Cricket: Ageing Young Guns come up short

CHRISTCHURCH - Adam Parore earned himself the gratitude of Canterbury cricket supporters when he passed up the opportunity to stump benefit boy Chris Cairns in his testimonial match at Jade Stadium yesterday.

Parore, often on the receiving end from Canterbury crowds because he hails from Auckland and kept Lee Germon out of the New Zealand team, was cheered for his gesture yesterday.

It allowed Cairns, then on seven, the chance to help the Young - but ageing - Guns back into their match against this year's World Cup Black Caps.

Parore's gesture eventually proved futile, with the Young Guns, the 1992 team, not quite having the ammunition to beat the Black Caps.

The Young Guns were dismissed for 262 in reply to the Black Caps' 275, but Cairns profited from Parore's act.

He cracked a characteristically hard-hit 67 with five fours and six sixes, caning the part-time bowling of 12th man, Canterbury rugby player Aaron Flynn.

The game was a pleasant trip down memory lane for the several thousand spectators who supported the 40-over fixture played in a good-natured manner but often competitive spirit.

A slightly more rotund Rod Latham relived 1992 World Cup bowling glory, his dibbly-dobblers claiming three wickets, including a sharp caught and bowled to remove Craig McMillan.

But the usually-miserly Gavin Larsen was treated with disdain by his recent team-mates and carted around Jade Stadium for 57 from six overs.

Half centuries to Black Caps openers Nathan Astle and Stephen Fleming, ignited the innings.

Astle's quickfire 51 took just 31 balls, and it was raised with his second successive six off Dipak Patel.

An athletic Dion Nash struck a slick 54, indicating his return to some form of fitness after a back injury sidelined him from the Indian tour.

Mark Greatbatch reproduced some of his trademark drop-kick hits over midwicket, but he and Latham had to withstand a no-holds-barred barrage from opening bowlers Geoff Allott and Carl Bulfin.

Wicketkeeper-turned-commentator Ian Smith batted against three slips and two gullies, but still found the boundary at third man with a trademark cut shot.

Black Caps 275 (S Fleming 61, N Astle 51, C McMillan 30, D Nash 54, R Twose 23, D Vettori 22, S Doull 20; D Morrison 3-44, R Latham 3-46, W Watson 2-28) bt Young Guns 262 (C Cairns 67, M Greatbatch 39, R Latham 31, D Patel 23, M Crowe 22, J Wright 21; D Vettori 4-44, N Astle 3-43, G Allott 2-29). - NZPA