Tough battle for cricket title

Press, 13 April 1984, Page 10

Tough battle for cricket title

The 1983-84 Chancery Finance senior cricket championship was the most

closely-contested for many a day; at the end, the sixth team was only 12 points away from the winner. It was a most interesting, if somewhat damp season, but there will be few to argue that Old Collegians were not a deserving champion team.

After the first two rounds. Old Collegians had scored but a single point, and at that stage Riccarton and Old Boys shared the lead with 17. Determined cricket, and a fine team spirit, took the side through to the top. Old Collegians had an extraordinarily large battery of bowlers. There were five medium-pacers of quality. It was a pity injury restricted Doug McMillan’s activities, but Robert Wilson and Lindsay Forde were very industrious and successful. Vaughan Brown played in only five games, Richard Leggat bowled himself very sparingly, and hardly any use had to be made of Paul McEwan. Richard Hartshorn showed particular promise as a pace bowler, and David Bond made a very good impression with his wicketkeeping. McEwan, fluent and aggressive, scored 434 runs in his seven matches but Brown did not do himself justice. Leggat batted with much purpose near the end of the season; he scored 265 runs in his last six innings. The biggest advance was made by the opener Graham Sercombe who increased his previous season’s aggregate by more than 200 to 549.

David Boyle of BurnsideWest was still short of 100 runs after five matches, but almost reached 500. His batting was outstandingly good after Christmas. Steve Jeffery did very well, with three half-centuries. Steve Bateman, with 39 wickets at 12.8, had his best senior season and there was another fine performance by Tony Farrant, who took 46 wickets. In his ninth senior season, the left-arm spinner Chris Marks had his best return - 38 wickets. East-Shirley finished

By

seventh, but it seems unlikely to stay near the bottom for much longer. It has a very promising team, with some outstanding young prospects. Gary Jones and Craig Gibb appeal as good scorers in the future and although he had very modest figures in his first senior season, there is every reason to think that David Grocott will mature into a very good player.

R. T. BRITTENDEN

Old Boys were again well served by the left-arm slow bowler Gary McDonald, who topped the senior aggregates with 55 wickets. The club had to call on 22 players for the top team during the season. Anup Nathu, one of the newcomers, did best with 313 runs at 52.2. In Stu Roberts the club has a bowler of considerable pace and potential, and Paul Hartland looks likely to become a heavy scorer.

Lancaster Park had a wretched season. Top only two years ago, it was last this time. Graeme Kench made a fine contribution as a batsman and wicketkeeper but the team seemed to lack the drive and confidence of previous seasons. Riccarton finished third, its best placing for a while, although it was without Tim Murdoch and David Stead for three matches each. Lindsay Thorn had his best season, his 692 runs being 153 more than his previous record. There was some entertaining batting from Steve McCormick and Kevin Scott, with only seven senior appearances behind him at

the start of the summer, did very well to take 34 wickets at modest cost. Mark Priest was the best of the St Albans youngsters, with a fine all-round performance. Lyn Sparks led the side exceptionally well and apart from a useful batting contribution, took 54 cheap wickets. Geoff Smith batted attractively and rewardingly. Two young players caught the eye in the last few weeks. Ben Harris looks like becoming a top-line batsman and Roger Ford shows especial promise as a pace bowler.

Bob Carter’s enthusiasm and all-round skills gave Sydenham a very good

season, and Kevin Congdon’s 764 was the highest leading aggregate by a Sydenham player since the war. Peter Kennedy batted well and looks likely to go further ahead. The Canterbury Shell Trophy team had 22 players during’ the season. Five former representatives Carter. Thorn, Boyle and the Farrant brothers — suggest the net could yet be cast wider. Players like Kench, Congdon and MacDonald must also come under further consideration. There was welcome evidence of some depth in club cricket, and the emergence of some talented youngsters.