New Zealand: MacDonald warns of Northern backlash (30 December 1998)

30 December 1998

New Zealand: MacDonald warns of Northern backlash

By Bob Schumacher

Beware the sleeping giant is the message to the Canterbury cricket team from coach Garry MacDonald.

Canterbury meets defending Shell Cup champion Northern Districts in the second round at Mount Maunganui today and MacDonald is wondering when the title-holder will wake from its slumber.

"They haven't won a game for ages. They lost all their Max games and their first Shell Cup match against Central Districts," MacDonald said.

"There are too many class players in their line-up for that to continue and I'm just hoping like hell that we don't feel the backlash."

Northern Districts denied Canterbury a hat-trick of cup victories in last season's final.

Canterbury started its campaign with a rather fortuitous three-run win against Otago on Monday, while Northern fell 28 runs shy of Central Districts' score of 244.

MacDonald said Canterbury needed to take a good look at itself after sneaking home against Otago. Otago, chasing 201, lost its last seven wickets for 33 runs.

"In our dressing room afterwards you would have thought we had lost the game," MacDonald said. "Our guys know they can play better and we have a lot of hard work to do. A lot has been done already in terms of planning and everyone is allowed an off-day.

"I hope that was ours. We've squeezed out of some tight situations this season, but somewhere along the line we'll get our butt kicked if we keep relying on that."

Pleasing points for MacDonald from Canterbury's close call were the resistance shown by the middle-to-lower order batsmen, the efficient and enthusiastic display behind the stumps by new wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins, and the improved line of Canterbury's bowling in the later overs.

MacDonald believes that captain Gary Stead, who top-scored with 57, should be considered by the national selectors.

"He's a very hard campaigner now. What he did against Otago was what Canterbury captains have done traditionally. Lee Germon would have done the same -- Gary Stead is in that mould, a very tough cricketer."

Former Auckland off-spinner Hamish Barton will join the 12 players from the Otago game for the northern tour.

Canterbury (from): Craig Cumming, Llorne Howell, Brad Doody, Chris Harris, Mark Hastings, Gary Stead, (captain), Tim Walton, Mark Priest, Gareth Hopkins, Hamish Barton, Warren Wisneski, Shane Bond, Chris Martin.

Northern Districts: Robbie Hart (captain), Michael Parlane, Mark Bailey, Neal Parlane, Hamish Marshall, Scott Styris, Matthew Hart, Grant Bradburn. Alex Tait, Graeme Aldridge, Daryl Tuffey, Joseph Yovich.

Source :: The Christchurch Press (https://www.press.co.nz/)