PLUNKET SHIELD

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLVII, Issue 10805, 28 December 1926, Page 3

PLUNKET SHIELD

CANTERBURY v. AUCKLAND.

(NORTHERNERS’ STRONG POSITION.

CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. The Plunket Shield' match between | Auckland and Canterbury was coml menced at Lancaster Park yesterday. The weather was dull and threatening, and odd showers of light rain fell, but they were not sufficient to interfere with play. The attendance was small in the morning, but it increased in the afternoon. The wicket was soft and tricky, and when he won the toss, Dacre, the Auckland captain, decided to put Canterbury in. His " decision was wise, for Canterbury were dismissed for fhs email total of 128, At stumps, Auckland had scored 149 for three wickets, so that the position of the game is very much in their favour. Canterbury made a disastrous start, losing four of their best batsmen for only eight runs. Then Oliver and Page made a useful stand, carrying the score from eight to 60 before they were separated. Both hatted well, though m the end both were trapped by the English bowler, Bowley, who was making his first appearance in Plunket Shield matches. Patrick, the Canterbury skipper, played a sound innings for 24, and the Canterbury “tail” wagged fairly well, -Read batting vigorously for 15. The innings closed for 128. It was a small total for the first use of the wicket in a Shield game, but it would probably have been much less if Oliver and iPage had not stopped the “rot.” The most successful howler for the visitors was Player, who finished up with the excellent average of six wickets for 38 runs. Ho clean bowled i, three of his victims. The Canterbury batsmen found Allcott difficult, and in 21 overs he had only 38 runs scored off him. Eleven of his ofers were maidens. He took a couple of wickets. Bowley took two wickets for 37 runs. The Auckland fielding was good, and Rowntree was excellent behind the wickets. He took a couple of catches and stumped one man. Rowley and Mills gave Auckland a good start, putting on 58 before they were parted. Both batted well, as also did Cooper, who is one of the most promising young players in Auckland, and is regarded as being well in the running for the New Zealand team. Mills made 55, Bowley 34, and Cooper 42 not out.

The Canterbury fielding was good. Some chances were missed, but they were nearly all hard ones. The Canterbury bowling did not look difficult. At least, it did not seem to trouble the visitors much.

Scores: —•

CANTERBURY

First Innings

G. R. Gregory, c Rowntree, b

Alcott 0 C. G. Crawford, e Alcott, b Player 6 A. Cox, c Rowntree, b Player ... 0 M. Boon, b Player ... 2 0. Oliver, c and b Bowley ... 29 M. L. Page, st Rowntree,/ b Bowley 30 D. Sandman, b Alcott j ... ... 5 A. Read, b Player ... 15 W. Cunningham, lbw, b Player ... 9 W. R. Patrick, b Player 24 J. T. Burrows, not out 4 Extras 4 Total 123 Bowling Analysis.—Player took six wickets for 38 runs, Alcott two for 38, Wilson none for 11, Bowley two for 37. AUCKLAND. First Innings. E. H. Bowley, lbw, b Sandman ... 34 J. E. Mills, e Patrick, b Sandman 55 l. W. Cooper, not out ... ... 42 R. E. Frater, lbw, b Read 12 C. Alc-ott, not out 0 Extras ... ° Total (for three wickets) 149 WELLINGTON v. OTAGO.

(Per Press Association)

WELLINGTON, This Day. The Plunket Shield match Wellington v. Otago was continued to-day. Scores: — WELLINGTON 1 . First Innings. J. S. Hiddleston, c Dickinson, b Zimmerman 121 R. de R. Worker, lbw, b Blunt ... 73 B. J. Kortlang, b Blunt 60 C. iS. Dempster, c Torrance, b Blunt 9 T. C. Lowry, st Green, b Blunt ... 90 H. N. Lambert, lbw, b Blunt ... 49 H. M. McGirr, c ancl b Blunt ... 0 A. M. Rollings, b Blunt 0 K. James, not out .... 16 F. T. Badcock, bA. W. Alloo ... 4 W. S. Brice, c Zimmerman, b A. W. Alloo 1 Extras 25 Total 448 Bowling Analysis. —Blunt took seven wickets for 96 runs, Dickinson none for 80, Torrance none for 91, Shepherd none for 45, A. W. Alloo two for 79, Blamires none for 10, Zimmerman one for 22. OTAGO. First Innings. L. Green, not out 0 A. Knight, not out 0 Total (for no wickets) ... 0