N.D. slight favourite for knock-out final

Press, 18 March 1977, Page 28

N.D. slight favourite for knock-out final

By

JOHN COFFEY

1 he dawning of the 1976-77 representative cricket season brought with it confident predictions that Canterbury and Northern Districts would dispute the major trophies, but spectators have had to wait until the virtual sunset of the series for these teams to clash in an atmosphere befitting a competition final.

Canterbury has beer stripped of the Shell Cup (by Northern Districts) and Shell Trophy (won by Otago), and at Lancaster Park on Sunday will have a difficult task retaining the New Zealand Motor Corporation knock-out tournamnet title against Northern. Both sides are well equipped for 35-overs fixtures. with strong and attractive batting line-ups, highly-rated medium-paced bowling attacks, and many of the most accomplished fieldsmen in this country. If anything, Northern might be the pre-match favourite in the light of the thrashing it gave Wellington last weekend. Canterbury’s scoring in its wins over Otago and Auckland has been carried to al large extent by the experienced Bevan Congdon, and it is encouraging that Congdon had an innings of 88 at the expense of the Northern bowlers during the Shell series. The Northern bowlers’ techniques and tactics should also be familiar to Peter Coman, a centurymaker at Whangarei, and Maurice Ryan, who closed Canterbury’s first innings in

that game when his personal ’ total was 93 not out. Support for these players, though, will be needed from ; the younger contingent cho- ! sen for the knock-out con- ! test. Seam, rather than spin, i carried Northern to a posil tion from which its toporder batsmen, Glenn Turner, John Wright and ■ John Parker, took Northern ■to a nine-wicket triumph , against Wellington. Alan ■ Stimpson, Richard Collinge, Bob Cunis, Brian Dunning and Andy Roberts shared : the 35 overs between them; there is variation in the Northern squad, from the off-spin of Chris Kuggeliejn and Kurti Puna. On performances over the summer, Canterbury’s bowling has been more effective than that of its opponent. The composition of its 13man squad IlY?"

ironged medium-paced bal eery—Richard and Day] Hadlee. Congdon. Stephe Bateman and “Lindsay Ford — or the introduction o left-arm spin bv the reten lion of Stephen Boock. Bateman had a memorabl

-Idebut in Dunedin before e I being unavailable for thnl semi-final with Auckland bee, cause of business comf Imitments. In his absence. i-iForde showed admirable acicuracy to concede only 16 e I runs from his six overs and claim the wicket of Hedlej Howarth. There is a professional appearance about the Northern batting, even with Geoff Howarth having already departed for England. Turner, the quickly-emergine Wright, Parker. Roberts and Rod Fulton are all capable of adapting their styles to the one-day game, while Dunning’s natural aggression poses Canterbury a threat in the middle-order. The match will start at 11 |a.m. and there is to be a pOmin break between inmings.