Mixed showing from second tier players in Canterbury trial

Canterbury coach Michael Sharpe is "not putting hopes up" for an end to the player's strike when negotiations resume on Wednesday and says he "can't plan anything" until the dispute is resolved.

His preparation for the season, which begins with the State Max competition on November 16-17 was not helped when his mostly teenage Christchurch Metro team folded against an almost equally youthful Canterbury Country, with both sides playing for provincial places if the players' strike goes unresolved.

The first meaningful representative Canterbury cricket produced many questions for Sharpe, who returned to his home ground, Dudley Park, to guide Metro against the Country side he played in and coached yesterday.

He agreed there is a possibility of some of the amateurs who played this game becoming a blackleg Canterbury side for trials against Otago on November 10-13 if the professionals do not settle their pay claim with New Zealand Cricket.

"It all depends on what happens with the player thing," said Sharpe. "I'm in the middle. I'm not allowed to speak with them [Canterbury's players]. I've got no contact with them, but I'm still going round club cricket. It's definitely strengthened that."

On this showing, Metro youngsters Tim Papps, Neil Broom, Todd Astle and Fraser Hawes are not yet ready to step up from club or age representative cricket, whilst Country's Paul Rugg, Brendon Donkers, Danny Barclay and schoolboy David Hay impressed Sharpe and fellow Canterbury selector Graeme Kench with their performances.

The trial did not start well for Country on a hot and bright Sunday at Rangiora. Lancaster Park's Shane McConnell (three for 33 including three for 11 in his first five overs) found each way movement off the seam to leave Country at 71/4 at 25 overs.

But Weedons club team-mates Rugg and Barclay drove McConnell as he began over-pitching and forced Hawes to bowl faster and flatter slow left-arm than he would have liked. Hawes eventually had Rugg (43) caught behind after the Country wicket-keeper/captain and Barclay (50 off 72 balls with four fours and a seven) had added 80 for the fifth wicket in 113 balls.

However, another Weedons batsman, Cory Lelliot, helped Barclay put on 51 in 47 balls as Country opened up towards the end of their 50 overs.

Country development officer Rugg was delighted with his side's recovery, although disappointed he couldn't be there through to the close to further impress Sharpe, who was operating the video camera.

Rugg's disappointment soon disappeared when Metro's Papps, Bernhard Ballin, Paul McCarthy and Broom were out in the first seven overs. Geoff Allott prodigy David Hay, a quick left-armer from Amberley, who is still at Christchurch Boys' High School, swung the ball in to bowl New Zealand Under-19 batsman Broom first ball after having Papps caught at long leg and McCarthy lbw.

It seemed a mistake for Hay to change ends with figures of three for five, but he removed Jeremy Kench lbw and later won a similar decision against Richard Hooper to end the innings with figures of five for 23 off 9.2 overs.

Only Chris Sowden with a two-hour 31 not out passed 10 for Metro.

Sharpe said despite it being "good to get a bit of cricket in," the town players had "a lot to work on." Ironically, while Sharpe can help the amateurs, Canterbury captain Gary Stead and senior professional Paul Wiseman are guiding the professionals, as Sharpe is left under-employed.

"I can't comment until I get orders," said Sharpe, wandering away with a shake of the head at the "strange" situation.