Canterbury batsmen put on a show

Press, 4 January 1978, Page 30

Canterbury batsmen put on a show

By

R. T. BRITTENDEN

Whatever its shortcomings, the Canterbury cricket team is seldom light in entertainment value. While making 235 for eight wickets in its allotted 75 overs against Northern Districts at Lancaster Park yesterday, the team provided all the thrills of a roller-coaster ride; and its respectable total came from a mixture of spinsterish defence from David Stead, slapstick comedy from Peter Coman, educated batting from Barry Hadlee, a positively rakish innings from Richard Hadlee, and a mixture of solidity and aggression from Dayle Hadlee.

In the last 75 minutes, Northern Districts replied with a sober 48 runs, without the loss of a wicket. For the sixth consecutive time this season, Maurice Ryan won the toss for Canterbury. This display of virtuosity in the arts of calling and spinning may not mean quite as much to his side as it did against Auckland, for yesterday the pitch played very well. There was sufficient pace in it for strokes to be made with confidence, the bounce was regular. While it was fresh and the ball was shiny—and the gloss lasted a long time because of the handsome, green outfield—there was just enough sharpness off the pitch to encourage eager bowlers. What will happen today and tomorrow remains to be seen, but the Northern Districts batsmen will resume this morning with considerable confidence.

Canterbury began with another productive partnership by Barry Hadlee and Coman. They have an outstandingly good record together. But they provided the sharpest of contrasts. Coman is a bom and inevitable entertainer, either with the fury of an assault, the strength and timing of stroke, or his adventures. Yesterday, he seemed intent on causing

spectators and the Northern Districts players a mischief with his succession of neardisasters. He was almost run out in the first over, when he went well forward on defence and had to dive back. He ballooned a ball from Alan Stimpson from the top edge so far and high that Richard Collinge from fine leg, making a valiant attempt to get under the ball, crashed into the sightscreen like someone in the percussion section of an orchestra playing the “1812.” Coman gave the most straightforward of slip catches off Stimpson, he snicked through the slips at catchable height, he had some massive swings outside his legs without making contact. But between times, he pushed the scoring ahead with typically good and forceful strokes. At the other end, Barry Hadlee looked like an aristocrat in company with his court jester. Between them, they raced to 50 runs in even time, and were not separated until the total was 69.

Then, in just over an hour, six wickets fell for 36. Noone could blame the pitch. Bevan Congdon, without any match practice recently, felt for and missed his first ball, to fall lbw. Paul McEwan got into an extraordinary position trying to force Stimpson to the on-side and suffered a similar fate.

Barry Hadlee, who had batted beautifully until the carnage began, did not cover a ball from Murray Child when trying to drive and was caught behind. Murray Parker was bowled by one from Child which really snapped back at him; he probably helped it into the stumps from an inside edge. Maurice Ryan shovelled a catch straight at John Wright and it was 105 for six.

Canterbury’s spirited revival began with David Stead and Richard Hadlee. Stead, very sound and watchful, batted more than two hours and a half for 27, which is not his way, as a rule. But it was an invaluable contribution, for he simply merged himself into the background while Richard Hadlee took charge. Hadlee’s innings was another extraordinary one, for it had in it more ingredients than a hotel soup at a Monday lunchtime. There were glorious strokes, mis-hits, missed chances. And it was a mixture, too, in its passages of fortes and pianissimos. He was forced into defence by earnest bowlers, but when he counter-attacked, his boldness, his flow, were utterly admirable. When he was done, with 10 fours and a six in his 77 —his highest score for Canterbury—Dayle Hadlee and Warren Eddington saw their side through to a fourth

batting performance point. Dayle Hadlee, an invaluable man in any situation, square cut and cover-drove handsomely in his 41 not out, which left him with a Shell Cup average this summer of 60.

Richard Hadlee and Stead added 68, the Hadlee brothers 55, in a great recovery. It would not have been so significant if Northern Districts had fielded better. None of the chances offered was easy, and two or three very good ones were taken, but in all Canterbury had eight escapes, and it was little encouragement for a good bowling combination. Collinge was tidy, but was without the devil one hopes for from him. Stimpson. after an erratic start, bowled with purpose and skill in a twohour spell: he had the ball moving about a bit, he snapped at the knuckles quite often, demanding watchfulness and technique.

Murray Child before lunch took four for 23. This young left-arm seamer looked very good, once he had found his line. He cut the ball now and then, and maintained a persistent length. Later, when the freshness had left the pitch and the seam was not sharp, he was not so tightfisted, and Richard Hadlee was largely responsible for his last five overs costing 37. Chris Kuggeleijn presented almost as many difficulties as the spelling of his name when he began. He is certainly not a spinner of prodigious off-breaks, but he had excellent control of length and direction, and for some time it was a grudging run an over from him. Richard Hadlee put that in a more proper perspective, scoring 20 of the 27 runs from the young off-spinner. But Kuggeleijn had the satisfaction of capturing his first wicket in representative cricket when Stead, at last trying to break free, was very well taken by Cliff Dickeson from a fierce drive. Dickeson deserved far better figures than one for 24. He was very accurate, wasted nothing, and had a little flight, a little spin among his assets.

When Northern Districts batted, Canterbury’s left-arm spinner, Stephen Boock, was similarly demanding. Wright and Geoffrey Howarth played a Canterbury pace attack which was without much impetus — although Eddington was conscientious and accurate — very comfortably. Boock, as strict and searching as a professional auditor, caused him some problems. As things stand, Canterbury looks likely to lean heavily on Boock today — although Richard Hadlee, who had batted nearly three hours before he had to bowl, may come back fresher and sharper this morning.