CRICKET.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 63, 26 December 1935, Page 2

CRICKET.

M.C.C. LEADS CANTERBURY. KERR SCORES 14G, BARBER 116. (Per Press Association). CHRISTCHURCH, December 25. With a lead of 121 runs on the first innings, M.C.C. seein in a safe position in the match against Canterbury. They are safe from defeat, but may have to accept a draw if the Canterbury batsmen reproduce their real form. The weather has been very hot, especially to-day. Yesterday there was a hot sun with a light easterly, and to-day a light north-west wind for part of the afternoon, with a very hot sun. The wicket was fast end true, favouring the batsmen. Kerr’s Great Innings. Kerr’s innings was a feature of the first day’s play. It was one of his very best knocks, and when Kerr is going well he has few superiors in •New Zealand, if indeed, any at all. He hit 19 fours jn his total of 146, and lie did not give a semblance of a chance until near the end of his innings when he was forcing to get runs. His treatment of the fast bowler, Read, was very impressive. He scored oft Read with every shot a well-equipped batsman should have, but perhaps he was most impressive when he banged high-flying fast- balls through the covers His late cuts and occasional lee glides were marvels of neatness and accurate timing. The only other batsman to shape confidently was Cromb, who scored fast and batted really well for his 37. He looked like a good score when he ran himself out foolishly. If he had stayed with Kerr for an hour or so the Canterbury score might have been more formidable, me other batsmen were not convincing. Bellamy succumbed to the temptation to nibble at off balls and touched one which gave the wicket-keeper, Griffith, a smart catch. 13-1-9. Hadlee scored a few runs off the fast bowler through the slips and was then caught at fine leg off Read. 21-1-8. Cromb went well at once, but the scoring rate was not fast. Fifty runs were scored in the first hour. Cromb had passed Keii total when a quick return to the wicket ended his innings. He to steal a few runs by smart running, but this time he underestimated the fieldsman's skill. 89-3-37. O’Brien failed to score. 93-4 r °- WRh Roberts in the scoring rate improved, and tne hoard showed 130 for two Fours p ay. Roberts was sent back by a Fne eatJ at long-off. 141-5-17. beaten by Human. . 16 }™- : n^tes . passed the century in 167 , Merritt was beaten by a good-leng ball from Sims. 132-7-5. Jackman stayed with Kerr until 200 was reached in 180 minutes, when Jackman w caught on the long-on boundary of Simi 200-8-4. Andrews was a victim to the new lbw rule. J; Graham kept his end up while Kei made runs, but was out lbw to Baxtei Kerr was unbeaten.

M.C.C. at the Wickets. Roberts and Andrews bowled for Canterbury to Smith and Parks,, but Merritt was soon brought on, and his first over Parks put a leg in g of a straight one. 28—1 —-*.2. hit Merritt’s breaks but not very surely. Smith was caught behind bbe wicket off Roberts. The ball kept low 60--2-39 In his next over Meiritt took a fine catch off his own bowling to dismiss Human. 65-3-1- Hohnes in, but was uneasy facing Memtt. Cronib relieved Merritt and off his second ball held a hot return from Holmes. 77-4—ll. Lyttelton had a narrow escape when Cromb 311st fade to get his fingers on to a hard drive. The score at stumps was 108 for ioui wickets. Second Day’s Play. M.C.C. resumed to-day! with the scores at 108 for four wickets. Merritt bowled to Barber, and Roberts took up the attack at the other end. Hie batsmen opened quietly. Lyttelton was missed by Cromb at third slip off Roberts, and soon after Jackman appealed for a catch behind the wicket off Merritt. Neither of the batsmen was comfortable and balls often beat them, missing the wickets, however. Cromb relieved Merritt after Jialf an hour, and Graham replaced Roberts, but after a short spell Cromb and Merritt resumed. Barber skied a ball from Merritt, but no fieldsman was near. The scoring rate increased for a. period and Barber reached 50 after a slow beginning in 111 minutes. After an hour’s play the total was 200. Graham, who relieved Merritt, failed to hold a catch off bis own bowling from Lyttelton, but a, moment later- O’Brien took a hard catch at cover. Lyttelton was out 233—5—80. The partnership had added 156 runs. Mitchell-Innes joined Barber. The Canterbury total was passed at 3.30 after three hours’ play. After passing the century, Barber opened out and before long was clean bowled by Cromb. 310—6—116. He had made his runs in 181 minutes. Mitchell-Innes made 50 and then hit Cromb into the long field, where Bellamy took a catch two yards from the fence. 325—7—50. Sims fell a victim to a similar stroke off Merritt. 328 B —s. Griffith put a leg in front of a straight one from Merritt. 330 —9—3. Read and Baxter hit freely for a few minutes, Read scoring the first six of the match. He was stumped by Jackman. The innings closed at 5.4 p.m., 364 runs having bedn scored in 251 minutes. Butterfield and Bellamy opened for Canterbury to the bowling of Read and Baxter. Bellamy was palpably uneasy ancf did not stay long, being out leg before to Bhxter. 15 —I—9. Hadlee played out time with Butterfield. CANTERBURY. First Innings. J. L. Kerr, not out 146 F. W. Bellamy, c Griffith, b Read 9 W. A. Hadlee, c Baxter, b Read ... 8 I. B. Cromb, run out ... ... 37 F. P. O’Brien, b Sims 0 A. W. Roberts, c Sims, b Parks ... 17 L. A. Butterfield, c Read, b Newman 2 W. E. Merritt, b Sims 5 C. K. Jackm.au, c Holmes, b Sims 4 S. Andrews, lbw, b Sims 2 M. Graham, lbw, b Baxter ... 7 Extras 6 Total 243 Bowling—-Read took two wickets for 84 runs, Baxter on© for 59, Parks on©

