bowled with great energy and stamina, Howell apparently being immune from any need for rest. Jordan had a recurrence of a tendon injury suffered at Wellington and left the field, but he was back at the start when Canterbury followed on. A strongly-built young man, he was most impressive with his control, his lift, a quite late out-swing and one which cut back sharply. Canterbury regained face with its second innings. Dowling was in good form at first, but slowly lost his composure; but towards the end he was looking very much more at home and making some fine strokes. Ryan, on the other hand, started wretchedly. He was dropped off Jordan first ball, struggled for survival, then grew in stature with firm, clean strokes which took him to 57 in 127 minutes. Jarvis had nearly 40 minutes of batting, and was living not for the day.

Dowling has so far been in 165 minutes, and he may be a considerable threat to Central today, when Canterbury’s main problem is likely to be Yuile. He has clamped down hard on Canterbury batsmen with his good length, his ability to drift the ball in with his arm and turn it away.