At Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo; 4, 5, 6 March 1972. Rhodesia (248 & 210) beat Natal (249 & 187) by 22 runs. - RHODESIA v NATAL (Currie Cup match) CricInfo report

Reports taken from The Herald unless otherwise stated.

BULAWAYO GIVEN NATAL GAME

From Martin Lee; Friday 4 February 1972

Bulawayo has been given the cricketing plum of the revised Currie Cup fixtures – the match between Rhodesia and Natal. The prospect of seeing Barry Richards in action against a revitalized Mike Procter at Queens is one which should pack in the crowds . . . and confirm the Rhodesia Cricket Union’s confidence that Bulawayo can provide 10 000 spectators over three days. The match will be played over the first weekend in March although the RCU has asked Natal to agree to a Saturday-Sunday-Monday match.

“We are delighted at the news,” says Matabeleland Cricket Association president, Barrie Day. “It’s certainly a vote of confidence for Bulawayo after a good attendance at the Eastern Province game in November, and with Richards, van der Bijl and Short in the visiting line-up, I’m sure we can expect a huge crowd if the rain stays away.”

GOODBYE GRIPPER?

By Glen Byrom; Wednesday 23 February 1972

Has Ray Gripper played his last game for Rhodesia? The answer to this intriguing question will be provided by the four national cricket selectors on Sunday when they name the team to play Natal in Bulawayo on March 4, 5 and 6.

Gripper, recently deposed as captain by Mike Procter, has stated he will not play major cricket next season because of pressure of business. In fact, he will not be playing in this weekend’s Logan Cup tournament because he will be on a business trip to Lourenco Marques [now Maputo]. He returns next Wednesday – two days before the Natal match – and because of lack of practice he might be unavailable to go to Bulawayo.

In this case either Jimmy Mitchell or Duncan Fletcher could open the batting, leaving room for a middle-order batsman. That man should come from Jack Heron, Jono Clarke or Errol Laughlin. These three will be watched carefully at Old Hararians this weekend, when the Logan Cup will be played on Gillette Cup lines for the first time.

BENKENSTEIN RECALLED – GRIPPER GOES

By Glen Byrom; Monday 28 February 1972

Ray Gripper – out. Martin Benkenstein – in. That is the only change in the Rhodesian cricket team for the remaining two A Section Currie Cup cricket matches against Natal and Western Province.

The team for both matches is: Mike Procter (captain), Stuart Robertson, Brian Barbour, Martin Benkenstein, Paddy Clift, Brian Davison, Jackie du Preez, Duncan Fletcher, Howie Gardiner, Richie Kaschula and Jimmy Mitchell.

Matabeleland’s Terry Bowes is 12th man for Bulawayo, and Mashonaland’s Jack Heron will be 12th man in Cape Town.

So former captain Gripper is out of the national side after yeoman service going back 15 years. He is in Lourenco Marques [now Maputo] on business and will not be back until Wednesday at the earliest. This might have influenced the selectors in dropping him and blooding a new middle-order batsman. It seems certain that Mitchell will open the innings with Barbour.

Benkenstein played one B Section game for Rhodesia last season.

MIKE SIGNS FOR TWO MORE YEARS

From Glen Byrom; Saturday 4 March 1972

It’s official. Mike Procter will play for Rhodesia for the next two seasons at least. The Springbok all-rounder and new Rhodesian captain yesterday signed the lucrative two-year contract offered by the Rhodesia National Sport Foundation.

Fittingly, the contract was signed during the national team’s net practice at the Queens Ground, witnessed by team manager Mr Alwyn Pichanick, the executive director of the Sport Foundation, Mr Eric Shore, and Procter’s delighted team-mates.

It is almost certain that, apart from a fixed salary for each season, Procter will also be on a dollars-for-runs and wickets scheme next season. The Foundation have cleared this principle and Mr Shore in his personal capacity is assisting in ensuring the right sponsor is given this golden chance of advertising. The idea would be to pay Procter $2 a run for home matches, $1 a run for away matches and $10 a wicket for all matches in the Currie Cup.

