Canty surrenders Cup, but beats Otago

Press, 5 January 1987, Page 34

Canty surrenders Cup, but beats Otago

JOHN COFFEY

ton, committed suicide at New Plymouth, Canterbury consolidated its claims to the $lOOO second prize money and its administrators were further buoyed by gate receipts .of more than $21,000. There was seldom any doubt that Canterbury would beat Otago yesterday. The six-wicket margin was just reward for the manner in which Canterbury restricted its rival’s run-scoring before keeping comfortably ahead of its own batting requirements. In spite of not losing its

Canterbury cricket lost possession of a cherished piece of silverware, but otherwise enjoyed a profitable final day to the national limited-over competition at Lancaster Park yesterday.

It was too much to expect ■ Auckland’s hopes to be drowned by unseasonably heavy rain for a second consecutive summer, and there was an early acceptance that the Shell Cup would be going north. While the other overnight co-leader, Welling-

third wicket until the total was 153, Otago had to be content with a final score of 183 for seven wickets, A sharply-run single and four overthrows took Canterbury ahead with five overs still to be bowled. Canterbury’s display in the field was a mixture of’ brilliance — as typified by Stu Roberts and Barry Ward in running out Richard Hoskin and Bruce Blair, respectively — and bumbling. Four catches were dropped, two of them proving expensive. When only one, Stu McCullum was missed by David Boyle at first slip

from Robert’s bowling, Vaughan Brown, at square leg, could not drag down a ball struck from Paul McEwan’s bowling when Hoskin was five. McCullum went on to bat most attractively for his 76, and Hoskin showed increasing confidence in reaching 47. Ken Rutherford also exhibited delightful strokeplay until Chris 'Flanagan cramped his style and then caused his demise. But the Otago middle-order failed yet again. Apart from a brief flutter when John Wright and Rod Latham were

both dismissed at 153, Canterbury always had control during its innings, Paul McEwan exceeded 1000 runs for the province in a!1 limited-over cricket, Rod Latham kept ahead of McEwan in Shell Cup aggregates, and John Wright was a logical “man of the match ” after guiding his team to a position of safety. Wright was master of the mid-wicket area with his nimble footwork and firm leg-side strokes, McEwan hammered 26 from 25 balls as he and Wright added 50 in 25 minutes, Latham was

strong on the front foot, and, for the fourth time this season, Brown was on hand to see Canterbury home. OTAGO K. R. Rutherford q Ward b Flanagan 31 S. J. McCullum run out . . 76 B. R. Blair run out 4 R. N. Hoskin run out. ... 45 W. K. Lees c Ward b Roberts 1 T. J. Wilson b Roberts. . . 12 K. J. Burns not 0ut.... . 2 N. A. Mallender b Hintz. . 1 J. K. Lindsay not out ... 0 Extras (lb 7 w3, nbl). ... 11 Total (for 7 wkts) 183 Fall: 51, 70, 153, 158, 180, 180, 183. Bowling.— S. J. Roberts 10, 0, 41, 2 (W2); A. J. Hintz 10, 2, 35,

1; V. R. Brown 9, 1. 28. 0; C. W. Flanagan 10, 2, 26, 1 (nbl, wl); D. J. Hartshorn 8,0, 36, 0; P. E. McEwan 3,0, 10, 0. CANTERBURY J. G. Wright c Rutherford b Boock 74 A. Nathu run out 14 P. E. McEwan c and b . Cushen 26 R. T. Latham std Lees b Boock . 33 D. J. Boyle not out 21 V. R. Brown not out ... . 14 Extras (Ibl, w5) 6 Total (for 4 wkts) 188 Fall: 35, 88. 153, 153. Bowling.— T. J. Wilson 8,2, 41, 0; N. A. Mallender 8,1, 21, 0 (w2); J. A. Cushen 10, 2, 41, 1 (w3); B. R. Blair 9,0, 48, 0; S. L. Boock 10, 1, 36, 2. . Umpires: B. L. Aldridge and R. L. McHarg.