Special interest in senior club cricket

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33046, 13 October 1972, Page 24

Special interest in senior club cricket

As always, with the first round of the senior cricket competition there are a number of imponderables, but three aspects of Saturday’s play will hold special significance.

The new batting and bow’ling performance system introduced this season will be on trial, and although one day’s play is insufficient to gauge the success or otherwise of the scheme, some guide as to its merit should be obtained.

At the well-grassed Burwood Oval, the top two teams of last season, Lancaster Park and East ChristchurchShirley, meet in a vital clash. The champion, Lancaster Park, will not relinquish its title easily, and its strength has increased with the addition of the New Zealand wicket-keeper, K. J. Wadsworth, and the promising D. A. Dempsey, a former Riccarton player. Lancaster Park has a very steady and varied bowling attack. R. J. Hadlee, K. C. Chambers and W. R. Wilson provide the pace, and B. C. Irving and M. L. Ryan are competent off-spinners. Last season Irving claimed 64 wickets — his best performance in a long and distinguished career — and he is always difficult to attack.

East-Shirley will sorely miss its brilliant all-rounder, V. Pollard, and might be struggling to contain Lancaster Park. But the team always performs well at home; it has the reliable opening pair, J. W. Grocott and P. G. Coman; P. R. Joyce and G. Tait form the batting nucleus, and a balanced attack with A. C. Nottingham, G. D. V. Pulley, and E. C. Parsons to supply the speed, and J. W. Morris and Coman, the spin. BRITTLE BATTING

Interest will also be created by the appearance of the New Zealand pace bowler, M. G. Webb, and a Central Districts representative, L. C. Sparks, at the helm of St Albans’ attack. K. I. Ferries, a former Canterbury Plunket Shield bowler, adds further penetration to an already formidable speed attack. Old Collegians, which was

rather brittle in its batting at times last season, bases its strength on the spin department, In this respect, D. J. Gattenby, R. Pither, and P. S. Ramchandran, an Indian opening batsman, will command attention.

Sydenham and Riccarton, both of which have suffered several major losses, will meet at Hagley Oval. Sydenham will be heartened by the form of its new captain, K. Thomson, who hit a typically aggressive century against a Wellington team last week. Four medium-pace bowlers will bear the brunt of the attack. Riccarton will miss J. W. Kiddey and R. C. Motz, although it has gained F. M. Madrussan and a Suburban senior, T. Cockbum.

The newly • amalgamated Burnside-West ChristchurchUniversity should account for High School Old Boys at Ham, where a perfect batting pitch can be expected. B. F. Hastings and G. T. Dowling spearhead the Burn-side-West-University batting, and D. G. Trist the bowling. Apart from D. R. Hadlee, there is little menacing about High School Old Boys’ bowling. I. Taylor, J. W. Calder, B. G. Hadlee, and when he is available, S. T. Chambers, will probably share the ball with Dayle Hadlee.