Said Mr Shore after Procter had signed the contract: “The Foundation considers this one of its major contributions to Rhodesian sport in the six years it has been functioning. We were approached by the Rhodesia Cricket Union this year asking if we could consider a two-year contract and the board unanimously agreed.

“Normally we only enter into one-year contracts because money is only donated by Foundation sponsors out of annual budgets. But on this occasion, because of Procter’s tremendous value to Rhodesian cricket, all the sponsors agreed to this extended contract.”

The Foundation sponsors – Shell-BP, Dunlop (Rhodesia), Rothmans and Rhodesian Breweries – have now contributed close on $250 000 to Rhodesian sport, with cricket the main beneficiary.

While the worth of Procter’s new two-year contract has not been disclosed, it is certain to match that signed by Richards for Natal, who is reported to receive a retainer of around $8000 a season, plus $2 a run.

A VITAL MATCH FOR RHODESIA

By Glen Byrom, Bulawayo; Saturday 4 March 1972

Today at the Queens Ground in Bulawayo, Rhodesia’s hopes of challenging for the cricket Currie Cup could soar – or they could perish. In the A Section match against Natal, led by that supreme batsman, Barry Richards, nothing less than outright victory is enough.

Defeat would bring an abrupt end to the slim, but real, hopes of Rhodesia winning the Currie Cup for the first time and could even put Mike Procter’s men in danger of finishing in their too familiar position of bottom.

A draw would be equally worthless as it would almost certainly leave Natal too far ahead with one match to play. So, if it’s that ‘champions’ tag Rhodesia are after, they must win in the match at Queens today, tomorrow and Monday.

Procter is confident but recognizes that the man standing between Rhodesia and victory is his old school friend Barry Anderson Richards, world’s best batsman. If there is perfection in batsmanship then Richards attained it at Kingsmead at new year with a magnificent 219. In that match it was almost Richards versus Rhodesia . . . and Rhodesia lost by ten wickets. A repeat dose here could finally crush Rhodesia’s late surge for the Cup and Procter firmly believes that: “Natal are not a very strong team without Barry.”

There are ominous signs that Richards could well be on the run-trail again this weekend. He failed dismally against Eastern Province at Port Elizabeth last weekend, with scores of 35 and 1, and it would be quite remarkable if he failed twice in Bulawayo.

Then there is the worrying fact for Procter that Richards has scored centuries in each of his last four matches against Rhodesia, topped off by that scintillating 219 this year. But cricket is the most unpredictable of games and with the Queens pitch looking a lot greener than usual it might not be plumb.

Apart from Richards, Natal’s batting hopes rely on the more human talents of Arthur Short (who has had a poor season), David Dyer, Mike Madsen, Dave Orchard and Denis Gamsy.

Rhodesia’s batting certainly has more depth, with Jimmy Mitchell likely to take over from Ray Gripper as Brian Barbour’s opening partner, followed by Stuart Robertson, Brian Davison, Procter, Jack du Preez, Martin Benkenstein, Duncan Fletcher and Howie Gardiner.

Gwelo bank clerk Benkenstein, apart from being without peer as an outfielder in this country, is an entertaining middle-order batsman with a full range of strokes and nimble footwork. He will be making his A Section debut, having played only one game last season in the B Section.

If the Queens pitch has been left green with Procter’s pace in mind, then big Vintcent van der Bijl of Natal could be equally as effective. Paddy Clift, the 18-year-old South African Schools’ seamer, opened the bowling against Western Province in the recent match in Salisbury, but he lacks pace and Duncan Fletcher will probably take the new ball with Procter.

GLORY DAY FOR YOUNG RHODESIANS

By Glen Byrom; Sunday Mail, 5 March 1972

Bulawayo’s tearaway teenage batting star, Brian Barbour, hammered a spectacular maiden first-class century yesterday to guide Rhodesia to a first-innings total of 248 on the first day of the A Section Currie Cup cricket match against Natal at the Queens Ground. By the close Natal had replied with 113 for three with that executioner of bowlers Barry Richards undefeated with 70.

