Pride came after fall for Roberts

Press, 4 February 1986, Page 24

Pride came after fall for Roberts

Stu Roberts, the young medium-fast bowler, became the first Canterbury cricketer for 15 years to take five wickets in his first-class debut when he performed that feat against Wellington at Lancaster Park on Sunday. The most recent previous Instance had been by Chris Kirk, a left-arm spinner, in a Plunket Shield fixture against Northern Districts at Lancaster Park. But if Robert’s excellent bowling analysis was by no means unique, his dramatic introduction to Shell Trophy cricket might well have been. Roberts was given the new ball to share with Craig Thiele, and had the indignity to fall, as he was making his first delivery stride.

Having dusted himself off and largely regained his composure, Roberts was soon to put that embarrassment behind him.

His second legitimate ball was slashed by the Wellington opening batsman, Justin Boyle, to his waiting Canterbury counterpart, Anup Nathu, in the covers. That was far from Robert’s most threatening ball, but he was to enjoy a

most impressive and rewarding debut. He mustered considerable pace and caused all of the Wellington top-order batsmen obvious discomfort.

After a promising four overs, Roberts returned to flick off Ross Ormiston’s off-bail, and with his second ball after the lunch break he had Tim Ritchie caught by the wicket-keeper, Ash Hart.

It was Roberts who broke the riotous ninthwicket stand between Paul Allott and Steve Maguiness — they added 96 runs in a mere 41 minutes — when Nathu bravely got behind a typically fierce hit by Maguiness. Roberts then completed his five-wicket bag by bowling Wellington’s youthful medium-fast bowler, David Molony.

Roberts suffered to some extent while-Allott and Maguiness were in full flight. But Steve McNally, who had made particularly effective use of the early assistance provided by the pitch, was to suffer most.

Yesterday’s match report in “The Press” inadvertently ended with Allott having taken boundaries from each of the last three deliveries of

McNally’s eleventh over. McNally would have .' wished it to have ended there, too, but Maguiness extended the scoring -* spree with a hook for six and three lofted drives for fours off the-first four * balls of the twelfth over , — 32 runs from seven ■ deliveries. ’ It was harsh treatment s of one who has served K Canterbury so earnestly all summer. McNally had . the proud figures of two for 16 from his first 10 “ overs. --7T7 ■>

Also worthy of mention ' was the confident catch- ’« ing of the Canterbury ‘ players. Nathu _ (twice), Vaughan Brown, David s Boyle and Thiele all held * chances struck forefully from the middle 'of the - Wellington bats. a In spite of the efforts of e Allott (66 not out)-and > Maguiness (54 rujis_from 27 balls), Wellington’s , first innings total of 242.was the smallest against J Canterbury in the trophy competition. , But Canterbury’s batting failed to meet the chai- . lenge, its woes being multiplied when the Welling- ; ton left-arm spinner, Evan ? Gray, dismissed the dedi- J cated Nathu and also Hart in the last over of the day. i