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Shell Cup Climax Coming
By Dave Crowe
Posted February 2
The scheduling of the cricket programme this year has been brilliant, innovative, constructive. Boxing Day test was highly successful but before that the Conference cricket and November MaX gave all the top players excellent preparation for the one dayers and tests.
Now with the gap between tours the Shell Cup commands attention and is fully deserving. The play has been close and exciting and has allowed the introduction of some new players while the internationals were finishing off India. Wellington's Firebirds have already made the final and now the frontrunners through most of the series, the Northern Knights, have to deal to Canterbury before they can join the Waitangi Day grand final.
Again Roger Twose lead the capital's batting with a solid half century, right after his striking century when he raised his ton against the same Knights with three successive sixes from Matt Hart. This time he was more circumspect and he had backup from Carl Bulfin at the end when the quickie used his batting skills to drag Wellington to a defensible 235.
So it proved for it was Bulfin who carved out the Hart of the innings, Matthew and Robbie, as well as another stalwart in Styris. Carl Bulfin could be just the speed and surprise weapon needed for the World Cup. He frightened the Poms at the Basin in the MaX International series last season with his sheer speed and he turned that game around with his bat also. The higher the level the better he competes.
Auckland was no match for a full strength Canterbury, for the Aces delicate batting wilts against accuracy. Only Parore blunted the scorers' pencils and he had to fight for every run. Then pinch opener Mark Hastings, a last minute inclusion, batted through to an easy win. Mark started as a bowler who might bat a bit. Now he has turned right around and is a successful opener who may or may not bowl. He looks more like his dependable Dad every time he bats.
Will it be Canterbury or Northern in the final? Hard to pick - we'll know tomorrow.
England Under 19
Two senior men's' tours, successive one-day series with Australia and South Africa for our senior women, that is four international visitors in one season but we also have the England Under 19's here for a three test series with our lads. They were at Cornwall for a comfortable win in the opening match against Auckland Emerging, but couldn't finish off a similar team at Eden Park in a subsequent three day match.
They had a great opening stand of 153 but then the middle order failed against some great second new ball bowling by Lintott and Silva on a low, slow Eden Parker. Richard King showed his strokemaking class with a fast 66 in the first innings and then coolly batted out the day in the second innings after his offer of 180 in 40 overs was declined by the Englishmen.
Perhaps they should have accepted the challenge for they were cheaply dismissed in both innings at Palmerston where batting conditions are usually favourable. The easy win by Central Emerging Players augurs well for the test starting today at New Plymouth.
Overseas
The South Africans continue to mop up the hapless Windies and now turn their attention to us. A full preview will appear in our new Cricket website.
Meantime the Sri Lankans leave Australia feeling gutted. After all their tribulations to lose Jayasuriya with a broken arm must have felt like the last straw. It was certainly more than a straw to break a camel's back with the way that ball leaped up at him and smashed his arm, despite the forearm guard. After learning that the infamous umpire Emerson was actually on sick leave from his job when he called Muralitharan for chucking (was the ump double-dipping?) they will be glad to get home. Their manager Ranjit Fernando has been a great strength as a leader and diplomat for them in these testing times. I hope he is in charge when they come here for their World Cup buildup.
Send Dave some feedback and you may be included in the "Fantales" section of our new XTRA Cricket site starting soon. | ||||||
