Steve Bateman out through injury

Press, 13 November 1981, Page 26

Steve Bateman out through injury

A hero one day, hobbling the next — that is the sad story of the Burnside-West senior cricketer, Steve Bateman. Last Saturday Bateman, batting at No. 10 against Old Boys, scored his first senior century, but he will not be playing when the fourth round begins today. He has had a recurrence of an ankle injury which worried him in Australia last summer. Burnside-West, second to Lancaster Park at present, has also lost Hugh Gully and John Smith, who have returned to Nelson. Those com-

ing in to the side for the match against St Albans are David Carroll, Barry Thomas and Darryl King, this game will be at the attractive Burnside ground, in use for the first time this season. St Albans has made only one change. Miles StapyltoriSmith was not available, and Mark Priest comes back into the team. Lancaster Park and Sydenham, which meet at Sydenham Park, have unchanged sides. Sydenham is at the bottom of the ladder but gave a sturdy performance against Riccarton to level

the match totals, and Park, at the end of a week of centenary celebrations, may not have an easy match. Old Boys will miss Peter Rattray, who is not available for the game against Old Collegians. Rattray has scored 277 runs this season, and has been out only four times. Barry Hadlee will return to the team, but has decided to vacate his usual opening position. Ross Cameron returns and David Bull has been omitted. Old Boys will have Richard Hadlee, but he will not return from Wellington until after the

game starts. Old Collegians have lost Hamish Wright, one of the seam bowlers. He will play in Scargill for the rest of the season. He will be replaced by Michael Henderson, a batsman who had several senior games last season. East-Shirley, one of only three teams with outright wins in the senior grade, will play Riccarton at Burwood Oval. It has made two changes in its team. Howard Morel and Grant Neilson have been dropped. They have been replaced by Alan Laurent, a former Suburban

player who has been batting well in the second grade, and Tony Gray, the off-spinner who was not available for the third round. Riccarton will welcome back Glen Bateman, whose injury kept him out of the last match and Wally Scott has been left out. However, Riccarton’s century-maker this season, Geoff Miller, can not play. His replacement is Neil Jones, a talented allrounder from Accrington in the Lancashire League. He has performed with distinction in the club’s second eleven this season.