Riccarton third in one-day play

Press, 29 March 1982, Page 17

Riccarton third in one-day play

Riccarton had some consolation for a mediocre season when it beat St Albans to secure third place in the one-day competition in the final round of matches in the senior cricket competition on Saturday. These two teams figured in the closest match of the day, St Albans failing by nine runs to better the Riccarton total of 173. The difference between the teams was the start that the top Riccarton batsmen gave their side. Five of the top six in the order reached 20; only two of the St Albans batsmen reached that figure. At Burnside Park, the home team had a comfortable eight-wicket win against Sydenham. The visiting side was dismissed for a lowly 91 in its innings, and by 3.30 p.m. both sides were in the pavilion quenching their thirsts.

High School Old Boys, which did so well early in the season, finished the season in last place in the one-day competition. On Saturday, it found the task set by the East Shirley side, which has also had a’ rollercoaster season, too tough, in spite of a dogged partnership of 83 for the seventh wicket. The scores were: Riccarton 173 beat St Albans 165/9.

Burnside 94'4 beat Sydenham 91.

East-Shirley 176 beat H. 5.0.8. 155. NARROW WIN

Riccarton ended a disappointing season by winning its last match and finishing third in the A.N.Z. Bank oneday competition.

Riccarton can thank Dave Stead, who took six wickets at an economical cost.

St Albans won the toss and Riccarton batted first. It scored steadily but never really got on top of an accurate St Albans attack. Les Watson was the best bowler. St Albans began its chase for a win, but the batsman did not capitalise on 'the starts they got. Geoff Smith looked in ominous form for St Albans until he was out to a brilliant catch in the outfield by Glenn Bateman. John Larter and Mark Priest also struck some telling blows but it was not enough to carry St Albans to victory. EARLY FINISH The match at Burnside Park was a personal success for the young Burnside allrounder, David Farrant. When Sydenham was fighting

to take an advantage in the middle stages of its innings, Farrant routed the middle order, taking three wickets for no runs in five overs. He was punished in his sixth and final over, conceding five runs. He and Steve Bateman took seven wickets between them and gained considerable assistance from a pitch on which the ball often was deplorably low. It was significant that Farrant and Bateman bowled from the same end and that all their victims were either bowled or l.b.w. Burnside started as slowly as Sydenham had, and after 11 overs had lost its two openers for a paltry 18 runs. Farrant was joined at the wicket by Bateman, and when they were separated 42 minutes later they had

guided Burnside to safety with a partnership of 53. Farrant scored 49 off 68 balls that included five fours and a six. At one stage of his innings he had 41 off 48 balls. Earlier, the largest partnership of the Sydenham innings was for the third wicket, between Wayne Higgins and Bill Thomson. It produced 29 runs. EAST MAINTAIN PRESSURE A seventh-wicket partnership of 83 by Gary McDonald and David Bull was not enough to save High School Old Boys from defeat by East-Christchurch Shirley on a good pitch at Sydenham Park. Old Boys, in reply to East's 176. lost its first four

wickets for 17, and it was not until MacDonald joined Bull that the innings gained momentum. MacDonald batted aggressively, scoring his 50 in 62 minutes, hitting two sixes and five fours. Bull’s was a solid supporting effort and it was his highest score in senior cricket. The last Old Boy's wicket fell in the fifty-first over. Craig Thiele bowled well for East, and it was his speed and accuracy in his last spell which gave his side victory. A second-wicket stand of 60 by Alan Albertson and George Harper put East on the right track, and with lan Rule chiming in with 36 the East innings gradually gained pace.