Outcome of senior cricket still undecided

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33794, 17 March 1975, Page 21

Outcome of senior cricket still undecided

Lancaster Park, seeking to equal its own club record of four consecutive senior cricket championships, made good progress when the final round began on Saturday—but not enough to feel it can put “The Press'* pennant in wraps for the winter.

Lancaster Park batted well against Riccarton, which still trailed at the end of the day, by 49 runs, with two wickets standing. But this game is not quite as far advanced as that in which Park’s main rival, Old Boys, established a strong position against Old Collegians.

Scoring was low ini three matches at Hagley; Oval and Christ’s College cricket ground, but it was: remarkable that cricket ; could be played at all. There was a good pitch at Lancaster Park, but everywhere it was difficult to get even a well-struck ball through the slow outfield. Two of the three half-cen-turies scored during the day were made at Lancaster Park. Philip D’Auvergne, who had batted brilliantly the previous week, gave another fine display in scoring

72 for Riccarton and Mark Johnston made 52 for Park. The former New South Wales batsman, Colin Blackman, made 50 for Burnside in a total of 126. Scores:— Lancaster Park, 202 for 7 dec; Riccarton, 153 for 8, Old Collegians, 63 and 2 for 0; Old Boys, 125 for 8 dec Burnside-West, 126 for 9 dec; East-Shirley, 86. Sydenham, 60; St Albans, 135 for 6. GOOD BATTING Lancaster Park made remarkably good progress during the morning, scoring 150 for four from 35 overs. There were the inhibiting factors of some tight Riccarton bowling and a very slow, heavy outfield. Mark Johnston gave further evidence of a good cricket future with a sound baif-century. But the main thrust came from Ken Wadsworth He scored his 43 in an hour, batting in his most masterful style and hitting a splendid six with an off-drive. Lancaster Park’s batsmen, all of aggressive bent, ran well and Riccarton’s ground fielding was good. But half a dozen catches went to ground. The principal sufferer was David Stead, who bowled legbreaks very* ably on an unhelpful pitch. John Kiddey, with sharp movement in the air, was a cause of concern to the earb batsmen. Wayne WUson. often a problem for Riccarton, threatened batting ruin when he took three wickets in his second over—aU the batsmen bowled. Peter Stubbings joined Philip D’Auvergne with the score a depressing one for three. Neither batsman allowed the situation to stifle natural enterprise, and they added 85 in 96 minutes. Stubbings batted determinedly as D’Auvergne attacked With firm front-foot shots D’Auvergne lilt a six and five fours in a most attractive innings which lasted two hours and a quarter. But Wilson struck again, with two wickets in an over, both extraordinary dismissals. Wilson verv clever with variations ol

i pace, exceeded his highest ex- j . pectations when he persuaded , Graham Barrett to go forward, lose balance, and fall: Barrett ’{was just about on the ground when the ball lobbed gently into the stumps. Then John Kiddey,: . I intent on some business in the I ■■■ direction of extra cover, was also ,deceived spectacularly by line! Jand pace, and he was off balance/ [{with his back to the wicket when! I the ball reached its mark. Lindsay Thorn, however, batted ■; well and sensibly, and although ■ I Lancaster Park is in a very - strong position, it will be looksing for quick results next SatHurday. BOWLERS DICTATE St Albans sent Sydenham in to S bat. and its bowlers met little

; resistance. Three wickets were down for 11 runs, and there was ’ never any real chance of a re--1 covery. All the bowlers shared the There was little to assist 'the medium pacers, but Joe Harrison was able to get considerable turn, and his good length: 'was s-eldont challenged. Steven! Boochl was less accurate,' {although he occasionally bowled! !a really good ball. ! Russel! Hall was again the most i ! impressive of the Sydenham bats-; ; men. But the wet, slow outfield | [made many of bis best strokes: i profitless. ' If the Sydenham batsmen showed little fight or purpose, , there was as little to admire in; ■St Albans’ approach to run-! : ; making. With the outfield drying; ■'under the influence of the nor- ; s' wester and the pitch placid. St L: Albans reached 50 in the twenty- ' I fifth over. The importance of running ■ singles was not appreciated, and : the bowlers dictated. Faced with ha more difficult task than the St ' Albans bowlers, the Sydenham i trundlers completely dominated • the last three hours. St Albans lost the chance to intake Sydenham bat again, and I-this could leave it at the bottom 1 of the competition. ! SCARCITY OF RUNS ’| Carl Dickel, the East-Shirley ; i captain, deliberated for some! ’time before selected to send, ' Burnside-West University in to: ’ bat. It was a decision that might: /have paid handsome dividends ’! had all chances been accepted ■ : and had the East-Shirley ground; ■ fielding been up to its customary ■lgood standard. ’: But Burnside-West capitalised ’ on numerous errors and was able 'to reach 126 for nine to gain ' batting bonus points. Colin ’ Blackman provided the founda--1 tion of the modest total with a ’; half-century. It was a rather ! fortuitous 50 and he had three ■ I lives in the 40s; nevertheless it • was a valuable contribution. ■ It was soon apparent that the ! Christ's College pitch was of >! benefit to the spinners, and the -: East spin attack claimed all the •{wickets. I Vic Pollard, in an unbroken | spell of 19 overs, kept a tight II rein on the batsmen, and his - good figures might have been ■ even better if all catches had f’been held. Peter Coman. too.

twith teasing flight and sustained: {accuracy collected three wickets (tor meagre cost. : Against a very line opening ■ spell from David Trist, East- | Shirley was soon in trouble and it did not recover. Trist claimed (the first three wickets, and the 1 spinners, Peter Sharp and Chris Kirk, completed the rout. : It was an inept batting display. (Only Pollard batted with confiJdence, but when he was deceived 1 by Sharp, the only spark of , resistance came from Dickel, t who top-scored with 21 before i falling to an excellent catch by: > John Mitchell. ,: STRONG POSITION si Both High School Old Boys: ’ and Old Collegians needed an' i : outright win to have any hopes , of winning the senior championt i ship, and it seems certain there will be an outright result, the 1 odds heavily in favour of Old i Boys. f Old Boys, In the main, owe - their strong position to Dayle - Hadlee, who rocked Old Collegians at the start of their innings and then made a valu- , able contribution when his team! a batted. I

Hadlee, in a long opening spell, bowled with commendable! ! hostility and accuracy. No bats-j man looked confident and when; the fourth wicket fell at 32, Hadlee had been responsible for i all dismissals. There was some variation in bounce on the Hagley Oval pitch, ; but it was by no means menacing, and most batsmen had - themselves to blame for their ' dismissals. After Hadlee ended his damaging spell, Geoff Allen and ] I Martin Hadlee gave the later ’batsmen no respite, and Old; I Collegians was bundled out for;. ;an inglorious 63. ■ Initally, Old Boys fared little ! better, and lost their first three, wickets for 28. but a productive partnership of 33 between Colin : Stevens and Brian Ritchie led to an Old Boys recovery which{ 1 enabled Cran Bui! to declare at;l 125 for eight. Two off-drives from Stevens | ] were among the best shots of;, the day, and Ritchie displayed; : sound technique. But Dayle! : Hadlee again had the last say, Iby top-scoring with 24.