Can a motion to strike a complaint be made under section 435 of the California Code of Civil Procedure?

4 The only other statutory provision permitting a complaint to be challenged by motion to strike is section 453 of the Code of Civil Procedure. A motion under section 453, if addressed to a complaint as distinguished from an answer, reaches only 'irrelevant and redundant matter' contained in it. The use of a motion to strike has also been approved to dispose of a 'sham' complaint. (Neal v. Bank of America (1949) 93 Cal.App.2d 678, 681--683, 209 P.2d 825.) But the present motion attempted to challenge the complaint by invoking the statute of limitations, which is not an attack upon 'irrelevant and redundant matter' nor upon a 'sham' complaint. (Comment (1956) 3 U.C.L.A.L.Rev. 72.) We therefore conclude that, insofar as the motion was to strike the complaint, the only statute controlling it was section 435 of the Code of Civil Procedure.