Town tumbles to Country in fine cricket clash

Press, 12 November 1979, Page 3

Town tumbles to Country in fine cricket clash

By

DAVID LEGGAT

Several fine individual 7 performances and a thrilling finish — the match was decided with five balls remaining — highlighted a representative cricket match between Town and Country at Rangiora during the weekend. Chasing 167 for victory in about 90 minutes and 20 overs, Country won by two’ . wickets at 6.55 p.m. — the' last 20 overs began at 5.30 p.m. — at the end of a brilliantly fine day yesterday. The Country XI started slowly, scoring only 20 off the first 10 overs. The rate was no faster through the | next 10 and with the final 120 overs left-the score was; i 75 for two — another 92’ iruns needed. The turning point came | when the Country captain, Brian Sampson, joined John; IVarcoe. The partnership i yielded 40 runs in 18 minI utes, of which Sampson’s I contribution was two. Varcoe, hitting the ball cleanly, batted outstandingly at a difficult time. He was not afraid to loft the bail and his placement was especially skilful. A tragic mix-up saw Sampson run out and at 141, John Davies clipped Tony’ Farrant to David Stead at mid-wicket to leave only; three wickets standing. Five runs later Bob Masefield was bowled, but Varcoe and Murray’ Holmes took the total through to 159 — eight runs short with three overs 'left. Varcoe eased the pressure by swinging Farrant over mid-wicket to the boundary, Holmes flicked the ball 'backward of square for two, and Farrant bowled a no-bail. This left one for victory; with two overs remaining, i Robert Wilson, in an exitremely testing situation,; .bowled a fine maiden to ’Holmes. : However, Varcoe lifted Farrant's first ball back over ’the bowler and the match

was won. Varcoe’s innings included 12 boundaries and he scored 65 of the 84 runs made while he was at the crease — in total, only 71 minutes. Country therefore became the first holders of the lan Cromb Cup, donated for the match. However, the exciting finish was a pleasing bonus in what was essentially a trial match to help the Canterbury selectors (Messrs Noel i McGregor, Jack Kiddey, and Don McKendry) pick a squad for the coming Shell I series. Good individual showings were necessary for the chances of some of the players, but ironically none impressed more than Vaughan Brown and David Stead, who are among a select group virtually certain of inclusion. Brown batted for 198 minutes in the Town first innings to score a fine 101, in-, eluding 15 boundaries, and followed that up with an unbeaten 51 in the second innings, all but 11 runs coming from fours. This included a brisk stand of 57 in 63 minutes with his captain, Cran Bull. To follow that remarkable effort his bowling was very ■ tight, five of his first six overs in the Country first innings being maidens. ■ Stead’s performance with I the ball in the Country first I innings gave added weight ■ to the belief that he will be /required to do a lot of bowl- ; ing for Canterburj’ ’this sea- - son. As well as picking up six ; wickets he conceded less 1 than two runs an over, a ; commendable effort for a j leg-spinner bowling on a good batting track. Of the others, Lindsay . Thorn did his chances no - harm with a solid double. j TOWN’ First innings JG. B. Smith c Davies b Eddington 12 r D. A. Dempsej- e Davies b 1 King . 8

j-L. D. A. Thorn lbw b Davies 29 i V. R. Brown b Sampson 101 1 I C. L. Bull c Eddington b » Davies 81 » P. E. McEwan c King b d'Auvergne .27 ’ D. W. Stead c Parker b d'Auvergne 7i ? B. D. Ritchie std Williams b , d’Auvergne 23 R. G. Wilson c Davies b Masefield . . 2 A. J. Farrant not out 0 Extras <b9, lb2, nb2i .. 13. 1 Total 19 wckts dec.) 2301 I Bowling.—H. G. King, 8. 3. 10. . 1; M. R. Holmes, 13, 0. 55. 0; W . L. Eddington. 19. 8. 22. 1; J. V. ! 1 Davies. 11, 3, 40. 2; P. <i. 1 d Auvergne. 18. 4. 42. 3; R. Mase--1 field. 11.4. 3. 34. 1; B. V. Samp 1 son. 5 2, 14. 1. Second innings Smith e Sampson b 5 d'Auvergne 24 2 Dempsey c Williams b Eddington ol Thorn b Masefield .. 241 • Brown not out .. .. 51* 1 Bull not out .. .. 21 y Extras >lb4 ..4 ’ Total (3 wckts dec * 124 Bowling.—Holmes, 4, 1. 19. 0;. Eddington. 10, 3. 33. 1: d'Auvergne, 8.3. 2, 41. 1; Masefield 9, 4. 12. 1: Sampson, 3, 0. 1 - 15. 0. COUNTRY 1 First innings B. W. Andrews lbw b I. Wilson O' • P. Williams c Dempsey b Stead .54 N. M Parker c R. Wilson b ’ Stead 321 » J. U. Varcoe lbw b Stead 1 , P. G. d’Auvergne c Ritchie b I. Wilson 26 B V Sampson lbw b I. - Wilson ... o ’W. L. Eddington c and b Stead .41 ‘J. W. Davies not out 15 1 R. Masefield lbw h Stead 1 M. R. Holmes b Stead . 8 1 H. King not out .. 1 t Extras ib4. Ib4. nbl) 9 ti Total <9 wckts dec.) 188 a Bowling.—l. D. Wilson. 19, 7. : "•53, 3; A. J. Farrant. 6. 3. 13. U; ' P E. McEwan. 5. 2 6. 0; R G - Wilson. 16, 7. 34. 0; D. W. Stead. 29. 10. 51. 6; V. R. Brown, 13. . 6. 22 9. 1 Second innings S Andrews c McEwan b R. 1 Wilson 3; , Williams run out 46i 1 d'Auvergne c and b Farrant 12 t Parker b Brown .. 14 Eddington c Bull b Stead .. 10i r Varcoe not out .. 65' • Sampson run out .. 2 Davies c Stead b Farrant .. 3 Masefield b R. Wilson .. 0, Holmes not out 10 Extras 'nb2. Ibl) 3 Total (for 8 wicketsi 168 Bowling.—l. Wilson. 6. 4, 14. 20: R. Wilson. 13. 5. 32. 2; Farrant. 10.1. 2, 34. 2; Brown. 10. 0. 8 40. 1; Stead, 7. 0. 45. 1.