Auckland wins with positive batting

Press, 19 March 1984, Page 34

Auckland wins with positive batting

PA Wellington Mark Greatbatch’s 58-run second wicket partnership in 49 minutes with Peter Webb was a decisive factor in Auckland’s win yesterday over Wellington to retain the Shell Cup cricket trophy.

After rain had reduced the Cup final from 50 overs to 35 overs each, Auckland beat Wellington by five wickets, the same margin it achieved last summer in accounting for Northern Districts in the final.

Greatbatch struck 47 from 68 balls before being bowled by Wellington leftarm spinner, Evan Gray. For his efforts, the Aucklander opener was named man of the match, and his skipper, Martin Snedden, later described Greatbatch’s time at the crease as a match-winning effort.

“That was where the match was won,” said Snedden. “When the weather looked as though it might disrupt our chances of batting through I sent a message out that we had to have 70 by 20 overs.

“Mark and Peter then went for their shots, and the target was reached.” Auckland was 74 for one wicket after 20, and though it then lost four wickets in the space of eight runs, the spurt provided by Greatbatch and Webb ensured the visitors were still holding the initiative.

Batting first, after being put in, Wellington reached

129 from their 35 overs, and in reply Auckland was 130 for five with nine balls remaining.

When heavy rain forced the final to be abandoned on Saturday it appeared that the prospects of playing it yesterday instead were slim. But with the head groundsman, Wes Armstrong, and his staff doing a superb mopping-up job, and a stiff drying wind, the Basin made a dramatic recovery, and play was possible from 12.45 p.m. The Wellington captain, Ervin McSweeney, complained last evening that it was unfortunate that the game was played yesterday when the team had originally been informed that in the event of insufficient play on Saturday, Wellington would take the Cup by virtue of its superior record before the final.

His Auckland opposite, Snedden, was equally adamant that the final had to be played, and he was critical of the original New Zealand Cricket Council ruling that would have given the Cup to Wellington.

Late last week the rules were changed to allow for play if necessary yesterday. In accepting the Cup, Snedden reminded the council of the need to ensure that a final was played each year and paid tribute to the wonderful work done by Armstrong and his men. McSweeney said that with the overs reduced, the final had become something of a

farce, and with the wicket slow and the out-field soft, his team had been at a greater disadvantage in having to bat first. “The pitch was always going to get easier as the match went on,” said McSweeney. “It was hard batting after we lost a couple of quick wickets, and with only 35 overs, there was little margin for error.” Scoreboard: WELLINGTON J. Boyle b Troup 7 C. Pickett b Tracy 0 R. Vance c and b Hellaby . 12 R. Ormiston run out. .. . 37 E. Gray c Webb b Troup 20 E. McSweeney not out . . 20 J. Morrison b Troup. ... 0 A. Pigott not out 17 Extras (b 1, lb 8, nb 8) 16 Total (in 35 overs) for six wicketsl29 Fall: 1,9, 48, 87, 90, 90. Bowling: S. Tracey, 7,4, 11, 1; G. Troup, 7,0, 26, 3; W. Stott, 7, O, 35, 0; T. Hellaby, 7,0, 16, 1; M. Snedden, 7,0, 25, 0. AUCKLAND T. Franklin st McSweeney b Gray 4 M. Greatbatch b Gray . . 47 P. Webb run out 19 T. Hellaby c Pickett b Gray 5 A. Hunt not out 15 D. Knowles lbw b Maguiness 0 M. Snedden not out ... . 28 Extras (b 1, lb 6, w 5). 12 Total (in 33.3 overs) for five wicketsl3o

Fall: 20, 78, 80, 85, 86. Bowling: A. Pigott, 6,2, 11, 0; K. Marshall, 7,1, 25, 0; E. Gray, 7,0, 22, 3; P. Schofer, 6.3, 0, 34, 0; S. Maguiness, 7,0, 26, 1. Man of the match: Mark Greatbatch (Auckland).