Rhodesia missed a simple catch when the tousle-haired Springbok had only 23 and, with Richards looking menacingly run-hungry, it is a blunder that could have enormous influence on this crucial game.

The luckless man was Jimmy Mitchell, who stood under the ball as it lobbed towards him at midwicket and suffered the anguish of feeling it trickle through his fingers and on to the Queens turf. It was a moment of despair for the big crowd of 4000, for Rhodesian cricket hopes and for the bowler, 18-year-old Paddy Clift.

Clift, a medium paced swing bowler who could develop into another Joe Partridge, watched joyfully as Richards tried to flick a ball through midwicket, got a top edge and sent the ball looping towards Mitchell, who attempted to take it with palms turned outwards.

The result is that the man Rhodesia fear most, and who lashed 219 against them in Durban at the New Year, is still there. It has not been one of his most flourishing knocks, in fact, there were times when he looked distinctly uneasy, especially against Procter.

Bulawayo spectators could see the real Richards in rampant form today, though the slow nature of the Queens pitch really prevents his brilliant best from shining through.

Barbour, the only Matabele in the team, hit a rousing and memorable first century, fittingly in front of his home crowd. From the first ball there was – as always – breathtaking adventure in his batting. It was sheer joy to see him tear into big Vintcent van der Bijl, who suffered the humility of having 16 runs hit off one over and came off after a first spell of five overs for 38 runs.

Barbour, who broke his jaw against Western Province two weeks ago, enjoyed a fair measure of good fortune, but proved the adage that ‘fortune favours the bold’. He flashed and missed many heart-stopping times and when on 51 he mishit an attempted lofted straight drive off Henwood only to see Dave Orchard spill the simple catch at deep mid-off.

But wiping out memories of these blemishes were a packet of stirring strokes that defied setting a field to. He is an instinctive batsman who hits the ball hard at all times and it was incredible that he reached his 50 in only 44 minutes off 34 balls an 16 scoring strokes (11 fours) and his century in 82 minutes in only 104 balls faced.

The tall van der Bijl returned with a vengeance for his second spell and after Doug Morgan had trapped Jimmy Mitchell leg before for an enterprising 20, he snapped up the golden wickets of Stuart Robertson, Brian Davison and Mike Procter.

These three fell in the space of three overs while only two runs were added to the tottering total and plunged Rhodesia into a grim situation. Procter, who strode to the wicket in a tailor-made situation, lasted only five balls before David Dyer clung to a hard chance at short leg.

After lunch the situation worsened for Rhodesia. First Barbour swung a short ball from Henwood straight to Mike Madsen at midwicket, then Jackie du Preez played his worst shot of the season, a cross-batted swipe to a full toss from Henwood which shattered his stumps.

But the confident Benkenstein, playing in his first A Section match and only his second game for Rhodesia, came to the rescue with an innings of great merit. Like Barbour he was never afraid to use his feet to get down the pitch and with some bold strokes he reached a well-deserved half century. He particularly relished the pull and hit four boundaries with this sweetly timed shot.

Howie Gardiner, whose ‘hurricane hitter’ image has vanished this season, looked as though he might regain that old verve, but after a good 28 he was caught at midwicket.

Richie Kaschula tried valiantly to stay with Benkenstein in the stretch for a fourth batting bonus point but Rhodesia were two runs short when the Gwelo farmer was caught in the slips. This gave Rhodesia three batting bonus points, while Natal earned their maximum five for bowling.

Van der Bijl was Natal’s chief wicket taker, with four for 76, but the left arm spinner Pelham Henwood was equally as impressive in an unbroken spell of 29 overs in which he claimed two wickets for 70 runs. He maintained a good line and extracted surprising bite from this lifeless pitch.

NATAL’S DAY – BUT GAME NOT LOST

By Glen Byrom; Monday 6 March 1972

Natal’s giant opening bowler, Vintcent van der Bijl, snatched four wickets as Rhodesia collapsed dramatically in their second innings on the second day of the A Section Currie Cup cricket match at Queens yesterday. With a one-run first-innings lead, Natal had Rhodesia reeling at 162-7 when bad light ended play 25 minutes early.

