Three easy wins in one-day cricket matches

Press, 10 January 1983, Page 21

Three easy wins in one-day cricket matches

Burnside-West and EastShirley are the section leaders in the A.N.Z. one-day competition for senior cricket after the second round on Saturday. The qualifying matches will end with the third round on February 27. and the finals will be played on March 12.

There were three flat finishes. and one exciting one on Saturday. Burnside-West had its last batsmen in when it passed Riccarton's score.

It was far from thrilling in the other games.

Lancaster Park, so dominant last season, was out for 86 against Old Collegians. East-Shirley walked away with its match against Sydenham, and although one spectacular partnership for St Albans offered Old Boys a threat, it was a comfortable victory for Old Boys in the end. (Section One) Burnside-West 126/9 beat Riccarton 124; Old Collegians 87/3 beat Lancaster Park 86. (Section Two) East-Shirley 156/2 beat Sydenham 154; Old Boys 215/ 8 beat St Albans 183. Points: Section One: BurnsideWest 10, Old Collegians 5, Lancaster Park 5, Riccarton 0..

Section Two: East-Shirley 10, St Albans 5, Old Boys 5, Sydenham 10.

In the final round of section play, Burnside-West will meet Lancaster Park and Old Collegians will play Riccarton in section one. In the other section. East-Shirley is drawn against St Albans, and Old Boys will play Sydenham.

The top scorer in Saturday's games — limited to 55 overs an innings — was James Leggat of Old Boys, who scored an impressive 72. The veteran Sydenham player, Bill Thomson, made 67, John Larter, of St Albans 63, Barry Hadlee (Old Boys) 53 not out and Keith Moorfield (East-Shirley) 50 not out.

Four bowlers each took five wickets; they were David Farrant (BurnsideWest), Garry Hooper (EastShirley). Gary MacDonald (Old ’ Boys), and Steve McNallv (Riccarton). COMFORTABLE WIN After being held in check in the middle part of its innings. East-Shirley accelerated the scoring at the right time and finally cruised to an easy eightwicket win against Sydenham at Sydenham Park. Sydenham had first use of a good batting strip, but only the veteran opener. Bill Thomson, stayed long enough to build an innings of substance. Thomson was not afraid to loft the ball and he cleverly picked the spaces to hit his aerial shots. He was the fifth batsman dismissed, with his score at 67 and the team's total at 96. Thomson included nine fours and two sixes in his valuable contribution. However. East-Shirley maintained a tight and accurate attack and wickets fell regularly. A brief flurry by Brian Butler and Grant Adamson added 29 for the ninth wicket. Adamson, in his senior debut, had the honour of being his side's second highest scorer, albeit a modest 15 not out. As usual. Garry Hooper thrived on a long bowling spell and it was a rewarding one for him. He claimed five wickets and captured the vital wicket of Thomson by bowling him. Robbie Van Zanten and Keith Moorfield gave East-Shirley a bright start, scoring 53 for the first wicket. Moorfield, who was content to play the sheet-anchor role, blossomed after the dismissal of Van Zanten. The arrival of Damian D'Oliveira increased the run tempo and the two were merciless on the Sydenham attack near the finish.’ Moorfield completed a fine half-century and D’Oliveira, who played many cultured shots, was unbeaten on 49 when he scored the winning run. He had nine fours in his innings. COLLAPSE A disappointing batting display from Lancaster Park and a fine controlled innings from Old Collegians' Paul McEwan were the features of a mediocre day's play at Elmwood Park. Lancaster Park began well, Tony Collins batting in typically aggressive style. Two sixes were struck in his brief innings of 28

but when he was out with the score at 40 the batting collapsed. Bruce Irving, of the later batsman. was the only one to reach double figures. The Old Collegians' steam attack was steady and accurate and throughout the innings dominated the batting. Lancaster Park's prospects were raised briefly when the second Collegians wicket fell at 13 but the hopes were dashed with the arrival of McEwan. His timing was exemplary and con- ■ trol and placement were features of a fine innings cut short only by the reaching of the opposition total. CLOSE GAME

The guiding hands of the veterans. Peter Wallace and Kevin Collins, steered West into a winning position against Riccarton. but in the end it was a close-run affair.

West reached the target with five overs to spare. It was left to the No. 10, Andrew Hintz, in partnership with the last man. Brian Farrant, to score the winning runs.

The outcome might easily have been different. At the halfway stage, West was five down for 55 and Wallace was dropped early in his innings. The West captain, however, was in impish form, advancing and retreating as the bowlers came in. and dabbing the ball away deftly backward of square on both sides of the wicket.

Occasionally, he went for big lofted shots, but his timing was not all that it might have been and he was finally well taken behind the bowler for 40. scored off 61 balls.

Collins, after looking perhaps the most assured batsman of the day, went 15 runs after Wallace, for 23 scored off 41 balls. This pair's seventh-wicket partnership realised a crucial 27. Chris O’Malley bowled in lively fashion and he struck alarmingly towards the end. Steve McNally bowled nine overs before tea and 16 after the break to dominate one end and finish with five wickets. The Riccarton batsmen were always struggling against the tight, lively seam attack of West and had reached only 52 at the half-way stage. Tim Murdoch was third out at that point, lashing out in desperation, having faced 53 balls for seven runs. Earlier. Wayne Spanjer took 73 balls to score 27.

The only Riccarton partnership to put pressure on West was

that of Alan Kerr and Gary Straw, who put on 43 for the seventh wicket. These two had the West fielders scurrying with their quick singles, and both hit some punishing shots. The Farrant brothers. Tony and David, bowled an attacking line and had the ball lifting on the batsmen, especially' Tony, who was unlucky with some balls popping up but dropping clear of the close-in field. AGGRESSIVE James Leggat played a delightful innings for Old Boys. He opened the innings against St Albans, and was in his stride immediately. Quick footwork

opened the way for him to play some beautiful’drives on the off side, and he showed an extensive range of shots, in quite his best senior- innings. With Simon Carter as Leggat's partner, Old Boys reached 100 in 69 minutes. Leggat. getting into position swiftly, hit the ball hard, but at 72 he was well taken in the covers. He made his runs from only 70 balls, and hit a six as well as 12 fours.

Leggat scored fast. Barry Hadlee was even faster. He reached 50 from 46 balls. 14 fewer than Leggat, with the sort of stroke production expected of him. It was a glorious display of free shot-making. Cran Bull also hit out strongly, and only Lyn Sparks was able to contain the Old Boys batsmen. St Albans needed 3.9 runs an over, and kept within sight of this target for some time. The

Lynch-pin of the innings was the batting of John Larter. who continued in the form which has brought him further success for the Canterbury B team this season. He was not afraid to loft the ball into untenanted parts of the field. Mark Ritchie, one of the opening bowlers, was having a good second spell until Larter hit 14 off an over. Larter, hitting both Ritchie and another seamer.

Tony Davoren. in front of the wicket for sixes, reached his 50 from 61 balls. Sparks offered stout support in a stand which realised 70 in an hour. Once it was broken, however. St Albans was not really in the chase. Gary MacDonald, with slow left-arm spin, was the best of the bowlers. He invited the attacking stroke, but his control, and Bull's field settings, made him relatively inexpensive.