SIDELINES

Press, 7 February 1986, Page 20

SIDELINES

THE AWARDING of the “man of the match” prize to Stu Roberts after Canterbury’s Shell Trophy cricket fixture with Wellington at Laiicaster Park on Tuesday was well merited. The youthful medium-fast bowler had taken seven wickets in his first-class debut, the best by a newcomer for Canterbury for a considerable time. Bruce Irving also had seven wickets in his first match, at less cost, against Otago at Carisbrook in the 1962-63 season. But one had to go back to Tom Burtt’s match c. analysis of nine for 125 against Otago in 1943-44 to find S a more impressive return by a Canterbury player * making his first-class debut at Lancaster Park.

THE REASON for the 46-10 humiliation suffered by £ the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl against 5 the . Chicago Bears has perhaps been revealed. At least, five New England players have a , serious drug problem and between five and seven V others are suspected of having a problem, according ~ to the team coach, Raymond Berry. He did not -y identify the players and explained why he had not v “gone public” earlier in the season. “We felt with the 4 season going the way it had, we had to keep our eye on the bullseye. That’s why we didn’t do anything before. But our bullseye looking is over,” said Berry’ the day after the crushing by the Bears. Never a truer word ...

PENINSULA and Plains Orienteers will jog overland from Victoria Park in their first club event of the year, on Sunday. A full range of courses will be available for experienced orienteers and beginners, including a noncompetitive 2km wayfarers’ event, which is growing in popularity as a family pursuit. Membership of the club rose by 50 per cent last year as the appeal of orienteering broadened.