Bold move succeeds

Press, 26 November 1979, Page 1

Bold move succeeds

By R. T. Brittenden The frantic finish to yesterday’s cricket match between Canterbury and Otago gave a story-book ending to a bold move by the Canterbury association in staging the match at Hagley Oval. This was a first-round match in the New Zealand Cricket Council’s competition for the Shell Cup, and the crowd of 206'0 was a notable advance on the muster of about 600

when Canterbury met Auckland in the final of the corresponding event last season. The beer tent, the brass band and the family picnic lunches did nothing to disturb the leafy serenity of a beautiful cricket ground. If the lines of spectators round the boundary bulged noticeably by the beer tent, there were no problems with spectators, although Canterbury’s performance in the early stages of the match would

undoubtedly have produced some critical canned comment had it been at Lancaster Park. Spectators’ comments seemed to be all of praise for the setting, and the amenities provided for the public. The afternoon sun shine was welcomed, by what was almost certainly the biggest crowd to watch cricket at Hagley Oval since the first Plunket Shield match more than 70 years ago.