for 59, Sims four for 52, Human one for 13. Second Innings. Bellamy, lbw, b Baxter ... ... 9 Hadlee, not out ... ... ... 17 Butterfield, not out 7 Extras 3 Total (for one wicket) ... 36 M.C.C. First Innings. J. H. (Parks, llnv, b Merritt ... 12 D. Smith, c Jackman, b Roberts 39 W. Barber, b Cromb 116 J. H. Human, c and b Merritt .... 1 E. R. T. Holmes, c and b Cromb... 11 C. J. Lyttelton, c O’Brien, b Graham 80 N. S. Mitchell-Innes, c Bellamy, b Cromb 50 J. M. Sims, c Bellamy, b Cromb... 5 S. C. Griffith, lbw, b Merritt ... 3 A. I). Baxter, st Jackman, b Cramb 10 H. D. Read, not out ... ... 25 Extras ... ... ... 12 Total v 364 Bowling—Roberts took one wicket for 74 runs, Cromb five for 52, Merritt three for 111, Andrews none for 41, Graham one for 67, Bellamy none for 7. PLUNKET SHIELD MATCH. AUCKLAND IN GOOD POSITION. AUCKLAND, December 25. After two days’ play in the Plunkett Shield match, between Auckland and Otago, the former had placed itself in a good position. In the first day of play, Auckland scored 303 and Otago replied with. 18 for one wicket. The Otago batsmen were dismissed to-day for 241, and Auckland, in its second innings lost one wicket for 32. A feature of Otago’s innings was the good display of Elmes for 52, and a fighting stand by two colts, Smith 34, and Kerr 44, not out. Matheson, who always is steady, was the most successful Auckland bowler, taking four for 57. The match was continued to-day in fine weather. With one wicket down for 18 runs Toomey and Saxton were cautious when they resumed Otago’s first innings. Before a run was added, Toomey edged one from Townsend and was caught in the slips. Though the ball came through easily, the Otago batsmen adopted a defensive policy!, which enabled the steady Auckland attack to tie the batsmen down to a slow scoring rate. When Scandrett played all over a ball from Matheson, the Otago score read 35 for three wickets. In an aggressive innings, Badcock attempted to retrieve the position. He hit the first six of the match in lifting Vivian to the on boundary, and trying to hit a loose ball from Vivian, he missed and was stumped. In an innings that was characterised by sound defence and well-executed driving shots,, Elmes made a fine effort to. give Otago a fighting chance. In company with Uttley, he carried the total to the 100 mark, the score at the luncheon adjournment reading 106 for* five wickets. Elmes was still confident when lie faced the Auckland attack on resuming. He waited for an occasional loose delivery, and scored consistently in raising his total to 52 before Matheson bowled him' The later Otago batsmen showed unexpected resistance, Smith and Kerr, by- solid batting, having the Auckland attack worried. Vivian exploited bowling changes in an attempt to finish the innings, but Otago managed to raise the total to 241. Otago had been at the wickets for 366 minutes. With half an hour’s play left Auckland commenced its second innings. Mills was dismissed early, when he dragged a ball on to the wicket. Postles and Weir were together at stumps, the score being 32 for one wicket. Scores: — AUCKLAND. First Innings. Mills, c Elmes, b Dunning ... 59 Postles, c Scandrett, b Henderson 0 Weir, c and b Elmes 17 Vivian, c Uttley, b Elmes ... 3 Whitelaw, b Elmes 33 Wallace, c Elmes, b Dunning ... 42 Townsend, b Smith 68 Hook, b Dunning 21 Matheson, c Saxton, b Smith ... 47 Cowie, c Henderson, b Badcock ... 3 Hayward, not out 0 Extras ... ... 10 Total 303 Bowling—Henderson took one wicket for 54 runs, Badcock one for 49, Dunning three for 92, Elmes three for 51, Smith two for 40, Scandrett none for 7. Second Innings. Mills, b Henderson 6 Postles, not out 7 Weir, not out 16 Extras 3 Total l(for one wicket) ... 32 OTAGO. First Innings. Saxton, c and b Vivian ... ... 29 Cavanagh, b Cowie ... ... 4 Toomey, c Whitelaw, b Townsend! 3 Scandrett, b Matheson 6 Badcock, st Hayward, b Vivian ... 30 Elmes, b Matheson 52 Uttley, c Weir, b Matheson ... 14 Kerr, not out 44 Smith, c Wallace, b Matheson ... 34 •Dunning, b Cowie 9 Henderson, c Townsend, b Vivian 7 Extras ... 9 Total; ... .... ... 241 Bowling-—Cowie took two wfckets for 74 runs, Matheson four for 57, Townsend one for 35, Vivian three for 57, Postles none for 3, Weir none for 6. SHEFFIELD SHIELD MATCHES. DOUBLE CENTURY BY BRADMAN. ADELAIDE, December 25. In a Sheffield Shield match against Queensland to-day, South Australia, first innings, lost five wickets for 464 runs (Badcock 91, Bradman 233). Bradman played an exhilarating innings, and the spectators were electrified with the rapidity of hfs scoring.