An epidemic of negligent strokes saw Rhodesia crash to 89-6 before Martin Benkenstein, Duncan Fletcher and Howie Gardiner launched a survival operation that has left Rhodesia with at least a glimmer of hope going into the final day today. But Natal are very much in control and poised to take 17 points from this match, and stretch their lead at the top of the A Section table.

However, the mystique of the game of cricket is that it defies prediction and with the graceful left-hander Fletcher (14 not out) and smooth-stroking Gardiner (33 not out) merging fluency into their survival bid, Rhodesia are not yet down and out, and this match is still smouldering with excitement.

The familiar tale of Rhodesian batting frailty almost saw new-found hopes turned to ashes, and at one stag when Procter was out for his second failure of the match, it seemed as though Natal would not require a third day for the coup de grace.

What an absorbing day, though. Barry Richards and Mike Madsen resumed Natal’s first innings at 113-3 chasing Rhodesia’s 248 all out. People were still queuing outside when superstar Richards was out leg-before to Procter off the fourth ball of his first over, and only the third over of the day. The Springbok had added only six, including a magnificent on-drive to the fence off Procter, to his overnight 70.

This was the golden prize that sent Rhodesia’s hopes soaring. The remaining wickets were whittled away by steady accurate bowling and some superb catches, though there were several fielding blemishes. Catch of the day was that by the nimble Benkenstein, who roared in from deep backward square leg to a hook from Madsen and took the catch at full stretch. It was du Preez’s only wicket.

Stuart Robertson also reacted sharply to take a low catch at first slip to dismiss Henwood off Procter, though he had not touched a harder chance in Procter’s previous over.

Denis Gamsy belted three fours in the chase for bonus points before going leg-before to a Paddy Clift inswinger, and it was left to fair-haired Doug Morgan to prop up the lower order batting with a polished, undefeated 45.

The final bonus points tally for this match was seven apiece – Rhodesia three batting, four bowling, and Natal two batting, five bowling.

Rhodesia’s nightmare second innings began at 1.25 with Jimmy Mitchell out leg-before for a duck in van der Bijl’s first over. But the cavalier attitude of first innings century boy Brian Barbour could not be curbed and in five balls from Dave Orchard, who opened, he rocketed four delightful fours to the fence.

The 50 came in 44 minutes but shortly before, on 47, Barbour went on the drive and snicked the ball to Madsen, who took a fine catch in the slips.

Davison played over a straight one to be bowled for 13, and Aubrey Lilley claimed Stuart Robertson’s wicket, caught at gully by Arthur Short for 20. Five runs earlier, Short had floored an easier catch off Robertson at deep mid-off.

Jack du Preez lasted three balls, dabbing at a rising ball from van der Bijl to present second slip Madsen with a gift catch. At this stage van der Bijl had taken 4/22 in nine overs.

Procter got an edge to an attempted cut and Richards took the catch at slip. Things looked bleak for Rhodesia at tea, with 96-6.

But a 32-run partnership by Benkenstein and Fletcher restored a small measure of pride until Benkenstein, who was stroking the ball crisply, went down the pitch after Henwood, swiped, and was stumped by the lightning-quick Gamsy.

It was an unfortunate stroke after such a meritorious innings. Then Fletcher and Gardiner stayed together for 54 minutes, adding 41, and they carry Rhodesia’s hopes this morning.

Fletcher, in his present gritty mood, will take some shifting, while Gardiner is hitting the ball better than he has all season.

BOWLERS SHACKLE NATAL

By Glen Byrom; Tuesday 7 March 1972

Rhodesia continued their late surge towards the cricket Currie Cup with a pulsating 22-run victory over Natal in the A Section match at the Queens Ground here yesterday.

In a tension-riddled finish Natal were all out for 187 with 25 m left for play, to give those spirited Rhodesians victory that had not seemed possible after their early batting collapse yesterday. But through persistently steady bowling, aided by superb fielding, the Natal batsmen finally succumbed after failing to press home their overnight advantage.

