McEwan home after English sojourn

Press, 24 September 1980, Page 40

McEwan home after English sojourn

By R. T. BRITTENDEN “If you want an ego booster, England is the place to play cricket.” That is the feeling with which Canterbury’s outstanding batsman, ■ Paul McEwan, has come home to begin another season, and prepare for New Zealand’s tour of Australia. McEwan, playing for Brondesbury in the Middlesex League, in a series of other club games, and representing Hertfordshire in the Minor Counties’ championship, scored eight centuries in all, and made 2423 runs at an average of 58. Some of the cricket was of very good Quality, but some, he felt, did little to help him improve. He is fully aware that he has left his run spree behind, and that it will be

an entirely new ball game when New Zealand begins its matches in Australia. - McEwan is considering two offers of coaching appointments in Scotland, but said that he would not be interested in playing in England again in the situation which obtained this year. The one-afternoon matches were of little value, and it seems that after he had made his mark for Brondesbury with n string of centuries, opposing sides made things very difficult for his club with late declarations; in one game his side had only 40 overs batting, after the other team had batted for 71 overs. McEwan was to set another record before the season was far advanced. In his first match for Hertfordshire, against Norfolk,

he scored 127 not out and 107 not but, the first time. ia batsman had scored two centuries in a match in this type of cricket. These were his only centuries for the county, but in his remaining 17 innings there were 11 scores of 30 or

better, five of them halfcenturies. “In all, I think the trip must have benefited my cricket to some extent,” said McEwan yesterday. “Playing so often, it became easier to pick up the ball, and the games were played on good pitches.” He found that the English players he was with did not practise, and the fielding was not of a good standard. In the league and club games, one ball was used throughout the innings, and the seamers had only four or five overs before giving way to the spinners. McEwan must have made a tremendous impression. By the time he had scored his fifth century for Brondesbury, he

was headline news. In a match against Hornsey (a side which included the Christchurch players Steve McNally and Mike Dolden) he had taken his league average to 399. It was 106 when the season ended. Against Hornsey, McEwan set a league record with his 189 not out, and Brondesbury also set league records with its 292 for two off 51 overs, and with its winning margin, 223 runs. McEwan’s opening partner in this match was Terry Horne, of Central Districts, and they made 139 together. In this game McEwan’s last 100 runs were scored in 50 minutes. McEwan had - some bowling,* and some success with Hertfordshire, but he was most pleased about his catching in the

slips, which improved because he was in that position regularly. Hertfordshire finished second in the competition, and as all the teams did not meet, it was entitled to challenge the winning team, Durham — for which Lance Cairns plays. Unfortunately for McEwan, the game began the day after he and his wife, Tina, had left on their return home. Lancaster Park spectators will miss McEwan’s aggressive batting in Canterbury’s home games in the coming season. But there is good news for Old Collegians. McEwan says that he will be ahle to play for the club in the first round of competition “if I am selected.” His prospects look bright.