Formidable assignment for North Canterbury

Press, 8 March 1988, Page 33

Formidable assignment for North Canterbury

Encouraged by a string of wins!in elimination matches, the North Canterbury cricket team will challenge Southland; for the U-Bix Cup in a three-day match in Invercargill, starting on Sunday. The cup is the symbol of supremacy in minor association ;cricket in New Zealand, and North Canterbury earned its challenge by beating Nelson, j Marlborough. Buller and West Coast in elimination games.

It grounded off its lead-up to i the ; challenge by beating Marlborough again last weekend The team is:—

R.' Masefield, M. Johnston. M. Allan. P. Winter, M. Satterthwaite, B. Plaskett, P. Williams. C. Abbott. J. Hamilton.'S. .McNally, G. Chambelain and B. Casey. The strength of the side is in its bowling; McNally and; Chamberlain, who share the! new ball, and Masefield all played!for Canterbury B this: season.

Johnston, who has had a fruitful season with the bat. and Satterthwaite are the chief scorers, with a former opener, Williams, stiffening the middle order at No. 6. Southland has a strong team; it contains Kevin Burns, John Lindsay, John Wilson. Robbie Hill and Richard Hoskin, all Otago Shell

Trophy players, and Peter Skelt, a top badminton player wrio has developed into a good leg-spinner. Another problem which might plague North Canterbury is the Invercargill weather. Only one of the three U-Bix Cup matches so far this season was completed; the others were rained out. which means the cup stays put. North Canterbury must make the most of its chances, because a first innings lead can decide .the fate of the trophy.