Timely maiden 100 by Lindsay Thorn

Press, 5 December 1979, Page 30

Timely maiden 100 by Lindsay Thorn

Lindsay Thorn could not have chosen a better time to score his first century in senior ciub cricket than last Saturday. No only was it his 150th senior inm igs, but his 115 for Riccanon against, admittedly, a weakened Lancaster Park attack should have dispelled any possible lingering doubts as to bis right to be rated a certainty for selection in the Canterbury team. It will open the’ Shell series against Wellington in Lower Hutt, starting on December 27. Thom’s rise to cricket-

inj prominence in Canterbury has been steady and unspectacular. a direct contrast to the swift elevation of some of his younger, probable representative team-mates. His background is not dotted with numerous Brabin and under 23 appearances. His only season in the Canterbury - under 23 team was in 1974-75, and he failed to win a Brabin cap. Born in Nelson 27 years ago. Thorn began his cricketing life with a junior team in the Dovedale club. He attended Tapawera District High School w’here he was an all-rounder.

However, his meciumpaced bowling Came to a fairly abrupt end in the middle of 1969. His family shifted to Christchurch and a muscle injury persuaded Thorn to concentrate exclusively on developing his batting. Thorn spent two years at St Bedes before joining Riccarton. He played in the second grade for half the 1970-71 season, but gained promotion to the senior side when Murray Parker, the former Canterbury representative, was unable to play. Those were healthy days

for Riccarton. Dick Motz and Jack Kiddey headed the bowling attack, Brian Isherwcod was the Canterbury wicket-keeper, in 1971-72 and Parker, David Stead and Peter Stubbings led the batting. At his only Rothmans under 23 tournament, Thorn averaged slightly under 50 and won selection in the national under 23 team. He believes a chief reason for his inclusion in the Canterbury team that year was an innings of 67 against a powerful High School Old Boys team just before Christmas, 1974. He rates it as one of the high points of his career.

Riccarton needed 177 in 140 minutes for a win, and was soon struggling under a fierce attack from Richard Hadlee. After 46 minutes, the score was 33 for five. Stubbings and Thorn then shared an outstanding partnership, both reaching swift half-cen-turies. 100 was needed in the final 15 overs; 31 in the last five overs. Then two quick wickets fell, and both sides settled for a memorable draw. He made his representative debut last season in Canterbury’s final match — against Central Districts at Nelson. Thorn contributed .31 and 20 in a match most notable for Central Districts recording its first win after a drought lasting 38 games. Its previous victory came six seasons before. “My club form was not bad before Christmas. I had captained the B team and had made a few runs in Wellington and against the under 23 side. “I thought that there might be some changes. I got a chance and it was a terrific game. The atmosphere was tremendous.” A trip to England two years ago for a season’s play for Bronsbury in the Middlesex League, when he played almost as many days cricket in the month of July as he does in an entire club season in Christchurch, was another highlight.

“It helped me change my approach to an innings. I find I am now more relaxed. In Canterbury so much depends on your first month’s form.” Thom is not one of the seemingly increasing band of critics of the standard of senior cricket these da vs.

“I do not think the general standard has dropped. What has happened is that we have lost a few of the ’name’ players. When I started we had Motz and Kiddey, and Old Boys and Burnside-West all had personalities.” Thorn is half-way through his 87th senior club match and he has scored 3170 runs, including 13 half-centuries. For almost all that time he has batted in the middle order, but last season opened several times with John Ruston and this season has been facing the new ball since the first round. “I’m not fussy about opening or batting down the order,” says Thom. “I have quite enjoyed opening as you tend to get a few loose deliveries early on, whereas the bowlers have really warmed up when you go in at No. 5.”

By

DAVID LEGGAT