Three titles in succession the aim of St Albarns

Press, 23 September 1988, Page 34

Three titles in succession the aim of St Albarns

Three senior club cricket titles in succession. That is the aim of the St Albans men’s side this summer in the Canterbury Cricket Association competition, a feat last achieved by Lancaster Park in the early 19705. Judging by the settled squad the playing through champion has the other pretenders to its crown will find it hard to stop the Saints, which also won the one day competition last season. All of its players have returned to the fold although the wicket keeper, Paul Rutledge, who snared 37 victims last summer, will be overseas until Christmas. His return present will be a probable battle to replace the former Otago B representative, Rhys Cain, who has resisted offers from other clubs to don the gloves in Rutledge’s absence. Cain, aged 24, understui died Warren Lees for six

seasons without getting a game in the Shell Series. The side will again be captained by the experienced all rounder, Neil Francis, who believes having a settled squad will prove a big factor in the outcome of the competitions. The opening bat, Ben Harris, who compiled over 1000 runs last season, will be hoping for a similar return in his push for representative honours while the rest of the batting looks strong. Max Bremner, Geoff Smith, Greg Olliver, Mark Priest and Grant Lucas have returned while the bowling attack will be led by Roger Ford and Henry Richards. Andrew Nuttall and Priest will provide the spin with Francis and Chris Harris likely to chip in their share of wickets. The picture does not look so rosy at Ensors Road. Lancaster Park, the runner up last season in the two day competition,

has lost a number of leading players. Dave Dempsey and Tony Collins have retired from senior cricket, Reece Nimmo has been transferred. John Gully is overseas and John Radovonich is having a season off.

Those losses will weaken the batting although the bowling retains its depth. Mark Chamberlain, Trevor Luke, Don Kars, Keith Hardie, Andrew Kench and Rod Latham are back in harness. Latham, the likely captain, topped the batting averages last season with 672 runs at 48.00 but will probably be lost to the side when the Shell Series starts.

Graham Kench will retain the keeping role while Nick Foster will be keen for a better season with the bat after topping the averages in 1986-87 only to slip last season. Others likely to push for places in the first XI are Colin Simons, Graeme Inglis and Pierre Flavell although a spokesman said new players, especially batsmen, would be welcomed. Woolston W.M.C. was last in both competitions last season but the side is hoping for rapid improvement. A number of young players from its successful second XI have been promoted and gains include James Hadleigh, a medium-fast bowler who has played for Otago under 20 while Ken Taylor is available on a full time basis. Russell Grant, who took over 80 wickets with his left arm spin in the minor leagues in England this winter, has returned while others back include Anup Nathu (captain), Peter Kennedy, Peter Sullivan, Gary Gardner, Peter

Steele, Greg Lewis and Grant Keenan. Mike Dolden has retired while James Shipley is playing in the country competition. Dolden and Taylor will coach and select the side. “There is not a lot of experience there but it is an opportunity to build up some really good youngsters. All of them have had at least a taste of senior cricket,” said Dolden.

East ChristchurchShirley, which enjoyed such a fine post-Christmas period last season, is aiming for a swifter start to keep it right up with the leaders. It was sixth in the two day competition and second in the one-dayers, overcoming a nervous start in the process. The new captain, Tony Gray, who has taken over from Ray Jones, said his players are keen to do well. His vice-captain will be the experienced batsman, Craig Gibb. Mark Robinson, the Northamptonshire fast bowler who made such an impact last season, has returned. He captured 60 wickets at an average of 15.15 and should lift the players around him again. The talented all rounder, Garry Lund, could have his appearances limited by soccer commitments but Greg Fletcher, who has been playing in England, is expected back in the nets at Burwood Park shortly. Other regulars back in the fold include Jones, Howard Morel, Steve Daly and Mark Barrett. Another side to start slowly last year was Riccarton, which eventually climbed to third place in the two day competition with three outright wins after Christmas. The captain, Denis Aberhart, said the side hoped to carry on from that post-Christmas form when this year’s competition started.

