Canty humiliated by Auck’s Stott, Reid

Press, 29 December 1980, Page 26

Canty humiliated by Auck’s Stott, Reid

PA Auckland The much maligned and often criticised Auckland bowling attack hit back in the best possible way when it sent Canterbury reeling in the opening match of the representative cricket season at Eden park yesterday. Well-led by the former international, Warren Stott, who was promoted to open the attack in the absence of Gary Troup and Martin Snedden, the Auckland bowlers dismissed Canterbury for 77 and had it in more trouble at 43 for three in the second innings. With a first innings lead of 223 after it had earlier scored 300 for five, Auckland goes into the final day of this Shell Trophy match still with 180 runs to the good and, weather permitting, eight hours play in which to get a result. Ignoring two days of thunder, lightning, torrential rain and numerous interruptions, Auckland has played well throughout. But if the Auckland bowlers played their side into a match-winning position with their efforts late in the day, then 24-year-old John Reid laid the foundation for the sound position with a superb unbeaten century.

Reid, justly rewarded with his 113 not out, gave an object lesson in unfaltering concentration.

Although he occupied the crease for 304 minutes, Reid’s innings stretched

through five sessions,, two further interruptions for rain and a total of 641 minutes.

In scoring his second first class century, Reid later re--1 called his first, again in the 1 first match of the season, : when he got 101 not out against Northern Districts , two seasons ago. Auckland resumed its match interrupted innings at 245 for four yesterday morning with Reid (93) and the captain, John Wiltshire (28), needing to score 55 runs from the remaining 11.4 of the mandatory 100 first innings over for two more batting points. Wiltshire quickly went on to the attack only to have his concentration again broken by the rain. He eventually went on to score 48 before, when attempting a cover drive he was neatly caught by Barry Hadlee. Reid then gathered the remaining runs for his century — scored in 294 minutes from 264 balls — and then opened out to smack two balls to the fence. Partnered by the newcomer, Warren Linn in a tense last-wicke( partnership they, from the last ball of the innings, added the necessary 24 runs to give the home side their fourth batting point. Reid’s only life came with his score on 112 and it cost Canterbury dearly. Not only did the run take Auckland to within four runs of its 300 run target but, in chasing the miscue which went high, but not I

far, there was a collision in which Craig Thiele’s knee caught Vaughan Brown a nasty blow on the >mouth and then his hip. Brown, unable to complete his over was also unable to bat as the Canterbury innings collapsed and . his chances of taking any further part in this match remain uncertain. .

But his absence could in no way be used as any excuse for the • Canterbury team failure to even come to terms with the inspired Auckland attack. From the time Stott found the edge of Dave Dempsey’s bat and young Nigel Scott took a good catch in front of the slips to. have Canterbury two for the loss of one wicket, the visitors. ; were always on the back foot; Stott’s opening partner, John Cushen picked up the next two wickets to have Canterbury 37 for three but Stott, bowling unchanged from the northern end, then took the limelight and picked up four more wickets to knock the resistance from the Canterbury middle order. Batting for a second time in a little over two hours, Canterbury made a little better start but then, at 16, Martin Crowe, as though to make amends for his lack of success with the bat, took a wicket with his first delivery for Auckland when, with a short ball, he enticed sey into a false shot and Scott picked up his second catch.