Bad start has Canty cricket coach frustrated

Press, 19 December 1989, Page 48

Bad start has Canty cricket coach frustrated

DAVID TRIST, in his first season as coach of the Canterbury cricket team, keenly felt the frustrations of a rain-ruined Shell Trophy match against Central Districts at Napier last week-end. Canterbury, having declared 145 runs behind to keep the game alive, was set a winning target of 292 runs in 78 overs. But, at 61 for two and up with the required run-rate, the match was ended by wet weather. One week earlier Canterbury had lost on the first innings to Otago at Lancaster Park, batting poorly on the first day yet performing most impressively on the last.

Mr Trist had been hoping that the fixture in Napier would have provided a gauge on Canterbury’s prospects when the trophy competition resumes on January 6. “We were looking for 12 points from a last-day chase at Napier,” he said. “The game was set for an exciting finish but now we are left hanging from so may imponderables. “It would have been interesting to see the outcome, with us chasing. Now I haven’t learned if we are developing or not,” said Mr Trist.

It is the batting which most frequently furrows Mr Trist’s brow. Blair Hartland, Peter Kennedy, Paul McEwan and Rod Latham did particularly well in the second innings against Otago; Latham and Kennedy shared a sizeable stand and David Boyle

impressed in both his innings at Napier. “Consistency among the top and middle order has been missing in the first innings,” lamented Mr Trist. Expectations that Canterbury would have the combined talents of Richard Hadlee and Chris Cairns to make inroads into opposing batting lineups were dashed by injuries. “The bowlers, within their limitations, have performed satisfactorily. But then not many sides seem to be capable of bowling the others out,” he said. The youthful Chris Harris has been a revelation with his

By

JOHN COFFEY

medium-pacers. Among his first six trophy victims were the New Zealand representatives, Ken Rutherford, Bruce Blair, Mark Greatbatch and Gary Robertson, and Central’s century-maker, John Smith.

Stu Roberts mustered plenty of speed and stamina until he suffered a heavy tumble, and a minor ankle injury, in his delivery stride on Sunday. The wickets taken by Garry MacDonald and Richard Petrie in Central’s second innings were fair reward for their efforts.

Mr Trist was understandably happy with Canterbury’s long ground fielding stint, with Harris’s running out of Tony Blain and Stu Duff the highlights. But he will be looking for improved catching in the Shell Cup games between December 27 and January 4 and when the trophy series resumes.

The roller-coaster form shown by Canterbury has left it at the bottom of the trophy table. Auckland’s inability to clinch victory over Northern Districts at Gisborne has retained interest in the trophy competition. But for Northern’s spirited resistance Auckland would have opened a lead of 30 points. With 20, Auckland still has a useful advantage over Otago (six), Central (four), Northern (four), Wellington (two) and Canterbury (one).