Cricket

With the arrival of the Auckland team in Wellington on the Wednesday morning before Easter, the 1956 NZU Cricket Tournament got under way at Kelburn Park. Victoria, led by Jim Thomson met Auckland, captained by Don Hunt, in the North Island colleges game. Hunt won the toss for AUC and elected to bat on an easy wicket. Shortly after lunch, AUC were all out for 173, Hunt compiling a very attractive 58. Bowling for the home team, John Martin maintained a good length and captured 4 wickets at a cost of 37 runs. Colin Campbell, fiery West Indian fast bowled from Massey, took 3 for 53.

Victoria compiled 206 in their first innings, thanks largely to a sterling knock of 81 by Pete Carver, of golfing fame. Carver attacked the bowling with great determination and ably supported by skipper Thomson (31), gave VUC a first innings lead of 33 runs. When Auckland opened their second innings it was obvious they intended to go for the runs and they knocked up 211 for the loss of 8 wickets in quick time, at which stage Hunt declared, leaving Victoria requiring 179 runs for an outright win. Batting for AUC, Morris made 58 and McElroy 57.

Victoria, however, were content to look after their first innings lead, and play finished with VUC 3 wickets down for 66 (Carver 30), and the result was a win for Victoria by 33 run on the first innings.

At Christchurch, in the South Island colleges match, Otago beat Canterbury outright in a low scoring game. The outstanding feature of this match was J. B. Park's 13 wickets for CUC at a relatively low cost.

Over the Easter period, the main game at Kelburn was between the two winners, Victoria and Otago. Otago, led by Plunket Shield rep. Gren Alabaster, batted first and made 192, G. Buist scoring all round the wicket for his 76 runs. Jim-Thomson captured 5 wickets for 64, and Morrie McDonald of Massey 4 for 39. Victoria in their "first innings could only muster 118 (Lance 28, Gibson 28). The outstanding bowler for Otago was R. Simons who took 7 for 33 in a sustained spell of extremely accurate bowling.

Otago, batting in their second knock, scored 159 (Harding 40). McDonald again bowled well for VUC, taking 5 for 70. Victoria, requiring 224 for victory, were all out in their second innings for 168. Thomson scored 49, Pope 42 and Carver 31. The result was a win for Otago by 65 runs.

On the adjoining wicket, in the losers' match, Canterbury beat Auckland outright. Features of this game were Dineen's century (101) and Leggatt's 92 for CUC and Park's further 13 wickets for CUC bringing his total bag for the tournament to 26, an outstanding bowling performance.

Final points for the NZU Cricket Shield were Otago 6, Canterbury 3, Victoria 2, and Auckland 0.

The NZU team to play Wellington was chosen by Mr. Eric Tindall, well-known Wellington sporting personality, and comprised: G. D. Alabaster, R. Simons and J. Kent (Otago), I. Ax ford, B. Dineen and J. B. Park (Canterbury). J. C. Thomson. H. R. Carver and J. Gibson (Victoria). and D. Hunt and M. McElroy (Auckland).