The only gain for Riccarton is the middle order batsman Steve McCormick who has returned from overseas but there have been no losses. Stu Gambles and John Wilson, after fine seasons last year, will lead the batting again with Tim Murdoch, David Hartshorn, David Stead and Dean Lund. Brent Glanville is behind the stumps with Aberhart, Andrew Caddick, Steve McNally, Kevin Scott, Hartshorn and Stead the most likely to share the bowling. Danny Halligan’s appearances will be affected by soccer commitments while the young players blooded last year will no doubt be pushing for places in the first XI. The Lancashire professional, Dexter Fitton, is not returning to Sydenham, a blow to the side’s chances of improving on its mediocre efforts of last summer.

lan Cox has also decided to winter over in England but two newcomers are Wayne Pluck,

a middle order batsman, and Paul Bulman, a left arm spinner. Ash Hart is again the captain and wicket keeper. Bob Carter, Darren Murray, Kevin Congdon and Wayne Higgins add depth to the batting while Ken Julian, Richard Petrie ‘and Stu Simpson could be the front line bowlers, with a number of young players pressing for inclusion. Hart said Fitton’s absence was a blow but it gave youngsters like Ross Patterson, Andrew Ritchie, David Robertson and Darren Watts a chance to press their claims. Burnside West University, fourth in the two day and third in the one day competitions, has retained all of last year’s squad and added Mark Hastings from Marist.

Hastings scored 407 runs at an average of 27.13 last year, finishing twentieth in the averages. Russell Haglund will again captain the side, which will include such notable performers as Dave Farrant, David Boyle, Lee Germon, Steve Bateman and Andrew Hintz. ' Farrant finished fifth in the batting averages last year and fourth in the bowling averages while Bateman, in his first full season after a hamstring injury, took 51 wickets and is reportedly back to peak fitness this year. Other regulars returning include Jon Preston, Andrew Sherwood, Grant Dickson, Steve Hawker and Steve Jeffrey, giving Burnside West one of the strongest looking squads in the competition. High School Old Boys has appointed a new captain, Paul Hartland, in place of David Bull but that is the only notable change. H. 5.0.8. endured a lean return last summer but at least has the advantage of. a settled side. Blair Hartland has been performing well in England this winter and should push for Canterbury selection again while Peter Rattray, Ross Bayliss, Andrew Nicol, Dayle Hadlee, Stu Roberts, Chris Flanagan, Vance Thompson and Jonathan Eaton are back in the nets, along with Bull and James Leggat. Old Collegians has retained the services of all its players, including the Canterbury quickie, Bill Lawrence, who was the subject of transfer rumours over the winter. A notable gain is a former captain, Robert Wilson, who has switched from Hornby. Richard Leggat retains the skipper’s role and will be hoping for a better showing from his side. Old Collegians struggled last year, finishing second to last in the Trophy competition. Lawrence will open the bowling with back up from Wayne Martin and Lindsay Forde but the club is unsure of the intentions of Greg O’Reilly. Gary Thomas and Grant Hansen will provide the spin.

The batting will obviously rely heavily on Paul McEwan, who spent the winter coaching and playing in Holland, while David Bond, Leggat, John Morton, Mike Hamel, Keith Gardner and John Sherratt should dispute the other batting places. Marist, fifth in the two day competition last season, have lost Hastings to Burnside West while Greg Curtain and John Larter have retired and John Stuart has transferred to Dunedin. Kees Ruskamp, who had a rea-

sonable season with the bat, has not returned from Holland but a notable gain is Alan Piper from Burnside West, a player who is rated highly by the Marist captain, Justin Boyle. Expected back from Australia and England respectively are the leading bowlers, Garry Hooper and Gary MacDonald. Hooper was the leading wicket taker with 81 last season while MacDonald snared 53 victims at a better average than his veteran partner. A number of young players are in the senior squad including Darren Lee and Graham Thorn while regulars back from last season include Boyle, Greg Hills, Paul Adams and Vince Barry. Kit Perera has also returned from England and will have a dual role. He will be the groundsman at Marist’s new headquarters, Warren Park, where it will play its home games.