His score went from 150 to 200 in 14 minutes. He scored 16 off one over from Allei}, $1 off one over from Wyeth, and 15 off one over from Levy. His score of 233 was made in 191 minutes. He hit 28 fours and one six. VICTORIA v. NEW SOUTH WALES. MELBOURNE, December 25. In a Sheffield Shield match against New South Wales yesterday, Victoria, first innings, had lost six wickets for 253 at stumps (Rigg 51, Lee 94, Bromley 40). SECOND TEST IN AFRICA. AUSTRALIA’S GOOD LEAD. JOHANNESBURG, December 24. The second Test match between Australia and South Africa opened in clear weather. The wicket was perfect. Tremendous interest is being taken in the match. There was ah attendance of 10,000. South Africa won the toss and batted, but collapsed dramatically. The pitch proved fiery, giving assistance to the fast bowler, McCormick, who bowled remarkably well. Only 11 had been scored when a ball from McCormick kicked up dangerously. Mitchell just touched it and Uldfieid, jumping, took a magnificent catch. Siedle, who had been playing McCormick comfortably, eventually touched a ball from the fast bowler, and Oldfield got his glove to the ball; which went to the slips, where Chipperfield dived and held it brilliantly. Four runs later Nourse was beaten by a ball from McCormick, which kept low and turned slightly, taking his leg stump. Rowan batted cautiously, but Briscoe was more aggressive until he misjudged the pace of a delivery from O'Reilly, who also took Wade’s wicket with a ball which turned sharply from leg. Langton, falling into O’Reilly’s leg trap, was caught at silly leg, giving O’Reilly the remarkable figures of three wickets for 10 runs at this stage.

Rowan, after batting doggedly for 133 minutes, tell a victim to a ball from Grimmett which went straight through, and he was out leg-before. Grimmett’s spinners then accounted for Crisp and Nicholson, the latter being stumped brilliantly when he jumped out to a ball which completely beat him. . It was a coincidence that McCormick, O'Reilly and Grimmett each took three successive wickets. O’Reilly completed South Africa s dismissal when he clean bowled Robertson. The innings had lasted 180 minutes. The Australian opening batsmen were kept very quiet by the accurate bowling of Langton and Crisp, and only seven runs were scored in the first 20 minutes. Later, however, they mastered the attack, and the 100 was reached in 80 minutes. Then Brown lifted a ball toward mid-off, vv “® re Crisp took a well-judged catch. McCabe scored with characteristic freedom until some time after the dismissal ol Eingleton when fading light made caution necessary. McCabe and Darling seemed well settled, but in the last, over the former swung his bat to leg, giving Ryohertson a catch. Scores: SOUTH AFRICA. First Innings. Mitchell, c Oldfield, b McCormick 8 Siedle, o Chipperfield, b McCormick ... 5q Rowan, lbw, b Grimmett • Nourse, lbw, b McCormick ... « Briscoe, b O’Reilly Wade, b O’Reilly ... ••• « Langton, e Eingleton, b O Reilly... 7 Nicholson, at Oldfield, b Grimmett 2/ Crisp, b Grimmett ... Robertson, b O’Reilly Bock, not out g Extras Total 157 Fall of wickets: One for 11, two for 46, three for 50, four for 68, five for 70, six for 78, seven for 112, eight for 126, nine for 139. . , ~ p Bowling Analysis—McCormick three for 36, McCabe none tor 11, O Reilly four for 54, Fleetwood-Smith none foi 21, Grimmett three for 29. AUSTRALIA. First Innings. Fingleton, b Langton l. Brown, c Crisp, b Robertson ... * McCabe, c Robertson b Langton ... 34 Darling, not out g Extras **' Total for three wickets ... 168 Fall of wickets: One for 105, two for 127, three for 168. , , q( . Bowling Analysis: Crisp none foi Langton two for 58, Mitchell none fo 14, Bock none for 36, Robertson ope for 23.