Irving one short of 1000 wickets

Press, 14 November 1981, Page 6

Irving one short of 1000 wickets

The Lancaster Park Cricket Clubs centenary celebrations are all but over and if the organisers have one regret, it will be that its silver-haired 49-year-old spinner, Bruce Irving, did not quite reach a tally of 1000 senior wickets yesterday. Irving, with six wickets against Sydenham took his total to 999 when the fourth round of the A.N.Z. Bank championship began and there will be some celebrations next week when Irving becomes only the second Christchurch cricketer to reach four figures.

His fine performance — the fifty-ninth time he has had five or more wickets in an innings — helped his side, which is at the top of the table, to a comfortable first-innings lead. Other top-placed teams also did well. Old Boys ran through the Old Collegians batting, EastShirley made a splendid reply to Riccarton's first-innings 178/8 declared, and Burnside-West won control of its match with St Albans.

Scores — Lancaster Park 181/8 dec; Sydenham 115.

Old Collegians 49 and 54/3; Old Boys 150/8 dec. Riccarton 178/8 dec; East-Shir-ley 146/2.

Burnside-West 145; St Albans 67/6.

Old Collegians' score. 49, was its lowest for 23 years, and only nine higher than ’its nadir. The batting crumbled badly, and if Richard Hadlee was 40 minutes late in appearing for Old Boys, he really was not needed. By the time he arrived the innings was in ruins.

Irving was the only bowler with five or more wickets, but Tony Farrant (Burnside-West) and Geoff Hancock (Old Boys) each took four very cheaply. Ray Jones, the talented EastShirley left-hander, led the scoring with 76 not out. Duncan Wild also had an unbeaten half-cen-tury for East, Cran Bull made 74

for Old Boys and Tim Murdoch 55 for Riccarton. BOWLERS' DAY

There was always something in the pitch for the seam bowlers at Hagley 3. but Old Collegians batted wretchedly against Old Bovs.

Robert Wilson, in a long stint, Lindsay Forde and Bill Lawrence replied in kind, and Old Boys were perhaps a little luckv to win a lead of 101. EAST ON TOP Stubborn, resourceful batting in a difficult situation bv the Riccarton captain. Tim Murdoch; slowly took the pressure off his side and steered it to a reasonable total against East-Shirley at Burwood Park. However, in the last session, delightful batting by East's talented left-handers. Ray Jones and Duncan Wild, made the quest for first innings points look ludicrously easy. BATSMEN STRUGGLE The batsmen of Burnside-West and St Albans were forced to struggle as much for survival, as for runs on a most difficult pitch at Burnside Park. Their problems were compounded bv a sluggish outfield and the ’end result was just 212 runs from two deliveries short of 120 overs; only seven boundaries were hit, all of them to leg. SLOW BATTING It was a subdued day on the slow paced pitch at Svdenham Park and. although the play was interesting, there was ‘ little cricket of real quality. Tony Collins, the Lancaster Park opener and top scorer, scored his 41 in one minute over the hour but it was a comparatively quiet innings from this usually most aggressive batsman.

The former Old Collegians medium-pacer. John LovellSmith bowled tidily for Sydenham as did Bob Carter.