Cricketers' gallery

Press, 20 December 1977, Page 22

Cricketers' gallery

Something like 60 former pupils of the Christchurch Boys’ High Schoo! have represented Canterbury at cricket. More than half of them have , come from the Old Boys club, although it has been in existence little more than 50 years. In senior cricket, the impact has been immense; in one post-war season, about 60 old boys of the school were in the top teams. The performances of the Hadlee family are referred to elsewhere on this page. But the Old Boys club has had other magnificent players, many great personalities.

Among the first great players was “Curly” Page, a New Zealand captain, a splendid batsman, a superb fieldsman. In the early years, there was lan Cromb, who made an impact with aggressive swing bowling, hard-hitting

batting and adhesive catching — in more recent years as an aggressive, hard-hitting and adhesive administrator and selector.

Mac Anderson, with fluent left-hand batting, made his mark. There was the stoic Gordon Leggat, the wicket-keeping skills of Alan Britton, the batting pyrotechnics of Brun Smith. Old Boys had one of the great spin bowlers, Bill Merritt; it also had the diminutive, run-stealing openers, Jack D’Arcy ana Bruce Bolton, the elegance of Barry Hadlee, the fierce hitting of Colin Stevens, the demanding bowling of Dayle and Richard Hadlee.

There was the cheerful Bob Bums in the 19205, a man whose wicket-keeping record in a season of senior cricket is being challenged by another Old Boys ’keeper, Brian Ritchie. The

indefatigable Peter Small, the smooth efficiency of Cliff Snook, the ' legspinning of Reg Cook—all have been assets for a club with the very proud record of 15 championship successes.

Leading performers for the club in senior cricket: Runs. W. A. Hadlee 14,464; B. G. Hadlee 8183; W. McD. Anderson 5981; J. G. Leggat. 5599; C. L. Bull 5295; C. J. Stevens 5289. Wickets: R. F. Cbok 552; W. E. Merritt 448; D. R. Hadlee 376; C. G. Snook 371. Appearances: W. A. Hadlee 299; B. G. Hadlee 167; Snook 156. Wicketkeeping: A. E. L. Britton 154 dismissals; R. C. Bums 146; G. W. Henry 89; R. J. B. West 88; M. J. Mowat 80.

Merritt took his wickets

from only 61 senior matches, an average of better than seven a match.