St Albans bounces back in club cricket

Press, 23 October 1989, Page 19

St Albans bounces back in club cricket

St Albans bounced back from its heavy first round defeat to have East Christchurch-Shirley on the back foot after the first day of the second round of Trust Bank Trophy club cricket on Saturday. After being humbled in the opening round against Old Collegians, the defending champion has East Shirley, another strong title contender, chasing 236 for first innings points. At stumps East Shirley was a shaky 49 for seven. Marist also gained the upper hand over Burnside West University, dismissing it for 179 and, guided by the Boyle brothers, Justin and David, climbing to 113 for one in reply. The other three games were producing more even tussles . Scores: St Albans 236 met East Shirley 49/7. Sydenham 275/6 dec. met Riccarton 131/3. Old Collegians 215 met High School Old Boys 70/3. Woolston W.M.C. 223 met Lancaster Park 154/5. Burnside West 179 met Marist 113/1.

The highlight of the day was a powerful century by the Woolston batsman, Peter Sullivan, who hammered 139 runs in even time.

The Sydenham import, Neil Stanley, was dropped in slips from his first ball but went on to get a fast 105.

Others to pass 50 were Geoff Smith, Andrew Nuttall (St Albans), Dean Lund (Riccarton), Paul McEwan (Old Collegians), Chris Cairns (Lancaster Park) and Justin Boyle (Marist). EVEN TUSSLE

The Canterbury representative, Paul McEwan and Stu Roberts, provided the highlights of the first day of the clash between Old Collegians and High School Old Boys at Elmwood Park;

Old Boys won the toss and asked the home side to bat, Chris Flanagan getting the early breakthrough by bowling David Bond.

But John Morton (29) and Keith Gardner (17) restored the innings before McEwan arrived to speed up the action. The former New Zealand test player took Old Collegians to a satisfactory 102 for four at lunch and after the break carried on to 78, another entertaining knock which included 10 fours and a six.

He was finally undone by the wiles of Flanagan and then it was the turn of the fast bowler, Roberts, to shine. He mustered a lot of pace to grab four wickets in the lower order to restrict Old Collegians to 215.

The representative seamer had the impressive figures of four for 37 from 17.3 overs with Flanagan getting three for 54. Old Boys started badly when Brent Fleming fell victim to Robert Wilson but David Bull and Andrew Nicol slowly fashioned a useful partnership in the face of some tight bowling by Wilson and Wayne Martin. That pressure indirectly resulted in two run outs. Nicol was the first to go and then a slick Lindsay Forde throw ran out Llome Howell.

Ross Bayliss saw out thi£> closing half hotp to leave first innings points

delicately poised with Old Boys 70 for three. SULLIVAN BLAST Thanks to an unbeaten partnership of 81 runs between Chris Cairns and Graeme Inglis, Lancaster Park fought its way back from the brink in its game with Woolston Working Men’s Club, played at Garrick Park. But no matter what the outcome the match will be remembered for the innings of Peter Sullivan who plundered 139 runs in almost even time. While he was at the wicket, 176 runs were scored and the partnership with Peter Kennedy netted 138, Sullivan’s contribution being 84. Some of his shots did not appear to be fully under control, but were nonetheless effective and his tally of 98 runs hit to, or over the boundary provided entertainment of a high degree. The rapier of Kennedy contrasted sharply with the bludgeon of Sullivan, but once these two had been separated Woolston had little to offer, only Greg Lewis contributing much. Park’s best bowler was Andrew Kench whose four wickets for 22 runs off 14 overs were the result of consistent line and length. Once he had removed Sullivan, Mark Chamberlain came more into his own and tormented most of the remaining batsmen with some fiery deliveries. Of particular interest in the field was the introduction after lunch of 19-year-old wicketkeeper Wayne Allport who responded by stumping two and catching two opponents in an eyecatching exhibition.

Lancaster Park made an unencouraging start to its innings and at five wickets down for only 73 runs matters looked grim. But Cairns, coming in at number five was then joined by Inglis and both were extremely watchful at the start, especially when facing Russell Grant. Technically, both players were very good, and by the end of the day some of Cairns’ shots reached almost Sullivan proportions. Grant was the spearhead of Woolston’s attack. His variation of pace, line and length was admirable and with an ounce more luck could have had much better figures. His fielding in the gully was also a source of inspiration to his fellow bowlers.

But by and large the day belonged to Sullivan who may in the future score higher innings but surely never one of greater entertainment and at the same time one of more-value to his side. BOYLES BENEFIT

The Boyle brothers, Justin and David, made their first big stand together for Marist, pushing the side into a strong position against BurnsideWest at Warren Park.

The pair came together at 4.07 p.m. and they were still unparted at stumps, having concentrated fiercely on a pitch of variable bounce. Its worst tendency was to play low. Justin, coming in behind David at No. 3, forged ahead of his brother in the scoring stakes, reaching 55 not out at the close. David was there 158 minutes for his 39 not out, again emphasising his stayfiig power.

