Cricket Youth WEEKLY REVIEW

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34037, 29 December 1975, Page 18

Cricket Youth WEEKLY REVIEW

The Canterbury primary school cricket season ended for the year last Saturday.

The resumption date for the new season next year will be decided at a delegate’s meeting on February 2, although play will probably begin on Sauturday, February 14, so schoolboys can have the chance to watch the test match between India and New Zealand on Saturday, February 7. Competition format will also be discussed at the i meeting. The new season means that some piayers will be promoted to new grades, and possibly cause a drop in the number of teams in primary schoolboy cricket. Because of the promotion the boys I who could not get into a I team at the beginning of summer may now have a chance to play. An A grade match that has attracted a lot of attention in the last two Saturdays, has been between Lancaster Park A and New Brighton.

On the first Saturday, Lancaster Park batted first, and the Canterbury representative, Simon Millichip, contributed 142 runs to the total of 249 for six declared, in its first innings. However, last Saturday New Brighton did not fare as well, and the top batsman for the side was Stephen Messervy, who made 30. The New Brighton batting had little defence against the accurate bowling of Alastair Chapman, who took four for 15, including a hat-trick. High scores seem to be common amongst schoolboy batsmen this season. Michael O’Neill, of St Thomas’s A grade side, was denied his century by two runs against Lancaster Park B.

Nigel McDonald (70 not out) and Alan Malden (48) helped the Merivale/Papanui A grade side defeat Beckenham. The Beckenham side made 160, including 78 from the Canterbury representative, Brian Davidson.

However, on Saturday, an A grade side was all out for 13 runs. The side, which includes a Canterbury representative. was put into bat

again, and this time made a more respectable total of 57. A Burnside B grade player, Craig Wilson, also saved his side from embarrassment, by scoring 53 of the side’s 67 runs.

The Canterbuiy schoolboy B team had little trouble beating a Burnside West representative side on Sunday. It is no reflection on the performance of the Burnside team because the B team is considered to be as good as the Canterbury A side.

Burnside batted first and were all out for 80. John Cannell and Jonathan Dowling both made 18. The bowling by the Canterbury side was very economical Craig Vining took four for 6, and the leg-spinner, Michael French-Wright, four for 15.

French-Wright also contributed 17 not out to Canterbury’s total of 133 for five. Trevor Flutey made 51 not out, and Michael O’Neill 25.

The bowling and fielding of the Burnside team was good, although not up to Canterbury's standards. Dowling took two for 27 and Brenton Phillips two for 17. The best fielder was Cannell who took two excellent catches in the slips. The Canterbury A grade side also played last Sunday, in another warm-up match before leaving for the South Island tournament in Invercargill in January. This time they played North Canterbury at Rangiora, and the game showed some strengths and weaknesses in the side. Canterbury batted first and were all out for 127. At one stage it was well-placed at 94 for four, but it slumped after lunch to be 127 all out. Simon Millichip made 29 and Brian Davidson 32. The tight bowling of David Rogers, for North Canterbury, denied Canterbury runs and took wickets. He made the excellent figures of three for 9 off seven overs and three balls. The bowling of Alan Jeffcott was not so economical, taking four for 56 off 16 overs. North Canterbury then faced some very tight bowling, being bundled out foi 82. Top batsman was Jeffcott who made 22. The besi bowler was the medium pact out-swinger, Alan Malden who took two wickets ir five maiden overs. Michae Prouting also bowled tightly taking three for 11 off 1( overs, and the spinner. Ber Harris took three for 28 ofi eight overs.