Batsmen to fore in bright start to cricket season

Press, 11 October 1982, Page 24

Batsmen to fore in bright start to cricket season

Cricket came in with a new face on Saturday. Very often, there is a cold easterly wind on the first day, and medium-pace bowlers find flattering figures on green and lively pitches. On Saturday, warm northwest conditions prevailed, and the bowlers had to work hard for their figures. Pitches, naturally, were a little on the slow side, but the scoring generally was better than usual, and no fewer than seven batsmen scored half-centuries.

David Dempsey of Lancaster Park gave a solid allround performance and was the only bowler to take five wickets’ in an innings.

Top scorer for the day was Dayle Hadlee, making a very welcome return to cricket after injury had kept him off the scene last summer. He made 69 not out for Old Boys against Burnside-West. Others to pass 50 were Dempsey, Wayne Spanjer (Riccarton), Rod Latham (Lancaster Park), Max

Bremner and Mark Priest (St Albans), and Richard Leggat (Old Collegians). Three of the four games were everfly poised at the end of the day. In the fourth. St Albans established a decided ascendancy over EastShirley. Although he fell a few short of a half-century, Peter Stubbings batted delightfully for Riccarton. and passed on aggregate of 6000 runs a senior cricket — only five Riccarton men before him have reached that mark. It was a notable occasion, too. for the Burnside-West wicket-keeper Kevin Collins. He took three catches against Old Boys, on his one hundredth senior appearance. Senior scores: Old Collegians 204: Sydenham 80 3. Old Boys 210 9 dec: Burn-side-West 10-1. Riccarton 205/7 dec; Lancaster Park 121 '4. St Albans 196/5 dec; EastShirley 74/7. Dempsey's day

Dempsey gave a solid display

for Lancaster Park, not only of skill but of stamina.

The title-holders, feeling the absence of David Trist. will no doubt make full use of Dempsey. He was bowled only in brief spells for the most' part last season, but finished the summer with 31 wickets at 10.4 runs each, and has shown aptitude as a medium-pacer for Canterbury, in limited-over matches. On Saturday, he bowled 25 overs in one spell, and was never treated with anything but respect. Mike Hamel, back in senior ranks, batted thoughtfully for 40 and Spanjer, who had a top score of 19 last season, applied himself admirably. He took 150 minutes over his 50, but it was an invaluable innings. Stubbings. driving fluently, took 68 minutes over his 47. but Lancaster Park in general bowled very tightly. Trevor Luke and Rod Latham offering Dempsey strong support. When Glen Bateman took wickets with the third and fourth balls of his opening over. Lancaster Park was in trouble, but Dempsey and Latham were equal to the occasion. Both sec-med to have plenty of time to make their shots, and although Bateman was unlucky with the

edges he found now and then, it was good, free batting. The pair had a partnership of 88. the first 50 in even time, and Latham was still there at the close, a veryreal danger to Riccarton. St Albans on top

The new St Albans professional. John Gully, made a verygood impression with an opener's innings of 31 against East-Shir-lev.

The bowling before lunch was very accurate, and Gully, assisted by John Latter, needed to be watchful. Both batsmen played soundly, but the side really progressed in the afternoon? when the bow-ling lost its tightness.

Mike Bremner and Mark Priest had a partnership of 111 for the fourth wicket, playing most attractively. They batted for two hours and played some exciting shots. Although he came in just before the declaration. Brian Davidson showed that he is a more than useful recruit.

He looked a good batsman, and fielded splendidly, taking a welljudged outfield catch to dismiss Garry Hooper. Hooper bowled tightly, as did the new East-Shirley skipper, Keith Hartshorne, with his leftarm slows. Tony Gray also commanded respect. The new East-

Shirlcy professional. Damien D'Oliveira. was out early, but bowled tightly East-Shirley's innings was in tatters at the close, ft would have been in an even worse state had it not been for lan Rule's 25 and some typically aggressive hitting by Hooper, who struck three sixes with his one-arm shots, and made his 30 in only 27 minutes

There was a most impressive opening spell by Ross McNally, who took the first three wickets. Hart in form

The attacking wicket-keeping of Sydenham's Ashley Hart helped to keep Old Collegians' first innings total from assuming more sizeable proportions Hart made brilliant leg-side stumpings, standing up to the medium-pace of Bryan Andrews, to dismiss two of the Old Collegians' danger men. Paul McEwan and Richard Leggat. when both were well settled. McEwan started rather tentatively. but it was not long before he was making good shots. Attacking mainly through the onside. and off Andrews, he hit five fours in 50 minutes of entertaining cricket. Leggat’s knock, coming in the middle of the Collegians' innings, was skilfully and solidly fashioned over 141 minutes. The Collegians' captain looked to play predominantly on the offside and his innings included six fours.

Collegians' other representative batsman. Vaughan Brown, played a couple of handsome shots after a streakv start, but he aimed a big off-drive at a ball which came back into him. and he was bowled for 11.

With Leggat the eighth wicket to fall at the score of 175. the Sydenham players had high hopes of wrapping up the innings at something significantly short of 200. They reckoned without Robert Wilson, however. Batting at number nine. Wilson showed skill, application and a sound tactical sense to stay for 90 minutes and score a highly valuable 37 not out.

With the last man. LindsayForde. who played his part well, Wilson put on 26 before Forde was run out through a fancypiece of footwork by Brian Butler.

At the close of play, which came seven minutes early because of bad light. Sydenham was reasonably placed at 80 for three, keeping pace with Collegians at a similar stage in its innings. Kevin Congdon had the side off to a useful start, scoring 22 with four fours, and he shared an opening partnership of 38 with Greg Curtain. Bob Carter and Murray Hartland were together at the close of play. Carter defending grimly in the’ captain’s role, and Hartland hitting out now and again, favouring the cut shot.

Slow start On a holding pitch at Harn, the High School Old Boys innings which began slowly gained momentum during the day. The first 50 runs came up after 38 overs and thanks to some aggressive batting from Dayle Hadlee the final 50 took only 12 overs to complete. The combination of not putting bat to ball and the steady Burnside attack made runs hard to come by and in the first two sesslons’the batsmen were struggling to find form. The exception was the Old Boys captain. Cran Bull, who batted patiently to compile a useful 45.

Playing some attractive shots.

he held the early part of the innings together at a time when it threatened to fall apart. Hadlee began slowly, but after tea hit out and played some crashing straight oriv’es, taking 18 off one over by Tony Farrant. Hadlee was dropped at mid-off when on 10 and again in the 20's, but by the end of the innings was in commanding form. With Tony Davoren a bright 72 was scored for the ninth wicket.

The Burnside bowling was accurate throughout with Steve Bateman having the best return of the medium-pacers. An offspinner. Russell Haglund, although getting little turn bowled with control and was treated with respect.