Chris Harris' reputation for batting through to the end of a one-day innings is well known. In the first of the Shell Cup finals he was eighth out, in the second ninth out and in the third he remained unbeaten - equalling the Shell Cup record for most not out innings. The leaders on this list include fast bowlers, spinners, wicket-keepers and a specialist batsman (as well as Harris). They are:
Not Outs Matches
Aaron Gale 27 75
Chris Harris 27 83
Robbie Hart 23 90
Gavin Larsen 18 87
Lee Germon 17 82
Mark Priest 17 89
Willie Watson 16 47
Neil Mallender 15 51
Daryl Tuffey 14 36
Mark Jefferson 14 51
Mark Bailey 14 97
At the other end of the scale, prior to the third final Craig Spearman had played 60 Shell Cup matches as well as 50 One-Day Internationals without a single not out innings. He finally achieved the proverbial "red ink" in the deciding game but at one stage it seemed that he was destined to miss out again.
After Spearman had added 119 for the second wicket with Mathew Sinclair, a mix-up saw the wickets broken with both batsmen at the bowler's end. Sinclair decided to go after a considerable delay. But he was the recalled and told to pad up again after Spearman trudged from the park. To complete a bizarre set of events, Sinclair was then informed he was actually out and Spearman made the return trip to the middle where he remained, unbeaten on 71, when Ben Smith hit the runs which gave Central the Shell Cup for the first time since 1984/85.
The turning point of the Shell Cup best-of-three finals series could well be seen as the last wicket stand of 49 between Glen Sulzberger and Brent Hefford in the second match which took Central's score from 124-9 to 173 all out and paved the way for a 45-run win.
The 2000/01 season has been a vintage summer for tenth wicket partnerships in the Shell Cup (which says something for some of the earlier batting) and four of the five best have been achieved this season. The best are now:
56* Warren McSkimming & David Sewell Otago v Northern Districts Oamaru 2000/01
50 Craig Garner & Alistair Alcock Central Districts v Otago Oamaru 1993/94
50 Martyn Croy & Warren McSkimming Otago v Auckland Auckland 2000/01
49 Glen Sulzberger & Brent Hefford Central Districts v Canterbury Christchurch 2000/01
47* Jacob Oram & Michael Mason Central Districts v Wellington Waikanae 2000/01
47 Brendon Lyon & Kerry Walmsley Auckland v Central Districts Auckland 1997/98
43 Roydon Hayes & Richard de Groen Northern Districts v Canterbury Christchurch 1995/96
42 Carl Bulfin & Michael Mason Central Districts v Northern Districts Hamilton 1997/98
The Shell Cup finals series saw totals of 174-8 and 173 successfully defended but these are by no means the lowest winning totals in the history of the competition. The lowest are:
110-8* Wellington v Northern Districts (80) Wellington 1982/83
125-9 Canterbury v Auckland (96) Christchurch 1995/96
134-7* Otago v Wellington (79) Wellington 1999/00
138-8 Canterbury v Northern Districts (134) Rotorua 1993/94
140-8* Otago v Canterbury (134) Ashburton 1980/81
144 Northern Districts v Wellington (95) Tauranga 1989/90
149-9 Auckland v Central Districts (97) Auckland 1995/96
149 Northern Districts v Auckland (143) Auckland 1998/99
150 Wellington v Central Districts (132) Palmerston North 1989/90
* overs had been reduced
In an earlier edition of The Numbers Game we mentioned that Lee Germon had retired with 99 first-class matches to his credit. Having made a comeback with Otago this season, he now finds himself with 99 Shell Cup dismissals at the end of the season.
The most dismissals in the competition (fielders and wicketkeepers) have been made by:
Matches Dismissals Caught Stumped
Erv McSweeney 78 123 97 26
Robbie Hart 90 100 76 24
Lee Germon 82 99 81 18
Chris Nevin 55 90 80 10
Tony Blain 64 77 62 15
Martyn Croy 55 68 60 8
Bryan Young 85 58 46 12
Grant Bradburn 110 53 53 -
Mark Douglas 101 51 46 5
Robbie Hart became the second player to make 100 dismissals in the Shell Cup when he stumped Glen Sulzberger off Daniel Vettori in the semi-final at Napier.
Germon made 283 dismissals (257 caught, 26 stumped) in his 99 first-class matches.
Mark Douglas became the third player to clock up 100 Shell Cup appearances in the second final at Jade Stadium. The most appearances in the competition have now been made by:
Matches
Grant Bradburn 110
Mark Douglas 101
Richard Petrie 100
Mark Bailey 97
Roger Twose 95
Robbie Hart 90
Alex Tait 90
Mark Priest 89
Gavin Larsen 87
Bryan Young 85
Rod Latham 84
Chris Harris 83
Lee Germon 82
Jason Wells 80
Douglas played 78 games for Central (their record) and 23 for Wellington. The record holders for the other provinces are Aaron Barnes 79 for Auckland, Mark Priest 89 for Canterbury, Grant Bradburn 110 for Northern Districts, Aaron Gale 75 for Otago and Gavin Larsen 87 for Wellington.
Roger Twose is easily the highest run scorer in Shell Cup history but there was an ongoing tussle for second spot during the latter stages of this season's competition. The leaders are:
Runs Matches Ave
Roger Twose 2769 95 32.96
Chris Harris 2335 83 45.78
Mark Douglas 2326 101 25.84
Nathan Astle 2309 79 39.13
Bryan Young 2284 85 30.45
Michael Parlane 2274 78 30.32
Llorne Howell 2266 75 35.40
Rod Latham 2206 84 29.02
Martin Crowe 2171 57 42.56
Mark Bailey 2095 97 25.86
Mark Richardson 2079 66 36.47
The leading Shell Cup wicket takers at the end of the season were:
Wkts Matches Ave
Alex Tait 128 90 24.51
Richard Petrie 119 100 26.43
Mark Priest 106 89 25.16
Justin Vaughan 97 56 18.14
Gavin Larsen 94 87 24.82
Aaron Gale 93 75 27.77
Roger Twose 87 95 21.79
Glenn Jonas 86 56 24.96
Chris Harris 83 83 26.84
Grant Bradburn 83 110 35.39
© CricInfo
