CRICKET YOUTH

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32565, 26 March 1971, Page 19

CRICKET YOUTH

As the junior cricket season draws to a close in Christchurch, the normal postmortems on the' season will be held. The 1970-71 season would appear to have been most successful both from the 'players’ and the administrators' point of yiew. Especially in recent weeks, the weather has been unusually kind and the standard of both the pitches and the outfields at Hospital Comer has been excellent at most times. The Junior Advisory Board has successfully met the problem of the shortage of grounds which resulted in the increase in entries. Down through the grades there have been some fine individual performances and many teams have given their coaches good reason for a little pride. The representative team at this year’s tournament surprised many critics with its ability to play attacking cricket in the most trying circumstances and did well to finish in the runner-up position. There is, however, one dark cloud on the horizon: this is the lack of organised coaching for the young players. Responsibility for this vital aspect of the game lies, at this level, with the clubs. The players are at an age when a word of advice from an experienced player can both improve them technically and encourage them psychologically. It does not seem too much to ask of a senior or second grade player, that he participate in a roster system whereby, on one or two occasions during the year, he adopts the role of umpire-scorer-coach for the club’s schoolboy team. At the moment, this work is carried out by a dedicated few who are aware of their own limitations as cricket coaches, but who are conscious that without their efforts, the many remarks made about “youth” and the “future of the game” become mere platitudes. Last Saturday, Lance Main of the Sumner team, playing in B Grade, achieved what is probably the most meritorious bowling performance of the season, when he captured 10 wickets for only 2 runs. His medium-pace deliveries hit the stumps six times, and four of his victims were caught. This bowler demonstrated the perfection, the cricketing maxim that accuracy and intelligence are among the most valuable assets any bowler can possess. The following week, for the same Sumner side, Raymond Steele, an opening batsman gave a good exhibition of willing stroke play as he drove strongly off the back foot, and, as with most lefthand batsmen, scored heavily on the leg-side.

Another pair of openers who showed up in combination last week were the West B pair of Grant Penrose and Brent Watson. The former drove the fast bowlers with strength and good placement. while the latter, contributed to a brisk scoring rate with some well-run singles. In the same team, Colin Borthwick, the captain, has batted with style and consistency, while the team’s most successful bowler has been Brent McFadden who can bowl a dangerous outswinger. On Saturday, West’s opposition, Sydenham, was fortunate in having the services of Alan Laurent, a thoughtful medium-pace bowler. In the four playing Saturdays since the Christmas break, East-Shirley A has lost only eight wickets, having won one match by an innings and the other by 10 wickets. The loss of players to secondary schools does not seem to have halted the victorious march of this team, and individuals of the calibre of leftarm spinner, Derek McLachlan, who took 8 wickets for 10 runs in the previous match, appear from the ranks of this strong club to more

than adequately fill any gaps which might appear in the side’s composition. Another East - Shirley player who seems destined to join the A team in the near future is the B grade batsman, Frazer Todd, who last week capped some fine batting performances with a distinguished 47. This batsman obviously relishes the cut shot, which he executes with rare efficiency. In the field, this team is well served by medium-pacer Ray Hales, a deceptive bowler who . keeps the ball well up to the batsmen. This team has performed most successfully throughout the season. Also in B grade, the Bumside team has benefited from two very fine individual performances. Chris Wells, an opening batsman has scored over 300 runs with his ability to stroke the ball in front of the wicket, and Stephen Cawthome, who has taken more than 50 wickets with his medium-fast deliveries.. Both these players have received full support from their team mates, both in batting partnerships and in the field.