SENIOR CRICKET East’s batting spree, P. G. Coman a century

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32776, 29 November 1971, Page 17

SENIOR CRICKET East’s batting spree, P. G. Coman a century

Swashbuckling batting by P. G. Coman and V. Pollard paved the way for East Christchurch-Shirley to leave all other teams far behind in the advance it made on the first day of the fifth round of senior cricket on Saturday.

East-Shirley, with Coman making a century, Pollard 78 in an hour, and J. W. Crocott a brilliant 61. scored almost 30!) and took nine batting performance points, equalling the record since the scoring system came in last season.

Then East overcame the Old Collegians batting, dismissing the side for 112, and so has a very good chance of taking 24 points from the match; and that would establish another record. And while East prospered! so largely, the other three games were left very mucn on an even keel. Here the bowlers were much more in command —K. I. Ferries six for 20, J. W. Kiddey five fcr 24, and N. F. Curtis also with five wickets —and only R. K. Allan (61) and D. W. Stead, with a scintillating 74, scored half-centuries. Coman’s century, the second in the senior grade this season, was achieved after a studied start. He played a passive part while Grocott attacked. But it was exciting batting after that, and it was followed by Pollard’s whirlwind innings, in which he hit five sixes. Scores:— East Christchurch- Shirley 293/9 dec.; Old Collegians 112 and 7/0. Sydenham 138; St Albans 90/7. West-University 156; Riccarton 144/6. Lancaster Park 155/9 dec.; Old Boys 97/6. SHARP SWING West Christchurch-Univer-! sity, the leading team, was ini a desperate position after making so modest a total, for Stead attacked with such vigour that Riccarton looked likely to pick up a handsome bonus of batting points, and a substantial first-innings lead. But the game swung i sharply in the last hour. Kiddey, one of the bowling; craftsmen, took his senior] bowling aggregate to an incredible 750 wickets, and) needs only two more to pass! T. B. Burtt, who is second to the unapproachable total of more than 1600, set morel than 40 years ago by R. J.| Read. West’s misfortune’s; were increased by an injury I suffered by B. F. Hastings, I who pinched a nerve in his! back while he was batting.; He returned late in the inn-, ings, in considerable discomfort; but there are high hopes that his recovery will not take long. At Hagley Oval. West and Riccarton fought out an in-! teresting battle on a pitch; which did not do much for the bowlers, but Old Boys, batting second against Lancaster Park, found the pitch very lively, although it had been reasonably placid earlier. FAST SCORING From the time when Grocott, batting better surely than for several seasons.

e'sparked off the orgy >f run- _ scoring, till the bowlers colllectively reduced the Old Cole legians innings to ruins, EastI Shirley dominated the day at . Elmwood Park. s Grocott, timing the ball j beautifully, played an in- • nings distinguished by re- . laxed driving and free scoring . all round the wicket. His “ dominance of the bowling e meant even Coman was “forced into a subordinate e role; he was only 18 when iGrocott was 60. V At Grocott’s dismissal, Cori man assumed the major role, II steadily increasing in aggresl. sion and taking a heavy toll I,;of N. F. Curtis as he neared jihis sixth century in senior cricket. He hit a six and 15 . i fours in his 192 min innings, s | Grocott nine fours in his ingoings lasting one hour and a j half; but they paled into inti significance when Pollard , I batted. s POWERFUL ATTACK - After a brief look at the t bowling, Pollard set his sights on as many batting points as possible, and launched a thrilling and ; powerful attack on the bowlling. Three successive balls from Curtis went for six—- | two of them over long-off—-jthen came 17 off T. D. Gibson, and another six and a four before Curtis got nim. Just before Pollard’s disI missal, East-Shirley needed 48 in three overs for a record--breaking 10 batting points. .Such was his mastery, it ■I seemed a strong liikelihood, i|but East had to be content r I with none. Pollard hit seven rjfours, to all points, and five i: sixes in his hour’s batting, Land he and P. R. Joyce added • 71 in 33min. I With the notable exception j of D. S. Banks, the Old Col- , legians batting could offer ’ little resistance to the varied ~ East-Shirley bowling. The 1 pace of R. P. McF. Howell land P. J. Dick broke the back I of the innings, then Pollard’s , off-spin and G. D. V. Pulley’s I medium-pace cleaned up the I tail. ‘ The most notable feature of ' the innings was probably that the East-Shirley wicket- ’ keeper, L. B. Glanville, took 'ihis hundredth catch in senior ■ 'cricket. SLOW SCORING Scoring was slow at Sydenham Park, neither team j being able to overcome bowlring which was steady and accurate but did not really command the respect it re'jeeived. ’ To a degree, the pitch was 1 ito blame, for the slow pace ’ did not invite attacking shots. • However, a contributing fac- • tor in the morning was the 1 slow St Albans’ over rate; 23 1 in 135 minutes before lunch - does not make for exciting cricket, and this seemed to set the pace of the game. Although there was little / of interest in the batting, .some good bowling and field-

