Cricket youth Representative play will further test abilities

Press, 10 December 1981, Page 27

Cricket youth Representative play will further test abilities

With the Christmas break fast approaching, junior cricketers will have a chance to relax from the pressures of competition play and perhaps sharpen their skills in an informal way at beach or backyard. For some, however, there will be representative play to further test their abilities. Three Canterbury junior teams have been chosen, a tournament team, a Canterbury XI and an invitation team. Many of the names on those lists have appeared in this column. The Medbury A grade side has had five players chosen to represent the province. Bill Oborne and Edward Coxon are both off-spinners. Oborne having taken five wickets in an innings four times this season. Nigel Andrews has scored 400 runs for the team so far and Justin Murray has clinched a representative place with his good form as a top order batsman. The greatest success story, however, is that of Ritchie Morrow. He has taken up cricket only this season but his improvement has been so dramatic that he has made the Invitation XI.

The East-Shirley B grade side is full of potential. Michael Frew is a sound, dedicated opening batsman and Tim Kenny a good all-rounder. Chris Barclay shows

promise with the bat, William Marshall with the ball. Ross Day is an accurate medium-pacer. David Marsden is a useful allrounder. especially in the fielding department. For the Sydenham C grade side. Tony Walter recently returned the startling figures of five for one, as the oppositon crumbled to be all out for nine. At Hospital Corner on Saturday. three E grade New Brighton teams were in action. For one of them, Rhys Brown is looking good as ah all-rounder and Richard Nolan as a keeper. David Bainbridge, Glen Cook and Christian Treavean are developing well. New Brighton V in the E grade has promising players in Matthew Forsythe, Stephen Mulloy, Jason McMenamin and Bevan Sparks. Julie Prendergast and Stella Ahlbrandt are keen and valuable team members. The outstanding player for New Brighton VI is the captain, Scott Flewellyn. Hoon Hay in the D grade features Geoffrey Rasmusson, who had a hat-trick recently, and Keith Campbell who excels in all aspects of the game. Lance Faafoi is a hard-hitting batsman and a fast, consistent bowler while Peter Sharpe, in his first season of cricket, has taken some good catches behind the stumps. For the Old Boys C grade side.

the promising all-rounder, Craig Church, recently had four wickets with five balls. Chris Knight is also a good bowler and Richard Reid and Colin Head are verv keen in the field.

Old Boys’ opponent on Saturday was Old Collegians A grade “Ds”. Because of the complexities of the draw, this side has yet to play a match in the A grade. Peter Burdon is a promising batsman and a tight fielder, while Chris Drayton has had a string of solid scores. Players who have improved markedly are Tony Thompson and Danny Reid, the latter showing the promise of becoming a very good cricketer. This is an exceptionally keen side. There are 14 in the squad and all 14 have turned up to every practice session this season. In the C grade, Burnside-West (coached by Mr Thompson) have the problem, common to many sides, of facing a major reshuffle in personnel after the Christmas break. Most of the players are Form II boys, and it is hoped they will be playing Saturday afternoon cricket when they reach high school. Craig Furness and Craig Thompson are batting well, and Martin White is a good bowler. Trevor Claridge is a keen team man while Jason Tilley stands out for his efforts in the field.