Fast 50, odd declaration end Shell cricket series

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34103, 16 March 1976, Page 30

Fast 50, odd declaration end Shell cricket series

(By

R. T. BRITTENDEN

Furious hitting by Warren Lees and the strangest of declarations by Glenn Turner were the principal performances in the last act of the Shell series cricket final at Lancaste r Park yesterday.

Canterbury won the match by nine wickets, and the Shell Trophy to go with the Shell Cup and the New Zealand Motor Corporation knock-out competition.

Lees piayed a flamboyant innings of 60, and was’ within centimetres of scoring the fastest 50 of the season. He set out after Lance Cairns’s best effort, 50 in 37 balls, and after he had received 36 balls his score was 47.

He needed three runs from the first ball of an over by

Richard Hadlee and flailed at it vigorously. It just beat the bat — and an edge would very probably have given him the runs he needed.

Lees scored his 60 in 50 minutes from 46 balls and his colourful assault gave Otago some pride in its performance.

Turner’s declaration/ reduced it. There was a suggestion it might have been made to save his No. 11 batsmen, Peter Petherick, from possible damage by the Canterbuiy fast bowlers; in the previous over Richard Hadlee had bowled a short

one which had lifted savagely at Phil Morris.

But Turner, who had decided the previous day to bat as low as No. 7, might well have given Otago some further interest in the match. It was by no means inconceivable that Petherick, who has in him a strong competitive streak, might have hung on and scored some useful runs, while Turner attacked. And Turner is among the world’s very best batsmen.

The lack of purpose about Otago’s second innings was pitiful, and for this, sadly, Turner must take some of the blame. Yesterday morning the Canterbury slow bowlers were able to turn the ball sharply. Had the home team been set a target of 100 or a few more, its batting, with two key men injured, might have been thoroughly tested. Otago started the day at 114 for six, still 76 behind. Its misfortunes were compounded when Graeme Thomson was run out off a no-ball. But Lees, who had not batted the previous day because of a neck muscle strain, had been “manipulated” the previous evening. This minor operation was a success, although he confessed it had been almost as trying as being put in the hands of a mediaeval strangler. Savaged Hadlee It all did him the world of good, for he sailed into the Canterbury bowling with great gusto. In an over from Stephen Boock he hit four fours, and he savaged Dayle Hadlee too. There were some splendid strokes in this redblooded batting. He hit 10 fours and the only six of the match. Otago left Canterbury a target of 14 runs. There were still some oddities to come, in this strange match. Turner had one of his rare bowling spells; lan Rutherford captured his first wicket in first-class cricket; Robert Anderson made his first dismissal as a wicket- ' keeper. Superb season It was fitting that Bevan : Congdon should make the winning hit. He led Canterbury ably through a superbly successful season, and one which produced much cricket of high quality.

With this victory, Canterbury took $l5OO to go with its $750 for the Shell Cup

round, and Barry Hadlee became its fifth "man of the match” winner.

OTAGO First innings .. 262 Second innings 1. A. Rutherford b Boock 2y H. C. Sampson b R. Hadlee 5 R. W. Anderson run out 7 B. J. McKechnie lbw b Boock 8 K. O. Campbell c Congdon b Stead 27 D. E. McKechnie c Hastings b Boock 0 G. M. Turner not out 41 G. B. Thomson run out 10 W. K. Lees c Hastings b Stead 60 P. J. Morris c and b Stead 0 P. J. Petherick not out 1 Extras <4b. lib. lOnb) 15 Total (for 9 wkts dec.) 203 Fall of wickets: 9, 26, 55. 56, 64. 102. 121, 200. 202. O M R W R. J. Hadlee .. 10 3 20 1 A. R. Hounsell 6 0 12 0 D. W. Stead . 13 2 53 3 D. R. Hadlee 10 1 47 0 S. L. Boock .. 15 3 56 3 CANTERBURY First innings 452 Second Innings A. R. Hounsell c Anderson b Rutherford 1 S. L. Boock not out 1 B. E. Congdon not out 10 Extras (2b) 2 Total (for 1 wkt) 14 Fall of wicket: 1. O M R W G. M. Turner .. 2 1 1 0 I. A. Rutherford .. 10 8 1 K. O. Campbell .. 5 0 3 0