CANTERBURY V. AUCKLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 301, 29 December 1897, Page 2

CANTERBURY V. AUCKLAND.

FINE SCORING BY G. MILLS AND STEMSON. ..•■■■

Requiring 334 runs to win, Auckland commenced their second innings at 3 "30 p.m. yesterday, I. Mills and D. Hay facing the bowling of Reese and Pearce. Disaster fell early upon them, for Mills was brilliantly caught at mid-on by Wilding, after scoring but a single, 2—l—l. G. Mills followed, and runs were beginning to come pretty freely, when Hay, who was shaping splendidly, had the misfortune to put his leg before the wicket, and retired, 33—2—

20. Kallender filled the vacancy and opened with a pretty cut for 2 oil' Pearce. A chance snick in the slips added another 3. Mills meanwhile was putting on thesingles slowly, and Kallender hoisted 40 with a 2, reaching double figures soon after with a drive oil Reese. The half-century appeared after 40 minutes play, bub at 53 Kallenderwas bowled off his padsby Pearce, 53—3-14.

Things were looking black indeed for Auckland, but the newcomer, W. Stemson, gave quite a new turn to the game. Mills welcomed him with a mighty smite to the boundary off Reese. Stemeon led off by placing Pearce to leg for another 4, and (JO appeared. With his score at 20 | Mills had a narrow escape of being stumped,- the ball slipping out of the wicket-keeper's hands. Stemaon notched the go with a boundary drive oil'Reese, who gave up the ball to Garrard. Stemson placed him to square leg for 3, and soon afterwards brought up the century with a pretty drive for four oh" Wilding. Both men were now well set, and playing the bowling with the utmost confidence. Frequent changes of bowling were effected but for a long Dime without effect, and the runs continued to pile up. At 156 Mills was dropped by A. Ridley in the outtield, and celebrated his good luck by driving both bowlers to the boundary. Reese's last two overs realised 21 runs,' and 170 was passed. At length the end came. With the Score at 176 Steiuson hit one of Clark's back into the bowler's'hands, and retired. 176—4—73. The partnership produced 123 runs, beating that of the morning, when Wiglcy and Clark put on 104 before they were separated. Stemson's hitting was a treat to watch. He received a small ovation on returning to the pavilion. Labatt, who followed, shaped Well from the start, and he and Mills easily played out time, the score then standing at 185. Scores:— Canterbury— Ist innings, 182. Auckland —Ist innings, 90. Canterbury—2nd innings, 251. BOWLING ANALYSIS. Overs. Mdns. Runs. Wkts. R, Neill ...15 2 57 2 A. M. Labatt 20 11 22 1 F. V. Kelly ...23 2 60 5 W. Stemson ... 11 0 42 2 D. Hay ... 0 4 19 0 J. A. Kallender 5 0 IS 0 G. Mills ... 1 ,0 4 0 W.Lawaon ... 3 2 8 0 I. Mills ... 4 1 0 0 AUCKLAND.—Second Innings. D. Hay, 1111414241, lbw Pearce ... 20 I. Mills, c Wilding, b Reese 1 G. Mills, 11111321324111111411.341441 31412411, not out 66 J. A Kallender, 2322122, b Pearce ... 14 W. Stemson, 11421111221411431242424 4211111312342121 c and b Clark ... 73 A. M. Labatt, 431, not out 8 Extras 3 Total for four wickets 185