Old Boys tighten hold on senior cricket title

Press, 26 March 1979, Page 17

Old Boys tighten hold on senior cricket title

The two leading teams in the senior cricket championship, Old Boys and Burnside-West, were on adjoining grounds at the Hagley Oval on Saturday. Both batted second, in murky light. But neither, with an eye on the other, made an appeal against it, each needing all the play possible, both desperate for an outright victory.

hour or two, then drain and I But the course of events ran Old Boys way. Playing! East-Shirley, Oid Boys took four bowling points in dismissing its opponent for 122, and then made 51 for three. But Burnside-West conceded runs readily against Riccarton, which declared at 229 for six, and the pennant holder had another of the dismal collapses which have marked its cricket in recent rounds. At the close of play it had lost eight wickets for 70. If neither side wins outright, Old Boys will take the championship. Its game with East - Shirley proceeded slowly, but it seems to have a better prospect of taking major points than BurnsideWest, which will need a spectacular performance on the last day. Old Collegians, never better than third in a senior championship in more than 50 years, has a chance of finishing second, if it can press home its advantage over Lancaster Park, and Burn-eide-West is unable to pick its chestnuts out of the fire. As things stand now, Burn-side-West has 55 points, Old Collegians 50, and an outright win for Old Collegians might take it one point ahead. Scores —— East-Shirley 122; Old Boys 51/3. Riccarton 229/6 dec; Burnside-West 70/8. Lancaster Park 115; Old Collegians 160/7. No play was possible at Sydenham Park, the game being abandoned for the day when a playable pitch could not be found. The recent rain had left the pitches slow and heavy, but at Hagley Oval, the sides bowling second found a little more in them. Outfields were slow too, and it was certainly not a day for batting pyrotechnics. However Peter Stubbings have an exhilarating display for Riccarton, hitting four sizes in an innings which left him only two runs short of a second century in senior cricket. Rod Fulton played a very important innings for Old Collegians, and he was still there, with 78, at the close of a day which had been interrupted by the final of the pacers’ championship at the Inter-Dominion carnival. As ef one accord, the players

I trooped off the field to hear ’the radio commentary on the (race. But 10 minutes was added to the playing time, to halt the revolving in ancient graves. It was a day for spinners rather than seamers. Michael Hamel of Ricca rton, with off-breaks, had his second spectacular success of the season. He took six for 12. Dayle Hadlee, with another splendid performance, also of off-spin took six for, Old Boys and a third off-spinner, Vaughn Brown, took five for Old Collegians. STRUGGLE FOR RUNS It was hard to get runs for the first few hours on the No. 6 ground at Hagley, where Old Boys met East-Shirley. But it was also hard to get out, if basic principles were observed. That East-Shirley was dismissed for 122 runs was no more to the credit of Dayle Hadlee, well as he bowled, than to some really spectacular catching. The innings was in its seventieth over when it ended, but only 112 runs came from the bat. It was a grim struggle. But Tim Evison took a fine reflex catch at short leg to dismiss Alan Albertson, Richard Hadlee picked up a sharp one at slip to end John Fielding’s innings, a substitute fieldsman Kaj Christiansen made a magnificent diving catch in the outfield off Ray Jones, and Geoff Allen sprawling full length in a forward dive at deep mid-off caught Keith Hawker. The return of Richard Hadlee to the Old Boys team, which must have caused East-Shirley some misgivings, was not. in the event, of particular significance. He bowled well, and accurately, but there was nothing for him there, until his last few overs, but his 13 overs cost only 10 runs. Allen had a useful performance, but the bowler of the day was Dayle Hadlee. According to one returning East-Shirley warrior, Hadlee bow-led eight different deliveries an over, and had two “arm balls.” It looked as good as that, too. Until Garry Hooper had the presumption to hit him for a six, Hadlee’s number of overs were usually ahead of the runs scored from him. He has had a splendid season of enforced rest from his pacy seam bowling, and he may now be wondering whether to continue with off-breaks next summer. There was some spirited resistance from East-Shirley, but its scoring rate might have been increased. with profit, by better running between the wickets and a little less immobility about the crease line. There were attacking fields to offer scoring chances, but it was dour defence most of the time. Although he gave a I couple of chances, Jones batted quite attractively for 100 minutes, Hawker fought hard for an ’ hour and three-quarters and the I captain, Graham Pulley was undefeated at the end. after an inI nings of 155 minutes which was • testimony to his fighting qualities. In the field. East-Shirley ! showed considerable aggression. > To be sure, there was a little ' more life in the pitch and the ’ light was bad, but Craig Thiele » and Stephen Booth were lively as

r three wickets were taken i cheaply. Peter Rattray and John Bierwith saw their side through, 5 however, both making some bold ■j strokes in the gloom. t GOOD DISPLAY A fine all-round display of , cricket by Riccarton has placed ? it in a strong position in its i match with Burnside-West at 1 Hagley 3. I Play began 20 minutes late 1 and, after being sent in, Riccar- * ton lost its fourth wicket at 82. . Aggressive batting from Peter , Stubbings and John Mackie pulled Riccarton out of an awk- ) ward situation. They added 39 i in 66 minutes, Stubbings hitting 12 boundaries and three sixes in ’ his 9«. r Before nis innings, Stubbings needed 67 to bring up his 5000 senior runs. On his departure, Geoff Miller joined Mackie and ? proceeded to plunder the Burn--5 side-West bowling. The pair 1 added 60 in only 26 minutes, s Miller making 4H ot them. e A green, damp wicket forced t the batsmen to hit over the top r of the inner ring of fielders, 2 which they did successfully, s David Farrant, a younger brother ; of Tony, took two fairly cheap wickets in his first senior match - while David Boyle, a younger t brother of Justin, also made his . senior debut. i The Burnside-West batsmen t fell in fairly quick succession to - steady, demanding bowling from a Riccarton. Michael Hamel, the 1 young off-spinner, took six very 2 cheap wickets while David Stead 2 was also economical. e However, their cause was f helped bv some uninspiring bata ting, Barry Thomas being the f onlv player to offer much resistance. Glen Bateman, Riccarton’s s opening bowler, gave an espe1 dally tight display, all his six c overs being maidens. 2 After scoring four runs in his . last three innings, Kevin Collins , scored the one run he needed to 1 bring up his 1000 in senior , cricket. 9 BOWLERS ON TOP - On the slow, damp pitch at Eim2 wood Park it was not surprising that the bowlers dominated ? proceedings and the batsmen of 2 both sides were kept under a 5 tight rein all day. The long outi field also told against fast scor- , ing and only 275 runs were » scored for 95 overs bowled. , David Dempsey of Lancaster i Park and Paul McEwan of Old 1 Collegians scored their runs in 1 typically breezy fashion but the 5 rest of the run scorcers had to V graft for success a Michael Johnston held the Lant caster Park innings together with watchful batting but when - he left at 89 the innings was all s bbt over. ,- Old Collegians had Rod Fulton r to thank for their 45 run lead. 1 Fulton batted almost throughout e the innings and although his role g was mainly a defensive one he !, still plaved some fine forcing f shots forward of the wickets. a Vaughan Brown bowled his off--1 spin with good control ef length i- and direction and although the ti turn was not sharp it was e enough to worry the batsmen, i- Paul McEwan turned in a worki- manlike display with accurate s medium pace. i- Spin was Lancaster Park s chief attacking weapon and y Bruce Irving and Andrew Nuttall i. responded well. The left-armer, e Nuttall, turned the ball sharply e at times while the veteran Irving e never allowed the batsmen any s relaxation.