Brilliant batting and three fine finishes

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32525, 8 February 1971, Page 16

Brilliant batting and three fine finishes

A season which has been distinguished by purposeful play provided further enjoyment on Saturday when three of the four games brought splendid finishes, and when a string of batsmen, their strokes supplemented by baked turf, took toll of earnest bowling.

The Canterbury batsman, J. W. Burtt, played one of the most spectacular innings in a long time, as he raced to his half-century in 22 minutes of beautiful batting; but this masterly effort did not prevent his side, St Albans, froip- losing, in the last moments, to West-University, which thus shot clear of the field again, and now leads the competition by 32 points. East-Shirley, after establishing a useful lead, batting aggressively and a declaration, left Riccarton 240 min-

utes to score 277; the runs were made with 25 minutes and three wickets to spare, R. C. Motz leading a fierce assault with four sixes and an innings of 67. At Elmwood Park Old Collegians beat Lancaster Park with the fourth ball of the final over. Burtt and Motz played the most spectacular innings, and on a day which brought few bowlers particular satisfaction, others who scored halfcenturies were B. P. Isherwood, P. A. Stubbings (Riccarton), P. G. Coman (EastShirley), who was the day’s top scorer with 91, B. G. Hadlee, who led a long Old Boys resistance movement against Sydenham, C. J. Stevens and W. Austin, also of Old Boys, H. J. Taylor, of Old Collegians, and A. M.

McKendry (Lancaster Park). Only C. M. Kirk (WestUniversity) took as many as five wickets in an innings. Scores:—

Old Collegians 192/8 dec. and 162/6 beat Lancaster Park 176/5 dec, and 176/6 dec. by four wickets. Sydenham 211/8 dec. drew with Old Boys 61 and 272/9. West-University 187 and 159/6 dec beat St Albans 166 and 161 by 10 runs. Riccarton 117/9 dec. and 277/7 beat East-Shirley 171 and 222/5 dec. by three wickets. Points: — Perform. Wins

Although West-University will lose four players next week to the inter-island match, its vast lead should see It through, now, to its second successive pennant. Its narrow and dramatic victory was achieved while the second team, Sydenham, could not break Old Boys’ defiant batting. A first-innings deficit of 150 was a tremendous burden for the Old Boys batsmen, but perhaps something could have been made of a match which cost

both sides their chances of keeping In touch with WestUniversity.

Sunday test play

There will be Sunday play in the England-New Zealand cricket test at Auckland next month. The decision to play on Sunday has been made to meet a request from the M.C.C. team now in Australia, and it will be received well by the Auckland Cricket Association, which had sought without success to have a Sunday date Included in the second test.

The board of control some months ago decided, by six votes to four, on an Itinerary which did not Include Sunday play at Auckland. At a meeting of the New Zealand council which followed the board meeting, Auckland sought a change to a Sunday date, but was defeated, the council deciding to adhere to the itinerary, while declaring it was not opposed to Sunday play. Most of the opposition to the Sunday play suggestion for the Auckland match came from Wellington members of the council. Auckland’s spokesmen felt that the possibility of a large attendance on the Sunday should be taken into account, and that the shortening of the duration of the match by a day would also be of benefit.

It is felt in Christchurch that the attendance at the Saturday of the first test will be adversely affected by the finals of the InteMJominlon Trotting Championships, set down for that day, and that Sunday play tn that match would attract an especially large attendance. The chairman of the board of control (Mr J. G. Leggat) said yesterday a change to Sunday play at Christchurch had not been considered. "We have altered the itinerary for the Auckland match only because of the M.C.C. request/* he said. The England-New Zealand matches are each of 24 hours duration, and at Auckland the ordinary days will begin at 10.30 a.m. and continue to 6 p.m. On the Sunday, play will begin at 1.10 p.m. and end at 8 p.m.

Points 5pt 10ft Tot. Bat Bowl West-Univ. 19 31 10 40 100 Syden. 17 26 5 20 68 Rice. 8 29 10 20 67 Old B. 10 29 3 20 64 St Alb. 16 28 — 20 64 Old C. 15 23 — 20 58 Lan. Pk 10 23 10 10 53 East-Sh. 15 23 — 10 48