Hartland beginning to realise his potential

Press, 13 December 1989, Page 52

Hartland beginning to realise his potential

By

JOHN COFFEY

Canterbury cricket supporters will be thrilled if Blair Hartland manages to fulfil his belief that “scoring hundreds can become a bit of a habit.” Hartland offered his theory after his maiden first-class century against Otago at Lancaster Park last Sunday, an innings which shored up his team’s second innings and prevented any prospect of starting the Shell Trophy competition with an outright defeat.

The former New Zealand youth international will be seeking to carry a purple patch of form into Canterbury’s next match, against Central Districts at Napier later this week. The previous week-end he had broken through for a long-awaited first century at club level, for Sydenham against St Albans, and then hinted of a productive representative season with a useful 39 in the warm-up game against Wellington at Burwood Park. Just over two and a half hours at the crease in the first innings against Otago brought a modest 29 runs, but laid the foundation for Hartland’s century two days later. Hartland, aged 23, feels that his run-scoring spree

is timely. “If you get one (a century) early in a season they tend to become a bit easier after that — you almost get used to the idea,” he said. It was indeed a happy habit of Hartland’s to top three figures in his junior days, culminating with a momentous 172 against Australia in a youth international at Brisbane in February, 1986. Almost one year later Hartland enjoyed a thoroughly promising debut for Canterbury by making 52 against Auckland — Danny Morrison, Martin Snedden, Stu Gillespie, John Bracewell et al — at Rangiora. But he suffered a painful second innings setback when a rearing delivery from Morrison fractured a wrist.

There were probably occasions in the intervening summers when Canterbury selectors might have sent Hartland back to the club ranks, perhaps to be forgotten. Promise was evident, the finished product was not being seen.

Even when Hartland improved his personal best to 73 in a home game with Central last summer, other youngsters

came through to overshadow his feat. Mark Priest made 85, and Lee Germon trumped them all with 105 not out. So even the transfer of John Wright to Auckland did not assure Hartland of a place in this season’s Canterbury lineup. He had switched from High School Old Boys to Sydenham, and became involved in a - keen duel with a new clubmate, Darrin Murray, to partner David Boyle in the provincial team.

“We talked about that when it was obviously coming down to myself or Darrin to partner David,” said Hartland of his friendly rivalry with Murray. “Darrin probably had a few more runs and was in excellent form.

“But they (the selectors) perserved with someone they had tried. I’d like to think one or two years experience would count for something.

“Darrin’s a good player, though. He’ll be here soon,” said Hartland. Until his stay of just over five and a half hours last week-end, Hartland admitted he was beginning to despair whether he would again produce an innings of special sig-

nificancee in representative cricket.

It required some thought before recalling his 172 at Brisbane had been a longer stint in the middle. (In fact, Hartland frustrated the young Australians for 409 minutes). The situation against Otago, a virtual matchsaving operation after Canterbury had trailed by 104 runs, was made for someone who displayed Hartland’s dedication and blossoming stroke-play.

“It was all about time in the middle,” said Hartland, adding that “three or four of us got started on the first day and didn’t go on with it.”

Hartland felt he was ready for the opportunity. A more relaxed off-season — he had spent previous southern winters furthering his cricket experience in England — and the change of clubs prevented staleness and presented new challenges. “Even when you have a bad season you learn from what you have done, and you can build on it. Last season the selectors stuck with me, and I learned a lot,” he said. Heeding the call of the new Canterbury coach, David Trist, for a lengthy stay at the crease, Hart-

land has already batted more than three sessions for once out.

He respects Boyle’s ability to concentrate for long periods — “if one of us gets a start the other is looking to hang around with him. I was the one to get underway against Otago so it was up to me to bat through.”

Hartland enjoyed his partnerships with Peter Kennedy and Paul McEwan, praising their naturally attacking styles. “That took the scoring pressure off me. As long as I held one end up there was no problem.”

But Hartland was doing far more to tarnish the figures of the Otago bowlers than simply keeping them at bay. He saw the game safe before unleashing the shots which had experienced observers drooling during his age-group days.

If Hartland has broken through to achieve regular scores which would no longer place his first-class career at the whim of selectors those talent scouts will soon be confiding in their fellows that they “always knew he’d be a good ’un.”