Fine catching by Canty

Press, 31 December 1982, Page 3

Fine catching by Canty

PA Dunedin Central Districts looks certain to fill second place in the Hansells National Womens Cricket Tournament in Dunedin today, after a commanding first day over Auckland which should result in an outright win. But Canterbury continued its stranglehold on the tournament. Some brilliant catching enabled Canterbury to bundle Wellington out for. 47. Canterbury let two possible chances slip from its grasp early, but made up for it later with the best fielding seen at the tournament. None of the catches were better than the two taken by Debbie Hockley. The first was at midwicket, from a strong whack by M. Harris, and the final catch was a diving effort at silly mid-off to dismiss Di Malthus. A university student, Brigit Legg, aged 19. took a fine diving catch in the gully and Ann McKenna snapped up a stiff chance at silly mid-off. Sue Brown, the leading

wicket taker in four national tournaments, took four for 16 off 20 overs with her swing bowling. An off-spinner. Nancy Williams, took four for six off nine overs. Canterbury batted slowly but soundly to be in a commanding position for 154 for six at stumps. An opener. Lesley Murdoch, compiled a grafting 66 before being run out, and Nichola Turner made 37.

This puts Canterbury into a commanding position to gain-another outright win. Central dismissed Auckland for 63, and then took a lead of 87 before declaring. The highlight of Central’s batting was an innings of 74 not out by a Marton shearer, Sally Groves. It was her highest score in first-class cricket. The innings lasted 141 minutes and included four fours. Trudi Anderson, who impressed with her batting during the first round, came to light as an off-spin bowler yesterday and took three for 16 off 10 overs, with some

steady and accurate bowling. The Dunedin-born Anderson kept the Auckland batswomen pinned down, and the only flurry of aggression for Auckland came from tailender Debbie Gordon, who top scored with 13 in her first season of representative cricket.

Good early batting enabled North Shore to compile 176 for seven declared against Otago. Lynn Johnston, who batted steadily for 26, and Karen Plummer who scored 31, put on 56 for the opening partnership. But the innings was held together by Jeanette Dunning, who scored 56 in 83 minutes at the crease. Jan Hall was the best of the Otago bowlers with her medium-paced deliveries, and she took two for 38 off 20 overs.

Otago started well with Pauline Hogue scoring 30. but slumped to eight wickets for 73, with good mediumpaced bowling by Jeanette Dunning, who took four wickets for nine. . .