Patel applies finishing touches

Press, 9 January 1986, Page 26

Patel applies finishing touches

By

JOHN COFFEY

The professional touch of Dipak Patel was again very much in evidence as Auckland completed a commanding Shell Trophy cricket victory over Canterbury at Lancaster Park yesterday.. Auckland’s margin was an innings and 34 runs, a result which was largely the product of Patel’s deeds. The Auckland coach had surely already assured himself of the “man of the match” award with his 174 runs and four first innipgs wickets, but he had still more to contribute yesterday.

Any chance Canterbury bad of salvaging something from the wreckage of the first two days was extinguished when Patel caused the dismissals of Paul McEwan, Vaughan Brown

and Rod Latham in the prelunch period. Patel had been given the new ball the previous evening and he bowled his offbreaks for 34 of the 37 overs from the southern end of Canterbury’s second innings. The Canterbury batsmen were by no means committed to dour defence, yet Patel conceded only seven boundaries during his marathon stint. When Patel was briefly rested, Alan Hunt eagerly grasped his chance to remove David Hartshorn. That, however, was the only variation from the theme of Patel taunting and tempting from one end, as the seam bowlers, Gary Troup, Willie Watson and Brian Barrett, shared the work-load at the other. Although Canterbury be-

gan the day with faint hopes of doing much more than preventing an innings defeat, McEwan and Brown promised to make Auckland work quite hard to achieve the seemingly inevitable. They had added 46 runs before McEwan mishit to Hunt at mid-wicket and soon afterwards Brown skied an attempted sweep. Three deliveries later Patel persuaded Latham to offer Phil Horne a catch at short mid-off and, at 97 for five and still 121 in deficit, Canterbury’s cause was all but lost. David Stead provided stern resistance, Craig Thiele thumped 17 runs from 13 balls — including a massive mid-wicket six off Watson — and Sean Tracy had a couple of lusty blows before the finish in midafternoon.

Watson had been unfortunate not to share the prelunch spoils with Patel, having had two chances missed. Mustering a lively pace and putting plenty of energy into his efforts, Watson was rewarded when he came back to claim Ash Hart and Garry MacDonald in one over. Auckland has now beaten Canterbury by more than an innings in their last two meetings, revenging a similar defeat in Christchurch two summers ago. Yesterday’s victory also took Auckland ahead — at 32-31 — in all matches against Canterbury. AUCKLAND First innings 454/5 dec. CANTERBURY First innings 235

Second innings A. Nathu c Greatbatch b Watson 5 P. G. Kennedy b Barrett. 14 P. E. McEwan c Hunt b Patel 34 V. R. Brown c Kelly b Patel 30 R. T. Latham c Horne b Patel 9 D. W. Stead not out... . 31 D. J. Hartshorn b Hunt. . 15 A. W. Hart b Watson ... 12 G. K. MacDonald c Kelly b Watson 0 C. H. Thiele c Home b Patel 17 S. R. Tracy c Home b Barrett 7 Extras (b 3, nb 8). .. . 11 Total 185 Fall: 15, 37, 83, 97, 97, 127, 153, 153, 178, 185. Bowling.— G. B. Troup 10, 2, 26, 0; D. N. Patel 34, 11, 62, 4; W. Watson 16, 2, 44, 3 (nb 7); B. J. Barrett 11.3, 2, 43, 2 (nb 1); A. J. Hunt 3. 0. 7. 1.