It was gruelling stuff for the most part against a tight attack spearheaded by the fast bowlers, Steve Hawker and Andrew Hintz, who were backed up by a trio of demanding medium pacers and the shrewd left-arm spin of Hamish Kember. Burnside-West, somewhat courageously choosing to bat first when there were signs of dampness in the pitch, went through to lunch in sound fashion. Classy batting by Andrew Sherwood helped the side to 108 for two at the interval.

In tricky conditions, Sherwood was not spectacularly fast in his scoring, but he had a fine eye and judgment for the balls to attack. Five of his first six scoring shots were boundaries, including a six over mid-wicket off Garry MacDonald. Sherwood was most authoritative on the drive. The well-stocked food bar in Marist’s modest pavilion might have had something to do with Burnside losing its way after lunch. Sherwood did not add to his score, David Farrant and Russell Haglund got starts but could not go on, and soon the side was all out, having added only another 71 runs for the loss of eight wickets since the break.

Marist’s English import, Simon Brown, might have strayed down the leg side too often to be really convincing but he achieved some zip off the wicket with his left-arm seamers and finished with his first two competition wickets for the club. Darren Leigh bowled his inswingers tightly, Vince Barry chimed in with three wickets and Garry Hooper matched that haul despite bowling a very short stint for him of ten-and-a-half overs. BOUNCE BACK Both with the bat and the ball the St Albans’ bowlers put their side in a winning position on a pitch at Burnside Park of variable bounce and uneven pace.

Against an East Christchurch Shirley attack generally lacking in penetration and accuracy the early batsmen looked far from confident. Chris Harris had difficulty judging the pace of the pitch but played some assertive strokes as he settled in.

Geoff Smith, however, made light of the difficult conditions with intelligent batting. Crisp well-timed off-side shots were a feature of his innings of 51 made from 94 balls and which included five boundaries and one six. His was the fifth wicket to fall at 97 and when the next went at 99 St Albans were in trouble. A partnership of 61 from Andrew Nuttall and Neil Francis restored St Albans’ fortunes with Nuttall showing the ability to hit hard with sound timing. In his innings ■ were nine boundaries.

Eighth and ninth wicket partnerships of 20 furthered the St Albans cause then Henry Richards put the icing on the cake hitting 27 off 16 balls and putting the ball over the boundary twice. Howard Morel was the only East bowler to test the batsmen, the conditions being ideal for his gentle medium pace. He moved the ball off the seam enough to demand constant attention and his length seldom varied.

The East batting crumbled against the accurate St Albans attack. Both the opening medium pacers, Roger Ford and Henry Richards kept the ball on line with Ford giving a fine display of aggressive penetrative bowling. Pitching his attack on and about the off stump Ford’s bowling was a model of consistency and only two forcing shots were made against the 48 balls bowled. He beat the edge of the bat with away movement and his length was always testing. It was a difficult time for the youthful Nathan Astle facing not only the accuracy of Ford but also the guile of spinners Nuttall and Mark Priest. He _ came through the test well, being unafraid to strike the very occasional loose delivery. STANLEY’S TON Riccarton, co-leader in the championship, also has a vital interest in the game with Sydenham which gave another assertive batting performance. Riccarton had to thank a fine partnership with Robbie Frew and Dean Lund for keeping it in the game; Sydenham probably has. all the play to make today to take outright points. Disaster turned to triumph in Sydenham’s innings. Darrin Murray was out without scoring, and Neil Stanley was dropped in slips off Chris O’Malley, first ball. But Stanley remained, to play a remarkably assertive innings. One would hesitate to include his methods in a coaching manual; he was very suspect when playing forward to the outswinger. But that is but a careless smudge in the blueprint of an innings which carried Sydenham to a second successive handsome score. Stanley hit many delightful drives off the back foot, and was primitive in his dismissal of anything on the leg side. He made his 50 off 52 balls, and the StanleyPaul Hartland partnership scored 50 in only 29 minutes, finally ending at 75. Stanley scored his century in ill balls and 120 minutes, with three 6s and 13 fours. Lee Germon was all confidence, not being afraid to leave the crease, John Wilson played a useful role and at the end, Richard Petrie and Ken Julian added 45 in only 21 minutes.

This was a measure of Riccarton’s progressively wayward bowling. It was reasonably accurate at first, with O’Malley bowling sharply, and young Gary Stead, aged 17, pitching his leg breaks accurately. Later on, his line wavered a little, and Germon, in particular, was given every opportunity to use a handsome ondrive. Jason Kilworth, a persistent left-armer at medium pace, was the best, but the bowlers gave the batsmen too much width and Sydenham profited, with 275 in under four hours. Riccarton made a dismal start, but Frew and Lund applied themselves with a strict regard for the needs of the side.

They were not dominant, but played some very crisp and attractive shots, Lund being particularly good on the back foot. Their profitable partnership nealised 100 in 123 minutes, and ended at 111.