No room for pessimism: Canty captain

Press, 10 January 1986, Page 28

No room for pessimism: Canty captain

By

JOHN COFFEY

A disappointing, near-dis-astrous, beginning to the Shell Trophy cricket championship has in no way caused the Canterbury captain, Vaughan Brown, to deviate from his positive outlook. Brown is determined there be no lingering effects of Canterbury’s loss to Auckland by more than an innings earlier this week, and that it begin its trophy challenge in earnest against Northern Districts at Lancaster Park today. “We cannot afford to be negative, and must put pressure on the younger players in the Northern side,” said Brown. Reflecting on the Auckland match, Brown had good reason to rue the loss of his first toss as Canterbury captain. He was also unfortunate that Auckland made an eleventh-hour decision to change the status of the Worcestershire professional, Dipak Patel, from coach to player-coach. Patel contributed 174 runs and eight wickets to Auckland’s handsome win. Without Patel’s presence Auckland would have needed to rely on the much less threatening off-spin of Alan Hunt and its batting line-up would have been considerably less daunting. Northern also lost its first round encounter, but not before it displayed spirit in restricting Wellington to a four-wicket decision at Gisborne. The' retirements of Cliff Dickeson and Lance Cairns have left Northern somewhat short of experienced bowlers, and it has promoted the national junior representatives, Kim Hancock and Grant Bradburn, and recalled the all-rounder, David White. There is potential, at least, to Northern’s batting. Lindsay Crocker did well in the cup series, and White, Geoff Howarth, Bruce Cooper and Chris Kuggeleijn are thoroughly capable of troubling Canterbury. Brown is hopeful of more assistance for the seam bowlers from the Lancaster

Park pitch — “a bit more grass is needed or the team batting first has a right royal chance of not losing.” Should his wish be granted it would be logical for Steve McNally to be included in the playing XI, replacing Garry MacDonald. It is unlikely there will be any changes to Canterbury’s batting order. The newcomer, Peter Kennedy, mustered 36 runs in his two appearances and Brown said he would probably be retained as an opener. “Peter was understandably rather nervous and it was felt he should go in first rather than have to wait. David Stead had been quite willing to open, but Peter would not have been there if he hadn’t wanted to,” said Brown. “There were very few partnerships of substance against Auckland. That has to be rectified; it is vital that the top six batsmen get started,” he said. ’ In the other fixtures two of the first round winners, Auckland and Otago, meet in Dunedin;. while Wellington is at home to Central Districts. s Auckland and Wellington are quite capable of dou- ' bling their trophy points to 32 over the next three days. Canterbury should have the beating of Northern in its quest to keep within range of the front-runners.