i- ing performances brightened; I- the day. Ferries bowled with; I- an admirable control of| t- length and direction to break; it the back of the Sydenham] innings and then clean up the 11 tail. His drop in pace this i- i season has not lessened his i-lability. 81 FOUR CATCHES s ; J. W. Burtt bowled his leg- ® spinners tidily and the Syden-I pl ham slow bowlers also found) ®;profit in the pitch, out B. J.] n ; Salt and A. D. J. Glen, test-i ing the batsmen. , ! Four catches were taken] for St Albans by G. McCawe] j] and three of these were extl cellent efforts, one into the r sun and the others being 5 taken one-handed above the head. .! The best batting came from a Sydenham’s D. Burrell, who -showed himself to be a diplayer of promise with some well executed shots. In runs Shis was. a small contribution, ]but the manner of making ®iwas above average. g KIDDEY ON TOP d! The early dismissal of G J]T. Dowling gave Riccarton] - all the incentive it needed, s but Allen was most adhesive, - as he fought his way to 61, - only three runs short of his • best senior score. 1 Kiddey, with very fine con- • trol, put a firm foot on the ■ batting neck, and no-one: 1 could dislodge it. D. G. Trist ■ igot out, for the first time this ■ season, and so he is now disr tinguished by a batting aver- ■ age of 127. 1 But it was a fine perform- , ance by Riccarton, with P. G. D’Auvergne almost as firmly] □ lin control at one end as Kid ] ]dey was at the other. , Riccarton lost two wickets! . fairly early, but W. Stead] r was in especially command--1 ing form. His bat was all • middle and his timing perfec- ] tion as he thrashed the eWstt University bowling

, With P. A. Stubbir.gs. who made some splendid squarecuts, Stead added 57 in 41 minutes and in 25 overs, Riccarton raced to 125.

Stead’s personal contribution of 71 was made in 117 minutes, with 13 fours and a six. But in moments, the initiative was wrested back by West. P. A. Sharp took three quick wickets, and now Riccarton is not nearly so well placed. It was difficult to understand why C. M. Kirk was kept out of the attack until 125 runs had been hammered I from the bowling. He has (been an outstanding bowler ]this season—his 12 wickets iin the previous round took him to a career total of 200 j—and he is harder to get at ■ than Sharp. Perhaps the presence of the left-handed Stead was a deterrent, but Kirk is cearly a good enough bowler to overcome that sort of threat. Lancaster Park made a brisk start against Old Boys, reaching 50 in the twelfth over, but Old Boys mounted a persistent attack, with A. R. Hounsell showing great spirit and stamina D. R. Hadlee again bowled without much luck.

But if Old Boys did well ito contain Lancaster Park to la modest score, their batsmen were in all sorts of trouble. R. J. Hadlee bowled some genuinely fast ones, W. R. Wilson and B. C. Irving, with left-arm swing and offbreaks respectively, kept very much on top, their domination being underlined by the regularity with which the ball jumped or turned. M. L. Ryan maintained the pressure steadily with thoughtful, bowling changes.