This was a match to stir any cricket purist. It attained the highest peaks . . .and plunged into the darkest depths. But it never failed totally to captivate attention.

When Howie Gardiner took the victory catch, to dismiss last man Vintcent van der Bijl, the Rhodesians all leapt for joy, while spectators poured on to the field to cheer – and chair – them off.

It was a match in which no particular aspect stood out vividly as the key to Rhodesia’s win. But, yesterday, the most vital factors were a cool-headed last-wicket partnership of 37 between Duncan Fletcher and Richie Kaschula, the steady run-containing bowling of Kaschula and 18-year-old Paddy Clift, and the final surge to victory provided by the fearsome pace of Mike Procter.

Natal, who felt unhappy about three of their decisions, could not assert their authority at any stage after they had been left the target of getting 210 to win in 354 minutes. But while they failed to push home their hard-won ascendancy, the odds remained tilted in their favour until Procter took the new ball and uprooted Pelham Henwood’s off stump with his first ball, to make Natal 170-8.

The Rhodesian captain then got rid of the menacing left-handed Graham Dyer, who top-scored with a fluent 64. This was the man who looked as though he might guide Natal to a narrow win, but the swing of the new ball, and the pace of Procter, found the edge of his bat and Stuart Robertson held a stinging low catch at first slip for the ninth wicket.

Rhodesia resumed yesterday at 162-7, but left-arm seamer Aubrey Lilley enticed Howie Gardiner to follow one outside the off stump in his first over of the morning and, two overs later, dismissed Paddy Clift in identical fashion.

Rhodesia were 173-9, with little prospect of adding many more. But big Richie Kaschula, who had predicted at breakfast that “they’ll never get me out today,” played a string of surprisingly correct run-getting strokes to stay with the composed, in-form Fletcher for 34 minutes, adding 37. The value of this partnership – and Kaschula’s personal 22 – was fully revealed at the finish, when Rhodesia scrambled home with 22 runs to spare.

Fletcher, who has been of immense value to Rhodesia this season and has matured into the complete cricketer, provided the backbone of the tail-end fight-back. He came in on Sunday with Rhodesia 89-6 and he remained unbeaten and unruffled for three hours while making a gritty 30. The total of 210 was commendable, considering the earlier plight.

And it was the fair-haired Fletcher who got the first Natal second-innings wicket, bowling Dave Dyer with a superb inswinger that knocked back his leg stump without a run on the board.

Maestro Barry Richards remained, and while he was punching some princely shots, Rhodesia’s hopes were dim. But, when on 27, Richards went back to Kaschula and was beaten by a ball that went straight through. An emotional appeal . . . and up went umpire Ian Forrest’s finger to the obvious dismay of Richards, who was leg-before for the second time in the match.

Arthur Short, who went through a torrid time early in his innings and was struck on the elbow by a Procter bumper, never looked at ease and scrambled 24 before clipping a ball from Procter chest-high to Clift at midwicket.

Even when Madsen, Gamsy and Orchard were out, and six wickets were down for 156, Natal looked as though they would edge home. Madsen stood firm before being given out caught behind off Clift, while Gamsy desperately indicated the ball had hit his boot, but to no avail as umpire Geoff Roberts ruled ‘out’, caught at slip by Procter off the third ball Jimmy Mitchell bowled in the match.

First Orchard, then Morgan, hit sixes off Kaschula, but in each case lasted only a few more balls before both fell victim to the spinner. The tight bowling of Kaschula and Clift was crucial. They prevented a run-flow and each picked up wickets before the advent of the new ball. If they had wavered and allowed the batsmen to get on top Procter would not have had the 40 runs in hand when he tore in for the coup de grace.

This sort of class bowling is expected of the highly-rated Kaschula, but Clift is untested in the red-hot cauldron that is the A Section Currie Cup competition. The 18-year-old former St George’s College lad’s figures of 1-49 in 24 overs were, therefore, particularly outstanding.

Rhodesia fly to Cape Town on Thursday and next day begin their final match and bid to win the Currie Cup for the first time.

