Auck. spin crushes under-23 cricketers

Press, 8 December 1976, Page 48

Auck. spin crushes under-23 cricketers

py Auckland The cream of New Zealand s young cricketing talent mci < given a lesson when they were humbled in a humiliating - b-i u defeat bv Auckland at Cornwall Park yesterday.

In an almost pathetic dis-l play, the Rothmans under-23 1 side managed to score onlyi 99 runs in its second innings [ as it slumped to outright! [defeat. With the Auckland “spin twins" — Hedley Howarht and John Mclntyre — playing havoc on the dry, dusty pitch, the Rothmans players, with but the odd exception, struggled to even look like; first class batsmen. So a game which at one! time promised a close, exciting finish ended more! than three hours before its i scheduled close. Auckland, resuming at ISI for three wickets, batted for only 53 minutes yesterday before declaring at 233 for three. G. E. Vivian, who had been pretty pedestrian in his scoring in the last session on Monday, opened up a little yesterday and, along with G. J. Jones, added 52 runs. G. N. Edwards and J. G. Wright opened the Rothmans team's innings — they needed 306 runs in 357 minutes for victory — quietly and put on 15 runs in 35 minutes before Edwards was out, caught at short square leg by Matthews. At the other end Wright was having his share of worries — particularly in facing the pace bowling of J.

A. Cushen, who was beating! [him consistently outside the): joff-stump. . [ 1 Apart from a solid 69-min-: |ute stand, bv J. F. Re:d, which yielded 37 runs and al 47 minute stay by the side's, skipper, Brian McKechnie which produced 15, there, was little to admire in thei under-23’s half hearted effort' at survival. ) Admittedly, there was a, i tremendous amount of pres-| |sure put on the batsmen, by (excellent, tight bowling and) I closely set fields, but players; of such experience should' have done better. For the Auckland side, it was a good pipe-opener for) the first class season ahead i and a number of players, Cushen. Howarth. R. W.l Morgan, Vivian and) Mclntyre in particular, all! confirmed their readiness forj the representative season. During the game. Hedley i Howarth captured his 500th i first class wicket. He took eight wickets in the first innings and later took another wicket to bring his tallv to 501. In taking those wickets, at an average of 24.20, Howarth now trails only Bob Blair (537 at 18.54) and Dick Motz (517 at 22.55) on the) ; all time list. Relegated to fourth place . following Howarth’s 11 wicket haul in the match is!

iJack Alabaster (500 a--12537). j With a full firs- c asi • ■son ahead of him. Howarth (is poised to take over as th I country's all time top v. |cket-taker. AUCKLAND I First innings ifor 9 dee.) .. 874 Second innings G. M Wallace b Pither J. D. Kiley c McEwan b Ackland |T. XV. Janis b Pit her . 37 | G. E. Vivian not out <1 J. Jones not out , 25 Extras .12 Total (for .3 dec.i . 233 I Fall of wickets: 114. 126 IST. Bowling.—B. J. McKechnie, 9, 2. 18 0; P F„ McEwan, 4, I, |2O ". R J. Pithei, 27. .. ' ■ ' C. Kuggelcfjn. 24, 2. 75, 0. R IJ. Ackland. 10. 1. 39. 1. • ROTHMANS XI First innings .. 202 Second innings I J. G. Wright run ont 12 IG. N. Edwards c sub (Matthews) )> Cushen 12 18. A. Edgar c Howarth b Mclntyre » ■ P. J. Holland c sub (Matthews) b Cushen .. 0 P E. McEwan b Mclntyre t J. F. Reid c Riley b Howarth 35 C. Kuggelefjn c Jones b Howarth 3 B. J. McKechnie b Mclntyre 15 , R. J, Pit her not out XV. Martin c Riley b Howarth . 3 R. J Aekland b Mclntyre .. 9 Extras 5 Total , 99 Fall of wickets: I.'. 24. 26. 3’2. 137 51). 84. 90. 95 Bowling.—.!. A. Cushen. 7, 3. ,18 2: L. XV. Stott 7,2. 23. 9; 'Ji M. Mclntyre. 12.4 . 2 39. 4. It. J Howarth. 12. 5. 23. 3. R. : IW. Morgan. 1. 0. 1. 0