Date-stamped : 11 Feb97 - 22:14
7 November 1996

Murray New Canty Captain

First official duty in Cricket Max

by Geoff Longley

Canterbury will have its fourth caretaker cricket captain in
three seasons when Darrin Murray leads the team in Lee Germon's
absence during this season.

Murray's appointment was confirmed last night and he replaces
Gary Stead who filled the role last season. Two seasons ago Chris
Cairns was entrusted with the leadership but when injured, the
now retired Rod Latham took over.

Murray's first official duty will be to lead the Canterbury team
in the inaugural Cricket Max competition being staged this
weekend between all six major associations at Hagley Oval.

That Murray has ousted Stead is not a cricketing coup plotted in
the backrooms. It had been foreshadowed in recent weeks when
Murray captained Canterbury trial teams.

Murray would have been a frontrunner for the job last season had
he been here, but he put work priorities first and spent 18
months in the Netherlands, also forfeiting a New Zealand team
place.

Canterbury selection panel convener Brian McKechnie said Stead
did a capable job last season in Germon's absence, but the
selectors, including Denis Aberhart (coach) and Murray Parker
believe Murray is the better option.

Last season Stead disappointed with the bat in the Shell series,
averaging just 13.3 in the Shell Trophy and 11.1 in the Cup
competition.

"He is probably better at the moment just working on his own game
and making sure of a place in the team," McKechnie said.

Murray, an accomplished opening bat, has led Canterbury B and
age-group teams and is captain of the Sydenham club side this
season. "I'm really looking forward to doing the job. I've got a
reasonable amount of experience of playing for Canterbury and
have others around me with plenty of knowledge."

Murray said he still retained a desire of play for New Zealand,
but felt he made the right decision to stay in the Netherlands
last year after four years of continuous cricket.

He will lead a Canterbury team with the accent on all-rounders
into the Cricket Max event, a further abbreviated version of the
limited-over game.

However, the side chosen will not be far from that the selectors
choose for their opening two Shell series rounds when the New
Zealand players are still in Pakistan. They will be back for the
rest of the Shell Cup, but absent for much of the remainder of
the Shell Trophy when international series against England and
Sri Lanka are on.

Seven of the 12 named come into the all-rounders category, which
should be ideal for the new format which has each team batting
for two sets of 10 overs.

Blair Hartland has retained his place after a run of low
early-season scores and McKechnie said Hartland should get plenty
of chances to strike the ball with each team having two innings
per game.

"It will be interesting just to see what tactics the teams adopt.
If you go for an all out slog you could get into trouble."

Geoff Allott, who has been bothered by a back injury, has been
included after missing the two trial matches this week.

Those who played regularly in the latter part of last season to
miss this selection are Robbie Frew, Scott Pawson, and
wicketkeeper Mark Lane.

The Canterbury team is: Darrin Murray (captain), Blair Hartland,
Craig Cumming, Craig McMillan, Gary Stead, Neil Maxwell, Glenn
Muir, Mark Priest, Ben Yock, Warren Wisneski, Michael Sharpe,
Geoff Allott.


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

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