PERSONAL MEMORIES

By John Ward

An unusually long queue at the turnstiles on the first morning meant that I missed the start of play, and from outside the ground I could only wonder what the roars of acclaim from inside during the first ten minutes meant. I eventually got in to find local hero Brian Barbour playing the greatest innings of his life, hammering the feared seam bowler Vintcent van der Bijl all over the ground.

The pull and cut were Barbour’s favourite strokes, and given the slightest width he took full advantage as one four after another seemed to rocket to the boundary. I remember years later hearing commentator Bob Nixon report on hearing somebody ask van der Bijl what his most memorable bowling performance was. According to Bob, the reply was, “Five overs, no maidens, 39 runs, no wickets, when that little runt Barbour carted me all over Queens Sports Club!”

Van der Bijl was replaced by left-arm spinner Pelham Henwood, who restored a bit of respectability to the proceedings as Barbour was more circumspect against the spin. But he still ran to his maiden first-class century before lunch after a touch of nerves, a risky single to mid-off bringing up his three figures. The crowd looked forward to an afternoon of slaughter, but perhaps the adrenaline was not replenished at lunch and he was out soon afterwards.

Jimmy Mitchell played a valuable, if unseen, role during an opening stand of 71, but apart from a fine fifty to Benkenstein, one of the few times he played to his full potential in first-class cricket, the remaining batsmen put up a poor show. Procter was brilliantly caught by Dyer at short leg without scoring from a stroke off the full face of the bat.

Richards blunted Procter’s opening attack and completely dominated the Natal innings that first evening. I was unable to return until the third morning, when Rhodesia were up against it, 161 runs ahead and with only seven wickets left in their second innings.

It was a fighting last-wicket partnership of 37 between Fletcher and Kaschula that was eventually crucial in giving Rhodesia the eventual victory. Fletcher played it cool, sternly defensive, while Kaschula too restrained his natural inclinations but did play the odd ungainly attacking stroke. His invaluable innings eventually came to an end when he sliced a ball over cover and Dyer, running full-tilt, took a brilliant low diving catch.

For Dyer it was a case of going from the penthouse to the outhouse in less than 15 minutes. Opening the innings, perhaps because Arthur Short, a wonderfully nice chap and batsman of great unfulfilled potential, found it difficult handling the pace of Procter, Dyer was bowled by Fletcher from the first ball he faced.

The second crucial moment came just before lunch when Richards was adjudged lbw to Kaschula. He came in whistling through his teeth, and from where I was sitting, square of the wicket for a change, the ball looked as if it might have been a little high, regardless of direction.

I had to leave the ground for a couple of hours and could not return until after tea. I was surprised to find Natal, scoring slowly, were only just past 100 with four wickets down, needing 210 to win. When I suggested the match was still in the balance, my pessimistic friends assured me that Natal had the situation under control.

It soon became clear to me, though, that a great deal depended on whether Natal could win the match before Procter was let loose with the second new ball, due then after 85 overs. Test-class opening batsman struggled against a fired-up Procter with a new ball, and let loose among the Natal lower middle order and tail, I had little doubt he would be devastating. The accuracy of Clift and Kaschula tied down the middle order, but I felt it was a major tactical mistake not to have taken a few more risks.

And in the end it proved fatal. Another decisive blow came when Morgan, the last recognized batsman apart from Dyer, was out on the eve of the second new ball, and the score was only 170. At this point, I thought, as Procter took it, Rhodesia were favourites to win.

So it proved. Henwood, just in, was no batsman, although he showed courage for a few balls before Procter destroyed his stumps. The late Aubrey Lilley looked a bit more capable, but the batsmen were always struggling. Then Procter, moving the ball away from the left-hander as usual, caused Dyer to edge a ball low into the slips where Robertson plucked a fine catch off his bootlaces.

With their last recognized batsman gone, only a miracle could save Natal, and it didn’t. Van der Bijl edged Procter to the keeper and walked immediately, leaving Rhodesia victors in a thrilling finish and Natal to rue their aberration in failing to score the necessary runs before the second new ball was due.